The 9 Best Cigarette Rolling Machines
Updated by · How we research
How much of the work you want a machine to do shapes the choice among these nine cigarette rolling machines. The Powermatic 2 Plus electric injector leads. When users buy our independently chosen editorial recommendations, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
A manual-feed electric injector packs each tube with a motor, but you still dose the tobacco by hand. Only the automatic hopper machines measure and pack the tobacco for you, and hand-crank and hand-rolling machines need no power at all. These are for adults who already smoke and make their own cigarettes at home, with filter tubes or papers.
From the manual
- Made for tube-filling tobacco under 12% moisture with cuts shorter than 20 mm; the manual rules out hand-rolling, shag and pipe tobacco. p. 4
- If the spoon blocks, the red JAM light flashes: switch off and clear the loading chamber with the supplied cleaning probe before restarting. p. 4
- To clean the spoon, empty the chamber, push the lever down, and lift it about 3 cm once the spoon is out; it stays there. cleaning guide, p. 2
From the manual
- A HOPPER message with tobacco still inside means it isn't dropping; shorten the cut and dry it below 12% moisture. p. 5
- Before topping up, close the lid and press START to push leftover tobacco out of the loading chamber. p. 5
- On a JAM, switch off, run the cleaning probe through the nozzle and clear the hopper before pressing START again. p. 5
- Clean the spoon, cutting blade and nozzle after each use; opening the case yourself voids the warranty. p. 5
Compare the specs
Swipe the table sideways to see every column.
| Product | Type | Density control | 100 mm tubes | Jam alert | Warranty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Powermatic 2 Plus | Electric, hand-fed | How much you load | Yes, pack corners more | Red JAM light | 1 year |
| 2. Powermatic III+ | Electric, automatic | 3 settings | — | JAM on display | 1 year |
| 3. HawkMatic HK2 | Electric, hand-fed | How much you load | Yes, fill corners first | Display flashes | 1 yr or 20,000 fills |
| 4. HawkMatic HK3+ | Electric, automatic | 3 settings | Yes | Locks, red START light | 1 yr or 20,000 fills |
| 5. Powermatic 4 | Electric, hand-fed | How much you load | Yes | Jam LED | 1 year |
| 6. Top-O-Matic T2 | Hand crank | How much you load | Yes, remove size plate | Crank resists | 1 yr, one-time; register |
| 7. Premier Supermatic | Hand crank | How much you load | Yes, remove size tab | Crank resists | 1 yr, one-time; register |
| 8. Powermatic Mini | Hand slider | How much you load | Yes, pack corners more | — | — |
| 9. RAW 79mm Rolling Machine | Hand roller, papers | How you roll it | No, papers only | — | — |
A dash means the maker's documents don't say. Hand-fed machines pack as firmly as you load them, and both crank machines need warranty registration within 30 days of purchase.
Sources
- Powermatic 2 Plus user manual (PDF) 3 Plus user manual (PDF) II at Zico USA IV at Zico USA Mini at Zico USA 4 Plus specifications (powermatic-stopfmaschine.de)
- Hawk-Matic HK-2 HK-2 usage guidelines HK-3 HK-3: dealing with jams Warranty policy
- Top-O-Matic T2 Owner's manual (PDF) Warranty card (PDF)
- Premier Supermatic Owner's manual (PDF) Warranty card (PDF)
From the manual
- For 100 mm tubes, fill the corners at both ends of the chamber first. usage guidelines
- If the lever feels stiff, don't force it: open it and remove some tobacco, or the cigarette packs too tight and can jam. usage guidelines
- Don't open the lever while the spoon is running; tobacco falling onto the spoon rail can jam it. usage guidelines
- The warranty runs one year or 20,000 fills and excludes normal wear on the spoon, gears and lever. maker's warranty policy
From the manual
- Choose a lower density for fine tobacco and a higher one for springy tobacco, or cigarettes come out too tight or too loose. usage guidelines
- After each session, run it empty until no tobacco is left inside; the container doesn't seal, so leftovers clump and jam. usage guidelines
- For a slight jam, press START and the spoon runs out for wiping; after four tries it locks until cleaned. maker's jam guide
- Holding the Reset button turns on S Fast Mode, which shortens the pauses between strokes for dry tobacco. maker's product page
From the manual
- Residue in the spoon's outer corner stops tobacco reaching the filter; push the lever down, then tap On/Off to park the spoon out. p. 2
- If tobacco stops short of the filter, it may be too moist; the guide asks for under 12% moisture. p. 2
From the manual
- Register within 30 days of purchase, or the limited warranty doesn't apply. p. 1
- Fill only level with the chamber: overfilling stiffens the crank, and forcing the crank voids the warranty. p. 1
- For 100 mm tubes, remove the Speed Lock size plate; leave it in for King size. p. 2
- Clean the chamber and nozzle after every use, and oil the moving parts with household oil. p. 2
From the manual
- For 100 mm tubes, pull out the magnetic size tab; leave it in for King size. p. 2
- Never turn the crank without a tube on the nozzle: the extended injector is very sharp. p. 1
- The one-year warranty needs registration within 30 days, covers one repair or replacement, and you pay return shipping. warranty card
- Parts made for the older Commonwealth-built Supermatic don't fit this Republic Brands version. maker's service FAQ
Editor's Notes
November 3, 2026, by Ezvid Wiki Editors:
We read the makers' manuals, cleaning guides and warranty terms for eight of the nine picks, added a spec table, and put notes from those documents under seven of the picks. We corrected the Top-O-Matic T2, which switches between King and 100s with a removable plate rather than a three-way switch, and updated the HawkMatic HK3+'s hopper to the maker's 35-cigarette figure. We also replaced an unverified noise claim for the HawkMatic HK2 with the maker's jam-protection details and rewrote the Premier Supermatic from Republic Brands' own manual.
October 14, 2026, by Ezvid Wiki Editors:
No electric injector has a longer owner track record than the Powermatic 2 Plus, so it keeps first place. From the 2022 version we also kept the Powermatic III+, Top-O-Matic T2, Premier Supermatic, Powermatic Mini and RAW roller, and we added the HawkMatic HK2 and HK3+ and the Powermatic 4. We dropped the Gambler, the Top-O-Matic PoweRoll, the GHRMB injector and the RollerBox because we couldn't find current listings for them.
We also left off the newest Powermatic V+, which auto-loads tubes: it costs about $300, only auto-loads King tubes, and at least one retailer stopped selling it because of returns. No testing lab or magazine has reviewed these machines, so the ranking rests on makers' warranty and tube-size specs, roll-your-own forum advice such as the preference for the metal Supermatic, and owners who have kept machines like the Top-O-Matic running for years.
These products are for adults who already smoke. Nothing here suggests that rolling your own is safer than buying cigarettes.
Earlier notes
October 11, 2020, by Brendon Hannaford:
We made a few changes to our list this time around in order to provide users with a bit more variety. For instance, we got rid of one of the thumb rollers on our list and replaced it with the GHRMB Injector, which provides an option for those who prefer tubes to papers that is still relatively affordable and compact. While the injector takes a bit of force to slide sometimes, it still requires less dexterity than a thumb roller, and many find tubes less finicky to deal with since they require no licking and can have filters pre-installed if desired.
The Powermatic III+ was also added as a new luxury option for those who don't mind spending extra money on their rolling machine if it will save both time and money down the road. This high-quality digital device allows you to dial in density to your liking, and whereas many electronic options still require some amount of manual assistance this model offers true one-touch operation. All one has to do is fill the tobacco hopper, place a tube on the injection nozzle, and press the button for a clean well-packed cigarette. It's compatible with King- or 100-sized tubes, and around 30 can be filled and placed in the storage stray before it has to be reloaded.
Lastly, we replaced the Top-O-Matic with the Top-O-Matic T2, an upgraded model that features very similar operation to its predecessor. This new version features a durable all-metal enclosure and the company claims it's better, stronger, and faster, but despite this improvement in design its price has stayed about the same.
We're surely not the first ones to tell you that smoking is unhealthy and it's never too late to quit, but as long as you're keeping the habit you may as well minimize costs with these machines and benefit your experience with other accessories such as cases, lighters, and ashtrays.
July 11, 2019, by Daniel Goldstein:
Our most recent update intends to achieve a well-balanced, varied list with options for all types of smokers. For instance, we've considered that smokers often on the go will prefer two types of machines: 1) a cheap, lightweight one that you can afford to keep in your pocket or inside your tobacco pouch without minding if it breaks after some time; or 2) a rugged, mechanical device made with high-quality parts that can take a beating inside your backpack. For those in the first camp, we have the Zig Zag 100mm (#9) and the Raw 79mm (#4). Those in the latter group will want to check out the Top-O-Matic Heavy Duty (#2), or either of our two new additions — the Premier Supermatic (#5) or the Gambler Red (#6). These three are all manually-operated, but the Gambler Red does have a plastic housing, so it's not as durable as the other two, which are made of metal.
Other smokers will prefer to produce a large quantity all at once, possibly filling up old cigarette cartons with their newly-rolled boges. For these folks, we point to the Top-O-Matic PoweRoll (#7), and our top pick, the PowerMatic 2 Plus, which has built a reputation as the go-to machine on the market. It can churn out perfectly-rolled cigarettes in bulk, reliably and without much fuss, and is, in general, a pleasure to operate.
How we researched this
We compared more than 20 cigarette injectors and rolling machines and read the makers' documents for eight of the nine picks: the Powermatic 2 Plus and 3 Plus manuals and cleaning guides, the Powermatic 4 Plus cleaning guide, Zico USA's Powermatic instruction sheets, Hawk-Matic's HK-2 and HK-3 guides and warranty policy, and Republic Brands' owner's manuals for the Top-O-Matic T2 and Premier Supermatic. Roll-your-own threads on the WholeLeafTobacco forum added long-term ownership reports, and TTB Ruling 2010-4 covered the federal rules on home cigarette making. In November 2026 the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission's recall database listed no recalls for Powermatic, Hawk-Matic, Top-O-Matic or Premier Supermatic machines.
Sources (32)
- TTB Ruling 2010-4
- CSP Daily News: TTB guidance on roll-your-own machines
- WholeLeafTobacco forum: Top-O-Matic
- WholeLeafTobacco forum: Powermatic 1 vs 2
- Gagadget: best electric cigarette rolling machines
- CDC: Smoking and tobacco use
- CPSC recalls
- Powermatic 2 Plus user manual (PDF)
- Powermatic 2 Plus cleaning tips and FAQ (PDF)
- Powermatic 3 Plus user manual (PDF)
- Powermatic 3 Plus cleaning tips and FAQ (PDF)
- Powermatic 4 Plus cleaning tips and FAQ (PDF)
- Zico USA: Powermatic II
- Zico USA: Powermatic III
- Zico USA: Powermatic IV
- Zico USA: Powermatic Mini
- Powermatic-stopfmaschine.de: Powermatic 4 Plus specifications
- Smoker's Outlet Online: Powermatic IV Plus
- Hawk-Matic: HK-2
- Hawk-Matic: HK-2 usage guidelines
- Hawk-Matic: HK-3
- Hawk-Matic: HK-3 usage guidelines
- Hawk-Matic: HK-3 dealing with jams
- Hawk-Matic: warranty policy
- Hawk-Matic: about the company
- Top-O-Matic T2 owner's manual (PDF)
- Top-O-Matic T2 warranty card (PDF)
- Premier Supermatic owner's manual (PDF)
- Premier Supermatic warranty card (PDF)
- RYO Service Center: Supermatic FAQs
- RYO Service Center: FAQs
- RYO Service Center: machines serviced
Frequently asked questions
Is it legal to make my own cigarettes at home?
Yes, for personal use under U.S. federal law. Shops that let customers use a machine need a federal manufacturer's permit.
Manual or electric?
Electric injectors are faster and easier on your hands but need an outlet and make some noise. Manual injectors are cheaper, quiet and portable but tiring for large batches.
Why does my machine keep jamming?
Usually the tobacco is too moist, too dry, too powdery or overfilled. Powermatic's manuals ask for under 12% moisture and cuts shorter than 20 mm. Fill level with the chamber, not above it.
Do these machines take 100 mm tubes?
Most injectors here do. The Top-O-Matic T2 and Premier Supermatic switch sizes with a removable plate or tab; the Powermatic 2 Plus, HawkMatic HK2 and Powermatic Mini need the chamber's corners packed well.
What's the difference between an injector and a roller?
An injector fills ready-made filter tubes. A roller rolls loose tobacco in a rolling paper.
How do I clean a rolling machine?
Switch it off, brush out the chamber, spoon and nozzle after each session, and clear jams with the supplied probe. Oil a crank machine's moving parts with household oil, but check the manual before oiling an electric one.
