I bought the Carvera about 1 year ago and I'm so glad I have taken that decision.
Since then, I've been using it daily and it has become the central part of my shop. That's why I'm giving it a 5 stars review.
I'm only using it for woodworking, and it always delivers exceptional results with perfect precision.

Here are the key points I love about that machine :
- It's super quiet. It can perfectly run all day long without annoying your neighbors.
- It has a small footprint so it can fit everywhere if you don't have a lot of room in your workshop.
- The auto changing tool is great.
- It's super easy to set up even if you're new to CNC. You can start running tests with your machine in about 30minutes when you receive it.
- The dust vacuum system works well, it just needs a small cleanup between each machining (less than a minute with a vacuum cleaner). And everything is enclosed, so even if some dust is not automatically cleaned up, everything stays in the machine. So if you are worried about dust, that machine is perfect.
- If you are more of a technical person, you can find out what G-Code is supported by the machine on the Makera website.
- After about a year of using it, it still works perfectly and I have the feeling it will last for years.
- The support team is very responsive and you will have a clear answer usually 1 or 2 days after sending them a message.
- It works well with Fusion 360.
- I also recently bought the Carvera Air with the Kickstarter Campaign and I can't wait to receive it and test it! (I'm also considering buying another Carvera soon as my shop grows).

Also, here are some stuffs to keep in mind and some improvements I would love to see for the next generation of machines (*wink wink* Makera, here are some ideas for you ^^) :

- It's a desktop machine, so the workable area is still small (it's still bigger than all the other enclosed desktop machines I could find on the market). But I would love to see a "XL" version of that machine to be able to carve larger pieces. A machine exactly as the Carvera but with a workable area about 2X bigger would be awesome to carve big cutting boards.
- Sometimes the software is acting a little bit funky and sending some error messages if you have a lot of subfolders in your hierarchy. I would recommend to keep your files at the root of your machine and just upload and delete them as needed.
- I would love to see the tools holder for the automatic changing tool system to be placed somewhere else because we are losing a few centimeters of workable area on the right side (because there's a plastic piece to avoid chips projections on the cutting bits). If you're using the full area, the dust shoe can bend that plastic piece. I found that using a maximum of 320mm in the positive X axis is the maximum you should go to safely avoid that issue.
- Regarding the tools holder, I would love to have it enclosed and just open when changing tools so there is no dust/chips on the cutting bits.
- I would love to have the shoe dust to go a little bit lower because when you're using longer cutting bits from other vendors (I'm using some 1/4 shank cutting bits from Amana Tools), the show dust is not perfectly in contact with your piece of wood and so not all the dust is vacuumed.
- I would love to be able to put bigger cutting bits than 1/4in in the machine. Like being able to use a surfacing bit would be awesome (still with a 1/4in shank but with a bigger cutting diameter). We could save some machining time.
- An optional upgrade of the motor would be great to be more powerful and reach 18000RPM (compared to the 15000RPM of the current model). It would also be great if those RPM would be physically reachable with most of the cutting bits constructors recommendation. Using the Amana Tools recommendation, I broke some cutting bits several times already. It seems the motor is not powerful enough because, in some denser woods, the RPM reduces a lot compared to what is programmed but the feedrate stay the same. With the current motor, I would recommend to lower the feedrate by 20% to reduce the chipload. It's not a big deal if you plan to use the machine as a hobbyist, but that limitation can be important for a business (it will take more time in the machine so it will be more expensive in the end).
- Maybe an optional suction would be great to avoid mechanical fixtures.
- And finally, because that machine is a desktop machine, that would be great if the opening was on the front instead of the top. Currently, the lid opens on the top, so it's not possible to put several machines on top of each other on multiple shelves. If the opening was on the front, we could probably stack 3 machines up vertically if you want to create a CNC farm for a business.

So overall it's a great desktop machine. I would recommend it to anyone new to CNC or already experienced. It's a good addition to a workshop for small pieces.

I love my Carvera, solid purchase, a great learning tool and fun/useful for projects, I've made some really great stuff and have learned a ton. Makera recently open sourced the firmware so there should be lots of community based features to come (Thanks Fae!) I just wish the controller were open source as it would allow us to realize the full potential of this machine! I've updated my review to reflect my current feelings regarding this machine and the Makera team as a whole. If they would just open source the controller or at least allow a few hard working, highly skilled and motivated individuals to join in on the development (Fae Corrigan) that would be fantastic! Get fae on board and I'll gladly upgrade my review to 5 stars. She's done some amazing work and is working on some incredible upgrades for this machine, if only she could help develop the controller to fully implement her ideas. Fae has a vision but is unable at this point to (easily) completely realize her dreams and we may need to use a third party controller in order to unlock the full potential of this wonderful little desktop CNC. I'm not an engineer of any kind but I recognize extraordinary talent and drive when I see it. Either open source the controller (option #1) or give her the ability to build the controller and issue pull requests (option #2). I understand the desire to protect your intellectual property and that's why I suggest the second option.Thank you to the entire Makera team for your hard work and dedication!

The below is an earlier review prior to the release of a build-able open source firmware:

This machine is incredible, had some issues at first but they were not the fault of makera or the carvera support team. I was setting up via USB and the USB keeps the mcu powered during reboots so firmware updates weren't being implemented. Roeloff was super patient and helpful and convinced me we could solve the problem when I was ready to return it. I absolutely love this machine but the lack of open source software/firmware is killing it's potential. There are tons of carvera users who are extremely gifted and would love to help this little machine grow into the beast it was meant to be. The carvera team is amazing but Like Fae said, if it were open source many of us would test and help iron out bugs and develop new/better features before it is released en mass. I would love to give the carvera 5 stars but will also be withholding until some of the issues are resolved. The machine is usable as is, incredible really, but the community can and would accelerate the software development exponentially. I'll give 2 stars as I'm not a coder and can't personally develop for the platform but will gladly update to 5 the minute you open source the controller/firmware as Fae suggested.

I honestly was skeptical about the Carvera, a Desktop CNC machine with a sizable machining volume, metal frame, good linear guides, Full ball screws, Full enclosure, chip air blast, integrated vacuum AND vacuum boot, all that WITH an automatic tool changer, Z-probe, Tool length offset probe, and XYZ probe?? and under $10k??? It seemed too good to be true!

I can honestly say that it has lived up to my expectations, it has done an amazing job! And the automatic tool changer, tool length probe, z-probe and XYZ probe has been amazing, they have saved a lot of time and really taken out the tedious parts of machining. I'm a mechanical engineer, and have done a decent amount of CNC machining, so having all of those features in a robust package has been just great.

And as a side note, the lights on the door are actually really bright and nice to illuminate the entire build volume. The integrated Vacuum has been ok, but it's not anything to rave about. the fact that you can hook up an external vacuum through a port in the rear though, that was a great feature, although I wish they would have included an adapter for that port for 1-1/4" vacuum hoses that are pretty standard.

Overall, it has been a great machine. it's a lot more robust than you might think. You can tell by the features and by using it that they really did their due diligence in the product development process for this machine.

The support has been awesome as well. I have had Roelof help me through email, and he has been so good to work with! He knows all the answers to any of my questions, no matter how technical, and just gets what I'm trying to ask and responds with the right answers! He's really quick at getting back to me too which has been nice.

Great machine, great company, great support.

Shipping and Unboxing:
The Carvera arrived securely packaged, a testament to the attention given to shipping. Despite its journey from China, the machine reached my workshop in a reasonable 2.5 weeks. The unboxing experience was smooth, and the partially pre-assembled components made setup hassle-free.

Out-of-the-Box Performance:
The Carvera lives up to its promise of plug-and-play functionality. The provided examples worked seamlessly, allowing me to dive into projects without delay. Whether you’re a seasoned CNC user or a beginner, the Carvera’s straightforward assembly process ensures a positive initial experience.

Customization and Bit Collar Size:
One standout feature is the ability to adjust the bit collar size. This adaptability caters to diverse machining needs. Whether you’re engraving intricate designs or tackling robust cuts, the Carvera accommodates various bit dimensions. However, a word of caution: the inserts for auto tool changing are not supplied in larger sizes, so plan accordingly. (Make sure to check that all tools are in the correct slots because I have already melted a bit collar by accident because the tool was too short. [this was on me not Makera])

The Fourth Axis: Unlocking Creativity:
The inclusion of a fourth axis elevates the Carvera’s capabilities. With rotary functionality, you can venture beyond traditional 3-axis machining. The fourth axis opens doors to creative exploration. It is well built but is only driven by a weaker nema stepper motor.

Effective Vacuum System:
The built-in vacuum system keeps your workspace tidy, efficiently collecting debris during machining. However, if your projects involve metal chips, consider connecting a larger shop vac to the integrated external pipe at the back.

User-Friendly Control Software and Estop:
Navigating the Carvera’s control software is a pleasure. The well-designed interface simplifies job setup, design import, and execution. Whether you’re adjusting feed rates or fine-tuning parameters, the software streamlines the process. The E-stop immediately halts the machine, but one downside is that it loosely lays around. It is not secured to the machine, so it may not be immediately findable. We velcroed it to the table that the machine is sitting on so it doesn't move. The cable for the e-stop has a screw for it so you cannot just accidently yank it out.

Clear Documentation in Fluent English:
I appreciate that Makera provides all instructions in fluent English. The manual covers assembly, operation, and troubleshooting concisely. Whether you’re deciphering advanced features or seeking clarity, the language barrier won’t hinder your progress.

Conclusion:
In summary, the Makera Carvera CNC Machine seamlessly blends reliability, customization, and creative potential. From hobbyists to professionals, this compact powerhouse delivers with great accuracy.

I absolutely love this machine and have been very happy with the support and community that has grown around it.

My only real gripe at this point is that the controller software should be open source. It doesn’t matter if it isn’t fully stable, the community can help with that. There are a lot of small bugs/feature requests that could be squashed by your dedicated community and then you can choose which ones to incorporate into the main branch over time. this is especially relevant as I am sure a lot of your developers time is going into the CAM software, I would hope that when it is ready past beta testing it also becomes open source software.

The rest of this message is an archive. They have addressed the concerns and the firmware is now buildable by the community so we can contribute, and the current beta firmware has options for what the front button does.

However, the way that the controller and firmware has been released in the latest patch is problematic and needs to change for the following reasons:

1) the firmware included a change to how the front button on the machine works. Instead of a long press putting the machine into a sleep mode, it runs the last program the machine ran. It is a super convenient feature, but should have been an opt in advanced setting instead of pushed out to all users with barely any notification. This is not something you hide in the release notes. It has already surprised multiple users who were not expecting it and could easily lead to someone getting hurt or damaging their machine. I have contacted makera about this and they noted the problem, promised a quick fix/press release and nothing has happened.

2) there should be a beta branch of the firmware that makera posts to the discord at least a week before pushing changes to everyone. The last firmware release included a bug that made the machine randomly stop in the middle of a file, which caused a fair amount of chaos and negative community feedback. Especially since it was the same week as CES and support was already strained. A lot of us in the community would be happy to beta test with full knowledge that there might be bugs/report back. It would greatly help both the community and the company.