A machine (1) for cutting sheet metal (5), and having two adjacent worktables (2), each with a respective sheet (5) handling device (4); the machine also comprising a cutting unit (3) with a cutting head (9) alternately movable over the two worktables (2) to cut the sheet (5) on one of the two worktables (2) while the handling device (4) of the other worktable (2) replaces the worked sheet (5) with an unworked sheet (5).