Air-cooled Scrypt miners remain the simplest way to deploy dedicated hardware for Litecoin and Dogecoin merged-mining pools, but the word “best” depends on the site. A high-density machine such as the Antminer L9 can deliver much more hashrate per rack position than a home miner, while a lower-power device can fit residential circuits and noise limits that make an industrial unit impractical.
This 2026 guide replaces old daily-profit screenshots with a durable comparison method. Revenue, network difficulty, pool rules, coin prices and transaction fees change continuously. Hashrate, wall power, voltage, noise, condition, warranty and delivered price are the inputs a buyer can verify before ordering.
How Scrypt merged mining affects the decision
Many Scrypt pools support merged mining, where compatible proof-of-work can contribute to more than one network without running a second physical miner. Pool implementation, supported auxiliary chains, payout method, fees and minimum thresholds still differ. Confirm the exact pool documentation and country availability before treating any secondary reward as part of a forecast.
A machine’s label does not guarantee a profit. Build a base case and a downside case using current pool-side revenue, then subtract electricity, facility overhead, pool fees, downtime, repairs, freight, tax and financing. Use the LeedMiner profit calculator for miner-level electricity scenarios, but keep dated assumptions outside the permanent article.
Current air-cooled Scrypt shortlist
The following values combine official manufacturer documentation for the Antminer families with published, in-stock LeedMiner listings checked on August 11, 2026. Exact batch values can differ, so the order confirmation should name the model, hashrate, wall power and input range.
| Miner | Listed hashrate | Catalog wall power | Approx. efficiency | Catalog noise | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Antminer L9 | 16.5 GH/s | 3,465 W | 210 J/GH | 75 dBA | High-density industrial deployment |
| Antminer L7 | 9.5 GH/s | 3,420 W | 360 J/GH | 75 dBA | Lower-cost established platform |
| ElphaPex DG Home 1 | 2.1 GH/s | 630 W | 300 J/GH | 50 dBA | Lower-power home or office use |
Efficiency is wall power divided by hashrate. Use it to compare energy per unit of work; use total watts to size circuits, ventilation and heat rejection. A machine can have better efficiency and still require a much larger circuit than a home miner.
BITMAIN’s official L9 specifications document the Scrypt algorithm, 210 J/GH typical family efficiency, 220–277 V input range and performance tolerances. Its installation documentation covers 15, 16 and 17 GH/s variants, so buyers should not assume every L9 has identical power. BITMAIN’s official L7 specifications similarly list several hashrate grades, including the 9.5 GH/s configuration.
Antminer L9: best for hashrate density
The 16.5 GH/s L9 listing is the strongest choice here when the objective is maximum air-cooled Scrypt hashrate per deployment position. The LeedMiner catalog records 3,465 W for this exact listing. That higher performance density can reduce the number of network drops, shelves and service positions needed for a target hashrate.
The trade-off is infrastructure. BITMAIN specifies a 220–277 V single-phase range for the L9 family and a 20 A maximum input. A qualified electrician should verify breaker, conductor, receptacle, PDU, plug, continuous-load limits and local code. Plan separated cold intake and hot exhaust; 3.5 kW of electrical draw becomes roughly the same amount of heat inside the room.
The L9 makes sense for a site with engineered power, high airflow and a low enough electricity rate to benefit from its efficiency. It is not a plug-and-play household appliance.
Antminer L7: best for lower entry price
The L7 is an older but widely recognized Scrypt platform. The current 9.5 GH/s listing shows 3,420 W—almost the total power of the L9 example, but with substantially less hashrate. Its advantage is acquisition cost: a buyer may accept lower efficiency when the hardware price, spare-part availability or existing L7 infrastructure makes the total project attractive.
The official L7 documentation lists 200–240 V input, two AC input wires and a 20 A maximum condition. Confirm that the exact PSU and cables are included. Used, repaired or long-stored units require sustained hashrate testing, hashboard detection, fan data, temperature records and pool-side accepted-share evidence.
Do not compare L7 and L9 on hardware price alone. Compare delivered cost per GH/s, daily electricity, expected downtime and residual value under the same assumptions.
ElphaPex DG Home 1: best for lower-power placement
The DG Home 1 occupies a different category. The live catalog lists 2.1 GH/s, 630 W, a 110–220 V input range and 50 dBA. It sacrifices hashrate density for a much smaller electrical and acoustic footprint. That can make it more practical for a home office, workshop or demonstration setup where an industrial 75 dBA machine would be unacceptable.
“Home” still requires planning. A 630 W continuous load adds heat to the room, raises electricity usage and needs clear ventilation. Noise perception also depends on fan tone, surfaces and distance; a catalog number is not a promise that the machine will be inaudible. Check the supplied cable, local voltage and warranty before purchase.
Electricity scenarios before revenue
Miner-only daily energy is power in kilowatts multiplied by 24 hours:
- L9 at 3.465 kW: 83.16 kWh/day;
- L7 at 3.420 kW: 82.08 kWh/day;
- DG Home 1 at 0.630 kW: 15.12 kWh/day.
At $0.08/kWh, those loads cost about $6.65, $6.57 and $1.21 per day. At $0.12/kWh, they cost about $9.98, $9.85 and $1.81. These figures exclude ventilation, conversion loss, networking and other facility loads. They are not profit estimates.
Next, add a facility power-usage factor or measured overhead, pool fees, a downtime allowance, repair reserve and the delivered hardware cost. Run at least three revenue cases. If the project only works under today’s most optimistic coin price and difficulty, the hardware choice is too fragile.
Current LeedMiner product cards
Prices and stock can change after publication. Confirm the live page and request a dated quotation before payment.
Product card — Antminer L9 (16.5 GH/s) Listed at $2,200.00, in stock, with 3,465 W catalog power. Confirm batch, exact performance tolerance, power cord, destination and warranty. View the Antminer L9
Product card — Antminer L7 (9.5 GH/s) Listed at $870.00, in stock, with 3,420 W catalog power. Verify condition, PSU, cables and sustained test evidence. View the Antminer L7
Product card — ElphaPex DG Home 1 (2.1 GH/s) Listed at $510.00, in stock, with 630 W catalog power. Confirm local voltage, room ventilation and acceptable sound level. View the DG Home 1
If a live product page has no price, use Inquiry and request a current quote. A blank price is not a pending promise.
Cooling and placement checklist
For every air-cooled miner, document inlet temperature, exhaust path, dust control, humidity, service clearance and recirculation risk. Use measured airflow and temperature rather than assuming an open door is sufficient. Keep intake and exhaust physically separated where possible.
For a multi-unit site, calculate total heat, not one-machine heat. Confirm network switching, remote monitoring, pool failover and safe shutdown procedures. Maintain a spare-parts plan for fans and power supplies, and record firmware sources before connecting equipment to the production network.
Residential buyers should also check lease terms, household circuit sharing, noise transfer to neighbors and insurance requirements. Never use an improvised extension lead or overloaded power strip for continuous mining.
Which Scrypt miner should you choose?
Choose the L9 when engineered power and cooling are available and hashrate density matters most. Choose the L7 when acquisition price and existing infrastructure outweigh its lower efficiency. Choose the DG Home 1 when circuit size, heat and noise are the binding constraints.
The final ranking changes with electricity price and delivered hardware cost. Compare exact units in LeedMiner Compare, review current Scrypt miner listings, and contact LeedMiner with your country, voltage, electricity rate, cooling plan and target hashrate for a dated configuration and quotation.
