I’m not sure if it’s better to go for an SHA-256 machine or try one of the alternatives like Scrypt or Blake2b. I’m mainly interested in Bitcoin but open to flexibility if there’s a good multi-algo option. Any advice on which hash algorithm is the most future-proof or which miner is ideal if I stick to Bitcoin only?

If Bitcoin is your primary focus, then going with the best SHA-256 miner https://scalar.usc.edu/works/best-bi...=1748507914228 is absolutely the way to go. I’ve looked at a lot of alternatives, but SHA-256 remains the backbone of BTC mining and shows no sign of slowing down in terms of hardware development and profitability. I personally run two different SHA-256 miners right now, and the advantage is not only in raw hash output but in the sheer maturity of the technology. The firmware is more stable, the ecosystems are better supported, and there’s a ton of tuning flexibility. I’d avoid chasing multi-algo units unless you're deeply into coin-switching — they rarely perform as well on Bitcoin. The top SHA-256 units this year have pushed into the 250+ .