Laser Engravers Guide: laser engraver guides

The 7 Best Laser Engravers of 2026: Ranked for Home, Craft and Small Business

Fri, 30 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Choosing a laser engraver in 2026 means sorting through four kinds of machine, wattage claims that often describe electrical input rather than laser output, and lids that look safe but don’t all carry a Class 1 rating. This ranking cuts through that. We compared 16 diode, CO2, fiber and dual-laser machines using live Amazon listings, manufacturer spec tables and independent reviews from outlets such as Tom’s Hardware, TechRadar, Make: and Creative Bloq.

We don’t run a test workshop, so this is a research-based ranking, not a hands-on one. Where a test result appears, we name the outlet that ran it. Prices are what Amazon showed on October 29, 2026; laser prices move a lot, so check today’s price before you buy.

The shortlist

Rank	Laser	Type	Output	Work area	Laser class	Price	Best for
1	xTool P2S	Enclosed CO2	55 W	600 × 305 mm	Class 4	~$2,919	Best overall
2	xTool M2 10W	Enclosed diode	10 W	426 × 320 mm	Class 1	~$499	Beginners
3	Falcon A1 Pro	Enclosed diode	20 W	358 × 268 mm	Class 1	~$1,099	Value enclosed
4	xTool F2	Galvo diode + IR	15 W + 5 W	115 × 115 mm	Class 4	~$1,219	Portable
5	Falcon A1C 10W	Enclosed diode	10 W	150 × 150 mm	Class 1	~$380–400	Budget
6	xTool S1 40W	Enclosed diode	40 W	498 × 319 mm	Class 1	~$1,819	Cutting in a Class 1 box
7	xTool F2 Ultra	Galvo MOPA + diode	60 W + 40 W	220 × 220 mm	Class 4	~$5,099	Metal

The laser type decides what a machine can process at all. Blue diodes handle wood, leather, dark acrylic and coated metal. CO2 adds clear acrylic and glass. Fiber is the metal specialist. Galvo machines steer the beam with mirrors, so they’re very fast over a small area.

Four kinds of hobby laserThe light source decides what a laser can cut and mark. The format decides speed, size and safety.

Blue diode (open or enclosed)

The affordable all-rounder: engraves and cuts wood, leather, cardboard and dark acrylic, and engraves coated metal. Can't cut clear acrylic or mark bare metal. Slower cutting than CO2.

Typical: 10–40 W output, $300–$2,000

CO2 tube

The cutting machine: faster, cleaner cuts in wood and every color of acrylic, plus glass etching. Bigger, needs water cooling and serious venting. Can't mark bare metal without a compound.

Typical: 40–55 W desktop, $2,000–$7,000

Fiber (1064 nm)

The metal specialist: marks and deep-engraves stainless, aluminum, brass, silver and gold, and many plastics. Poor at wood and useless for clear acrylic or cutting sheet goods.

Typical: 20–60 W, $1,500–$5,000

Galvo / portable

Mirrors steer the beam instead of a moving gantry, so it's extremely fast over a small field — ideal for personalizing many small items. Often dual-source (diode + IR) in hobby machines.

Typical: ~100 × 100 mm field, $500–$2,500

If you’re unsure which type fits your projects, read diode vs CO2 vs fiber first, or check individual materials in the material checker.

1. xTool P2S: Best overall

The xTool P2S is the most capable machine here that a home maker or small shop can realistically fit and afford. Its 55 W CO2 tube cuts 18 mm basswood and 20 mm acrylic in one pass by xTool’s figures, and unlike any blue diode it cuts clear acrylic and frosts glass. The Gadgeteer’s reviewer called it outstanding and singled out how it handles every kind of acrylic, from clear to glitter and mirrored.

CO2 lasers used to mean fiddly setup. The P2S has dual 16 MP cameras, LiDAR autofocus, curved-surface engraving, a 600 × 305 mm bed and a passthrough for stock up to 3 m long. LightBurn works too, though without camera or autofocus support. The price has fallen to about $2,919 on Amazon from a $4,199 launch price.

The trade-offs are real. It weighs 99 lb and is about a meter wide, so it needs a sturdy bench. It’s rated Class 4 despite the lid, and it needs a duct to the outdoors or xTool’s AP2 purifier (about $919). The glass tube is a wear item: xTool quotes about 95% power at 1,000 hours and about 70% at 6,000–8,000 hours. If you can’t vent a CO2, look at the S1 or the A1 Pro below. Check the P2S price.

2. xTool M2 10W: Best for beginners

The xTool M2 is the laser we’d hand a nervous first-timer. It arrives assembled, it’s Class 1 certified by TÜV SÜD, and two cameras plus autofocus make placing a design on a blank drag-and-drop. The 426 × 320 mm bed is generous for the price, and air assist and an exhaust fan are built in. Tom’s Hardware gave it an Editor’s Choice award.

The base 10 W head is an engraver that cuts thin stock: xTool rates it at 8 mm basswood and 3 mm black acrylic in one pass. The upgrade path is the M2’s strength: magnetic heads swap in 20 W or 40 W diodes, a 3 W IR head for metal and plastic, or a CMYK inkjet. The catches are that it runs xTool Studio only (no LightBurn), it’s a 2026 launch without a long reliability record, and the add-ons push the total toward a Falcon A1 Pro or S1. About $499; check the M2 price. More picks for first-timers are in our best laser engraver for beginners guide.

3. Creality Falcon A1 Pro 20W: Best value enclosed

The Falcon A1 Pro packs a 20 W diode, built-in air assist, a camera, roughly 3-second autofocus, a touchscreen and Wi-Fi into a Class 1 enclosure for about $1,099. That’s around $700 less than the S1, and it supports LightBurn as well as Creality’s free software. An optional 2 W 1064 nm IR head swaps in without tools for bare metal and plastics.

Its bed (358 × 268 mm) is smaller than the cheaper Falcon A1’s, Gadget Review and owners report spotty Wi-Fi, and Creality’s 10 mm basswood figure doesn’t state a pass count. Watch the listing title, which says “180W”: that’s electrical input, and the laser is 20 W. On October 29, 2026, the rotary bundle was priced below the bare machine on Amazon, so compare both. Check the A1 Pro price, or read Falcon A1 vs Falcon A1 Pro.

4. xTool F2: Best portable

The xTool F2 weighs 4.6 kg and pairs a 15 W blue diode with a 5 W IR laser. The diode handles wood, leather and dark acrylic; the IR marks bare stainless, gold, silver and titanium. As a galvo, it moves the beam with mirrors at up to 6,000 mm/s, and xTool quotes a business card in about 3 seconds. A 50 MP camera with autofocus handles batch positioning.

It’s built for craft fairs and pop-up personalization, not for cutting sheets. The field is 115 × 115 mm (400 × 115 mm with the slide extension), cutting 15 mm basswood takes multiple passes, and it works only with xTool Studio. It’s Class 4: the shield isn’t a Class 1 enclosure, so you need eyewear rated for both 455 nm and 1064 nm. About $1,219; check the F2 price.

5. Creality Falcon A1C 10W: Best budget

The Falcon A1C proves a Class 1 laser no longer has to cost $500. For about $380–400 you get an enclosed 10 W diode with autofocus, an AI placement camera, flame and tilt lockouts and LightBurn support. TechRadar was impressed with it and noted that the fully enclosed design scores well over open-frame machines.

The limit is the 150 × 150 mm bed, which fits one 90 mm coaster at a time. Creality publishes no cut depth, and 3DPrinting.com only just got through 5 mm plywood in one pass. There’s no air assist, and Wi-Fi setup runs through the phone app on 2.4 GHz only. A 1.2 W IR module swaps in for bare stainless. Check the A1C price, or see all our budget picks.

6. xTool S1 40W: Most cutting power in a Class 1 box

The xTool S1 40W is the enclosed diode to buy when cutting matters and the machine has to live in a home office or classroom. xTool claims 18 mm cherry wood in a single pass, the 498 × 319 mm bed is the largest of the enclosed diodes here, and it adds multi-point autofocus, curved-surface engraving, five flame sensors and LightBurn support.

There’s no camera (positioning uses the laser head), air assist is an add-on, and like every blue diode it can’t cut clear acrylic. Availability is the bigger question. The only Amazon listing, at about $1,819, is titled “Rotary Bundle,” so confirm what’s in the box, and xTool’s Canadian store lists the S1 under clearance. Check the S1 price, and see xTool S1 vs xTool P2S if you’re deciding between them.

7. xTool F2 Ultra: Best for metal

If metal is your main material, the xTool F2 Ultra is the best tool here. Its 60 W MOPA fiber deep-engraves, embosses and color-marks stainless and titanium and cuts 2 mm brass and stainless by xTool’s figures. A 40 W diode handles wood and leather. Tom’s Hardware called it “the best experience we’ve had with metal engraving” and one of the best lasers it has seen for a small business. LightBurn 2.2.0 and later works with it, though LightBurn calls that support preliminary.

At about $5,099 for the dual-laser version (about $4,099 for MOPA only), it’s overkill for marking the odd tumbler. It’s Class 4: conveyor and rotary jobs run with the lid open, and no goggles come in the box. Check the F2 Ultra price. Cheaper metal options are in our best laser engraver for metal guide.

Price vs. score across every laser we track

The chart plots our score against the lowest Amazon price we saw for each machine’s base bundle. Dots further right and lower are better value.

Guide score vs. street priceEach dot is one laser (Guide score vs. lowest observed Amazon price for the base bundle; price axis is compressed). Lower and further right is better value.

$$$$$$$$$$7.07.58.08.5xTool M2 10W Falcon A1C 10W Falcon A1 Pro xTool F2 xTool P2S

Guide score (out of 10)

Hover or tap a dot for details. Full numbers are in the comparison chart.

Also worth a look

xTool P3 (about $6,300–7,900): an 80 W, Class 1 CO2 with a 915 × 458 mm bed, a built-in chiller and fire suppression. Tom’s Hardware found it fast, accurate and slick. It weighs 231 lb and runs xTool Studio only. Production shops only.
xTool F1 Ultra (about $2,499): 20 W fiber plus 20 W diode in one enclosed galvo. Our pick for small businesses that personalize metal and wood.
Creality Falcon A1 10W (about $549): Class 1, a 381 × 305 mm bed and a camera. USB-only with manual focus, and the “80W” in its title is electrical input.
Longer Ray5 40W (about $648) and Atomstack A20 Pro V2 (about $390): the most diode power per dollar, but both are open-frame Class 4 machines, and we found no major-outlet review of either version.
ComMarker B4 20W (about $1,400–1,720): an affordable open-beam fiber marker for metal. ComMarker lists it as clearance in favor of the B6.
OMTech K40+ (about $760–800): the cheapest way here to cut clear acrylic, with water cooling and mirror alignment to learn. Its “45W” is a tube rating, not measured output.
Glowforge Aura (about $1,104): very simple, but only 6 W and cloud-dependent. Glowforge went through an Assignment for the Benefit of Creditors in November 2025 before its co-founders bought back the assets, and the Amazon offer we saw came from a third-party seller with low stock.
LaserPecker LP5 (about $2,899): fiber plus diode in a 6 kg kit. It’s Class 4 unless you add the enclosure, and Tom’s Hardware found the software clunky.

How we chose

Every pick starts with the same data for all 16 machines: optical output, work area, laser class, air assist, camera and autofocus, software, maker cut claims and Amazon price. We cross-check specs against the manufacturer’s spec page and at least one independent review, and we note where they disagree (OMTech’s own K40+ cut figures, for example, conflict). The full method is on how we research.

Scores weight performance at 35%, ease of use at 25%, safety and build at 20%, and value at 20%. Two rules shape the ranking more than anything else:

Optical output only. Listing titles often quote electrical input: the Falcon A1 “80W” is 10 W, the A1 Pro “180W” is 20 W, and the Atomstack A40 Pro V2’s “48W” is a 40 W module. We never rank on title wattage. Our wattage explainer shows how to read a listing.
Laser class as rated. A lid isn’t the same as a Class 1 rating. The FDA treats Class 1 as non-hazardous, while Class 4 is an immediate eye and skin hazard from direct or reflected beams and may present a fire hazard. We score Class 1 machines higher on safety and say clearly when an enclosed-looking machine is Class 4.

We also mark down machines without an independent review (the A20 Pro V2 and Ray5 40W) and flag availability risks such as clearance stock.

Budget for the extras

The machine price is never the whole bill. Plan on these before your first job:

Ventilation for every laser. Run the exhaust to a window or wall vent, or buy a purifier if you can’t. A 4-inch inline fan (about $90) and 25 ft of foil duct (about $19) cover most window setups; xTool’s desktop purifier is about $249 and its AP2 is about $919. Details are in our ventilation guide.
Eye protection for open frames and galvos. Everyone in the room needs glasses rated for the laser’s wavelength: 445–455 nm for blue diodes, 1064 nm for fiber and IR. Blue-diode glasses don’t stop a 1064 nm beam.
Fire safety for all of them. A small ABC extinguisher (about $63) and a fire blanket (about $40 for two). Never leave a job running unattended.
Air assist if your machine lacks it. The A20 Pro V2’s F80 pump is about $110 on its own.

Laser safety gear on Amazon (checked October 2026)
Item	Type	Fits	Buy
Amerex B417T 2.5 lb ABC fire extinguisher with bracket Lasers cut by burning; a small ABC extinguisher mounted beside the machine is the cheapest fire insurance you can buy.	Safety	Any laser (Dry-chemical powder can ruin a laser's optics and electronics; LightBurn recommends a CO2 extinguisher for the machine itself.)	Check price
Amerex 322 5 lb carbon dioxide (CO2) fire extinguisher Class B:C CO2 leaves no powder residue, so it puts out a fire in the machine without destroying the optics. Pricier than ABC; not rated for Class A (wood/paper) fires on its own, so keep a fire blanket too.	Safety	Any laser	Check price
CARLANY 190–490 nm OD6+ laser safety glasses Blue-diode protection for anyone near an open-frame laser, or when you lift the lid or override an interlock on an enclosed one.	Safety	Any laser (Covers 445–455 nm blue diodes only; does not protect against 1064 nm IR/fiber or 10.6 µm CO2. Match the OD rating to your laser's wavelength.)	Check price
Cloudray 1064 nm laser safety goggles The invisible 1064 nm beam of fiber and IR lasers needs its own eyewear; blue-diode glasses won't stop it.	Safety	ComMarker B4 20W, xTool F2, xTool F1 Ultra, xTool F2 Ultra, LaserPecker LP5, Falcon A1C 10W, Falcon A1 Pro (For 1064 nm sources only. Dual-laser machines need protection for both wavelengths; check the OD rating on the listing.)	Check price
Prepared Hero emergency fire blanket, 39 × 39 in (2-pack) Smothers a flare-up on the bed without coating the machine's optics in extinguisher powder.	Safety	Any laser	Check price

Rotaries, riser bases and materials add more if you plan to engrave tumblers or sell products; our accessories worth buying guide sorts the useful ones from the rest, and the safety guide covers setup.

How to pick from this list

You can vent outdoors and want to cut thick wood or clear acrylic: xTool P2S.
First laser, shared home, gifts and crafts: xTool M2 10W.
Enclosed, standalone and real 20 W cutting under about $1,100: Falcon A1 Pro.
Craft fairs and on-the-spot personalization: xTool F2.
Smallest budget, small items only: Falcon A1C.
Thick cuts in a Class 1 box for a classroom or office: xTool S1 40W, if you can find stock.
Metal is the business: xTool F2 Ultra, or the ComMarker B4 on a budget.

Still unsure? The laser matcher filters all 16 machines by material, workspace and budget, and how to choose a laser engraver walks through the decisions that matter.

The Best Laser Engraver for Beginners in 2026: 5 Safe, Easy Picks

Fri, 30 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

A first laser should be safe to run in a spare room, easy to aim and forgiving while you learn settings. That rules out a lot of what Amazon pushes hardest: open-frame machines with huge wattage numbers in the title, no enclosure and no camera. This guide covers the five machines we’d point a beginner to, all enclosed and all rated Class 1, using manufacturer specs, Amazon listings and independent reviews. We haven’t used these machines ourselves; where a test result appears, we name the outlet that ran it.

Prices are what Amazon showed on October 29, 2026. Check today’s price before you order.

What a beginner actually needs

Four features matter more than raw power for a first laser:

A Class 1 rating. A Class 1 machine contains the beam while the lid is shut, so nobody in the room needs goggles. The FDA treats Class 1 as non-hazardous; open-frame diodes are Class 4, an immediate eye and skin hazard from direct or reflected light. A lid alone doesn’t guarantee Class 1, so check the rating.
A camera. Seeing the blank on screen and dragging the design onto it removes most first-week mistakes.
Autofocus. Manual focus works, but it’s one more thing to get wrong every time you change material.
Software you’ll actually open. The maker’s own app is fine to start. LightBurn support matters later, not on day one.

The shortlist

Laser	Output	Work area	Camera	Autofocus	LightBurn	Price
xTool M2 10W	10 W diode	426 × 320 mm	Two	Yes	No	~$499
Creality Falcon A1	10 W diode	381 × 305 mm	Yes	No	Yes	~$549
Creality Falcon A1C	10 W diode	150 × 150 mm	Yes	Yes	Yes	~$380–400
Creality Falcon A1 Pro	20 W diode	358 × 268 mm	Yes	Yes	Yes	~$1,099
Glowforge Aura	6 W diode	305 × 305 mm	Yes	Yes	No	~$1,104

All five are Class 1. None of them cut clear acrylic, because blue diode light passes straight through it.

1. xTool M2 10W: Best for beginners

The xTool M2 does more of the beginner’s work for them than anything else at its price. It arrives assembled and is Class 1 certified by TÜV SÜD. A 5 MP panoramic camera and a 2 MP close-range camera, plus autofocus, make placement on a coaster or tag a drag-and-drop job. Air assist and an exhaust fan are built in, and the 426 × 320 mm bed is the largest in this guide. Tom’s Hardware gave it an Editor’s Choice award and noted the enclosure that keeps you away from the Class 4 diode inside.

It also grows with you. Magnetic heads swap in a 20 W or 40 W diode, a 3 W IR head for metal and plastic, or a CMYK inkjet for print-then-cut crafts. That’s also the catch: Tom’s Hardware notes bundles pass $1,000 and replacement ink cartridges cost $99. The M2 runs xTool Studio only, with no LightBurn, and as a 2026 launch it lacks a long reliability record. There’s no external air port, and you still need to vent the hose outside or buy a purifier.

At about $499 for the 10 W standalone, it’s the safest default. Check the M2 price.

2. Creality Falcon A1 10W: Biggest bed for the money

The Falcon A1 is the other strong first laser: a Class 1 dual-door enclosure with a lid-open stop and emergency stop, a pre-calibrated camera, included air assist and a 381 × 305 mm bed for about $549. Creative Bloq’s reviewer started as a complete beginner and called it ideal for beginners on a budget, while noting it sometimes needed fine-tuning and repeat camera calibrations.

Two things make it less beginner-friendly than the M2. It’s USB-only, so a laptop stays wired to it, and focus is manual with a stepped focus block. In its favor, it supports LightBurn and LaserGRBL alongside Creality’s free Falcon Design Space. Ignore the “80W” in the listing title, which is electrical input; the laser is 10 W. Creality’s own listings also disagree on whether it cuts acrylic, so treat that as unconfirmed.

If you want to engrave tumblers early on, Amazon sells it with Creality’s Rotary Roller Pro for about $559. Check the Falcon A1 price.

3. Creality Falcon A1C 10W: Cheapest Class 1 starter

The Falcon A1C is the least expensive way into an enclosed, goggles-free laser, at about $380–400. You get a 10 W diode, an AI placement camera, an autofocus pin, flame and tilt lockouts and a USB-key lock, which is useful in a family home. TechRadar called it beginner-friendly and noted the enclosure scores points over open-frame machines.

The bed is the limit: 150 × 150 mm, or one 90 mm coaster at a time. Creality publishes no cut depth, and 3DPrinting.com only just got through 5 mm plywood in one pass. Setup has rough edges: Wi-Fi and the camera run through the phone app on 2.4 GHz only, and autofocus must be triggered before every job. There’s no air assist. Buy it for coasters, tags and small gifts; for signs or cutting boards, spend more. Check the A1C price.

4. Creality Falcon A1 Pro 20W: Room to grow

If you already know you’ll cut a lot, the Falcon A1 Pro saves you buying twice. It doubles the A1’s power to 20 W and adds roughly 3-second autofocus, a 4.3-in touchscreen and Wi-Fi, so jobs run without a tethered PC. It stays Class 1, with built-in air assist plus flame and tilt detection, and it supports LightBurn. An optional 2 W IR head adds bare-metal marking later.

It costs twice as much as the A1, its bed is smaller (358 × 268 mm), and Gadget Review and owners report spotty Wi-Fi and occasionally buggy software. The “180W” in the title is electrical; the laser is 20 W. About $1,099; check the rotary bundle too, which was cheaper than the bare machine on October 29, 2026. Check the A1 Pro price, or compare in Falcon A1 vs A1 Pro.

5. Glowforge Aura: Simplest guided workflow

The Glowforge Aura is the most appliance-like laser we track: one button, a live camera preview, autofocus and automatic settings with Glowforge’s Proofgrade materials. It’s Class 1, and the Amazon bundle includes the Craft Laser Filter so it can run without a window vent. The browser-based app works from a Mac, PC, Chromebook, tablet or phone.

We rank it last for three reasons. It’s only 6 W, so it cuts up to ¼ in and is slow next to 10–20 W diodes at this price. It needs Wi-Fi and Glowforge’s cloud to run, with no LightBurn option, and Reviewed puts Premium, which unlocks the best catalog, at $239 a year. And Glowforge went through an Assignment for the Benefit of Creditors in late 2025 before its co-founders bought back the assets; they said the same products would continue, but it’s worth weighing for a cloud-tethered machine. The Amazon offer we saw came from a third-party seller with low stock, so check the seller and warranty. About $1,104. Our xTool M2 vs Glowforge Aura comparison goes deeper.

What about cheap open-frame lasers?

Open-frame diodes such as the Atomstack A20 Pro V2 (about $390) offer more power and a bigger bed for the money. For a first laser in a home, we don’t recommend them. They’re Class 4, so everyone in the room needs 445 nm-rated goggles. They have no enclosure to contain smoke or a flare-up, focus is manual, and there’s no camera. They make sense for a hobbyist who already has a garage or workshop to vent and supervise. Our budget guide covers that trade-off honestly.

Your first month: setup and safety

Even a Class 1 machine needs a few things in place before the first job:

Laser safety: the four non-negotiablesApplies to every machine, enclosed or not.

Eyes

Open-frame and galvo lasers are usually Class 4: reflected light can injure eyes. Wear glasses rated (OD 5+ is common guidance) for your laser's exact wavelength — 450 nm diode glasses don't protect against 1064 nm IR. Enclosed Class 1 machines contain the beam while the lid is shut.

Lungs

Every material makes smoke; some make toxic smoke. Vent outdoors with a duct fan or use a rated smoke purifier, and never laser PVC or vinyl.

Fire

Lasers set things on fire by design. Never leave a job running unattended, keep air assist on, keep a CO2 or water-mist extinguisher and a fire blanket within reach.

Space

Put the laser on a non-flammable surface, away from curtains and kids' reach, with power you can cut instantly (emergency stop or switched outlet).

Full checklist in our laser safety guide and ventilation guide.

Vent it. Run the exhaust hose out a window, or buy a purifier sized for your machine. Our ventilation guide covers both.
Keep fire gear within reach. A small ABC extinguisher such as the Amerex B417T (about $63) and a fire blanket. Never leave a job running.
Start with forgiving materials. 3 mm basswood plywood (about $25 for 12 sheets) and slate coasters (about $41 for 60) engrave well on every laser here.
Learn what never goes in. PVC, vinyl, faux leather, polycarbonate and ABS release harmful fumes. Check anything you’re unsure about in the material checker.
Never defeat an interlock. Class 1 only holds while the lid is shut and the safety switches work.

The laser safety guide has the full checklist.

Which beginner laser should you buy?

Most first-timers: xTool M2 10W.
Want a bigger bed and LightBurn, fine with USB and manual focus: Falcon A1.
Tight budget, small items only: Falcon A1C.
Know you’ll cut thicker wood: Falcon A1 Pro.
Want Cricut-style simplicity and Glowforge’s catalog, and accept the cloud trade-off: Glowforge Aura.

For a broader view, see the best laser engravers of 2026, or use the laser matcher to filter by material, space and budget. How to choose a laser engraver explains each decision in more depth.

The Best Budget Laser Engravers Under $500 in 2026 (and the Safety Trade-Offs)

Fri, 30 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

A few years ago, $500 bought an open-frame diode and a pair of goggles. In 2026 it also buys an enclosed, Class 1 laser with a camera, which changes the budget decision. You now choose between safety and convenience (enclosed) and raw power and bed size (open frame). This guide covers the best options under about $500, with one worth stretching for, and is honest about what the cheap open frames ask of you.

This is research-based: we compared manufacturer specs, Amazon listings and independent reviews, and we haven’t used these machines ourselves. Prices are from Amazon on October 29, 2026 and change often, so check today’s price.

The shortlist

Laser	Format	Output	Work area	Laser class	Air assist	Camera	Price
Creality Falcon A1C 10W	Enclosed	10 W diode	150 × 150 mm	Class 1	No	Yes	~$380–400
xTool M2 10W	Enclosed	10 W diode	426 × 320 mm	Class 1	Built in	Two	~$499
Atomstack A20 Pro V2	Open frame	20 W diode	400 × 365 mm	Class 4	Optional	No	~$390
Creality Falcon A1 10W	Enclosed	10 W diode	381 × 305 mm	Class 1	Included	Yes	~$549

1. Creality Falcon A1C 10W: Best budget

The Falcon A1C is the cheapest laser we’d hand to a family. For about $380–400 you get a 10 W diode inside a Class 1 enclosure, plus flame, tilt and USB-key lockouts, an autofocus pin and an AI placement camera. It supports LightBurn as well as Creality’s app. TechRadar was impressed by its engraving and called out the enclosure as a clear advantage over open frames, while noting the plastic build.

The bed is the trade-off: 150 × 150 mm fits one 90 mm coaster at a time. Creality publishes no cut depth, and 3DPrinting.com only just cut 5 mm plywood in one pass. There’s no air assist, Wi-Fi setup runs through the phone app on 2.4 GHz only, and autofocus must be triggered before every job. Later, a 1.2 W IR module (about $239, or about $542 bundled) adds bare stainless and dark stone.

If $380 is still too much, Creality also sells a 5 W A1C in the same enclosure for about $299. It’s slower and cuts less, so we’d save for the 10 W. Check the A1C price.

2. xTool M2 10W: Best under $500 overall

If you can spend the full $500, the xTool M2 at about $499 is the better machine. Its 426 × 320 mm bed is about six times the A1C’s area. It’s Class 1 certified by TÜV SÜD, with two cameras, autofocus, built-in air assist and an exhaust fan, and it arrives assembled. Tom’s Hardware made it an Editor’s Choice.

xTool rates the 10 W head at 8 mm basswood and 3 mm black acrylic in one pass. The software is xTool Studio only, and the upgrade heads (20 W, 40 W, IR, CMYK inkjet) quickly take you past $1,000. It’s a 2026 launch without long-term reliability data. Check the M2 price.

3. Atomstack A20 Pro V2: Most power under $400 (open frame)

The Atomstack A20 Pro V2 is what $390 buys if you prioritize power: a 20 W optical diode, a 400 × 365 mm bed, LightBurn and LaserGRBL support, and USB or 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi. Atomstack claims 12 mm wood in one pass, roughly double a 10 W diode. It’s the cheapest route here to real cutting and a large bed.

Be clear-eyed about the rest. It’s an open-frame Class 4 laser. There’s no air assist in the base box (the F80 bundle costs about $70 more), no camera, manual focus, and flame detection needs the optional Z2 slider. We found no hands-on review of the V2 from a major outlet, and owner reports on after-sales support are mixed. Amazon’s 281 ratings (4.2 stars) are pooled across the A10, A20 and A40 V2 listings, so they aren’t specific to this model. Check the A20 Pro V2 price, or the A20 Pro V2 with F80 air assist bundle at about $460.

Two cheaper open frames exist: the 10 W Atomstack A10 Pro V2 (about $230) and the Longer Ray5 20W (about $370). Neither has an independent review in our sources, and the same open-frame caveats apply.

4. Creality Falcon A1 10W: Worth a small stretch

The Falcon A1 is just over budget at about $549, but it’s the cheapest Class 1 laser with a bed big enough for signs (381 × 305 mm) plus a camera and included air assist. Creative Bloq’s reviewer called it ideal for beginners on a budget. It’s USB-only with manual focus, and the “80W” in the title is electrical input for a 10 W laser. Check the Falcon A1 price.

The open-frame trade-off, honestly

On paper, the A20 Pro V2 gives you twice the power of the A1C and about six and a half times the bed area for about the same money. Here’s what the sticker price leaves out.

Eyes. Open-frame diodes are Class 4, which the FDA describes as an immediate eye and skin hazard from direct or reflected beams. Reflections off the bed or the workpiece are enough. Everyone in the room needs glasses rated for 445–455 nm, not only the operator. That includes kids and pets that wander in, which is why we don’t recommend open frames for shared living spaces.

Smoke. An enclosed machine has a box and an exhaust hose. An open frame spreads smoke into the room unless you add an enclosure and a fan.

Fire. A flare-up on an enclosed machine happens inside a box, often with flame sensors. On an open frame it’s on your bench. The A20 Pro V2 needs an optional slider for flame detection.

Setup and focus. No camera means framing by trial passes, and manual focus means measuring every time you change material.

None of this makes open frames bad. They’re a sensible buy for a hobbyist with a garage or workshop who wants a big bed and LightBurn. They’re just not a cheap enclosed laser.

Total cost: what you’ll actually spend

Approximate Amazon prices from October 29, 2026. “Fan + duct” assumes a window run.

Item	Falcon A1C 10W	Atomstack A20 Pro V2
Machine	~$399	~$460 (with F80 air assist)
445 nm glasses	Not needed with lid shut	~$28 per person
Enclosure	Built in	~$47 tent (measure first)
Fan + duct	~$19 duct (has built-in fan)	~$90 fan + ~$19 duct
ABC extinguisher	~$63	~$63
Approximate total	~$480	~$710, plus more glasses

The gap narrows further if you need a purifier instead of a window vent. The enclosure tent contains smoke and stray light, but it doesn’t make the A20 Class 1; keep goggles on whenever it’s open.

Fume extraction, enclosures and air assist on Amazon (checked October 2026)
Item	Type	Fits	Buy
LaserPecker LP5 safety enclosure with alignment camera Turns the LP5 into a Class 1 setup with a camera and smoke control, which you need for indoor or in-store use.	Fumes & enclosure	LaserPecker LP5 (The LP5 + Enclosure Amazon bundle was cheaper than buying both separately on Oct 29, 2026.)	Check price
xTool Desktop Smoke Purifier (3-layer filtration) Lets the M2 or F-series run indoors without a window vent for light engraving work.	Fumes & enclosure	xTool M2 10W, xTool F2, xTool F1 Ultra (xTool sizes it for low-smoke machines; for heavy cutting it recommends the SafetyPro AP2.)	Check price
xTool SafetyPro AP2 smoke purifier The purifier xTool pairs with its CO2 and high-power machines when venting outdoors isn't possible.	Fumes & enclosure	xTool P2S, xTool S1 40W, xTool F2 Ultra, xTool M2 10W (xTool positions the larger AP2 Max for the P3.)	Check price
AC Infinity Cloudline S4 4-inch inline duct fan with speed controller Boosts a laser's built-in exhaust over long duct runs so smoke actually leaves the room.	Fumes & enclosure	Any laser (Check your machine's exhaust port diameter; adapters may be needed.)	Check price
Creality laser engraver enclosure, 700 × 720 × 400 mm, with exhaust fan A fire-resistant tent that contains smoke and stray blue light from open-frame diodes.	Fumes & enclosure	A20 Pro V2, Ray5 40W (Measure your frame first: the Ray5 40W and A20 Pro V2 footprints are close to the 700 × 720 mm limit. An enclosure doesn't make a Class 4 laser Class 1; keep goggles on when it's open.)	Check price
VIVOSUN 4-inch aluminum ducting, 25 ft with clamps Replaces short stock hoses so you can reach a window or wall vent; foil duct tolerates hot exhaust better than vinyl.	Fumes & enclosure	Any laser	Check price
Atomstack F80 air assist pump, 10–60 L/min The base A20 Pro V2 ships without air assist; this is what gives clean, deep cuts with less charring.	Air assist	A20 Pro V2	Check price

What you give up under $500

Budget lasers have gotten good at engraving. The compromises show up elsewhere, so it helps to know them before you design your first product.

Cutting depth. The 10 W machines here cut thin stock: xTool rates the M2 at 8 mm basswood in one pass, and 3DPrinting.com only just got through 5 mm plywood on the A1C. For regular 6 mm-plus cuts, you need 20 W or more, which under $500 means an open frame.
Clear acrylic and glass. No blue diode cuts clear acrylic, because the light passes straight through. Glass needs a coating to take a mark. Both are CO2 jobs, and the cheapest CO2 we track, the OMTech K40+, costs about $760–800.
Bare metal. Blue diodes engrave coated and anodized metal well. Bare stainless gets a slow, faint mark at best, and bare aluminum, brass, silver and gold reflect the beam. The A1C’s IR module is the cheapest fix.
Bed size on enclosed machines. The A1C’s 150 mm square is the price of a sub-$400 Class 1 box.

Where to save, and where not to

Save on the machine if your projects are small: the A1C does coasters, tags and keychains as well as machines twice its price. Don’t save on the things that protect people. Glasses for an open frame should be rated for your laser’s wavelength, not bought because they’re tinted. Don’t skip ventilation, and keep an extinguisher by the machine.

Materials are worth paying a little more for, too. Laser-grade plywood avoids the glue voids that leave uncut spots in cheap sheets, and 3 mm basswood costs about $25 for 12. If you plan to grow, the M2’s swappable 20 W and 40 W heads and the A1C’s IR module let you add capability later instead of replacing the machine.

Watch the wattage in listing titles

Budget listings are where misleading wattage is worst. The Falcon A1’s title says “80W” for a 10 W laser, and the Atomstack A40 Pro V2 is sold as “48W” for a 40 W module. Compare optical output, which is what we list on every product page. Our wattage explainer shows how to spot the difference.

Which budget laser should you buy?

Shared home, small gifts, lowest price: Falcon A1C.
Can spend $500 and want room for bigger projects: xTool M2 10W.
Garage or workshop, want cutting power and LightBurn, happy to add safety gear: Atomstack A20 Pro V2 with the F80 bundle.
Want signs and a camera without open-frame risk: stretch to the Falcon A1.

If you’re new, read our best laser engraver for beginners and the safety guide. If you can wait, our Black Friday guide explains how laser prices usually move. The laser matcher filters every machine by budget and workspace.

The Best Enclosed Laser Engravers of 2026: Which Are Really Class 1?

Fri, 30 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

“Enclosed” is one of the most stretched words in laser listings. Some enclosed machines are certified Class 1, meaning the beam stays inside while the lid is shut. Others have a lid, a tinted shield or a cone around the lens and are still rated Class 4. One Amazon listing calls an open-beam fiber marker “Class 1.” If you want a laser you can run in a home office, classroom or shared room without handing everyone goggles, the rating matters more than the box.

This guide lists the enclosed lasers we’d buy and sorts every lidded machine we track by its actual class. It’s research-based, drawn from manufacturer specs, Amazon listings and independent reviews; we haven’t used these machines ourselves. Prices are from Amazon on October 29, 2026, so check today’s price before you order.

What Class 1 means, and what it doesn’t

The FDA’s laser classes run from Class I (considered non-hazardous) to Class IV, which is an immediate eye and skin hazard from the direct or reflected beam and may present a fire hazard. Every engraver here contains a Class 4 laser. A Class 1 machine adds an enclosure, filtered windows and interlocks that keep that light inside during normal use.

Three limits are worth knowing:

Class 1 holds only with the lid shut and interlocks working. Never defeat a lid switch. Tom’s Hardware’s M2 review makes the same warning.
Accessories can change the class. xTool sells separate Class 1 and Class 4 riser bases for the S1. Rotary and conveyor jobs on some machines run with the lid open.
It covers light, not smoke or fire. You still need ventilation, an extinguisher and supervision.

Which lidded lasers are actually Class 1?

Laser	What it looks like	Rated class	Price
xTool M2 10W	Enclosed diode	Class 1 (TÜV SÜD certified)	~$499
Creality Falcon A1C 10W	Compact enclosed diode	Class 1	~$380–400
Creality Falcon A1 10W	Enclosed diode	Class 1	~$549
Creality Falcon A1 Pro 20W	Enclosed diode	Class 1	~$1,099
Glowforge Aura	Enclosed diode	Class 1 (embedded Class 4)	~$1,104
xTool S1 40W	Enclosed diode	Class 1	~$1,819
xTool P3	Enclosed CO2	Class 1	~$6,300–7,900
xTool P2S	Enclosed CO2	Class 4 (enclosed lid)	~$2,919
xTool F1 Ultra	Lidded galvo	Class 4 (enclosed lid)	~$2,499
xTool F2 Ultra	Lidded galvo	Class 4 (enclosed lid)	~$5,099
xTool F2	Galvo with shield	Class 4	~$1,219
LaserPecker LP5	Galvo with cone shield	Class 4; Class 1 with optional enclosure	~$2,899
OMTech K40+	Enclosed CO2 with door interlock	Not stated; treat as Class 4	~$760–800
ComMarker B4 20W	Open-beam fiber marker	Listing says Class 1; treat as Class 4	~$1,400–1,720

1. Creality Falcon A1 Pro 20W: Best enclosed laser for most homes

The Falcon A1 Pro is the Class 1 machine we’d recommend to the most people. Its 20 W diode cuts real stock (Creality says 10 mm basswood and 8 mm black acrylic “with fewer passes,” without saying how many), and built-in air assist, flame and tilt detection, roughly 3-second camera autofocus, a 4.3-in touchscreen and Wi-Fi mean it runs without a tethered PC. It supports LightBurn, and an optional 2 W IR head adds bare-metal and plastic marking.

It costs about $1,099, around $700 less than the S1. The bed (358 × 268 mm) is smaller than the cheaper Falcon A1’s, and Gadget Review and owners report spotty Wi-Fi and occasionally buggy software. The “180W” in the listing title is electrical input; the laser is 20 W. On October 29, 2026, Amazon priced the rotary bundle below the bare machine. Check the A1 Pro price.

2. xTool S1 40W: Most cutting power in a Class 1 box

The xTool S1 40W is the strongest diode you can run in a shared room. xTool claims 18 mm cherry wood in a single pass, the 498 × 319 mm bed is the biggest of the enclosed diodes, and a conveyor passthrough handles stock up to 3 m long. Multi-point autofocus, curved-surface engraving, five flame sensors, an emergency stop and LightBurn support round it out.

There’s no camera, air assist is an add-on, and like any blue diode it can’t cut clear acrylic. Keep it Class 1 by using xTool’s Class 1 riser base (125 mm clearance) rather than the Class 4 version if you need height for a rotary. Stock is the bigger worry: Amazon’s only S1 listing, at about $1,819, is a “Rotary Bundle,” so confirm the box contents, and xTool’s Canadian store lists the S1 under clearance. Check the S1 price.

3. xTool M2 10W: Easiest Class 1 laser

The xTool M2 is the most beginner-proof Class 1 machine at about $499. It’s TÜV SÜD certified, arrives assembled, and uses two cameras plus autofocus for drag-and-drop placement. Air assist and an exhaust fan are built in, and the 426 × 320 mm bed is generous. The 10 W head cuts thin stock only (8 mm basswood in one pass, per xTool), the software is xTool Studio only, and there’s no external air port. Swappable 20 W and 40 W heads add cutting power later. Check the M2 price.

4. Creality Falcon A1 10W: Biggest Class 1 bed under $600

The Falcon A1 gives you a 381 × 305 mm bed, a dual-door Class 1 enclosure with lid-open stop and emergency stop, a pre-calibrated camera and included air assist for about $549. Creative Bloq’s reviewer called it ideal for beginners on a budget. It’s USB-only with manual focus, its “80W” title is electrical input for a 10 W laser, and Creality’s listings disagree on acrylic cutting. Check the Falcon A1 price.

5. Creality Falcon A1C 10W: Cheapest Class 1

The Falcon A1C brings Class 1 down to about $380–400, with flame, tilt and USB-key lockouts, an AI camera and an autofocus pin. TechRadar praised the enclosure over open-frame alternatives. The 150 × 150 mm bed limits it to coasters, tags and small gifts, and there’s no air assist. If you add the 1.2 W IR module, remember that blue-diode goggles don’t protect against its invisible 1064 nm beam when the lid is open. Check the A1C price.

6. xTool P3: Class 1 CO2 for shops

The xTool P3 is the only Class 1 CO2 we track. Tom’s Hardware highlights the certification as an upgrade over the Class 4 P2, along with eight flame detectors, a temperature sensor and a built-in CO2 flame-suppression canister. It has an 80 W tube, a 915 × 458 mm bed, a built-in chiller and motorized autofocus, and it cuts clear acrylic.

It’s also 231 lb, about 1.25 m wide and locked to xTool Studio, with no LightBurn. At about $6,300–7,900 it’s a production tool for shops and schools, not a home machine. Check the P3 price.

Also Class 1: Glowforge Aura

The Glowforge Aura is Class 1 and very simple to use, and its Amazon bundle includes a filter so it can run without a window vent. We don’t rank it higher because it’s only 6 W at about $1,104, it needs Glowforge’s cloud and Wi-Fi to run, and Glowforge went through an Assignment for the Benefit of Creditors in November 2025 before its co-founders bought back the assets. The Amazon offer we saw came from a third-party seller with low stock. See xTool M2 vs Glowforge Aura.

Enclosed-looking, but Class 4

These are good machines. They just don’t give you Class 1’s no-goggles convenience, so plan eyewear and room use around them.

xTool P2S. Our best overall laser is a fully lidded CO2, but the standard machine is rated Class 4. xTool’s product page says a Class 1 variant also exists; if you need Class 1, confirm which version a listing sells before ordering.
xTool F1 Ultra and F2 Ultra. Both have enclosed lids (the F1 Ultra’s cover filters both of its wavelengths), but xTool rates them Class 4. On the F2 Ultra, conveyor and rotary jobs run with the lid open and the interlock overridden, so you need goggles for both 455 nm and 1064 nm.
xTool F2. The shield isn’t a Class 1 enclosure. Wear eyewear rated for 455 nm and 1064 nm.
LaserPecker LP5. The base unit’s cone shield leaves a gap. LaserPecker’s enclosure (about $559, or bundled for less) makes it Class 1.
OMTech K40+. It has a door interlock and emergency stop, but OMTech doesn’t state a class. Treat it as Class 4 and never defeat the interlock.
ComMarker B4. The listing’s “Class 1” line doesn’t match an open-beam galvo marker. Use the supplied 1064 nm goggles, or ComMarker’s enclosure.

Class 1 still needs ventilation and fire safety

An enclosure keeps the beam in, but not the fumes. Every machine here needs its exhaust run outside or into a purifier sized for it, and someone watching while it runs.

Laser safety: the four non-negotiablesApplies to every machine, enclosed or not.

Eyes

Lungs

Every material makes smoke; some make toxic smoke. Vent outdoors with a duct fan or use a rated smoke purifier, and never laser PVC or vinyl.

Fire

Lasers set things on fire by design. Never leave a job running unattended, keep air assist on, keep a CO2 or water-mist extinguisher and a fire blanket within reach.

Space

Put the laser on a non-flammable surface, away from curtains and kids' reach, with power you can cut instantly (emergency stop or switched outlet).

Full checklist in our laser safety guide and ventilation guide.

Our ventilation guide covers duct runs and purifiers, and the safety guide covers eyewear and fire gear.

Which enclosed laser should you buy?

Most homes, want real cutting and convenience: Falcon A1 Pro.
Thickest cuts in a classroom, office or shared space: xTool S1 40W, if you can find stock.
First laser, easiest setup: xTool M2 10W.
Bigger bed on a budget: Falcon A1.
Lowest price, small items: Falcon A1C.
Production shop that needs Class 1 CO2: xTool P3.
Can vent outdoors and accept Class 4 for CO2 cutting: xTool P2S.

The laser matcher can filter for enclosed machines, and our beginner picks go deeper on first lasers.

The Best Laser Cutter for Wood in 2026: CO2 and High-Power Diode Picks

Fri, 30 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Engraving wood is easy for any laser. Cutting it cleanly, especially past 6 mm, is where machines separate. Two things decide it: the laser type (CO2 cuts faster and cleaner than a blue diode of similar price) and real optical power, which listing titles often inflate. This guide ranks the best lasers for cutting wood, from a $650 open frame to an 80 W production CO2.

Every cut depth below is the maker’s own claim, not a test we ran. We note whether each figure is single-pass and flag where makers contradict themselves. Our picks draw on manufacturer specs, Amazon listings and independent reviews; we haven’t used these machines ourselves. Prices are from Amazon on October 29, 2026, so check today’s price.

The shortlist

Laser	Type	Maker cut claim (wood)	Bed	Class	Price
xTool P2S	55 W CO2	18 mm basswood, one pass	600 × 305 mm	Class 4	~$2,919
xTool S1 40W	40 W diode	18 mm cherry, one pass	498 × 319 mm	Class 1	~$1,819
Longer Ray5 40W	40 W diode, open frame	20 mm basswood, one pass (untested)	385 × 385 mm	Class 4	~$648
Falcon A1 Pro	20 W diode	10 mm basswood, passes not stated	358 × 268 mm	Class 1	~$1,099
OMTech K40+	CO2 (“45W” tube rating)	8 mm (listing) vs 3 mm (help center)	300 × 200 mm	Not stated	~$760–800
xTool P3	80 W CO2	20 mm basswood, one pass	915 × 458 mm	Class 1	~$6,300–7,900

Bed size matters as much as depth for wood projects like signs, boxes and puzzles. The chart compares every machine we track.

Working area (square inches)The biggest flat piece each machine can engrave in one job, as rated by the maker.

xTool P3 650 xTool P2S 284 xTool S1 40W 246 Ray5 40W 230 A20 Pro V2 226 xTool M2 10W 211 Falcon A1 10W 180 Falcon A1 Pro 149 Glowforge Aura 144 OMTech K40+ 93 xTool F1 Ultra 75 xTool F2 Ultra 75 ComMarker B4 20W 62 Falcon A1C 10W 35 LaserPecker LP5 30 xTool F2 20

Galvo machines have small fields but are many times faster. Some open frames and pass-through enclosures take longer pieces; tap a bar for notes.

CO2 or diode for wood?

Both cut wood. They differ in speed, size and what else they can do.

CO2 (the P2S, K40+ and P3) is the traditional cutting laser. At 55–80 W, it cuts thick stock in fewer passes and also cuts every color of acrylic, including clear. The costs are size and upkeep: the P2S weighs 99 lb, CO2 tubes slowly lose power, the budget K40+ needs water cooling and mirror alignment, and the P2S is rated Class 4, so it needs a vented room you control.

High-power blue diodes (the S1 40W, Ray5 40W and A1 Pro) are smaller and lighter, need no water cooling, and in the S1 and A1 Pro come inside a Class 1 enclosure. They cut thick wood more slowly than a 55 W CO2 and can’t cut clear acrylic. Dense hardwoods are noticeably slower than basswood.

If you mostly cut 3–6 mm plywood for ornaments, puzzles and boxes, a 20–40 W diode does the job in a friendlier package. If you cut thick stock daily, sell acrylic products or need speed for orders, CO2 earns its size. Our diode vs CO2 vs fiber comparison goes deeper.

1. xTool P2S: Best laser cutter for wood

The xTool P2S is the wood cutter we’d buy if you can vent it outdoors. xTool rates its 55 W CO2 tube at 18 mm basswood in one pass, and The Gadgeteer found its wood cuts clean with very little to no charring. The 600 × 305 mm bed is the widest under $6,000 here, and the passthrough takes boards up to 3 m long. Built-in air assist and a strong exhaust handle smoke, while dual cameras and LiDAR autofocus make lining up cuts on irregular offcuts easy.

It also cuts every color of acrylic, including clear, which no diode can. The downsides: it weighs 99 lb, it’s rated Class 4, and the glass tube slowly loses power (xTool quotes about 70% at 6,000–8,000 hours). Plan on venting outside or xTool’s AP2 purifier (about $919). xTool’s Honeycomb Working Panel 2.0 (about $139) stops small parts dropping through and cuts backside flashback. Check the P2S price.

2. xTool S1 40W: Best Class 1 wood cutter

The xTool S1 40W is the answer when the cutter has to live in a home office, classroom or shared room. Its 40 W diode sits in a Class 1 enclosure, and xTool claims 18 mm cherry in a single pass. That’s a hardwood figure; xTool doesn’t publish a separate basswood maximum. The 498 × 319 mm bed is the largest of the enclosed diodes, and a conveyor passthrough handles stock up to 3 m long. Maker Hacks notes it measures material height with a touch probe and supports curved-surface engraving.

For clean cuts, budget for xTool’s air assist, which is an add-on. There’s no camera, so positioning uses the laser head. Diode cutting of thick stock is slower than a 55 W CO2. Availability is the main risk: Amazon’s only listing, at about $1,819, is a “Rotary Bundle,” so confirm the contents, and xTool’s Canadian store lists the S1 under clearance. Check the S1 price, or read xTool S1 vs xTool P2S.

3. Longer Ray5 40W: Budget cutting power

On paper, the Longer Ray5 40W is the most wood-cutting power per dollar we track: a 40 W eight-beam diode module, included air assist and a 385 mm-square bed for about $648. Longer claims 20 mm basswood in one pass. It runs offline from a 3.5-in touchscreen and TF card or over Wi-Fi and USB with LightBurn, and it has flame and motion sensors, temperature protection and an emergency stop.

It’s an open-frame Class 4 laser, so everyone in the room needs 445 nm-rated glasses, and it belongs in a garage or workshop with an enclosure and ventilation. Focus is manual and there’s no camera. Most important, we found no major-outlet test of the 40 W version, so treat the 20 mm figure as a claim. Amazon groups Ray5 versions under work-area labels; the 40 W is the “385x385mm” option, so confirm the wattage before you order. Check the Ray5 40W price.

The cheaper Atomstack A20 Pro V2 (about $390) is a 20 W open frame with a claimed 12 mm one-pass cut. Air assist is extra, and it also lacks an independent review.

4. Creality Falcon A1 Pro 20W: Best enclosed wood cutter under $1,100

The Falcon A1 Pro is the most affordable Class 1 machine we’d buy for regular wood cutting. Its 20 W diode has built-in air assist, and Creality quotes 10 mm basswood “with fewer passes” without saying how many, so plan on multiple passes for thick stock. Camera autofocus, a touchscreen, Wi-Fi and LightBurn support make it easy to run. The 358 × 268 mm bed is the limit for larger signs; the cheaper 10 W Falcon A1 has a bigger bed but cuts only about 6 mm. About $1,099. Check the A1 Pro price.

If you prefer xTool, the M2 with its 20 W head (about $899, rated at 10 mm basswood in one pass) or 40 W head (about $1,199, 15 mm in one pass) is the Class 1 alternative.

5. OMTech K40+: Cheapest CO2

The OMTech K40+ is the budget door into CO2 at about $760–800, with built-in air assist, an exhaust fan, a door interlock and LightBurn support. GoLaserGo found it solid and LightBurn-friendly. For wood, its limits are real: a small 300 × 200 mm bed, water cooling via a pump in a bucket, mirror alignment and manual focus. OMTech’s own figures conflict, too. The 45 W listing claims 8 mm wood, while its help center says 3 mm. The FAQ may predate the 45 W upgrade, but we wouldn’t count on thick cuts. The “45W” is a tube rating, not a measured output. Check the K40+ price.

6. xTool P3: Production wood cutting

For a shop cutting sheet goods all day, the xTool P3 is the upgrade: an 80 W CO2 rated at 20 mm basswood in one pass, a 915 × 458 mm (36 × 18 in) bed, speeds up to 1,200 mm/s, a built-in chiller and Class 1 certification with fire suppression. Tom’s Hardware found it fast and accurate on wood and acrylic, though the head bumped work a couple of times in its testing. It weighs 231 lb, runs xTool Studio only, and costs about $6,300–7,900. Check the P3 price.

Getting clean wood cuts

The machine is half the result. The rest is material and setup:

Buy laser-grade plywood. Glue layers in cheap plywood cause uncut spots. 3 mm basswood plywood (about $25 for 12 sheets) is the standard test stock.
Use air assist. It clears smoke from the cut, reduces charring and helps diodes cut deeper. Every pick here has it built in or available.
Respect hardwood density. Walnut, maple and cherry engrave beautifully but cut slowly on diodes. Keep thickness modest.
Vent MDF well. It cuts cleanly, but the resin binder makes heavy, strong-smelling smoke.
Watch every cut. Wood burns. Keep an extinguisher and fire blanket nearby, and never leave a job running.

Check any specific material in the material checker: plywood, hardwood or MDF.

Which wood laser should you buy?

Thick cuts, big bed, can vent outdoors: xTool P2S.
Thick cuts in a shared room: xTool S1 40W.
Most power for the money, dedicated workshop: Longer Ray5 40W.
Enclosed, mostly 3–6 mm plywood, under $1,100: Falcon A1 Pro.
Cheapest CO2 and you like tinkering: OMTech K40+.
Production volume: xTool P3.

Not sure CO2 is worth it? Diode vs CO2 vs fiber explains the trade-offs, what materials can a laser cut covers wood and beyond, and the wattage explainer shows why a “45W” CO2 tube and a 40 W diode aren’t comparable numbers.

The Best Laser Engraver for Metal in 2026: Fiber, IR and Diode Options

Fri, 30 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Metal is where laser types matter most. A blue diode that cuts plywood all day can barely mark bare stainless steel, and it can’t mark bare aluminum, brass, silver or gold at all, because those surfaces reflect its light. Real bare-metal engraving needs a 1064 nm source: a fiber laser, or a lower-power IR module. This guide explains the three routes and ranks the best machines for each, from a $542 IR bundle to a $5,099 MOPA.

It’s research-based: we compared manufacturer specs, Amazon listings and independent reviews, and we haven’t used these machines ourselves. Prices are from Amazon on October 29, 2026. Check today’s price before you buy.

Three ways to laser metal

Fiber (1064 nm, 20–60 W here). The real metal tool. Fiber lasers mark and deep-engrave bare stainless, aluminum, brass, silver and gold, and higher-power units cut thin sheet. MOPA fibers can also make color marks on stainless and titanium. They’re poor at wood and useless on clear acrylic.

IR diode modules (1064 nm, 1.2–5 W). Smaller add-on or built-in heads on diode machines. They mark bare stainless, jewelry metals, dark stone and some plastics, but they’re surface markers, not deep engravers.

Blue diode with coatings or marking spray. Any blue diode engraves powder-coated metal (tumblers), painted metal and anodized aluminum by burning off the coating. On bare stainless, it leaves a slow, low-contrast oxide mark. A marking spray bonds a darker mark to the steel. Bare aluminum, brass, silver and gold reflect blue light, so a diode can’t mark them directly.

What each laser type can doTypical hobby machines. ✓✓ cuts and engraves · ✓ engraves or marks · ◐ only with paint or marking compound · ✕ doesn't work · ⛔ never laser it.

Material	Blue diode	CO2	Fiber	UV
Basswood / birch plywood	✓✓ Cuts & engraves	✓✓ Cuts & engraves	✕ Doesn't work	✓ Engraves / marks
Clear cast acrylic	✕ Doesn't work	✓✓ Cuts & engraves	✕ Doesn't work	✓ Engraves / marks
Black / opaque colored acrylic	✓✓ Cuts & engraves	✓✓ Cuts & engraves	✓ Engraves / marks	✓ Engraves / marks
Genuine leather (veg-tanned)	✓✓ Cuts & engraves	✓✓ Cuts & engraves	✕ Doesn't work	✓ Engraves / marks
Slate & dark stone	✓ Engraves / marks	✓ Engraves / marks	✓ Engraves / marks	✓ Engraves / marks
Glass	◐ Only with prep	✓ Engraves / marks	✕ Doesn't work	✓ Engraves / marks
Anodized aluminum	✓ Engraves / marks	✓ Engraves / marks	✓ Engraves / marks	✓ Engraves / marks
Powder-coated & painted metal (tumblers)	✓ Engraves / marks	✓ Engraves / marks	✓ Engraves / marks	✓ Engraves / marks
Bare stainless steel	◐ Only with prep	◐ Only with prep	✓ Engraves / marks	✓ Engraves / marks
Bare aluminum, brass, silver & gold	✕ Doesn't work	✕ Doesn't work	✓ Engraves / marks	✓ Engraves / marks
PVC, vinyl & faux leather	⛔ Never — hazardous	⛔ Never — hazardous	⛔ Never — hazardous	⛔ Never — hazardous

Full list with notes in the material checker. Cut thickness depends heavily on power and passes.

Check your exact metal in the material checker: bare stainless, bare aluminum, brass, silver and gold, anodized aluminum or powder-coated metal.

The shortlist

Laser	Metal source	Metal ability	Field / bed	Class	Price
xTool F2 Ultra	60 W MOPA fiber + 40 W diode	Deep, color, cuts 2 mm	220 × 220 mm	Class 4	~$5,099
ComMarker B4 20W	20 W fiber	Deep engraving	200 × 200 mm	Open beam	~$1,400–1,720
xTool F1 Ultra	20 W fiber + 20 W diode	Deep engraving	220 × 220 mm	Class 4	~$2,499
xTool F2	5 W IR + 15 W diode	Marks bare metal	115 × 115 mm	Class 4	~$1,219
Falcon A1 Pro + IR	2 W IR (optional) + 20 W diode	Marks bare metal with IR	358 × 268 mm	Class 1	~$1,151 bundled
Falcon A1C + IR	1.2 W IR (optional) + 10 W diode	Marks bare metal with IR	150 × 150 mm	Class 1	~$542 bundled

1. xTool F2 Ultra: Best for metal

The xTool F2 Ultra is the best metal engraver we track. Its 60 W MOPA fiber deep-engraves, embosses and color-marks stainless and titanium, and xTool says it cuts 2 mm brass and stainless and 1 mm aluminum. A 40 W diode handles wood (up to 23 mm in multiple passes), leather and dark acrylic, so you don’t need a second machine. Dual 48 MP cameras with autofocus and 15,000 mm/s galvo speed make batch work fast. Tom’s Hardware called it “the best experience we’ve had with metal engraving.” LightBurn 2.2.0 and later is supported.

It’s expensive: about $5,099 for the dual version, or about $4,099 for MOPA only. It’s Class 4, and conveyor and rotary jobs run with the lid open and the interlock overridden, so you need goggles for both 1064 nm and 455 nm (none are included). There’s no air assist, and material presets were thin at review time. Check the F2 Ultra price.

2. ComMarker B4 20W: Best budget fiber

If you mainly engrave metal, such as tumblers, tags, knives and tools, the ComMarker B4 20W is the most affordable established fiber here at about $1,400–1,720. It marks bare stainless, aluminum, brass, gold and silver at up to 15,000 mm/s, and comes with two field lenses (110 mm and 200 mm), a foot switch and 1064 nm goggles. It ships with EZCAD2 and works with LightBurn if you buy the galvo license. TechRadar praised its precision and speed and called it an ideal option for small businesses.

It’s a bare industrial tool. The beam is open, with no enclosure, so everyone nearby needs 1064 nm OD5+ glasses unless you add ComMarker’s enclosure. Its Amazon listing says “Class 1,” which doesn’t match an open-beam marker, so treat it as Class 4. Focus is manual with red-dot pointers. The 20 W source is Q-switched, not MOPA, so there’s no color marking. Engraving depth is around 0.3–0.5 mm per the listing, and deep relief is slow at 20 W. ComMarker lists the B4 as clearance in favor of the B6, so check stock. Check the B4 price.

3. xTool F1 Ultra: Metal and wood in one enclosed box

The xTool F1 Ultra is our pick for shops that engrave both metal and organic materials. A real 20 W fiber handles bare metal (the Amazon listing says it cuts 0.3 mm stainless, 0.4 mm brass and 0.2 mm aluminum), and a 20 W diode handles wood, leather and dark acrylic. The 220 mm-square field is large for a desktop fiber, a 16 MP camera fills batches automatically, and the enclosed cover filters both wavelengths. Make: liked it a lot, with gripes about fiddly laser alignment and a fixed bottom plate that makes jigs harder.

It’s still rated Class 4, LightBurn 2.2 supports it only on current xTool firmware (and not xTool’s cameras), and there’s no MOPA color marking. At about $2,499 it’s half the F2 Ultra’s price. Check the F1 Ultra price, or compare it with the LaserPecker LP5, which offers fiber plus diode in a lighter 6 kg kit but costs more and needs its enclosure to reach Class 1.

4. xTool F2: Best portable metal marker

The xTool F2 pairs a 5 W IR laser with a 15 W blue diode in a 4.6 kg galvo. The IR marks bare stainless, gold, silver and titanium, so it suits engraving dog tags, jewelry and phone cases at a market stall. Maker Hacks engraved steel dog tags and aluminum items with it. A 50 MP camera with autofocus handles positioning.

At 5 W, the IR is a marker, not a deep engraver. The field is 115 × 115 mm, it’s Class 4 (eyewear for both 455 nm and 1064 nm), and it runs xTool Studio (LightBurn support is preliminary). About $1,219. Check the F2 price.

5. Creality Falcon A1 Pro with 2 W IR: Enclosed diode with a metal option

If metal is occasional and wood is the main job, the Falcon A1 Pro is the enclosed route. It’s a Class 1, 20 W diode machine with camera autofocus, and a tool-free swap adds a 2 W 1064 nm IR head for bare metal and plastics. Amazon sells the A1 Pro + 2W IR bundle for about $1,151, against about $1,099 for the machine alone. Creality also lists stainless as diode-engravable, but that’s a slow dark mark; use the IR head for anything you’ll sell. Check the A1 Pro price.

6. Creality Falcon A1C with 1.2 W IR: Cheapest bare-metal marking

The Falcon A1C with its 1.2 W IR module is the cheapest way here to mark bare stainless. The IR head marked bare stainless and dark stone well in reviewer testing. The A1C 10W + 1.2W IR bundle is about $542, or you can add the IR module later for about $239. It’s Class 1, but the bed is only 150 × 150 mm, and blue-diode goggles don’t protect against the IR beam if you open the lid. Check the A1C price.

What about blue diodes that “mark bare metal”?

The xTool M2, xTool S1, Falcon A1 Pro, Atomstack A20 Pro V2 and Longer Ray5 all list stainless steel as engravable with the blue diode alone. In practice, a blue diode marks bare stainless slowly and with low contrast compared with IR or fiber. It’s fine for a one-off, but not for a product. If you already own a diode, a marking spray gives a darker, permanent mark on stainless. For coated tumblers and anodized aluminum, any diode does a good job, and black anodized aluminum cards (about $21 for 15) make cheap test pieces.

Eye safety for 1064 nm lasers

Fiber and IR beams are invisible, and reflections off shiny metal are the main hazard. Open-beam and Class 4 machines need eyewear rated for 1064 nm, such as Cloudray 1064 nm goggles (about $39). Dual-laser machines need protection for both wavelengths; check the OD rating on the listing. Our safety guide covers the rest, including fume extraction for coated metals.

Which metal laser should you buy?

Metal is your business, including color or deep engraving: xTool F2 Ultra.
Metal only, smallest budget for a true fiber: ComMarker B4 20W, while stock lasts.
Metal and wood or leather in one enclosed machine: xTool F1 Ultra.
Markets and pop-ups: xTool F2.
Mostly wood, occasional metal, needs Class 1: Falcon A1 Pro with the IR head.
Cheapest bare-stainless marking for small items: Falcon A1C with IR.

For tumblers specifically, see the best laser engraver for tumblers. Diode vs CO2 vs fiber explains the laser types in depth.

The Best Laser Engraver for Small Business in 2026: Picks by Product Line

Fri, 30 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

A business laser has a different job from a hobby laser. It has to make the products customers actually buy, repeat the same job reliably dozens of times, and earn back its price. That means the right machine depends on your product line more than on any spec sheet. This guide matches the best lasers to common small-business products and shows how to sanity-check the economics before you spend $1,000–$6,000.

It’s research-based: we compared manufacturer specs, Amazon listings and independent reviews, and we haven’t run these machines in a shop ourselves. We don’t publish income figures, because they depend entirely on your pricing and sales. Prices are from Amazon on October 29, 2026, so check today’s price.

Match the laser to what you sell

Product	Typical material	Laser that fits	Our pick
Personalized tumblers and bottles	Powder-coated or bare stainless	Diode, CO2 or fiber + rotary	F1 Ultra or F2
Metal tags, jewelry, knives, tools	Bare stainless, brass, silver, gold	Fiber (MOPA for color)	F2 Ultra, or ComMarker B4 on a budget
Wood signs, ornaments, boxes, puzzles	Plywood, hardwood	CO2 or 40 W diode	P2S
Clear acrylic signs and keychains	Cast acrylic	CO2 only	P2S
Leather patches, coasters, cards	Leather, slate, anodized aluminum	Any diode or CO2	F1 Ultra or Falcon A1 Pro
On-the-spot personalization at events	Small mixed items	Portable galvo	F2

Two format differences matter for throughput. Galvo machines (the xTool F-series, LaserPecker LP5, ComMarker B4) steer the beam with mirrors and engrave small items very fast, but over a small field, and they don’t cut sheet goods well. Gantry machines (the P2S, P3 and enclosed diodes) are slower to engrave but cut large sheets.

1. xTool F1 Ultra: Best for small business

The xTool F1 Ultra covers the widest range of personalization products in one enclosed box. Its 20 W fiber engraves bare metal, and its 20 W diode handles wood, leather and dark acrylic, so tumblers, tags, coasters and leather patches all run on one machine. At up to 10,000 mm/s over a 220 mm-square field, it’s built for batches. A 16 MP camera with AI auto-alignment places designs on objects scattered across the bed, and Make: notes the optional conveyor, start button and foot pedal for repeat jobs.

Make: found laser alignment fiddly and missed the removable bottom plate for jigs. It’s rated Class 4 despite the enclosed cover, LightBurn 2.2 supports it only on current xTool firmware, and its Q-switched fiber can’t color-mark. At about $2,499 (Make: tested it at $3,699 at launch), it’s the best balance of range and cost for a personalization business. Check the F1 Ultra price.

2. xTool P2S: Best for cut products

If your products are cut rather than engraved (wood signs, layered ornaments, boxes, acrylic signs and earrings), the xTool P2S is the machine. Its 55 W CO2 is rated by xTool at 18 mm basswood and 20 mm acrylic in one pass, and it cuts clear, colored, glitter and mirrored acrylic, which The Gadgeteer singled out. Dual cameras, LiDAR autofocus and a 600 × 305 mm bed with 3 m passthrough speed up batch layout. LightBurn works, without camera or autofocus support.

Plan the space: it weighs 99 lb, is rated Class 4 and needs venting outdoors or the AP2 purifier. Budget for tube wear (xTool quotes about 70% power at 6,000–8,000 hours). The Versatile Bundle (about $3,948) adds a rotary, riser and conveyor if you’ll also do drinkware. About $2,919 for the machine. Check the P2S price.

3. xTool F2 Ultra: Best for metal-heavy shops

For jewelry, knives, tools or premium drinkware, the xTool F2 Ultra adds what the F1 Ultra lacks: a 60 W MOPA fiber for deep engraving, embossing and color marks on stainless and titanium, plus thin-metal cutting. A 40 W diode covers wood. Tom’s Hardware called it one of the best lasers it has seen for a small business. xTool lists LightBurn 2.2.0 and later support, though LightBurn calls it preliminary.

It costs about $5,099 for the dual version (about $4,099 MOPA only). It’s Class 4, with conveyor and rotary jobs run lid-open, and no goggles are included. Check the F2 Ultra price. If you only engrave metal and want to spend much less, TechRadar called the ComMarker B4 20W an ideal option for small businesses. It’s an open-beam fiber at about $1,400–1,720, and ComMarker lists it as clearance.

4. xTool F2: Best for markets and pop-ups

The xTool F2 is built for selling in person: 4.6 kg, assembled, a 15 W diode plus 5 W IR, and galvo speed that xTool says engraves a business card in about 3 seconds. The IR marks bare stainless, gold, silver and titanium, so you can personalize tags, phone cases, leather and tumblers on the spot. The F2 + smoke purifier bundle (about $1,439) is aimed at indoor and in-store use.

The field is 115 × 115 mm (400 × 115 mm with the slide extension), it runs xTool Studio (LightBurn support is preliminary), and it’s Class 4, so keep customers back and follow the eyewear guidance for both wavelengths. About $1,219. Check the F2 price.

5. Creality Falcon A1 Pro 20W: Best side-hustle starter

Not sure the demand is there yet? The Falcon A1 Pro is a low-risk start at about $1,099. It’s a Class 1 machine you can run in a spare room, with 20 W for cutting and engraving wood, leather, slate and coated goods, plus camera autofocus, Wi-Fi and LightBurn support. Add the 2 W IR head (about $1,151 bundled) for bare-metal marking, or a rotary bundle for tumblers. It’s much slower than a galvo for batches of small items, and the 358 × 268 mm bed limits large signs. Check the A1 Pro price.

6. xTool P3: Best for production volume

When the P2S becomes the bottleneck, the xTool P3 is the step up: an 80 W CO2 with a 915 × 458 mm (36 × 18 in) bed, speeds up to 1,200 mm/s, a built-in chiller, and Class 1 certification with fire suppression, which matters in a shop with staff. Tom’s Hardware found it fast and accurate, with slick software. It weighs 231 lb, runs xTool Studio only (no LightBurn), and costs about $6,300–7,900. Check the P3 price.

Run the numbers before you buy

Blank costs are usually the smallest part of the equation. Using Amazon multi-pack prices from October 29, 2026:

Blank	Pack price	Approx. cost each
Black slate coasters, 4 in	~$41 for 60	~$0.68
Leatherette hat patches, 3 × 2 in	~$14 for 50	~$0.28
Anodized aluminum business cards	~$21 for 15	~$1.40
Powder-coated 20 oz tumblers	~$63 for 16	~$3.94
3 mm basswood plywood, 12 × 12 in	~$25 for 12	~$2.08 per sheet

What decides profit is your selling price, minutes per item (including setup, packing and listing), platform fees, and how many you actually sell each month against the machine’s cost. Put your own figures into the profit calculator to see cost per item, monthly profit and payback months. Then read our startup cost breakdown for the extras: ventilation, rotary, safety gear and software.

Laser-ready materials on Amazon (checked October 2026)
Item	Type	Fits	Buy
3 mm basswood plywood sheets, 12 × 12 in (12-pack) The default test and project stock for every laser here; 12 × 12 in fits all but the smallest beds.	Materials	Any laser (Cut down for the 150 mm A1C or galvo machines.)	Check price
Clear cast acrylic sheets, 12 × 12 × 1/8 in (10-pack) Cast acrylic cuts with flame-polished edges on a CO2 laser; it's the material that justifies buying one.	Materials	xTool P2S, xTool P3, OMTech K40+ (CO2 only: blue diodes pass straight through clear acrylic.)	Check price
Laserable leatherette hat patches with adhesive, 3 × 2 in (50-pack) Cheap, fast-selling patch blanks that engrave cleanly with diode and CO2 lasers.	Materials	Any laser (Not for fiber-only lasers such as the ComMarker B4.)	Check price
Black anodized aluminum business cards, 0.8 mm (15-pack) Anodized aluminum engraves to a crisp white with blue diodes, CO2, IR and fiber, ideal for test pieces and premium cards.	Materials	Any laser	Check price
VIBRATITE 4-inch square black slate coasters (60-pack) Best-selling laser blank: slate engraves light grey on black with any diode, CO2 or IR source.	Materials	Any laser	Check price
YOUKE OLA powder-coated 20 oz tumblers for laser engraving (16-pack) Powder coat ablates to bright steel with diode, CO2 or fiber lasers, which makes these the classic rotary product.	Materials	Any laser (Needs a rotary attachment on flatbed machines.)	Check price

Mistakes to avoid when buying a business laser

Buying on title wattage. Listing titles often quote electrical input: the Falcon A1 Pro is sold as “180W” for a 20 W laser. Compare optical output, which we list on every product page. Our wattage explainer shows how.
Buying the wrong laser type for your best seller. A diode can’t cut clear acrylic, a CO2 can’t mark bare stainless without a spray, and a fiber is poor at wood. Start with the product that will make most of your money.
Ignoring the format. A galvo personalizes small items fast but won’t cut a sign. A gantry cuts big sheets but is slow on batches of small engravings.
Forgetting the rotary. Drinkware is a common best seller, and rotaries, risers and bundles add $100–$1,000 depending on the machine. See our tumbler guide.
Underpricing your time. Setup, test pieces, packing and customer messages take longer than the engraving itself. Put realistic minutes per item into the calculator.
Relying on one clearance-stock machine. The ComMarker B4 and xTool S1 are listed as clearance by their makers. Fine for a bargain, riskier if your business depends on parts and support.

Business setup essentials

Ventilation sized for all-day use. Duct outdoors where you can. Purifiers work, but filters are a running cost. See the ventilation guide.
Eyewear for Class 4 machines. Every F-series machine and the P2S are Class 4. Fiber and IR need 1064 nm-rated glasses, and blue diodes need 445–455 nm. Dual-laser machines need both.
Fire safety. An ABC extinguisher and fire blanket at every machine, and nobody leaves a running job.
Software that fits your workflow. LightBurn runs the P2S, F1 Ultra (on current firmware) and A1 Pro, and the B4 with a paid galvo license; the F2 series is preliminary. The M2 and P3 are xTool Studio only. Our LightBurn vs xTool Creative Space comparison covers the trade-offs.
Warranty. Every pick here carries a 1-year warranty. Plan for downtime, and check what support looks like before you rely on one machine.

Which business laser should you buy?

Personalizing metal and organic goods: xTool F1 Ultra.
Selling cut wood and acrylic products: xTool P2S.
Metal is the whole business: xTool F2 Ultra, or the ComMarker B4 on a budget.
Events and markets: xTool F2.
Testing demand from home: Falcon A1 Pro.
Scaling cut production: xTool P3.

For drinkware specifically, see the best laser engraver for tumblers. The laser matcher can filter by material and budget.

The Best Laser Engraver for Tumblers in 2026: Rotary-Ready Picks

Fri, 30 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Tumblers are the classic laser product: a powder-coated cup plus a name or logo sells well, and the engraving itself is easy. The laser burns off the coating to reveal bright steel underneath, and that works on a blue diode, a CO2 or a fiber. The hard parts are the rotary that turns the cup, the height and diameter limits of your machine, and, if you want to mark bare stainless, the right wavelength. This guide ranks the best lasers for tumblers with those limits in mind.

It’s research-based, using manufacturer specs, Amazon listings and independent reviews; we haven’t engraved tumblers on these machines ourselves. Prices are from Amazon on October 29, 2026, so check today’s price and the exact bundle before you buy.

What makes a laser good for tumblers

A rotary made for the machine. OEM rotaries plug in and are supported in the maker’s software. Third-party rollers work on open-frame GRBL machines but need setup.
Room for the cup. Enclosed machines have limited height under the head. Many need a riser base for a rotary, and the riser can affect the machine’s rating (xTool sells separate Class 1 and Class 4 risers for the S1).
The right laser for the finish. Coated and painted tumblers work on any laser. Bare stainless needs fiber or IR for a crisp mark; blue diodes and CO2 need a marking spray.
Speed, if you sell. Galvo machines engrave a logo in a fraction of the time a gantry diode takes.

The shortlist

Laser	Engraves coated	Marks bare stainless	Rotary	Size limit	Price
xTool F2	Yes (15 W diode)	Yes (5 W IR)	xTool RA3	120 mm diameter	~$1,219
Falcon A1 Pro	Yes (20 W diode)	Slow mark; 2 W IR optional	Creality Rotary Roller Pro	Confirm riser height	~$1,012 bundle
Falcon A1	Yes (10 W diode)	Needs marking spray	Creality Rotary Roller Pro	Confirm riser height	~$559 bundle
ComMarker B4 20W	Yes (fiber)	Yes, deep	ComMarker D69 / D80	Rotary dependent	~$1,400–1,720
xTool F1 Ultra	Yes	Yes, deep (20 W fiber)	xTool RA2 Pro or RA3	145 mm object height	~$2,499
xTool P2S	Yes (CO2)	Needs marking spray	xTool RA2 Pro or RA3	50 mm diameter (180 mm with riser)	~$2,919

1. xTool F2: Best for tumblers

The xTool F2 is the tumbler machine we’d pick for most sellers. Its 15 W blue diode clears powder coat, and its 5 W IR marks bare stainless, so you can take both coated and uncoated cups. As a galvo, it engraves at up to 6,000 mm/s, and a 50 MP camera with autofocus helps place designs. xTool rates it for objects up to 120 mm tall and 120 mm rotary diameter, and its RA3 MagSwap rotary (about $349) is built for the F-series. At 4.6 kg, it travels to markets and events.

The cheapest route is the machine (about $1,219) plus the RA3. The F2 Deluxe (about $1,999) bundles the RA3, the slide extension and a purifier. The F2 is Class 4, so wear eyewear rated for both 455 nm and 1064 nm and keep customers back. It runs xTool Studio (LightBurn support is preliminary), and the 5 W IR marks bare steel rather than engraving it deeply. Check the F2 price.

2. Creality Falcon A1 Pro: Best enclosed value

The Falcon A1 Pro is the Class 1 route to tumblers. Its 20 W diode clears powder coat easily, camera autofocus speeds setup, and air assist is built in. Creality’s Rotary Roller Pro 3-in-1 (about $114) offers both jaw-chuck and roller modes. On October 29, 2026, Amazon’s A1 Pro + Rotary Roller kit bundle was about $1,012, cheaper than the bare machine at about $1,099.

Creality’s fit note says to confirm riser height for your model, so check how tall a cup the setup takes before you buy blanks. On bare stainless, the blue diode leaves only a slow, dark mark; the optional 2 W IR head is the better tool. Check the A1 Pro price, or compare in Falcon A1 vs A1 Pro.

3. Creality Falcon A1: Cheapest rotary bundle

The Falcon A1 + Rotary Roller Pro bundle is about $559, only about $10 more than the Falcon A1 alone. You get a Class 1 enclosure, a camera, included air assist and Creality’s 3-in-1 rotary. The 10 W diode handles powder coat, though more slowly than 20 W. It’s USB-only with manual focus, so expect more setup per job, and it can’t mark bare stainless without a marking spray. For testing whether tumblers sell, it’s the cheapest sensible start. Check the Falcon A1 price.

4. ComMarker B4 20W: Best budget fiber for stainless

If you’ll engrave bare stainless, such as uncoated tumblers, flasks and bottles, a fiber gives the crispest, most durable mark. The ComMarker B4 20W is the most affordable established fiber we track, and it also ablates powder coat. ComMarker sells D69 and D80 rotaries for it, and Amazon offers the B4 30W with a rotary chuck for about $1,599. TechRadar praised its precision and speed.

It’s an open-beam marker: everyone nearby needs 1064 nm glasses (a pair comes in the box). Focus is manual, and LightBurn needs a paid galvo license. ComMarker lists the B4 as clearance in favor of the B6, so check stock. About $1,400–1,720. Check the B4 price.

5. xTool F1 Ultra: Best for tumbler businesses

The xTool F1 Ultra combines a 20 W fiber for bare stainless with a 20 W diode for coated cups and wood or leather add-ons, in an enclosed galvo that takes objects up to 145 mm tall. Galvo speeds up to 10,000 mm/s and camera batch tools suit volume work. It works with both the RA2 Pro (about $269) and RA3 rotaries. It’s Class 4 despite the cover, runs xTool Studio (LightBurn works on current firmware, without the cameras), and costs about $2,499. It’s our overall small-business pick. Check the F1 Ultra price.

6. xTool P2S: Best for glass and big drinkware

Of the laser types we track, only CO2 frosts glass, so the xTool P2S suits pint glasses and wine glasses as well as coated tumblers. xTool says it models curved cylinders in 3D for more precise rotary engraving. The catch is size. Without the riser, the rotary takes items only 3–50 mm across, which rules out most tumblers; with the riser base, that rises to 180 mm. The Versatile Bundle (about $3,948) includes the RA3 rotary, riser and conveyor. It can’t mark bare stainless without a marking spray. About $2,919 for the machine. Check the P2S price.

Other routes to tumblers

Open-frame diodes. The Atomstack A20 Pro V2 or Longer Ray5 40W plus an Ortur roller rotary (about $80) is the cheapest way to engrave coated cups. They’re Class 4, so goggles for everyone in the room, and the rotary plugs into the Y-axis port and needs rotary mode set in LightBurn.
xTool S1 40W. Its only Amazon listing is a “Rotary Bundle,” but confirm the RA2 Pro is actually in the box. xTool says the rotary needs a riser on enclosed machines; the S1 Riser Base (about $199) raises clearance to 125 mm while keeping Class 1.
xTool M2. The M2 40W Deluxe bundle includes xTool’s RA3 Lite rotary, at about $1,529.
OMTech K40+. Amazon sells a rotary bundle (about $900), but OMTech’s help center says the K40 series doesn’t support a rotary. Until that’s resolved, we’d skip it for tumblers.
Not for tumblers: the Glowforge Aura has no rotary option, and the Falcon A1C’s 150 mm bed is better suited to flat items.

How a rotary job works

A rotary replaces one axis of motion. On a gantry machine, it turns the cup while the laser head moves side to side, so the design wraps around the curve. On a galvo, the rotary turns the cup between passes while the mirrors engrave each strip. Either way, the software needs the cup’s diameter so the design isn’t stretched or squashed. Newer OEM rotaries such as xTool’s RA3 measure the object for you; xTool describes LiDAR mapping on the RA3.

Three practical points save wasted blanks:

Level the cup. Tumblers taper, so the top and bottom sit at different heights. Chuck rotaries and adjustable rollers help keep the engraving surface level and in focus.
Test on a cheap blank first. Run a small test band before committing a full wrap, especially with a new rotary or a new coating.
Mind the handle. Mugs with handles need a chuck rotary, or a design that stops short of the handle.

On open-frame machines with third-party rotaries, you’ll set rotary mode and diameter in LightBurn yourself. OEM combinations, such as xTool rotaries on xTool machines or Creality’s rotary on the Falcon A1 and A1 Pro, are simpler because the maker’s software knows the hardware.

Rotaries and add-ons compared

Rotaries, beds and upgrades on Amazon (fit checked October 2026)
Item	Type	Fits	Buy
Creality Rotary Roller Pro 3-in-1 kit Jaw-chuck and roller rotary for engraving cups, glasses and rings on Falcon lasers.	Rotary	Falcon A1 10W, Falcon A1 Pro (Sold for 'Falcon and other engraving machines'; Creality also bundles it with the A1 and A1 Pro. Confirm riser height for your model.)	Check price
xTool RA2 Pro rotary attachment 4-in-1 rotary for tumblers, glasses, rings and spheres on xTool's enclosed and galvo machines.	Rotary	xTool S1 40W, xTool F1 Ultra, xTool P2S (xTool says it must be used with a riser on enclosed machines; check whether your S1 bundle already includes it.)	Check price
xTool RA3 MagSwap smart rotary xTool's newer rotary with LiDAR mapping and magnetic mode swaps, built for the P3 and F-series.	Rotary	xTool P3, xTool F2 Ultra, xTool F1 Ultra, xTool F2	Check price
Ortur laser rotary roller (Y-axis) An inexpensive, widely used roller rotary for tumblers and cans on open-frame GRBL diodes.	Rotary	A20 Pro V2, Ray5 40W (Plugs into the Y-axis motor port; confirm your controller's connector and set rotary mode in LightBurn.)	Check price
Creality honeycomb laser bed for Falcon A1 / A1 Pro Sized for the A1 enclosure (the 500 × 500 mm Creality bed doesn't fit) for cleaner cuts and a protected base plate.	Bed & riser	Falcon A1 10W, Falcon A1 Pro	Check price
xTool P2 Honeycomb Working Panel 2.0 Stops small cut pieces falling through the slats and cuts backside flashback on the P2S.	Bed & riser	xTool P2S	Check price
xTool S1 Riser Base Raises the S1's clearance from 42 mm to 125 mm for rotary work and tall objects while staying Class 1.	Bed & riser	xTool S1 40W	Check price
Creality Falcon A1C 1.2W IR laser module Tool-free swap that marks bare stainless, jewelry and dark stone the blue diode can't.	Upgrade	Falcon A1C 10W	Check price
xTool Slide Extension for F2 / F1 Stretches the F2's 115 × 115 mm field to 115 × 400 mm for batches of coasters, cards and phone cases.	Upgrade	xTool F2	Check price

Tumbler tips

Start with coated blanks. Powder-coated 20 oz tumblers cost about $63 for 16 and engrave on diode, CO2 and fiber machines.
Match glasses to the laser. Blue-diode glasses don’t protect against 1064 nm IR or fiber. Dual-laser machines need both.
Vent the smoke. Burning off powder coat makes fumes like any other material; see the ventilation guide.
Check the material. The material checker covers coated metal and bare stainless.

Which tumbler laser should you buy?

Selling coated and bare stainless, at home or at events: xTool F2 with the RA3.
Class 1 at home, coated cups: Falcon A1 Pro rotary bundle.
Cheapest start: Falcon A1 with the Rotary Roller Pro.
Bare stainless on a budget: ComMarker B4.
Volume business with mixed products: xTool F1 Ultra.
Glassware too: xTool P2S with the riser.

For bare-metal engraving beyond drinkware, see the best laser engraver for metal. Our accessories guide covers rotaries and risers in more detail.

Best xTool Laser Engraver in 2026: Which xTool Should You Buy?

Sun, 01 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT

The best xTool laser engraver for most people is the xTool P2S, a 55 W desktop CO2 that cuts thick wood and clear acrylic, if you can vent it outside. If you can’t, or you’ve never used a laser, the xTool M2 10W is the safer first xTool. Past those two, the right xTool depends on your material: an enclosed diode for wood and crafts, CO2 for acrylic and sheets, or a galvo and dual-laser machine for metal.

This is a research-based guide. We compared xTool’s spec pages, Amazon listings and independent reviews, and we haven’t run these machines ourselves. Prices are the lowest we saw on Amazon as of late October 2026; check today’s price before you buy.

The xTool lineup at a glance

xTool	Type	Output	Work area	Laser class	LightBurn (our data)	Price	Best for
M2 10W	Enclosed diode	10 W	426 × 320 mm	Class 1	No	~$499	First laser, crafts
S1 40W	Enclosed diode	40 W	498 × 319 mm	Class 1	Yes	~$1,819	Class 1 cutting
P2S	Enclosed CO2	55 W	600 × 305 mm	Class 4	Yes	~$2,919	Thick wood, clear acrylic
P3	Enclosed CO2	80 W	915 × 458 mm	Class 1	No	~$6,299–7,899	Production shops
F2	Galvo diode + IR	15 W + 5 W	115 × 115 mm	Class 4	No	~$1,219	Portable, metal tags
F1 Ultra	Galvo fiber + diode	20 W + 20 W	220 × 220 mm	Class 4	No	~$2,499	Metal and wood shop
F2 Ultra	Galvo MOPA + diode	60 W + 40 W	220 × 220 mm	Class 4	Yes	~$5,099	Pro metal, color marking

Power for the CO2 machines is xTool’s tube rating. Every other figure is optical output, not the electrical wattage printed in some listing titles. For a ranking that includes non-xTool machines, see our best laser engravers of 2026.

Which xTool should I buy? A four-step decision flow

Work through these in order and you’ll land on one or two models.

What’s your main material? Wood, leather, dark acrylic and coated gifts point to an enclosed diode (M2 or S1). Clear acrylic, glass or full sheets of thick plywood point to CO2 (P2S or P3). Bare stainless, brass or titanium points to a galvo with IR or fiber (F2, F1 Ultra or F2 Ultra). Not sure? Check a material in our material checker.
Who shares the room? In a classroom, office or family space, Class 1 matters, which narrows the field to the M2, S1 and P3.
Do you have to carry it? Craft fairs and pop-ups call for the F2, which weighs 4.6 kg and arrives assembled.
What’s the ceiling on spend? Under $1,000 means the M2. Roughly $1,200–1,800 means an F2 or S1. About $2,500–2,900 means an F1 Ultra or P2S.

If you want a second opinion across brands, our laser matcher filters all 16 machines we track by material, workspace and budget.

Four kinds of hobby laserThe light source decides what a laser can cut and mark. The format decides speed, size and safety.

Blue diode (open or enclosed)

The affordable all-rounder: engraves and cuts wood, leather, cardboard and dark acrylic, and engraves coated metal. Can't cut clear acrylic or mark bare metal. Slower cutting than CO2.

Typical: 10–40 W output, $300–$2,000

CO2 tube

The cutting machine: faster, cleaner cuts in wood and every color of acrylic, plus glass etching. Bigger, needs water cooling and serious venting. Can't mark bare metal without a compound.

Typical: 40–55 W desktop, $2,000–$7,000

Fiber (1064 nm)

The metal specialist: marks and deep-engraves stainless, aluminum, brass, silver and gold, and many plastics. Poor at wood and useless for clear acrylic or cutting sheet goods.

Typical: 20–60 W, $1,500–$5,000

Galvo / portable

Mirrors steer the beam instead of a moving gantry, so it's extremely fast over a small field — ideal for personalizing many small items. Often dual-source (diode + IR) in hobby machines.

Typical: ~100 × 100 mm field, $500–$2,500

The best xTool laser engraver for each buyer

xTool M2 10W: best xTool for beginners

The M2 is the xTool we’d point a nervous first-timer toward. It’s Class 1, arrives assembled, has a 5 MP panoramic camera and a 2 MP close-range camera plus autofocus, and the 426 × 320 mm bed is roomy for the price. The 10 W head cuts about 8 mm basswood and 3 mm black acrylic in one pass by xTool’s figures, so it’s an engraver that cuts thin stock.

The upgrade path is the point. Heads swap magnetically: a 20 W standalone costs about $899 and a 40 W about $1,199 (xTool claims 15 mm basswood in one pass for the 40 W), and a 3 W IR head or a CMYK inkjet can be added. The catches are xTool Studio only, no external air port, and a 2026 launch with a short reliability record. About $499; check the M2 10W price on Amazon. Weighing it against a cloud-based craft laser? Read xTool M2 vs Glowforge Aura.

xTool S1 40W: best Class 1 xTool for cutting

The S1 is the most powerful enclosed diode we track, and it’s Class 1. xTool claims 18 mm cherry wood in one pass, the 498 × 319 mm bed is the largest of our enclosed diodes, and it adds multi-point autofocus and LightBurn support. It’s the xTool for a school or home office that needs thick cuts without goggles.

Limits: no camera, air assist is an add-on, and a blue diode can’t cut clear acrylic. Availability is the bigger question. Amazon’s only S1 listing, about $1,819, is titled “Rotary Bundle,” so confirm what’s in the box, and xTool’s Canadian store lists the S1 under clearance. Check the S1 40W price on Amazon.

xTool P2S: best xTool for most makers who can vent

The P2S is our top overall laser. Its 55 W CO2 tube cuts 18 mm basswood and 20 mm acrylic in one pass by xTool’s figures, including clear acrylic and glass etching that no blue diode can do. Dual 16 MP cameras, LiDAR autofocus, a 600 × 305 mm bed and built-in air assist keep it close to a craft laser in ease of use.

It weighs 99 lb, is rated Class 4 as we track it, and the glass tube fades with use: xTool quotes about 95% power at 1,000 hours and about 70% at 6,000–8,000 hours. Plan a sturdy bench and a vent to the outdoors or an AP2 purifier. Check the P2S price on Amazon. Choosing between this and the S1? See xTool S1 vs xTool P2S.

xTool F2: best portable xTool

The F2 pairs a 15 W blue diode with a 5 W IR laser in a galvo head that moves the beam with mirrors at up to 6,000 mm/s. The diode handles wood, leather and dark acrylic, and the IR marks bare stainless, gold, silver and titanium. A 50 MP camera with autofocus handles batch placement.

It’s built for small items on the spot, not sheets: the field is 115 × 115 mm (400 × 115 mm with the slide extension), it’s Class 4, and it runs xTool Studio (LightBurn support is preliminary). About $1,219; check the xTool F2 price on Amazon. More on this format is in our best portable laser engravers guide.

xTool F1 Ultra: best xTool for a metal and wood shop

The F1 Ultra puts a 20 W fiber laser for bare metal and a 20 W diode for wood, leather and dark acrylic in one box, with a 220 × 220 mm galvo field, a 16 MP camera and batch fill. Make: liked it a lot but found laser alignment fiddly. It’s Class 4, xTool Studio is the officially listed software, and the F2 Ultra now sits above it.

At about $2,499 it makes sense when both metal and organics are part of the business. Check the F1 Ultra price on Amazon, and see xTool F1 Ultra vs LaserPecker LP5 for how it compares with the nearest rival.

xTool F2 Ultra: best xTool for pro metal work

The F2 Ultra’s 60 W MOPA fiber deep-engraves, embosses and color-marks stainless and titanium, and cuts thin brass and stainless by xTool’s figures; the 40 W diode covers wood and leather. Tom’s Hardware called it “the best experience we’ve had with metal engraving.” It’s overkill for the odd tumbler, at about $5,099 for the dual-laser version (about $4,099 for MOPA only). Check the F2 Ultra price on Amazon, or compare cheaper options in our best laser engraver for metal guide.

xTool P3: best xTool for production

The P3 is an 80 W Class 1 CO2 with a 915 × 458 mm bed, a built-in chiller and built-in CO2 fire suppression. It weighs 231.5 lb, is xTool Studio only, and costs about $6,299–7,899. Buy it when throughput and a certified Class 1 shared shop justify it; most home makers will be happier with the P2S at under half the price. Check the P3 price on Amazon.

xTool M2 vs S1 vs P2S vs F2: the short version

M2 vs S1: both enclosed Class 1 diodes. The M2 is cheaper and has cameras but runs only xTool Studio; the S1 has far more cutting power and LightBurn support but no camera.
S1 vs P2S: diode or CO2. The P2S adds clear acrylic, glass and cameras; the S1 stays Class 1 with no tube to maintain. See the S1 vs P2S head-to-head.
M2 vs F2: a crafts-and-signs bed against a pocket-sized metal marker. They rarely compete for the same buyer.
P2S vs F2: sheet cutting against small-item and metal marking. Need both? That’s two machines.

Not sure what separates the laser types? Start with diode vs CO2 vs fiber.

Class 1 vs Class 4: which xTool is safe for your room?

The FDA treats Class I lasers as non-hazardous and Class IV lasers as an immediate eye and skin hazard from the direct or reflected beam that may also present a fire hazard. A lid doesn’t change a machine’s class. xTool’s own comparison page lists the P3 as Class 1 and the P2S as Class 4, even though both have enclosed covers.

Class 1 (lid closed): M2, S1 and P3 on our data. No goggles are needed with the lid shut, but you still need ventilation and a fire plan. xTool’s S1 Riser Base is sold for rotary work and tall objects while keeping the S1 Class 1.
Class 4 with a lid: P2S, F2, F1 Ultra and F2 Ultra. Don’t defeat the interlock, and wear eyewear when the lid is open. On the F2 Ultra, conveyor and rotary jobs run with the lid open.
P2S option: xTool’s P2S page says the P2S is offered in Class 4 and Class 1 variants. The Amazon listing we track is the Class 4 one, so confirm the version before you order if Class 1 matters.
F1 Ultra option: LightBurn’s firmware table lists both a Class 4 and a Class 1 F1 Ultra. We track the Class 4 listing.

Eyewear must match the wavelength. Blue-diode glasses such as the CARLANY OD6+ pair don’t stop a 1064 nm beam, and dual-laser machines need protection for both, such as 1064 nm goggles in addition to blue-diode glasses. Our laser engraver safety guide covers setup, and the accessories page lists purifiers, extinguishers and fire blankets.

Laser safety: the four non-negotiablesApplies to every machine, enclosed or not.

Eyes

Lungs

Every material makes smoke; some make toxic smoke. Vent outdoors with a duct fan or use a rated smoke purifier, and never laser PVC or vinyl.

Fire

Lasers set things on fire by design. Never leave a job running unattended, keep air assist on, keep a CO2 or water-mist extinguisher and a fire blanket within reach.

Space

Put the laser on a non-flammable surface, away from curtains and kids' reach, with power you can cut instantly (emergency stop or switched outlet).

Full checklist in our laser safety guide and ventilation guide.

xTool Studio or LightBurn?

xTool’s free software, xTool Studio, replaced xTool Creative Space, and the P3, F2 and F2 Ultra run only in Studio. It’s built around xTool’s cameras, autofocus and material presets, which is why the M2 is easy to learn on.

LightBurn is a paid, brand-neutral alternative, and xTool support is uneven. LightBurn’s own 2.2 documentation lists the S1, F1 Ultra and P2S as supported (the F1 Ultra on current xTool firmware), the F2 and F2 Ultra as “functional, but needs further testing,” and the P3 and M2 as unsupported. Its table is dated October 6, 2026. It also says xTool’s built-in cameras aren’t supported yet, so camera placement stays an xTool Studio feature.

Our advice: treat LightBurn on the F2 series as a bonus that’s still maturing. If it’s a requirement, buy an S1, P2S or F1 Ultra, and expect to lose camera placement. The full comparison, including license prices, is in LightBurn vs xTool Creative Space.

xTool price ladder, late October 2026

Step	Machine	Amazon price	What the money adds
1	M2 10W	~$499	Class 1, cameras, 10 W diode
2	F2	~$1,219	Portable galvo, 5 W IR for bare metal
3	S1 40W	~$1,819	40 W diode, 498 × 319 mm, Class 1
4	F1 Ultra	~$2,499	20 W fiber plus 20 W diode, 220 × 220 mm
5	P2S	~$2,919	55 W CO2, clear acrylic, 600 × 305 mm
6	F2 Ultra	~~$5,099 (~~$4,099 MOPA only)	60 W MOPA, color marking
7	P3	~$6,299–7,899	80 W Class 1 CO2, 915 × 458 mm

The P2S sits only about $1,100 above the S1, which is why many buyers who can vent skip the S1. Budget for extras too: the SafetyPro AP2 purifier (about $919) is xTool’s pairing for the P2S and S1 when you can’t vent outdoors, and an RA3 rotary is about $349.

What about the xTool X1 and other xTool machines?

xTool also lists an X1 on its store: a 55 W CO2 machine that, per xTool’s X1 page, can add a 20 W diode galvo module and then UV, MOPA or fiber sources through Laser Swap. It isn’t in our data, so we haven’t scored it, and we’d wait for independent reviews. The F2 Ultra UV, printers and MetalFab welder are outside this guide.

The bottom line

Buy the xTool M2 to learn on, the S1 for Class 1 cutting, the P2S for the widest material range if you can vent, the F2 for portable metal tags, the F1 Ultra or F2 Ultra for metal as a business, and the P3 only for production. Verify box contents, laser class and software support on the exact Amazon listing before you pay. If you’re still comparing brands, return to our full ranking or the best laser cutter for wood guide.

Best Portable Laser Engraver: 7 Galvo and Compact Picks for 2026

Sun, 01 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT

The best portable laser engraver for most people is the xTool F2: a 10 lb galvo with a 15 W diode and a 5 W IR laser for about $1,219 as of late October 2026. It is light, fast and marks bare metal. It also has a small 115 × 115 mm field and is rated Class 4. If you need a bigger bed in a small space, a compact enclosed diode is the better trade.

We haven’t handled these machines. This is research from manufacturer spec tables, Amazon listings and reviewers such as Tom’s Hardware, and prices need checking on the day you buy.

Best portable laser engravers at a glance

Laser	Type	Weight	Work area	Max speed	Class	Price
xTool F2	Galvo diode + IR	10.1 lb	115 × 115 mm	6,000 mm/s	4	~$1,219
LaserPecker LP5	Galvo diode + fiber	13.3 lb	160 × 120 mm	10,000 mm/s	4 (1 with enclosure)	~$2,899
ComMarker B4 20W	Open-beam fiber	24.3 lb	200 × 200 mm	15,000 mm/s	Open beam	~$1,399–1,719
xTool F1 Ultra	Galvo diode + fiber	32.4 lb	220 × 220 mm	10,000 mm/s	4	~$2,499
xTool F2 Ultra	Galvo diode + MOPA	47 lb	220 × 220 mm	15,000 mm/s	4	~$5,099
Falcon A1C 10W	Enclosed diode	21.6 lb	150 × 150 mm	250 mm/s	1	~$379–399
xTool M2 10W	Enclosed diode	27.1 lb	426 × 320 mm	600 mm/s	1	~$499

Speeds are manufacturers’ maximums, not job times. For the full field across every format, see our ranking of the best laser engravers of 2026.

What does “portable” mean for a laser engraver?

A portable laser engraver is one you can realistically carry to a craft fair, a classroom or a spare room, set up in minutes and run without a workshop. That is not the same as small, and it is not the same as safe. Four things decide whether a machine is portable in practice:

Weight. The xTool F2 is about 10 lb and the LaserPecker LP5 about 13 lb. The F1 Ultra is 32 lb and the F2 Ultra 47 lb: portable by car, not by hand. The compact enclosed A1C and M2 are 22–27 lb.
Field size. The area the laser can reach without moving the work. It is the real limit on what you can sell or make.
Laser class. This is where “portable” gets slippery. The FDA treats Class I as non-hazardous and Class IV as an immediate skin and eye hazard from the direct or reflected beam, one that may also be a fire hazard. The F2, F1 Ultra and F2 Ultra have lids or shields but are rated Class 4. The LP5 is Class 4 until you add its enclosure. The A1C and M2 are Class 1.
Ventilation. Every laser makes smoke. A portable machine still needs a duct outdoors or a purifier, which adds weight and cost.

The ComMarker B4 is the one to read carefully. Its Amazon listing says “Class 1,” but it is an open-beam galvo marker, and we treat it as Class 4 in practice. Our laser engraver safety guide covers eyewear and room setup.

Galvo vs compact diode box: speed or field size?

A galvo laser engraver steers the beam with two small mirrors instead of moving a heavy gantry. That is why galvos reach 6,000–15,000 mm/s while the enclosed diodes here top out at 250–600 mm/s. The cost is the field: mirrors can only swing so far before the beam distorts, so galvos cover roughly 115–220 mm square.

The numbers make the trade clear. The F2’s field is about 13,200 mm². The F1 Ultra and F2 Ultra reach 48,400 mm². The Falcon A1C has 22,500 mm², and the xTool M2 has 136,300 mm², roughly ten times the F2.

Working area (square inches)The biggest flat piece each machine can engrave in one job, as rated by the maker.

Galvo machines have small fields but are many times faster. Some open frames and pass-through enclosures take longer pieces; tap a bar for notes.

What that means in practice:

Many small items, fast: a galvo. xTool quotes a business card on the F2 in about 3 seconds. A gantry diode moving at 250–600 mm/s can’t match that on small repeat jobs.
One bigger item, or cutting sheet stock: a compact enclosed diode. A galvo can’t cut a 12 in sign, and 15 mm basswood is a multi-pass job on the F2.
Both metal and wood: a dual-source galvo (F2, F1 Ultra, F2 Ultra, LP5), because a blue diode alone can’t mark gold or silver.

Not sure which format fits? Try the laser matcher, or read diode vs CO2 vs fiber for how the sources differ.

1. xTool F2: best portable laser engraver overall

The xTool F2 is the one we’d buy for craft fairs and pop-ups. It weighs 4.6 kg, arrives assembled and pairs a 15 W blue diode with a 5 W 1064 nm IR laser. The diode handles wood, leather and dark acrylic. xTool says the IR marks stainless steel, aluminum, copper, brass, titanium alloys, gold, silver and platinum.

A 50 MP camera with autofocus helps position batches. The slide extension stretches the field to 400 × 115 mm and the RA3 rotary fits it too. Tom’s Hardware named the earlier xTool F1 its best portable laser, built with craft-fair vendors in mind, and the F2 keeps that format.

The catches: a 115 × 115 mm field, Class 4 (goggles for both 455 nm and 1064 nm), and xTool Studio first. xTool’s FAQ now says LightBurn works, but LightBurn 2.2 lists F2 support as preliminary and doesn’t support xTool’s cameras. About $1,219. Check the xTool F2 price on Amazon, or consider the F2 with the smoke purifier (about $1,439) for indoor use.

2. LaserPecker LP5: lightest 20 W fiber galvo

The LaserPecker LP5 packs a 20 W fiber and a 20 W diode into a 6 kg kit, the lightest 20 W fiber machine here. Tom’s Hardware called it premium and portable and said it engraves nearly anything, but found the software clunky and criticized the lack of an interface on the machine.

The base unit is Class 4, with a small gap in the shield that means anyone in the room needs safety glasses. The optional enclosure (about $559 alone) makes it Class 1. The enclosure bundle, LP5 + Enclosure, was priced below the bare unit on October 29, 2026, so compare both.

At about $2,899 it costs more than the larger F1 Ultra. Buy it when weight is the deciding factor. Check the LaserPecker LP5 price on Amazon. Our F1 Ultra vs LP5 comparison covers the head-to-head.

3. xTool F1 Ultra: best portable for a small business

The xTool F1 Ultra is a 20 W fiber plus a 20 W diode in an enclosed 32 lb galvo. The 220 × 220 mm field is large for a galvo, a 16 MP camera fills batches automatically, and an optional conveyor handles continuous runs. Make: liked it, with complaints about alignment and the fixed base plate.

It is rated Class 4 despite the lid, has no air assist and, per xTool’s spec sheet, runs xTool Studio. At about $2,499 it is the sensible step up when the F2’s IR isn’t enough. See our pick for small businesses. Check the xTool F1 Ultra price on Amazon.

4. xTool F2 Ultra: best portable for metal

The xTool F2 Ultra adds a 60 W MOPA fiber for deep engraving, embossing and color marking on stainless and titanium, plus a 40 W diode for wood. Tom’s Hardware called it “the best experience we’ve had with metal engraving.”

At 47 lb and about $5,099, it is portable only in the loose sense. The conveyor and rotary run with the lid open, so it becomes an open Class 4 laser, and no goggles come in the box. Don’t buy it to mark the odd tumbler. Check the xTool F2 Ultra price on Amazon.

5. ComMarker B4 20W: cheapest real fiber

The ComMarker B4 20W is a 20 W fiber marker with 110 mm and 200 mm lenses, a foot switch and 1064 nm goggles in the box. It marks bare stainless, aluminum, brass, gold and silver at up to 15,000 mm/s, and TechRadar called it precise and fast.

It is not a friendly box. The beam is open, focus is manual, EZCAD is clunky and LightBurn needs a paid galvo license. Fiber also won’t engrave unpainted wood. ComMarker lists it as clearance in favor of the B6, so check stock. Check the ComMarker B4 price on Amazon.

6. Falcon A1C 10W: compact and enclosed on a budget

If “portable” means “small enough for a desk and safe near kids,” the Falcon A1C fits. It is a Class 1 enclosed 10 W diode with autofocus, an AI camera and LightBurn support for about $379–399. Weight is 21.6 lb and the footprint is 336 × 377 mm.

The field is only 150 × 150 mm and speed tops out at 250 mm/s, so it is a coaster-and-keychain machine. Creality publishes no cut depth, and 3DPrinting.com only just cut 5 mm plywood in one pass. There is no air assist. A 1.2 W IR module swaps in for bare stainless. Check the Falcon A1C price on Amazon. More cheap options are in our best budget laser engravers.

7. xTool M2 10W: compact with a large bed

The xTool M2 10W is Class 1, arrives assembled and has a 426 × 320 mm bed in a 27 lb box. Two cameras and autofocus make placement drag-and-drop, and magnetic heads upgrade to 20 W or 40 W diodes, a 3 W IR head or a CMYK inkjet. It is about $499.

The base 10 W head cuts about 8 mm basswood and 3 mm black acrylic in one pass (xTool’s figures), runs xTool Studio only and is slow next to a galvo. Check the xTool M2 price on Amazon.

Can a portable laser engraver mark metal and jewelry?

Yes, if it has an IR or fiber source. A portable laser engraver for jewelry needs a 1064 nm beam, because gold, silver and bare aluminum reflect blue diode light. That is why the F2, LP5, F1 Ultra, F2 Ultra and B4 suit rings, pendants and tags, and why a diode-only box does not.

How much metal capability do you get?

5 W IR (F2): crisp marks on bare metal. It won’t deep-engrave quickly.
20 W fiber (F1 Ultra, LP5, B4): deeper engraving and light cuts. Tom’s Hardware’s 3D relief on a brass coin on the LP5 took over four hours.
60 W MOPA (F2 Ultra): deep and color work. It’s the only one here that color-marks stainless.
Blue diode only (A1C, M2): coated and anodized metal marks well. Bare stainless marks slowly with low contrast.

Rings and cylinders need a rotary. The RA3 MagSwap fits the F2, F1 Ultra and F2 Ultra. For more, see our best laser engraver for metal and best laser engraver for tumblers.

Is there a handheld laser engraver worth buying?

A handheld laser engraver is a laser you aim by hand, and none belong on our list. Our picks sit on a stand with a fixed focus distance for a reason: the beam must stay at a set height, and a Class 4 beam is an eye hazard. Tom’s Hardware notes the LP5 can be lifted off its stand and used freehand “if you’re feeling particularly brave.” We’d skip that.

If you want to engrave a large object you can’t move, a galvo with a fixed stand won’t do it either. A compact enclosed machine or a bigger gantry laser is the better path.

What do you need for a small space?

A laser engraver for small spaces needs three things beyond the machine:

Eyewear. Blue-diode glasses don’t stop a 1064 nm beam. The Cloudray 1064 nm goggles (about $39) cover fiber and IR, and dual-laser machines need protection for both wavelengths.
Smoke control. Duct outdoors, or use a purifier. xTool’s desktop smoke purifier (about $249) fits the F2 and F1 Ultra. Our ventilation guide covers setups for apartments.
Fire safety. A small extinguisher and fire blanket within reach, and never leave a job unattended.

Laser safety gear on Amazon (checked October 2026)
Item	Type	Fits	Buy
Amerex B417T 2.5 lb ABC fire extinguisher with bracket Lasers cut by burning; a small ABC extinguisher mounted beside the machine is the cheapest fire insurance you can buy.	Safety	Any laser (Dry-chemical powder can ruin a laser's optics and electronics; LightBurn recommends a CO2 extinguisher for the machine itself.)	Check price
Amerex 322 5 lb carbon dioxide (CO2) fire extinguisher Class B:C CO2 leaves no powder residue, so it puts out a fire in the machine without destroying the optics. Pricier than ABC; not rated for Class A (wood/paper) fires on its own, so keep a fire blanket too.	Safety	Any laser	Check price
CARLANY 190–490 nm OD6+ laser safety glasses Blue-diode protection for anyone near an open-frame laser, or when you lift the lid or override an interlock on an enclosed one.	Safety	Any laser (Covers 445–455 nm blue diodes only; does not protect against 1064 nm IR/fiber or 10.6 µm CO2. Match the OD rating to your laser's wavelength.)	Check price
Cloudray 1064 nm laser safety goggles The invisible 1064 nm beam of fiber and IR lasers needs its own eyewear; blue-diode glasses won't stop it.	Safety	ComMarker B4 20W, xTool F2, xTool F1 Ultra, xTool F2 Ultra, LaserPecker LP5, Falcon A1C 10W, Falcon A1 Pro (For 1064 nm sources only. Dual-laser machines need protection for both wavelengths; check the OD rating on the listing.)	Check price
Prepared Hero emergency fire blanket, 39 × 39 in (2-pack) Smothers a flare-up on the bed without coating the machine's optics in extinguisher powder.	Safety	Any laser	Check price

Our accessories worth buying page lists the rest, including the F2 slide extension.

Which portable laser engraver should you buy?

Craft fairs and personalizing small items: xTool F2.
Every gram counts and you want fiber: LaserPecker LP5 with the enclosure.
A personalization business with metal and wood: xTool F1 Ultra.
Deep or color metal work: xTool F2 Ultra, or the B4 on a budget.
A desk laser safe around kids: Falcon A1C, or the M2 for a bigger bed.

Check what your materials need in the material checker, and if you’re still comparing formats, read how to choose a laser engraver.

Best Laser Engraver Gifts 2026: What to Give, and What It Needs to Run Safely

Sun, 01 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT

The best laser engraver gifts in 2026 are enclosed Class 1 machines: the xTool M2 10W (about $499) for most people and the Creality Falcon A1C (about $379–399) for a tight budget. They keep the beam inside a closed lid, arrive mostly assembled and use a camera to place designs. A laser engraver as a gift still comes with homework: the recipient needs ventilation, fire gear and a safe spot, and we cover all of it below.

Prices are as of late October 2026. We’re a research site, not a test lab, so any test result below is named after the outlet that ran it.

Quick answer: the best laser engraver gifts by recipient

Recipient	Our pick	Price	Laser class	Why it fits
First laser, tight budget	Falcon A1C 10W	about $379–399	Class 1	Cheapest enclosed laser with a camera and autofocus
Most people, teens, classrooms	xTool M2 10W	about $499	Class 1	Two cameras, assembled, built-in air assist
Family that wants a big bed	Falcon A1 10W	about $549	Class 1	381 × 305 mm bed, camera, air assist included
Hobbyist who will cut and sell	Falcon A1 Pro 20W	about $1,099	Class 1	20 W, Wi-Fi, touchscreen, autofocus
Side-hustle seller at markets	xTool F2	about $1,219	Class 4	Portable, marks bare stainless
Serious maker with a vented workshop	xTool P2S	about $2,919	Class 4	55 W CO2 cuts thick wood and clear acrylic

For the full ranking, see our best laser engravers of 2026. Not sure which machine fits a particular person? Run their projects through the laser matcher.

Is a laser engraver a good gift?

A laser engraver is a good gift for an adult who has said they want one and has somewhere to put it. It’s a bad surprise for almost anyone else. A laser is a tool that makes smoke, can start fires and, in the wrong class, can injure eyes, so it isn’t like giving a cordless drill.

Three things decide whether it’s a good gift:

The laser class. The FDA treats Class I as non-hazardous and Class IV as an immediate skin and eye hazard from the direct or reflected beam that may also present a fire hazard. Open-frame diodes and several lidded machines are Class 4.
Ventilation. Every laser makes smoke, Class 1 included. The recipient needs a window, a duct or a purifier. A closet, a dorm bunk or a small room with no airflow is not a laser room.
Who else is around. xTool’s F2 guidance says to keep the machine away from children and remove the access key after use.

We wouldn’t give a laser to a young child, full stop. These are not toys. For teens and classrooms, stick to Class 1, below.

The best laser engraver gifts 2026 by budget

Under $500: Falcon A1C and xTool M2

The Falcon A1C 10W is the cheapest way to give a Class 1 laser. For about $379–399 you get an enclosed 10 W diode with autofocus, an AI placement camera, flame and tilt lockouts and LightBurn support. TechRadar was impressed with its engraving and noted that the fully enclosed design scores well over open frames.

The catch is the 150 × 150 mm bed, which fits one 90 mm coaster at a time. There’s no air assist, and Wi-Fi setup runs through a phone app on 2.4 GHz only. It suits coasters, keychains and tags. Check the Falcon A1C price on Amazon.

The xTool M2 10W is the gift we’d choose for most people, at about $499. It’s Class 1 certified, arrives assembled and has two cameras and autofocus, so dropping a design onto a blank is drag-and-drop. The bed is 426 × 320 mm, and magnetic heads let the owner add 20 W or 40 W diodes, an IR head or a color inkjet later. xTool’s own guidance says goggles aren’t required for Class 1 products such as the M2.

Trade-offs: it runs xTool Studio only (no LightBurn), it’s a 2026 launch with a short reliability record, and add-ons raise the total fast. Check the xTool M2 price on Amazon.

$500 to $1,200: Falcon A1, A1 Pro and xTool F2

The Falcon A1 10W (about $549) has a 381 × 305 mm bed, a camera and air assist in a Class 1 box. Creative Bloq’s reviewer called it a perfect laser for beginners on a budget. It’s USB-only with manual focus, and the “80W” in its title is electrical input; the laser is 10 W. Check the Falcon A1 price on Amazon.

Creality also sells the Falcon A1 with its Rotary Roller Pro for about $559, only about $10 above the bare machine on October 29. That’s a better gift if the recipient wants to engrave tumblers and glasses. A bundle can cost more or less than the machine alone, so compare every listing.

The Falcon A1 Pro 20W (about $1,099) is the hobbyist’s gift: a 20 W diode in a Class 1 enclosure with built-in air assist, Wi-Fi, a touchscreen and autofocus. Its “180W” title is electrical input. Gadget Review and owners report spotty Wi-Fi. Check the Falcon A1 Pro price on Amazon, and see how it differs from the cheaper machine in Falcon A1 vs Falcon A1 Pro.

Over $1,500: the splurge gifts

The xTool S1 40W is the most cutting power we know of in a Class 1 box (about $1,819), with a 498 × 319 mm bed. Availability is the question: the only Amazon listing is titled “Rotary Bundle,” and xTool’s Canadian store lists the S1 as clearance. Confirm what’s in the box before gifting it. Check the xTool S1 price on Amazon.

The xTool P2S (about $2,919) is the gift for a maker who already has a vented workshop and a sturdy bench. It’s a 55 W CO2 that cuts clear acrylic, weighs 99 lb and is rated Class 4 despite its lid. Check the xTool P2S price on Amazon.

Best laser engraver gift for a teen, a kid or a classroom

For anyone young, the answer is a Class 1 enclosed machine run by or with an adult, never an open-frame laser. The beam stays inside with the lid shut, and flame, tilt and lid-open protections are built in. It’s still a fire-starting machine that needs an adult in the room.

Teen or family project: xTool M2 10W for the camera-guided workflow, or the Falcon A1 for the bigger bed.
Classroom or club: a Class 1 machine with a roomy bed, such as the M2 or A1, vented outside or through a purifier. For thick wood in a Class 1 box, the S1 is the option, if you can find stock.
Skip: the Atomstack A20 Pro V2 and Longer Ray5 40W. They’re open-frame Class 4 lasers that need 445 nm-rated glasses for everyone in the room, and we found no major-outlet review of either.

The best enclosed laser engravers list has the full Class 1 lineup, and our beginner’s guide covers first-time setup.

Best laser engraver gifts for makers, hobbyists and sellers

The hobbyist who already has a workshop. Step up from a starter to the Falcon A1 Pro or the S1. If they cut thick stock or clear acrylic and can vent a CO2, the P2S is the next step.

The side-hustle seller. Someone selling tumblers, tags and signs needs speed and the right blanks. The xTool F2 is a portable galvo with a 15 W diode and a 5 W IR laser that marks bare stainless, gold and titanium, and xTool quotes a business card in about 3 seconds. Its field is only 115 × 115 mm, and it’s Class 4: xTool’s FAQ says to wear goggles rated for 445 nm and 1064 nm, and goggles aren’t included. Check the xTool F2 price on Amazon.

Before gifting a business, run the numbers in the profit calculator and read laser engraving business startup costs. For tumblers see best laser engraver for tumblers, and for portable options see best portable laser engravers.

The Cricut crafter. If they already cut vinyl and paper, read laser engraver vs Cricut first. A laser works on wood, leather and slate but isn’t a drop-in swap.

What the recipient needs to run a laser safely

A laser gift is incomplete without the safety kit. Wrap these with the machine, or send them first. All prices are about, and the full method is in our laser engraver safety guide.

Eye protection. Glasses only protect at the wavelengths printed on the lens. For blue-diode machines, the CARLANY 190–490 nm OD6+ glasses (about $28) cover 445–455 nm only. They’re needed for open frames and for lid-open work on Class 1 machines. For fiber or IR heads, such as the Falcon IR modules, the Cloudray 1064 nm goggles (about $39) cover 1064 nm only. A dual-source machine such as the F2 needs a pair rated for both 445 nm and 1064 nm, and neither of ours covers both, so check the lens marking.

Fire safety. LightBurn says never to run a laser unsupervised, and a camera feed doesn’t count. It recommends an extinguisher with a Class C rating, a fire blanket and a spray bottle within reach. It also warns that dry chemical powder is corrosive and will destroy the laser. Our options:

Prepared Hero fire blanket, 2-pack, about $40: smothers a small bed fire without coating the optics.
Amerex B417T ABC extinguisher, about $63: effective, but the powder will likely write off the machine.
Amerex 322 CO2 extinguisher, about $298: leaves no powder, but it’s pricey and not rated for wood or paper fires alone, so keep the blanket too.

Ventilation. The M2 and the F-series pair with xTool’s desktop smoke purifier (about $249) for light work indoors, and the A1 is sold with a purifier in a Falcon A1 + smoke purifier bundle (about $603). For a window setup, the AC Infinity 4-inch inline fan (about $90) and 25 ft of aluminum duct (about $19) move smoke outside. Our ventilation guide explains the options.

Laser safety gear on Amazon (checked October 2026)
Item	Type	Fits	Buy
Amerex B417T 2.5 lb ABC fire extinguisher with bracket Lasers cut by burning; a small ABC extinguisher mounted beside the machine is the cheapest fire insurance you can buy.	Safety	Any laser (Dry-chemical powder can ruin a laser's optics and electronics; LightBurn recommends a CO2 extinguisher for the machine itself.)	Check price
Amerex 322 5 lb carbon dioxide (CO2) fire extinguisher Class B:C CO2 leaves no powder residue, so it puts out a fire in the machine without destroying the optics. Pricier than ABC; not rated for Class A (wood/paper) fires on its own, so keep a fire blanket too.	Safety	Any laser	Check price
CARLANY 190–490 nm OD6+ laser safety glasses Blue-diode protection for anyone near an open-frame laser, or when you lift the lid or override an interlock on an enclosed one.	Safety	Any laser (Covers 445–455 nm blue diodes only; does not protect against 1064 nm IR/fiber or 10.6 µm CO2. Match the OD rating to your laser's wavelength.)	Check price
Cloudray 1064 nm laser safety goggles The invisible 1064 nm beam of fiber and IR lasers needs its own eyewear; blue-diode glasses won't stop it.	Safety	ComMarker B4 20W, xTool F2, xTool F1 Ultra, xTool F2 Ultra, LaserPecker LP5, Falcon A1C 10W, Falcon A1 Pro (For 1064 nm sources only. Dual-laser machines need protection for both wavelengths; check the OD rating on the listing.)	Check price
Prepared Hero emergency fire blanket, 39 × 39 in (2-pack) Smothers a flare-up on the bed without coating the machine's optics in extinguisher powder.	Safety	Any laser	Check price

Starter materials. Practice blanks make the first weekend work. A 12-pack of 3 mm basswood (about $25) is the default test stock. Black slate coasters (about $41 for 60) engrave light grey on black with any diode, and laserable leatherette patches (about $14 for 50) suit keychains and hats. Buy only blanks sold as laser-safe, and never laser PVC, vinyl or faux leather of unknown type; check any other material in the material checker.

Laser-ready materials on Amazon (checked October 2026)
Item	Type	Fits	Buy
3 mm basswood plywood sheets, 12 × 12 in (12-pack) The default test and project stock for every laser here; 12 × 12 in fits all but the smallest beds.	Materials	Any laser (Cut down for the 150 mm A1C or galvo machines.)	Check price
Clear cast acrylic sheets, 12 × 12 × 1/8 in (10-pack) Cast acrylic cuts with flame-polished edges on a CO2 laser; it's the material that justifies buying one.	Materials	xTool P2S, xTool P3, OMTech K40+ (CO2 only: blue diodes pass straight through clear acrylic.)	Check price
Laserable leatherette hat patches with adhesive, 3 × 2 in (50-pack) Cheap, fast-selling patch blanks that engrave cleanly with diode and CO2 lasers.	Materials	Any laser (Not for fiber-only lasers such as the ComMarker B4.)	Check price
Black anodized aluminum business cards, 0.8 mm (15-pack) Anodized aluminum engraves to a crisp white with blue diodes, CO2, IR and fiber, ideal for test pieces and premium cards.	Materials	Any laser	Check price
VIBRATITE 4-inch square black slate coasters (60-pack) Best-selling laser blank: slate engraves light grey on black with any diode, CO2 or IR source.	Materials	Any laser	Check price
YOUKE OLA powder-coated 20 oz tumblers for laser engraving (16-pack) Powder coat ablates to bright steel with diode, CO2 or fiber lasers, which makes these the classic rotary product.	Materials	Any laser (Needs a rotary attachment on flatbed machines.)	Check price

For the extras that are worth buying later, such as rotaries and risers, see laser engraver accessories worth buying.

Best laser engraver for making gifts

If the goal is a laser to make gifts, the same machines work. Slate coasters, leather keychains, wooden ornaments and engraved cutting boards are all within reach of a 10 W Class 1 diode. Tumblers need a rotary and a powder-coated blank, such as the YOUKE OLA 20 oz tumblers (about $63 for 16). On a flatbed, add a rotary. Creality’s Rotary Roller Pro (about $114) fits the A1 and A1 Pro.

Our budget picks go cheaper, but we’d avoid gifting open-frame Class 4 lasers.

Before you buy: a gift-giver’s checklist

Ask first, or choose a return-friendly listing. Check the return terms on the exact Amazon offer and seller.
Confirm the exact bundle. Listings re-bundle constantly; the S1 is a “Rotary Bundle,” and the Glowforge Aura offer we saw came from a third-party seller.
Check the recipient’s setup. These run from a computer or phone app. The Falcon A1 is USB-only.
Confirm the laser class on the listing. A lid isn’t a Class 1 rating. The F-series, P2S and LP5 are Class 4 even with lids.
Ignore wattage in titles. Falcon “80W” and “180W” are electrical input, and the listing says 10 W and 20 W optical.

The Glowforge Aura (about $1,104) is the most appliance-like Class 1 option, but it’s 6 W, needs Glowforge’s cloud software, and Glowforge went through an Assignment for the Benefit of Creditors in November 2025 before its co-founders bought back the assets. Weigh that before giving it.

Should you wait for a holiday sale?

We can’t see 2026 holiday prices yet, and we won’t guess. On October 29, 2026, some bundles already cost less than the bare machine, and some maker stores undercut Amazon, so compare. Our laser engraver Black Friday guide explains how prices usually move and what to check, and the laser engravers comparison chart shows every model’s current spec and price range.

If a laser is a Christmas gift, order early enough that the recipient can set up ventilation and read the manual before the first job.

Diode vs CO2 vs Fiber Laser: Which Type Do You Actually Need?

Fri, 30 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

The type of laser you buy decides what you can make more than any other spec. Wattage, bed size and software all matter, but they only change how well a machine handles a material. The light source decides whether it can touch that material at all. This guide explains the three types home and small-shop buyers choose between (blue diode, CO2 and fiber), what each one cuts and marks, and what it’s like to own one. We research from maker documentation, independent reviews and live listings rather than running our own lab; see how we research for details.

Four kinds of hobby laserThe light source decides what a laser can cut and mark. The format decides speed, size and safety.

Blue diode (open or enclosed)

The affordable all-rounder: engraves and cuts wood, leather, cardboard and dark acrylic, and engraves coated metal. Can't cut clear acrylic or mark bare metal. Slower cutting than CO2.

Typical: 10–40 W output, $300–$2,000

CO2 tube

The cutting machine: faster, cleaner cuts in wood and every color of acrylic, plus glass etching. Bigger, needs water cooling and serious venting. Can't mark bare metal without a compound.

Typical: 40–55 W desktop, $2,000–$7,000

Fiber (1064 nm)

The metal specialist: marks and deep-engraves stainless, aluminum, brass, silver and gold, and many plastics. Poor at wood and useless for clear acrylic or cutting sheet goods.

Typical: 20–60 W, $1,500–$5,000

Galvo / portable

Mirrors steer the beam instead of a moving gantry, so it's extremely fast over a small field — ideal for personalizing many small items. Often dual-source (diode + IR) in hobby machines.

Typical: ~100 × 100 mm field, $500–$2,500

Why wavelength matters

A laser cuts or engraves by dumping energy into a material until it burns, melts or vaporizes. That only works if the material absorbs the light. xTool’s material processing guide puts it simply: the wavelength decides how much energy a material can absorb, and the power decides how deep and how fast it cuts. Light that’s reflected or passes straight through does nothing useful.

The three common hobby wavelengths behave very differently:

Blue diode, about 455 nm. Visible blue light. Wood, leather, cardboard and dark materials absorb it well. Transparent and very light materials let it pass through or bounce it back.
CO2, 10.6 µm. Far infrared, roughly 23 times longer than a blue diode’s wavelength. Most non-metals absorb it readily, including clear acrylic and glass. Metals reflect most of it, so a CO2 “can hardly process metal directly,” in xTool’s words.
Fiber, 1064 nm. Near infrared. xTool notes that most metals absorb it far better than blue or CO2 light, which is why fiber is the standard for bare-metal marking. Wood is the weak spot: xTool doesn’t recommend a fiber for uncoated wood.

Some machines add a small 1064 nm IR diode (2–5 W) next to a blue diode. It shares fiber’s wavelength but not its power, so think of it as a light metal and plastic marker, not a substitute for a real fiber source.

What each type cuts and marks

What each laser type can doTypical hobby machines. ✓✓ cuts and engraves · ✓ engraves or marks · ◐ only with paint or marking compound · ✕ doesn't work · ⛔ never laser it.

Material	Blue diode	CO2	Fiber	UV
Basswood / birch plywood	✓✓ Cuts & engraves	✓✓ Cuts & engraves	✕ Doesn't work	✓ Engraves / marks
Clear cast acrylic	✕ Doesn't work	✓✓ Cuts & engraves	✕ Doesn't work	✓ Engraves / marks
Black / opaque colored acrylic	✓✓ Cuts & engraves	✓✓ Cuts & engraves	✓ Engraves / marks	✓ Engraves / marks
Genuine leather (veg-tanned)	✓✓ Cuts & engraves	✓✓ Cuts & engraves	✕ Doesn't work	✓ Engraves / marks
Slate & dark stone	✓ Engraves / marks	✓ Engraves / marks	✓ Engraves / marks	✓ Engraves / marks
Glass	◐ Only with prep	✓ Engraves / marks	✕ Doesn't work	✓ Engraves / marks
Anodized aluminum	✓ Engraves / marks	✓ Engraves / marks	✓ Engraves / marks	✓ Engraves / marks
Powder-coated & painted metal (tumblers)	✓ Engraves / marks	✓ Engraves / marks	✓ Engraves / marks	✓ Engraves / marks
Bare stainless steel	◐ Only with prep	◐ Only with prep	✓ Engraves / marks	✓ Engraves / marks
Bare aluminum, brass, silver & gold	✕ Doesn't work	✕ Doesn't work	✓ Engraves / marks	✓ Engraves / marks
PVC, vinyl & faux leather	⛔ Never — hazardous	⛔ Never — hazardous	⛔ Never — hazardous	⛔ Never — hazardous

Full list with notes in the material checker. Cut thickness depends heavily on power and passes.

The pattern in that table follows from the physics above.

Blue diodes cut and engrave wood, plywood, leather, cork, paper, felt and dark opaque acrylic, and they engrave slate, anodized aluminum and powder-coated tumblers. They can’t cut clear acrylic, because the beam goes straight through it, and they struggle with blue, white and transparent colors. Several makers list stainless steel as diode-engravable, but on bare stainless a blue diode leaves a slow, dark, low-contrast mark. Glass and glazed ceramic need paint or a marking compound first.

CO2 lasers do everything on the diode list, generally faster and with cleaner edges, and add the materials that sell many buyers on CO2: clear and colored cast acrylic (cut with flame-polished edges), glass etching and a wider range of acrylic colors. What CO2 can’t do is mark bare metal. You can engrave coated or anodized metal, or use a marking spray, but that’s it.

Fiber lasers mark and deep-engrave bare stainless, aluminum, brass, silver and gold, and many plastics. Higher-power fibers can cut thin sheet metal; the xTool F1 Ultra listing quotes 0.3 mm stainless and 0.4 mm brass. They’re poor at wood, useless on clear acrylic and won’t cut sheet goods like plywood. A Q-switched fiber like the 20 W ComMarker B4 makes black, white and gray marks. Color marking on stainless and titanium needs a MOPA source, such as the one in the xTool F2 Ultra.

Whatever the type, some materials are off limits: never laser PVC, vinyl, faux leather, polycarbonate, ABS, HDPE, foam or fiberglass. PVC and vinyl release chlorine gas that harms your lungs and corrodes the machine. Check any material in the material checker before you put it on the bed, and read what materials a laser can cut for the full list.

Speed and cutting power

Wattage comparisons only work within one type. A 40 W diode and a 55 W CO2 can carry similar maker claims (xTool says both the S1 40W and the P2S cut 18 mm wood in a single pass), but the CO2 also cuts 20 mm acrylic, including clear, which no diode can. Listing titles muddy this further: the Creality Falcon A1 is sold as “80W” and is a 10 W optical laser. Our wattage explainer covers how to read the numbers.

Format matters as much as source. Diode and CO2 machines usually move the head on a gantry, which tops out around 600 mm/s on the machines we track. Fiber machines are almost always galvo: mirrors steer the beam over a small field, so they’re rated at 10,000–15,000 mm/s. xTool’s guide notes that galvo machines avoid the vibration and skipped steps a fast gantry can suffer. The catch is field size, with the F1 Ultra at 220 × 220 mm and the B4 at up to 200 × 200 mm. So a galvo is very fast at personalizing many small items and useless for a 2-foot sign.

Maintenance and running costs

Diode machines are the simplest to own. There’s no gas, no water loop and no mirrors to align. You clean the lens, keep the bed and rails clean, and eventually replace the module. Creality rates its 10 W diode modules for up to 20,000 hours at nominal current with proper cooling, according to its Falcon A1 comparison.

CO2 machines have more upkeep. The beam comes from a sealed glass tube that needs water cooling. The P2S has a built-in water tank and cooling loop that its alert system monitors, while the budget OMTech K40+ uses a pump in a bucket or an optional chiller. The beam also travels through mirrors that need cleaning and periodic alignment. And the tube is a wear part: xTool says the P2S tube lasts 6,000–8,000 hours, dropping to about 95% power at 1,000 hours and about 70% by the end. OMTech covers K40+ tubes for six months.

Fiber sources have no tube or water loop and need little routine care beyond keeping the lens clean. The trade-off is up-front cost, and budget fibers tend to be bare tools: the B4 has manual focus, no camera and ships with EZCAD2, which is clunky next to LightBurn (a paid galvo license).

Cost

Using the lowest Amazon prices we tracked on October 29, 2026 (check today’s price before you buy):

Type	Entry point	Typical range in our guide	Examples
Blue diode	About $379–399	About $379–1,819	Falcon A1C, xTool M2, S1 40W
CO2	About $760–800	About $760–7,899	OMTech K40+, xTool P2S, xTool P3
Fiber (alone)	About $1,399	About $1,399–2,399	ComMarker B4 20W and its 30/50 W versions
Dual (diode + IR or fiber)	About $1,219	About $1,219–5,099	xTool F2, F1 Ultra, F2 Ultra

Budget beyond the machine for ventilation, eye protection where needed, a fire extinguisher and materials. The accessories guide lists what’s worth buying.

Safety

Every type burns material and makes smoke, so every laser needs ventilation: a duct to the outside or a rated purifier. Our ventilation guide covers both. Never leave a job running unattended, and keep an extinguisher and a fire blanket within reach.

Eye safety depends on the machine’s class, not its type. The FDA treats Class 1 products as non-hazardous in normal use and Class 4 as an immediate eye and skin hazard from the direct or reflected beam, as well as a fire hazard. Among the machines we track, the M2, Falcon A1C, A1, A1 Pro, Glowforge Aura, S1 and P3 are Class 1. The P2S, F1 Ultra, F2 and F2 Ultra are rated Class 4 despite their lids. The LaserPecker LP5 is Class 4 unless you add its enclosure, and the ComMarker B4 is an open-beam marker.

If anyone will be near an open or Class 4 machine, they need glasses rated for that exact wavelength. Blue-diode glasses such as the CARLANY 190–490 nm OD6+ don’t protect against the invisible 1064 nm beam of fiber and IR lasers, which needs its own eyewear like the Cloudray 1064 nm goggles. Dual-source machines need protection for both. The safety guide goes deeper.

Which type should you buy?

Mostly wood, leather, cardboard and coated tumblers, in a home or classroom: an enclosed blue diode. The xTool M2 is the easiest start; the xTool S1 40W is the strongest Class 1 cutter. See the best laser engravers for beginners.
Clear acrylic, glass, or lots of thick cutting, and you can vent outside: CO2. The xTool P2S is our best overall pick; the OMTech K40+ is the budget route if you’ll tinker. Our S1 vs P2S comparison walks through that decision.
Bare metal (jewelry, tags, tools, knives): fiber. Start with the ComMarker B4, or read the best laser engravers for metal.
Both metal and organics for a small business: a dual machine like the xTool F1 Ultra. Our F1 Ultra vs LaserPecker LP5 comparison covers the two main options.

Still torn? The laser matcher filters every machine we track by your materials, space and budget.

xTool F1 Ultra vs LaserPecker LP5: Which 20 W Fiber + Diode Laser to Buy?

Fri, 30 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

The xTool F1 Ultra and the LaserPecker LP5 are built on the same idea: a 20 W fiber for bare metal and a 20 W blue diode for wood, leather and dark acrylic, steered by galvo mirrors for very fast engraving on small items. They’re the two main “one machine for metal and everything else” options under $3,000. On paper they’re near twins. In practice they suit different buyers. The F1 Ultra is a benchtop production tool, and the LP5 is a portable kit that becomes a bench tool once you add its enclosure. Prices below are the lowest we saw on Amazon on October 29, 2026; check today’s price before you buy.

The specs, side by side

	xTool F1 Ultra	LaserPecker LP5
Price (Amazon)	About $2,499	About $2,899 (base); $2,836 with enclosure
Lasers (output)	20 W fiber + 20 W diode	20 W fiber + 20 W diode
Wavelengths	455 nm diode + 1064 nm fiber	Blue diode + 1064 nm fiber
Field	220 × 220 mm; 220 × 500 mm with conveyor	160 × 120 mm; 160 × 300 mm with slide extension
Max speed	10,000 mm/s	10,000 mm/s
Laser class	Class 4 (enclosed lid)	Class 4; Class 1 with optional enclosure
Camera	Yes, 16 MP with batch fill	No (enclosure adds a 5 MP camera)
Autofocus	Yes	No (align two red dots)
Air assist	None	None
Wood cutting (maker claim)	15 mm basswood, multiple passes	20 mm basswood, passes not stated
Metal	Deep-engraves bare metal	Deep-engraves bare metal
Software	xTool Studio	LaserPecker Design Space (PC + app), LightBurn
LightBurn	Yes, on current firmware; cameras not supported	Yes
Weight	32.4 lb	13.3 lb
Warranty	1 year	1 year
Our score	8.2	7.2

Where the F1 Ultra wins

Field size. At 220 × 220 mm, the F1 Ultra’s field is about two and a half times the area of the LP5’s 160 × 120 mm. For a small business, that’s the difference between engraving a full tray of keychains or dog tags in one job and doing them a few at a time. The optional conveyor stretches it to 220 × 500 mm for longer pieces and continuous runs. Objects up to 145 mm tall fit inside.

Camera and autofocus. The F1 Ultra’s 16 MP camera can fill a design onto several items scattered on the bed. Make: highlighted the AI feature that auto-aligns designs on randomly placed objects. Autofocus means you don’t measure height for every blank. The base LP5 has neither: you focus by lining up two red dots on its electric stand, and only the optional enclosure adds an alignment camera.

Enclosure and presets. The F1 Ultra’s cover filters both wavelengths and adds a fire alarm and emergency stop. It’s still rated Class 4, so keep the lid closed or wear goggles for both 455 nm and 1064 nm. The LP5 base unit has a cone shield, and Tom’s Hardware found a gap at the bottom that means everyone in the room needs glasses. Tom’s also found that LaserPecker’s software has no material presets and no job-time estimate, and its reviewer set a sample keychain on fire for lack of settings. In our research the F1 Ultra’s presets are the stronger of the two, which matters most when you’re new to fiber.

Price. The F1 Ultra costs about $400 less than the bare LP5, and the enclosure the LP5 really needs makes the gap bigger. Make: tested the F1 Ultra at $3,699; it has since dropped to about $2,499 on Amazon.

The F1 Ultra’s weak spots, per Make:, are a fiddly laser-alignment screw that you should only need on setup, and a solid bottom plate that makes jigs harder to build than on the original F1. At 32.4 lb, it’s a bench machine, not something you carry to a craft fair.

Where the LP5 wins

Portability. At 13.3 lb (about 6 kg) for the laser, stand and shield, the LP5 is the lightest dual-source laser we track. If you engrave at markets, weddings or in-store events, that matters more than anything in the table. The laser can even come off the stand for freehand work on large objects, which Tom’s Hardware describes as an option for the brave.

LightBurn. The LP5 works with LightBurn as well as LaserPecker Design Space on PC and phone. The F1 Ultra works with LightBurn 2.2 too, but only on current xTool firmware (40.52.016.05 or higher for the Class 4 model), and xTool’s cameras aren’t supported there. If your shop already runs LightBurn, either works; if you dislike xTool’s software, the LP5’s longer-standing LightBurn support may tip it. Our LightBurn vs xTool Creative Space guide covers the trade-off. Tom’s Hardware didn’t test LightBurn, though, so we can’t say whether it fixes the preset problem.

Cutting claim. LaserPecker claims 20 mm basswood, 15 mm dark acrylic and 1 mm brass, stainless, aluminum or titanium, against xTool’s 15 mm basswood in multiple passes. LaserPecker doesn’t state pass counts, and neither machine has air assist, so treat both as engravers that can cut, not cutters.

Both use a Q-switched 20 W fiber, so neither does MOPA color marking on stainless. Deep metal work is slow at this power: Tom’s Hardware’s 3D relief on a brass coin took more than 4 hours on the LP5. Both are fast on wood, leather and slate with the diode, and both char wood without air assist. Both have optional rotaries for tumblers and rings. The xTool RA3 fits the F1 Ultra.

Neither is fully safe out of the box. Budget for glasses rated for both wavelengths, such as Cloudray 1064 nm goggles plus a CARLANY 190–490 nm pair or a single pair rated for both, and for ventilation. The F1 Ultra pairs with the xTool Desktop Smoke Purifier for indoor work. See the safety guide and the ventilation guide.

What a working setup costs

The sticker prices hide what each machine needs to run safely indoors. At the Amazon prices we saw on October 29, 2026:

	xTool F1 Ultra	LaserPecker LP5
Machine	About $2,499	About $2,836 with enclosure (about $2,899 without)
Class 1 enclosure	Not offered; lid is Class 4 rated	Included in the enclosure bundle
Camera	Built in	Comes with the enclosure
Smoke control	xTool Desktop Smoke Purifier, about $249	Ultimate bundle adds a purifier (about $3,899 total)
Eyewear for both wavelengths	About $39 + $28	About $39 + $28 for work outside the enclosure
Rotary	xTool RA3, about $349	Ultimate bundle adds a rotary extension

A purifier-equipped F1 Ultra with eyewear comes to about $2,815. The LP5 with its enclosure is about $2,836 before you add smoke control or glasses for portable use. Either way, the F1 Ultra gives you the bigger field and camera for similar or less money. Run your expected order volume through the profit calculator to see how long either takes to pay back.

Who should buy which

Buy the xTool F1 Ultra if you’ll run it at home or in a shop, you personalize batches of metal and wood items, and you want camera placement, autofocus and presets that save setup time. It’s the better tool and the cheaper one.

Buy the LaserPecker LP5 if you need a dual laser you can carry, or your workflow is built around LightBurn. Then buy the LP5 + Enclosure bundle, which was cheaper than the bare unit on Amazon on October 29, 2026 and adds the Class 1 enclosure and camera. On its own, the enclosure costs about $559.

Consider something else if you mainly mark metal and want color marks or faster deep engraving. The xTool F2 Ultra (60 W MOPA + 40 W diode, about $5,099) is the step up. If you only mark small items and want portability for less, the xTool F2 (15 W diode + 5 W IR, about $1,219) marks bare stainless without a full fiber. For metal only on a budget, the ComMarker B4 20W costs about $1,399.

Verdict

The F1 Ultra is the better buy for almost everyone: same laser sources, a much bigger field, an enclosed lid, a camera, autofocus and working presets, for about $400 less. The LP5 makes sense only when weight decides the purchase, and then only with the enclosure. For a broader look at metal-capable machines, read the best laser engravers for metal or the best laser engraver for small business.

Creality Falcon A1 vs Falcon A1 Pro: Is the 20 W Upgrade Worth It?

Fri, 30 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Creality’s Falcon A1 and Falcon A1 Pro share a body style, a Class 1 rating and a placement camera, but the Pro costs about twice as much. The question is whether doubling the laser power and adding autofocus, Wi-Fi and a touchscreen is worth about $550 more, especially as the cheaper A1 has the larger bed. Short answer: for engraving, no; for cutting and hands-off convenience, yes. Prices are the lowest we saw on Amazon on October 29, 2026; check today’s price before you buy.

First, the wattage. Amazon titles call these the “80W” and “180W” Falcons. Those are electrical figures. The listings themselves state 10,000 mW and 20,000 mW of optical output, so this is a 10 W vs 20 W comparison. Our wattage explainer explains why the titles do this.

The specs, side by side

	Falcon A1	Falcon A1 Pro
Price (Amazon)	About $549	About $1,099 (rotary bundle about $1,012)
Laser (output)	10 W blue diode	20 W blue diode; optional 2 W 1064 nm IR
Work area	381 × 305 mm	358 × 268 mm
Max speed	600 mm/s	600 mm/s
Laser class	Class 1	Class 1
Air assist	Included	Built in
Camera	Yes	Yes
Focus	Manual, stepped focus block	AI autofocus (about 3 seconds)
Connectivity	USB only	USB, Wi-Fi, app; 4.3-in touchscreen
Wood cutting (maker claim)	6 mm, single pass	10 mm basswood, passes not stated
Metal	Coated metal only	Marks bare metal (better with IR head)
Software	Falcon Design Space, LightBurn, LaserGRBL	Falcon Design Space, LightBurn, LaserGRBL
Weight	34.3 lb	37 lb
Warranty	1 year	1 year
Our score	7.9	8.2

Where the Falcon A1 wins

Price. At about $549, the A1 costs half as much as the Pro for the same Class 1 enclosure, camera and software options. That leaves room in the budget for ventilation and materials. Creality also sells it bundled with its Rotary Roller Pro for about $559 or with a desktop smoke purifier for about $603 on Amazon. Either is a better use of $550 than the power upgrade if you mostly engrave.

Bed size. The A1’s 381 × 305 mm bed is larger than the Pro’s 358 × 268 mm. It just fits a 12 × 12 in sheet, which the Pro’s 268 mm depth can’t. That’s useful for signs, cutting boards and batches of coasters.

Engraving quality per dollar. 10 W is plenty for engraving wood, leather, slate, anodized aluminum and powder-coated tumblers, and both machines are rated to the same 600 mm/s. Creative Bloq’s reviewer spent a month with it and called it an ideal laser for beginners on a budget.

The costs show up in daily use. The A1 is USB-only, so a laptop has to stay plugged in for every job, and Creative Bloq wished it could run any other way. Focus is manual: you set it with the included stepped block each time you change material. And cutting tops out around 6 mm of wood in a pass, per Creality. Creality’s own listings disagree on whether it cuts black acrylic at all, so don’t buy it for that.

Where the Falcon A1 Pro wins

Cutting power. Twice the optical power cuts thicker stock in fewer passes. Creality claims 10 mm basswood and 8 mm black acrylic “with fewer passes” without saying how many. Gadget Review cut 9 mm cedar in a single pass in its testing. If you make layered signs, boxes or ornaments from 6 mm plywood, the Pro will finish jobs that take the A1 several slow passes.

No laptop, no focus block. The Pro has a 4.3-inch touchscreen, Wi-Fi and app control, so you can send a job and walk away from the computer (though never from the laser). AI autofocus sets height in about three seconds. Over hundreds of jobs, that saves real time and removes a common beginner mistake.

A path to bare metal. A tool-free swap to the optional 2 W 1064 nm IR head lets the Pro mark bare stainless, brass, aluminum and some plastics properly. Amazon’s IR bundle was about $1,151 on October 29, 2026. Without it, the 20 W blue diode leaves only a slow, low-contrast mark on bare stainless. The IR beam is invisible and blue-diode glasses don’t stop it, so keep the lid closed and use 1064 nm goggles if you ever work with it open.

The Pro’s software and connectivity have rough edges. Gadget Review notes user reports of spotty Wi-Fi and buggy Falcon Design Space, though its own reviewer had no Wi-Fi problems. Creality acknowledges reports that the A1 Pro can’t be manually focused in LightBurn and suggests jogging the Z axis as a workaround while it works on a fix.

Both are Class 1 enclosures with safety stops (the Pro adds flame and tilt detection), so nobody in the room needs goggles with the doors shut. Both have air assist, a camera for drag-and-drop placement and LightBurn support, which the xTool M2 and Glowforge Aura lack. Both use a blue diode, so neither cuts clear acrylic or engraves bare glass (see what materials a laser can cut). Both still need ventilation: run the exhaust hose out a window or use a purifier. Our ventilation guide explains the options.

The same accessories fit both: the Creality Rotary Roller Pro for tumblers and glasses, and the A1-sized Creality honeycomb bed. Creality’s 500 × 500 mm honeycomb doesn’t fit.

What a working setup costs

The machine price isn’t the whole bill. Here’s roughly what each looks like with the add-ons most owners end up buying, at the Amazon prices we saw on October 29, 2026:

	Falcon A1	Falcon A1 Pro
Machine	About $549	About $1,099 (or about $1,012 with rotary)
Rotary for tumblers	About $559 bundle, or about $114 separately	Included in the about $1,012 bundle
Bare-metal marking	Not available	About $1,151 bundle with 2 W IR head
Honeycomb bed	About $69	About $69
Venting (duct fan + 25 ft duct)	About $90 + $19	About $90 + $19

So a rotary-equipped A1 with a honeycomb bed and a proper duct run lands around $740, against about $1,190 for the same setup on the Pro. That roughly $450 gap is the real price of the upgrade. You can skip the duct fan if a window is close, and the A1’s purifier bundle (about $603) is the alternative for rooms you can’t vent.

Who should buy which

Buy the Falcon A1 if you mainly engrave gifts, signs, coasters and tumblers, you don’t mind a USB cable and a focus block, and you’d rather spend the savings on a rotary, a purifier or materials. It’s the better value.

Buy the Falcon A1 Pro if cutting is a big part of what you make, you want to run jobs from a touchscreen or phone, or you plan to add the IR head for bare-metal tags and jewelry. Check the rotary bundle, which was cheaper than the bare machine on Amazon on October 29, 2026. Creality’s own store had the A1 Pro on sale for $879 that day, so compare before you buy.

Consider something else if space is tight and you only make small items: the Falcon A1C is Class 1 with autofocus for about $379–399, but its bed is only 150 × 150 mm. If you want to cut 15 mm-plus stock inside a Class 1 box, the xTool S1 40W is the step up. If the easiest possible first laser matters more than LightBurn, compare the xTool M2 at about $499.

Verdict

For most first-time buyers who engrave far more than they cut, the Falcon A1 is the smarter purchase: the same Class 1 safety, camera and LightBurn support, a bigger bed and about $550 left over. The Falcon A1 Pro earns its price if you cut regularly, want autofocus and wireless control, or want an easy route to bare-metal marking, which is why we name it our best-value enclosed laser. See where both rank in the best enclosed laser engravers, or run your projects through the laser matcher.

xTool S1 40W vs xTool P2S 55W: Enclosed Diode or Desktop CO2?

Fri, 30 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

If you want one xTool box that cuts thick wood and you have about $2,000–3,000 to spend, it comes down to these two. The xTool S1 40W is the most powerful enclosed diode we track, and the xTool P2S is our best overall laser, a 55 W desktop CO2. Both autofocus, both run LightBurn, and xTool claims both cut 18 mm wood in a single pass. Under the lid, though, they’re different kinds of laser, and this pair is the clearest way to see the diode-or-CO2 trade-off. For the full background, read diode vs CO2 vs fiber. Prices are the lowest we saw on Amazon on October 29, 2026; check today’s price before you buy.

The specs, side by side

	xTool S1 40W	xTool P2S
Price (Amazon)	About $1,819 (“Rotary Bundle” listing)	About $2,919
Laser	40 W blue diode (455 nm, output)	55 W CO2 glass tube (10.6 µm, xTool rating)
Work area	498 × 319 mm; 470 × 3,000 mm with conveyor	600 × 305 mm; passthrough for 3,000 mm stock
Height clearance	42 mm; 125 mm with riser	215 mm object height with riser
Max speed	600 mm/s	600 mm/s
Laser class	Class 1	Class 4 (enclosed lid)
Camera	No (laser-pointer positioning)	Dual 16 MP
Autofocus	Yes (multi-point probe)	Yes (LiDAR)
Air assist	Optional add-on	Built in
Wood cutting (maker claim)	18 mm cherry, single pass	18 mm basswood, single pass
Clear acrylic	No	Yes (20 mm in one pass, maker claim)
Metal	Marks bare metal slowly; optional 2 W IR	Coated metal only
Software	xTool Creative Space / Studio, LightBurn	xTool Studio / Creative Space, LightBurn
Weight	44.1 lb	99.2 lb
Our score	8.5	8.7

The real difference: wavelength

The S1’s 455 nm beam is visible blue light. Wood, leather and dark acrylic absorb it well, but transparent material doesn’t. xTool’s own material guide notes that clear acrylic transmits visible-wavelength lasers. MakerHacks warns that the S1’s 40 W rating may lead buyers to expect CO2 results: it cut black acrylic easily but couldn’t cut clear or glitter acrylic.

The P2S’s 10.6 µm beam is absorbed by almost every non-metal. The Gadgeteer singled out its ability to cut every acrylic it tried, from clear and colored to glitter and mirrored. It also etches glass. If acrylic signs, earrings, cake toppers or lamps are part of your plan, this alone decides it. Check any material in the material checker.

Metal goes the other way. Neither machine is a metal marker, but the S1’s blue diode leaves a slow, dark mark on bare stainless, and its optional 2 W IR module handles bare metal properly. The P2S’s CO2 beam marks only coated or anodized metal, or bare metal with marking spray.

Where the P2S wins

Material range. Clear acrylic, glass, and every acrylic color, plus everything the S1 does with wood, leather and paper.

Cutting. Both carry an 18 mm single-pass claim, but in our research the 55 W CO2 gets through thick stock faster than the 40 W diode, and the P2S’s claim covers 20 mm acrylic too. Its built-in dual-cylinder air pump comes standard, while the S1’s air assist is an extra.

Ease of use. Dual 16 MP cameras let you place designs on scrap and batch-fill a sheet, and LiDAR autofocus handles curved surfaces. The Gadgeteer found the wide-view camera’s image quality poor, but positioning still works. The S1 has no camera at all. You position with a red crosshair and jog controls, which MakerHacks found accurate but expects to put some buyers off.

Bed and height. 600 mm wide versus 498 mm, and up to 215 mm object height with the riser versus 125 mm.

Where the S1 wins

Safety class. The S1 is Class 1, so nobody in the room needs goggles with the lid shut. The P2S we track is rated Class 4 despite its enclosed lid. That’s fine in a garage or studio where you control the room, but it’s a harder sell in a classroom or a shared office. xTool’s product page mentions a Class 1 variant of the P2S. If that’s what you want, confirm which version a listing is before you order.

Upkeep. The S1’s diode module has no gas tube, water loop or mirrors. The P2S beam comes from a water-cooled glass tube: setup includes filling its tank with distilled water and antifreeze, then running the optical path alignment, per The Gadgeteer. xTool says the tube lasts 6,000–8,000 hours, fading to about 95% power at 1,000 hours and about 70% by the end, and mirrors need periodic cleaning. xTool has made that easier with an alignment indicator and quick-install mirrors, but it’s still more to look after.

Size and price. At 44.1 lb, the S1 fits on an ordinary sturdy desk. The P2S weighs 99.2 lb in a box about a meter wide, so plan a sturdy bench. The S1 also costs about $1,100 less.

Metal option. The S1’s optional 2 W IR head adds proper bare-metal marking. The P2S has no such option; in xTool’s lineup, that’s the P3.

The S1 comes with two buying caveats. Amazon’s only S1 listing is titled “Rotary Bundle”, and we couldn’t confirm the RA2 Pro rotary is in the box, so check before you count it. And xTool’s Canadian store listed the S1 under clearance in October 2026, so stock may thin.

Ventilation applies to both

Neither machine is smoke-free. Both need their exhaust hose run outside, ideally with a duct fan like the AC Infinity Cloudline S4 and VIVOSUN 4-inch ducting for longer runs, or a purifier. xTool pairs both with the SafetyPro AP2 when you can’t vent outdoors. Cutting thick wood and acrylic makes heavy smoke, and some acrylic fumes are harmful, so take this seriously. See the ventilation guide and keep an ABC extinguisher beside either machine.

Worthwhile add-ons: the S1 Riser Base keeps the S1 Class 1 with rotary and tall items. For the P2S, the P2 Honeycomb Panel 2.0 stops small parts dropping through, and clear cast acrylic sheets are the material that justifies buying it.

Who should buy which

Buy the xTool P2S if you can vent a laser outdoors in a garage, workshop or studio; you want to cut acrylic of any color or etch glass; and you’d like cameras to make placement easy. It’s the most versatile laser for the money in our guide, and the P2S Versatile Bundle adds the rotary, riser and conveyor if you’ll use them.

Buy the xTool S1 40W if the laser lives in a home office, classroom or shared space where Class 1 matters; you mainly cut and engrave wood, leather and dark acrylic; you want the option of bare-metal marking; or you don’t want to look after a tube and water loop.

Consider something else if you want CO2 and Class 1: the xTool P3 is certified Class 1 but costs about $6,299–7,899 and weighs 231.5 lb. For clear acrylic on a tight budget, the OMTech K40+ costs about $760–800 but has a small 300 × 200 mm bed, manual focus and mirror alignment. For a cheaper Class 1 diode, the Creality Falcon A1 Pro has 20 W and a camera for about $1,099.

Verdict

If you can vent it and don’t need Class 1, the xTool P2S is the better machine. It handles everything the S1 does plus clear acrylic and glass, with cameras and stronger air assist, and that’s why it’s our best overall pick. The xTool S1 40W is the right answer when the room decides: it’s the strongest cutter you can run in a shared space without goggles, and it’s simpler to own. For more options, see the best laser cutters for wood and the best enclosed laser engravers.

xTool M2 vs Glowforge Aura: Which Craft Laser Is Better for Beginners?

Fri, 30 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

The xTool M2 and the Glowforge Aura are both pitched at people who’ve never used a laser: crafters coming from Cricut-style cutters, teachers and families who want something closed and safe to use at home. Both are Class 1 enclosed blue-diode machines with cameras and autofocus. The differences are in power, openness and how much of the experience depends on one company’s servers. Prices are the lowest we saw on Amazon on October 29, 2026; check today’s price before you buy.

The specs, side by side

	xTool M2 10W	Glowforge Aura
Price (Amazon)	About $499	About $1,104 (with Craft Laser Filter)
Laser (output)	10 W blue diode (455 nm); 20 W, 40 W and 3 W IR heads sold separately	6 W blue diode (wavelength not published)
Work area	426 × 320 mm	305 × 305 mm (12 × 12 in material)
Wood cutting (maker claim)	8 mm basswood, single pass	Up to ¼ in (about 6 mm)
Laser class	Class 1 (TÜV SÜD certified)	Class 1 (embedded Class 4)
Cameras	Two (5 MP panoramic + 2 MP close-range)	Yes, live preview
Autofocus	Yes	Yes
Air assist	Built-in pump	No dedicated pump (head fan)
Software	xTool Studio	Glowforge web app (optional Premium subscription)
LightBurn	No	No
Connectivity	USB, Wi-Fi	Wi-Fi only (2.4 GHz), runs in a browser
Rotary	Optional	Not available
Weight	27.1 lb	19 lb
Warranty	1 year (paid extensions)	1 year
Our score	8.5	7.4

Where the xTool M2 wins

Power and bed size. 10 W against 6 W means faster engraving and thicker cuts: xTool claims 8 mm basswood and 3 mm black acrylic in one pass, while Glowforge says the Aura cuts up to ¼ in. The M2’s 426 × 320 mm bed also takes larger signs and more coasters per job than the Aura’s 12 × 12 in.

Room to grow. The M2’s heads are magnetic and swappable. You can add a 20 W or 40 W diode later for real cutting, a 3 W IR head for marking bare metal and plastics, or a CMYK inkjet head for print-then-cut stickers and crafts. xTool also offers an optional rotary for tumblers. The Aura has no head upgrades and no rotary.

Price. About $499 for the M2 against about $1,104 for the Aura with its filter on Amazon. Glowforge’s own store sold the Aura alone for $999 when we checked, with the filter as a $399 add-on. Even adding xTool’s Desktop Smoke Purifier (about $249) keeps the M2 well under the Aura. Tom’s Hardware, which gave the M2 an Editor’s Choice award, does warn that extras soon push past $1,000, and replacement ink cartridges cost $99.

Independence. The M2 runs over USB or Wi-Fi with the desktop xTool Studio software. The Aura requires 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi and Glowforge’s browser-based app. That matters more than it used to. In November 2025, GeekWire reported that Glowforge had restructured through an Assignment for the Benefit of Creditors, an alternative to bankruptcy, and that co-founders Dan Shapiro and Mark Gosselin had bought the brand, hardware and software, with about 20 former employees. The company says the same products continue. We don’t think that’s a reason to panic, but it is a reason to weigh how much you want to depend on a cloud-tethered machine.

Air assist. The M2 has a built-in air pump, which clears smoke from the cut for cleaner edges and less scorching. Glowforge describes a head fan that handles both cooling and air assist; we don’t count that as equivalent to a dedicated pump like the M2’s.

Where the Glowforge Aura wins

The most guided workflow. Reviewed’s tester found the Aura fun and approachable. Glowforge’s Proofgrade materials carry a QR code that the machine scans to choose settings automatically, so you place the sheet, pick a design and press the single button. The Premium subscription adds more than 2,000 ready-made designs, per Reviewed. For someone who wants an appliance rather than a tool, nothing else here is as hand-held.

Ventilation in the box. The Amazon bundle includes the Craft Laser Filter, so you can run it without a window. Glowforge requires either the filter or an openable window within 8 feet. The M2 ships with an exhaust hose you’ll need to run outside, or a purifier you buy separately. Reviewed’s filter didn’t run reliably at first until Glowforge helped, and filter cartridges are a recurring cost.

Any device. The browser app works on Mac, PC, Chromebook, tablet or phone, with nothing to install.

Weight. 19 lb against the M2’s 27.1 lb, if it has to move between rooms.

The ongoing costs need watching, though. Reviewed found Proofgrade materials expensive, at $12.50–18.50 for a 6 × 12 in piece of hardwood, and called the Premium subscription expensive too. Reviewed lists Premium at $239 a year. You can use other laser-safe materials, but you lose the automatic settings.

Both are blue diodes, so neither can cut clear acrylic or engrave bare glass. Glowforge also rules out white and blue acrylic. Both mark coated and anodized metal, not bare metal; the M2 needs its IR head for that. Neither supports LightBurn. And both are Class 1 in normal use, so you don’t need goggles with the lid shut. Never laser PVC, vinyl or faux leather on either one. See what materials a laser can cut or check a material in the material checker.

Buying caveats

The M2 is a 2026 launch with only a few dozen Amazon ratings, so its long-term reliability isn’t established yet. The Aura listing we found on Amazon was sold by a third-party seller with low stock, not by Glowforge, so check the seller and warranty terms at checkout, or buy direct from Glowforge.

Who should buy which

Buy the xTool M2 if you want the easiest first laser that you won’t outgrow in a month: more power, a bigger bed, air assist, offline USB use and upgrade heads, for about $499. Most buyers should start with the 10 W standalone. If cutting thicker wood is a priority, the M2 20W (about $899) cuts 10 mm basswood in one pass, per xTool.

Buy the Glowforge Aura if you specifically want Glowforge’s Proofgrade materials and design catalog, you value one-button simplicity over power, and you’re comfortable depending on Glowforge’s cloud service.

Consider something else if you want LightBurn or more power in a Class 1 box. The Creality Falcon A1 (10 W, about $549) has a similar-size bed and LightBurn support. The Falcon A1 Pro (20 W, about $1,099) costs about the same as the Aura bundle with more than three times the power. Our Falcon A1 vs A1 Pro comparison covers those two.

Verdict

The xTool M2 is the better buy for almost every beginner: more capable, more open and less than half the price of the Aura’s Amazon bundle, which is why it’s our best laser for beginners. The Glowforge Aura remains the most appliance-like craft laser, and Reviewed’s experience shows why people love it. But at about $1,100 for 6 W, with cloud-only software and a company that restructured in 2025, it’s a choice for committed Glowforge fans rather than a default. See the full list of best laser engravers for beginners, or match your projects with the laser matcher.

Laser Engraver vs Cricut: Which One Should Crafters Buy in 2026?

Sun, 01 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT

A Cricut and a laser engraver solve different problems, so the right one depends on what you want to make. In the laser engraver vs Cricut question, a Cricut wins for vinyl decals, iron-on shirts, stickers, cards and fabric. A laser wins for engraved wood, leather, slate and acrylic, and for cutting thin wood and dark acrylic. If you can’t decide, start with the material you want in your hands.

You mostly want to make…	Better first machine	Why
Vinyl decals, HTV shirts, stickers, cards	Cricut	Blades cut these cleanly, and regular vinyl never goes in a laser
Engraved gifts on wood, leather, slate	Laser engraver	A blade can’t burn a permanent mark into a surface
Cut wood or dark acrylic shapes, layered signs	Laser engraver	Cricut’s Knife Blade tops out at 3 mm material
Fabric appliqués, sewing, felt	Cricut (laser works on natural fibers)	Rotary and bonded-fabric blades are built for it
A bit of everything, one machine only	Enclosed craft laser (e.g. xTool M2)	Cuts paper, felt and wood, engraves leather; vinyl is the weak spot

Our research is desk-based: we read the makers’ specs and independent reviews rather than testing machines ourselves. Prices for lasers are from late October 2026, Cricut’s are from cricut.com on November 1, 2026. For a ranking of every laser we track, see our best laser engravers of 2026.

How does a Cricut work, and how is a laser engraver different?

A Cricut is a computer-controlled blade cutter. Cricut says its top Maker model, the Maker 5 works with 300+ materials and 13 tools: cutting blades, pens, a foil tool, scoring wheels and more. Its Knife Blade handles materials up to 3 mm thick, such as leather and foam core board. That is the real answer to “cricut vs laser cutter”: the Cricut is a precision craft knife on rails.

A laser engraver has no blade. It aims a focused beam that burns, melts or vaporizes the surface, which lets it engrave (remove or darken a surface) as well as cut. Our diode vs CO2 vs fiber guide explains the types. For crafters, the relevant ones are enclosed blue-diode machines like the M2 and Falcon A1, which handle wood, leather, paper and dark acrylic, and desktop CO2 lasers, which also cut clear acrylic.

Cricut does sell an engraving tool for Maker machines, listed for materials up to 3 mm thick. It works with a physical tip rather than a beam, so it can’t match a laser’s burned-wood contrast or photo detail.

Which materials can each machine cut or engrave?

Overlap is smaller than most comparisons suggest. Here is the practical split:

Material	Cricut (blade)	Laser engraver
Adhesive vinyl, iron-on (HTV)	Yes, its core strength	Never regular vinyl. Only laser-safe, PVC-free versions
Paper and cardstock	Yes	Yes, but it ignites easily, so watch it
Fabric and felt	Yes (rotary and bonded-fabric blades)	Natural fibers cut and seal; synthetics melt
Thin leather	Yes, deboss or cut	Veg-tanned leather engraves and cuts well
Basswood and plywood	Thin only (Cricut’s Knife Blade, up to 3 mm)	Yes: about 8 mm on the 10 W M2 (maker claim, one pass)
Dark acrylic	Engraving tool only	Cuts thin sheets with enough power
Clear acrylic	Not for cutting	CO2 only; blue diodes can’t
Slate, glass, ceramic	No	Slate engraves on any laser; glass and ceramic need prep or CO2/UV
Coated or anodized metal	Engraving tool, shallow	Engraves well with diode, CO2 or fiber

Check any specific stock in our material checker before you put it on a laser bed, and see what materials a laser can cut for the full list.

The vinyl row matters most for Cricut crafters. Most Cricut-style vinyl contains PVC, which gives off chlorine gas under a laser. Glowforge’s own Aura page warns that cutting vinyl “will immediately destroy your laser” and points to its Eco Iron-On instead. Our material checker lists vinyl as a never-laser material.

Can a laser engraver replace a Cricut?

Sometimes, but not for the vinyl crafter. A laser replaces a Cricut when your projects are paper, felt, cardstock, wood and leather. It doesn’t when most of your income or hobby is decals and HTV shirts.

Kerri Adamczyk, author of Cricut For Dummies, tested the xTool M2 on stickers, glitter cardstock, laser-safe vinyl, HTV, felt, leather and a printed wood puzzle. She concluded it could replace a Cricut “for many makers” but is keeping hers, because laser-safe vinyl comes in fewer colors and costs more. xTool sent her the M2, so weigh it as an informed but not neutral view.

A Cricut still does better on very long cuts (Smart Materials up to 12 ft on the Maker 5), vinyl work and simple setup. A laser does what a Cricut can’t: permanent engraving, burned detail on wood, cuts through about 8 mm of wood on a 10 W machine (xTool’s claim) and engraving coated tumblers with a rotary.

Glowforge vs Cricut: where do craft lasers fit?

Glowforge pitched the Aura directly at crafters moving up from blade machines: a Class 1 enclosure, a camera, autofocus, a 12 × 12 in cutting area and a one-button workflow with its own Proofgrade materials. It is 6 W, cuts up to ¼ in, and requires Wi-Fi and Glowforge’s web app. It also needs either a filter or a window within 8 feet, and the Amazon listing we track is the bundle with the filter for about $1,104. Glowforge’s co-founders bought back the company’s assets in late 2025, so weigh that for a machine that depends on its servers. Our xTool M2 vs Glowforge Aura comparison covers the details.

Most Cricut owners will get more laser for the money from the xTool M2 10W: about $499, 10 W, two cameras, built-in air assist and a 426 × 320 mm bed, and it runs offline over USB. Check the xTool M2 price on Amazon. If you like the print-then-cut sticker routine, the M2 also comes with a CMYK inkjet module for about $599.

On a tighter budget, the Falcon A1C 10W is Class 1 and about $379–399 but has just a 150 × 150 mm bed (see the A1C on Amazon). The Falcon A1 10W has a 381 × 305 mm bed for about $549 (check the Falcon A1 price).

Is a laser harder and less safe than a Cricut?

Yes on both counts, and that is the honest cost of the extra capability.

Safety. A Cricut has blades; a laser has a Class 4 beam inside, a fire risk and fumes. Enclosed Class 1 machines such as the M2, Falcon A1 and Aura need no goggles with the lid shut. Open-frame and many galvo lasers need wavelength-rated glasses for everyone in the room. Our laser safety guide covers classes, eyewear and fire gear; a fire extinguisher and a blanket belong beside any laser.

Ventilation. Every laser needs smoke taken outside or through a purifier. A Class 1 box protects your eyes, not your lungs. See the ventilation guide, or for light work on an M2, xTool’s desktop smoke purifier is sized for it.

Supervision. OMTech’s help center, a laser seller, makes a point crafters rarely hear: you can walk away from a Cricut while it cuts, but you must not leave a laser unattended because of fire risk.

Software and learning curve. Cricut’s Design Space is a free app for cutting, with an optional Cricut Access subscription (Standard is $9.99 a month on Cricut’s site). Lasers use power, speed and pass settings. Enclosed craft lasers soften that with cameras and material presets, but expect a few test pieces per new material. LightBurn vs xTool Studio explains the software choice.

What does each machine cost to own?

On Cricut’s site on November 1, 2026, the Maker 5 was $349 for the machine alone (showing out of stock) and the Explore 5 was $199. Lasers cost more up front: about $379–1,104 for the beginner machines in this guide. The bigger difference is in the extras.

Cricut: blades, mats, vinyl, HTV, cardstock, optional tools such as the engraving tool (sold separately), and optional Cricut Access.
Laser: wood and acrylic blanks (a 12-pack of 3 mm basswood is about $25), ventilation (about $109 for duct plus an inline fan, or about $249 for a purifier), fire gear, and for the Aura, filter cartridges. Laser-safe vinyl, if you want it, costs more than the Cricut kind.

For a full budget picture, see our laser accessories guide and the accessories page.

Cricut or laser engraver: which should you buy?

Decals, HTV, stickers, cards, sewing: buy the Cricut. A laser adds risk and cost without helping.
Engraved gifts, wood signs, leather patches, coasters: buy an enclosed laser. Start with the beginner laser guide.
Selling wood and acrylic items: look at higher-power lasers and model your margins in the profit calculator.
Not sure which laser: the laser matcher narrows it down, and how to choose a laser engraver covers the basics.

When does owning both make sense?

If you sell personalized goods, both is common. OMTech’s help center suggests using the laser for wood and the plotter for vinyl to lay over it, cutting wood earrings with the laser and wrapping them in plotter-cut faux leather, or using the plotter for packaging and labels.

Add a laser to a Cricut when you keep hitting the material wall: you want thicker wood, permanent engraving or acrylic. Keep the Cricut when vinyl, HTV or fabric is still part of the mix. If you already own a Cricut, a laser is a natural second machine, since it covers what the blade can’t.

Bottom line

Choose the machine for the material. Vinyl, paper and fabric: Cricut. Wood, leather, slate and acrylic: an enclosed Class 1 laser, ideally the xTool M2 for most crafters. Everything else is a reason to own both. When you’re ready to compare lasers, start with our best laser engravers of 2026.

How to Choose a Laser Engraver: Type, Format, Power, Size and Software

Fri, 30 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Most laser buying mistakes come from deciding in the wrong order. People pick a wattage or a price first, then find out the machine can’t cut the acrylic they wanted, or that it’s an open-beam laser that needs goggles for everyone in the room. This guide puts the decisions in the order that actually narrows the field: type, format, power, work area, software, extras. We haven’t tested these machines ourselves; the specs and prices come from our comparison data, maker spec sheets and the independent reviews cited on each product page.

If you’d rather click than read, the laser matcher asks the same questions and returns the machines that fit.

Step 1: Pick the laser type from your materials

The light source decides what a laser can do, and no amount of power changes that. Start with a list of what you want to make.

Four kinds of hobby laserThe light source decides what a laser can cut and mark. The format decides speed, size and safety.

Blue diode (open or enclosed)

The affordable all-rounder: engraves and cuts wood, leather, cardboard and dark acrylic, and engraves coated metal. Can't cut clear acrylic or mark bare metal. Slower cutting than CO2.

Typical: 10–40 W output, $300–$2,000

CO2 tube

The cutting machine: faster, cleaner cuts in wood and every color of acrylic, plus glass etching. Bigger, needs water cooling and serious venting. Can't mark bare metal without a compound.

Typical: 40–55 W desktop, $2,000–$7,000

Fiber (1064 nm)

The metal specialist: marks and deep-engraves stainless, aluminum, brass, silver and gold, and many plastics. Poor at wood and useless for clear acrylic or cutting sheet goods.

Typical: 20–60 W, $1,500–$5,000

Galvo / portable

Mirrors steer the beam instead of a moving gantry, so it's extremely fast over a small field — ideal for personalizing many small items. Often dual-source (diode + IR) in hobby machines.

Typical: ~100 × 100 mm field, $500–$2,500

If your list includes…	You need	Examples from our data
Wood, leather, slate, coated tumblers, dark acrylic	Blue diode	xTool M2 10W, Falcon A1, xTool S1 40W
Clear acrylic, glass etching, thick sheet cutting	CO2	OMTech K40+, xTool P2S, xTool P3
Bare stainless, brass, silver, gold, deep metal engraving	Fiber	ComMarker B4 20W
Metal tags plus wood or leather, at a market stall	Dual-source galvo	xTool F2, F1 Ultra, F2 Ultra

Three facts eliminate the most machines:

Blue diodes can’t cut clear acrylic. The light passes straight through. Blue and transparent colored acrylic don’t work either.
Blue diodes mark bare stainless slowly and with low contrast. Several makers list stainless as diode-engravable, and machines like the M2, S1, Falcon A1 Pro, Atomstack A20 Pro V2 and Longer Ray5 can leave a dark mark, but crisp bare-metal work is fiber or IR territory.
Fiber lasers are poor at wood. The ComMarker B4 won’t cut wood at all, and plain wood must be painted before it will engrave.

If your list has both clear acrylic and bare metal, no single machine in our lineup covers both well. Many makers end up with a diode or CO2 for sheet goods and a small fiber or IR machine for metal. Check any specific material in the material checker, and see what materials a laser can cut for the full picture.

Step 2: Pick the format from where it will live

Format is about speed, size and, above all, safety.

Enclosed gantry (Class 1). The beam stays inside a lidded box with interlocks. The M2, Falcon A1C, Falcon A1, Falcon A1 Pro, Glowforge Aura, S1 and P3 are Class 1 as sold, so no goggles are needed in normal use. The FDA describes Class I as considered non-hazardous. This is the right choice for a home office, a shared room or a classroom.
Enclosed but Class 4. The P2S, F1 Ultra, F2 and F2 Ultra have lids or shields, but the makers rate them Class 4. xTool explains that the F2 is Class 4 because it can run with its enclosure open. Plan on eyewear rated for the wavelength whenever the lid is up or you use passthrough and rotary setups.
Open frame (Class 4). The Atomstack A20 Pro V2 and Longer Ray5 40W give the most cutting power per dollar, but the beam and its reflections are exposed. The FDA describes Class IV as an immediate eye and skin hazard from direct or reflected light, and a possible fire hazard. Everyone in the room needs 445–455 nm-rated glasses, and the machine belongs in an enclosure or a dedicated space.
Galvo. Mirrors steer the beam over a small field at very high speed. Good for batches of small items; poor for large sheets.

Our safety guide covers eyewear and fire in detail, and the best enclosed laser engravers narrows the Class 1 options.

Step 3: Pick the power, in optical watts

Only optical output tells you what a laser can do. Listing titles often show electrical input instead: Creality sells the Falcon A1 as “80W” when it emits 10 W, and the Falcon A1 Pro as “180W” when it emits 20 W. Our wattage explainer covers the tricks.

Rough guidance for blue diodes, based on maker cut claims in our data:

Optical diode power	What it suits	Maker cut claims (basswood/wood)
6–10 W	Engraving, thin plywood, card, leather	Glowforge Aura ¼ in; M2 10W 8 mm in one pass
20 W	Regular cutting of 3–6 mm sheet	A1 Pro 10 mm (passes not stated); A20 Pro V2 12 mm
40 W	Thick plywood and dark acrylic	S1 18 mm cherry in one pass; Ray5 20 mm (unverified)

Watts don’t compare across types. A 55 W CO2 cuts faster and cleaner than a 40 W diode and handles clear acrylic, while a 20 W fiber does things neither can on metal. Compare power only within a type.

Step 4: Pick the work area from your biggest piece

Measure the largest flat item you’ll realistically make, then add a margin.

Working area (square inches)The biggest flat piece each machine can engrave in one job, as rated by the maker.

Galvo machines have small fields but are many times faster. Some open frames and pass-through enclosures take longer pieces; tap a bar for notes.

Under about 150 mm: tags, keychains, rings, business cards. The Falcon A1C (150 × 150 mm) and galvo machines fit here.
Around 300–430 mm: coasters in batches, signs, most craft work. The M2, Falcon A1, A1 Pro, Aura and K40+ sit in this band.
Around 500–900 mm: larger signs and production runs. The S1 (498 × 319 mm), P2S (600 × 305 mm) and P3 (915 × 458 mm). The S1 and P2S also have passthrough for longer stock.

A bigger bed costs desk space and weight: the P2S weighs 99.2 lb and the P3 231.5 lb. Galvo fields are small, but the F2 grows to 400 × 115 mm with its slide extension.

Step 5: Check the software before you buy

Every machine here ships with free maker software, so you won’t be stuck. The question is whether you’ll want something else later.

xTool: xTool Studio has replaced xTool Creative Space, and xTool says the P3, F2 and F2 Ultra run only in Studio. It’s camera-driven and beginner-friendly.
Creality, Atomstack, Longer, OMTech: free maker apps plus LightBurn and LaserGRBL support.
Glowforge Aura: a browser app that needs Glowforge’s cloud and Wi-Fi to run.

LightBurn costs $99 (Core) or $199 (Pro, which adds galvo and DSP controllers) as a one-time license with a year of updates. The xTool M2 and P3 and the Glowforge Aura aren’t LightBurn machines, and the xTool F2 and F2 Ultra are only preliminarily supported. Our LightBurn vs xTool Creative Space guide explains who should care.

Step 6: Budget for the extras

The machine price is rarely the final price. Plan for:

Ventilation. Every laser makes smoke. Venting outside can cost under $120 for duct and an inline fan; a purifier for rooms you can’t vent runs about $249–$919 in our data. See the ventilation guide.
Fire gear. A fire blanket and extinguisher run about $40–$63 each.
Eyewear for any Class 4 machine, rated for the exact wavelength.
Air assist if it isn’t built in. The F-series, LP5, Aura and A1C have none; it’s optional on the S1 and A20 Pro V2.
A rotary if you’ll engrave tumblers or glasses. See accessories worth buying.

Three common paths

“I want to make gifts at home and I’m nervous about safety.” An enclosed Class 1 diode. The xTool M2 10W (about $499) has cameras and autofocus and arrives assembled; the Falcon A1 (about $549) gives a bigger bed and LightBurn support but is USB-only with manual focus. More in best laser engraver for beginners.

“I want to cut wood and sell signs.” Either a 20–40 W enclosed diode like the Falcon A1 Pro (about $1,099) or xTool S1 40W, or, if you can vent outdoors and want clear acrylic too, the xTool P2S (about $2,919). See best laser cutter for wood.

“I want to engrave tumblers, tags and jewelry.” Coated tumblers work on any type with a rotary. Bare metal points to the xTool F2 or a fiber such as the ComMarker B4. See best laser engraver for metal.

Prices move often, so check today’s price before you buy, and confirm you’re on the exact bundle you want.

Bottom line

Let your materials pick the laser type, let your room pick the format, then compare optical power and work area within that short list. Software and extras are the tiebreakers, and the extras are a real part of the budget. When in doubt, run your projects through the laser matcher and compare the results in our full ranking.

Laser Engraver Safety: Classes, Eyewear, Fire, Fumes and Materials

Fri, 30 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

A hobby laser is a fire-starting tool with a beam that can blind you, and it produces smoke that can be toxic. That sounds alarming, but the risks are well understood and the precautions are simple and cheap compared with the machine. This guide summarizes FDA classes, maker guidance from xTool and LightBurn, and university lab rules. It’s general guidance, not medical or legal advice, and your machine’s manual comes first.

Laser safety: the four non-negotiablesApplies to every machine, enclosed or not.

Eyes

Lungs

Every material makes smoke; some make toxic smoke. Vent outdoors with a duct fan or use a rated smoke purifier, and never laser PVC or vinyl.

Fire

Lasers set things on fire by design. Never leave a job running unattended, keep air assist on, keep a CO2 or water-mist extinguisher and a fire blanket within reach.

Space

Put the laser on a non-flammable surface, away from curtains and kids' reach, with power you can cut instantly (emergency stop or switched outlet).

Full checklist in our laser safety guide and ventilation guide.

Laser classes: what Class 1 and Class 4 actually mean

The FDA recognizes four hazard classes. Two matter for engravers:

Class 1 (FDA Class I): considered non-hazardous in normal use. On an engraver, that means a strong laser sits inside an interlocked enclosure that keeps the beam in. Our data lists the Glowforge Aura as “Class 1 (embedded Class 4)”, which is exactly the idea.
Class 4 (FDA Class IV): “immediate skin hazard and eye hazard from exposure to either the direct or reflected beam; may also present a fire hazard,” in the FDA’s words. Reflected light counts. You don’t have to look into the beam to be hurt.

Here is how the machines in our data are rated as sold:

Rating	Machines
Class 1	xTool M2, Falcon A1C, Falcon A1, Falcon A1 Pro, Glowforge Aura, xTool S1, xTool P3
Class 4 with a lid or shield	xTool P2S, F1 Ultra, F2, F2 Ultra, LaserPecker LP5 (Class 1 only with its optional enclosure)
Open beam, treat as Class 4	Atomstack A20 Pro V2, Longer Ray5 40W, ComMarker B4 (its Amazon listing says “Class 1”, which doesn’t match an open-beam galvo), OMTech K40+ (class not stated)

Why would a machine with a lid be Class 4? xTool’s answer for the F2: it can be operated with the protective enclosure open, and if the beam can be exposed under any condition, the device must be classified Class 4. The same logic applies when the F2 Ultra runs conveyor or rotary jobs with the lid up. Configuration matters on other machines too: xTool’s goggle table lists a “Class 4 model” of the S1, so check the class label on your own machine and its accessories. Never defeat an interlock.

Eyewear: match the wavelength, then the OD

Laser safety glasses are rated for specific wavelengths, with an optical density (OD) at each. Higher OD blocks more light. A pair rated OD6+ at 450 nm may offer essentially nothing at 1064 nm. Read the lens marking, not the color.

Laser source	Wavelength	What to look for	From our accessory data
Blue diode	445–455 nm	Coverage across 445–455 nm; xTool recommends OD6+ for its 40 W S1 (Class 4 model)	CARLANY 190–490 nm OD6+, about $28
Fiber or IR	1064 nm	1064 nm coverage; xTool recommends OD6+ for the F2, F1 Ultra and F2 Ultra	Cloudray 1064 nm goggles, about $39
CO2	10.6 µm	10.6 µm coverage; xTool lists OD5+ for the Class 4 P2/P2S	Not in our data; buy CO2-rated
Dual-source (diode + IR/fiber)	445 nm and 1064 nm	One pair rated for both ranges, or check both are on the label	xTool says F2 goggles must cover 445 and 1064 nm

Practical rules:

Everyone in the room wears them with an open-frame laser, not just the operator.
The 1064 nm beam is invisible. That’s what makes fiber and IR lasers dangerous: there’s no glare to warn you. xTool’s F2 FAQ says to wear goggles rated for 445 nm and 1064 nm, and notes that goggles aren’t included in the box.
Optional IR modules change the rules. If you add the 1.2 W IR module to a Falcon A1C or the 2 W IR head to an A1 Pro, blue-diode goggles no longer cover you for that head.
Glasses protect against scattered light, not a direct hit. Keep hands and faces out of the beam path.

Fire: the most likely accident

Lasers set things on fire by design. LightBurn’s fire safety guide is blunt: stay with your laser and supervise it, and a camera feed doesn’t count. Its preparation list, condensed:

Never run the laser unsupervised.
Put a smoke detector near it.
Keep a spray bottle of water, a suitable extinguisher and a fire blanket where you can reach them without leaning over the machine.
Know how to cut power fast: emergency stop, switch or plug.
Keep flammable clutter away and clean the crumb tray, which LightBurn says can act like kindling.
Watch materials with air pockets, like corrugated cardboard and some plywood, which catch fire more easily.
Don’t rely on flame sensors or built-in suppression in place of your attention.

If a fire starts, LightBurn’s order is: stop the laser and turn off air assist so you’re not feeding it oxygen, try the spray bottle on a small flare-up, then the fire blanket or extinguisher, then call the fire department. Ventilate afterward.

Choosing an extinguisher. LightBurn says it must carry a Class C rating so it’s safe on plugged-in equipment. It prefers CO2 extinguishers because they don’t damage the laser, while warning that they can displace oxygen in small rooms. Dry chemical (ABC) extinguishers are more effective on burning material, but LightBurn warns the powder is corrosive and “will destroy your laser.” The Amerex B417T ABC extinguisher in our data (about $63) is the inexpensive, effective option; just know the machine is likely a write-off if you use it. A fire blanket 2-pack (about $40) smothers many bed fires without coating the optics.

Laser safety gear on Amazon (checked October 2026)
Item	Type	Fits	Buy
Amerex B417T 2.5 lb ABC fire extinguisher with bracket Lasers cut by burning; a small ABC extinguisher mounted beside the machine is the cheapest fire insurance you can buy.	Safety	Any laser (Dry-chemical powder can ruin a laser's optics and electronics; LightBurn recommends a CO2 extinguisher for the machine itself.)	Check price
Amerex 322 5 lb carbon dioxide (CO2) fire extinguisher Class B:C CO2 leaves no powder residue, so it puts out a fire in the machine without destroying the optics. Pricier than ABC; not rated for Class A (wood/paper) fires on its own, so keep a fire blanket too.	Safety	Any laser	Check price
CARLANY 190–490 nm OD6+ laser safety glasses Blue-diode protection for anyone near an open-frame laser, or when you lift the lid or override an interlock on an enclosed one.	Safety	Any laser (Covers 445–455 nm blue diodes only; does not protect against 1064 nm IR/fiber or 10.6 µm CO2. Match the OD rating to your laser's wavelength.)	Check price
Cloudray 1064 nm laser safety goggles The invisible 1064 nm beam of fiber and IR lasers needs its own eyewear; blue-diode glasses won't stop it.	Safety	ComMarker B4 20W, xTool F2, xTool F1 Ultra, xTool F2 Ultra, LaserPecker LP5, Falcon A1C 10W, Falcon A1 Pro (For 1064 nm sources only. Dual-laser machines need protection for both wavelengths; check the OD rating on the listing.)	Check price
Prepared Hero emergency fire blanket, 39 × 39 in (2-pack) Smothers a flare-up on the bed without coating the machine's optics in extinguisher powder.	Safety	Any laser	Check price

Fumes: protect your lungs too

Every material makes smoke, and some make toxic smoke. Vent the exhaust outdoors or through a rated smoke purifier, every time, on every machine, Class 1 included. Our ventilation guide covers duct runs, inline fans and filter costs. xTool’s F2 guidance adds wearing a mask as well as goggles if you work with the enclosure open.

Materials you must never laser

These are on our “never” list in the material checker, and they match university lab rules such as the University of Illinois Division of Research Safety list:

PVC, vinyl and most faux leather. Release chlorine gas (hydrochloric acid with moisture) that harms your lungs and corrodes the machine. “Pleather” is often PVC. Check with the PVC entry.
Polycarbonate (Lexan). Discolors, catches fire and gives off harmful fumes. Use cast acrylic instead.
ABS. Melts and its smoke contains hazardous compounds, including cyanide compounds.
HDPE (milk-jug plastic). Melts and catches fire rather than cutting.
Polystyrene and polypropylene foam. Catch fire quickly and drip burning plastic. Illinois calls foam a top cause of laser cutter fires.
Fiberglass and coated carbon fiber. The resin gives off toxic fumes.

Also be careful with neoprene and other synthetic rubbers (many contain chlorine; use only rubber sold as laser-safe), chrome-tanned leather, and any plastic you can’t identify. If you don’t know what it is, don’t laser it. More detail in what materials a laser can cut.

Placement and habits

Non-flammable surface, away from curtains and clutter, with clearance around the exhaust.
Out of reach of children and pets. xTool’s F2 guidance says to remove the access key after use.
Know the stop. Find the emergency stop before your first job, and don’t rely on a software Stop button as your only way to halt a burning job.
Keep it clean. Residue on lenses and in the tray raises fire risk and degrades results.
Classrooms and shops: xTool’s safety program for the Class 4 F2 Ultra says a Laser Safety Officer must be designated and that the machine shouldn’t be used in residential areas, public places or anywhere untrained people or children are present. That’s a strong argument for Class 1 machines in schools.

The minimum safety kit

For a Class 1 enclosed diode: ventilation, a fire blanket, a C-rated extinguisher and a smoke detector. Add wavelength-rated eyewear for anyone opening the lid during alignment.

For an open-frame or Class 4 machine: everything above, plus eyewear for every person in the room, an enclosure or a dedicated space, and a firm rule that the room stays closed while it runs. If that sounds like more than you want to manage, the best enclosed laser engravers list shows the Class 1 options, from the Falcon A1C at about $379–$399 up to the xTool P3.

Bottom line

Know your machine’s class and wavelength, buy eyewear that matches both, stay with the laser while it runs, keep fire gear within reach, vent every job and keep PVC and its cousins out of the machine. None of it is expensive, and all of it is cheaper than an eye injury or a house fire.

Laser Engraver Ventilation: Venting Outdoors vs. a Smoke Purifier

Fri, 30 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

A laser cuts by burning, so every job makes smoke, fine particles and smells, and some materials make far worse. The laser’s enclosure doesn’t change that. A Class 1 rating means the beam is contained; the smoke still has to go somewhere. You have two real choices: duct it outdoors or filter it through a smoke purifier. This guide covers both, with the parts and costs from our accessory data and the makers’ own guidance. We haven’t measured airflow ourselves; figures below are manufacturer ratings.

Fume extraction, enclosures and air assist on Amazon (checked October 2026)
Item	Type	Fits	Buy
LaserPecker LP5 safety enclosure with alignment camera Turns the LP5 into a Class 1 setup with a camera and smoke control, which you need for indoor or in-store use.	Fumes & enclosure	LaserPecker LP5 (The LP5 + Enclosure Amazon bundle was cheaper than buying both separately on Oct 29, 2026.)	Check price
xTool Desktop Smoke Purifier (3-layer filtration) Lets the M2 or F-series run indoors without a window vent for light engraving work.	Fumes & enclosure	xTool M2 10W, xTool F2, xTool F1 Ultra (xTool sizes it for low-smoke machines; for heavy cutting it recommends the SafetyPro AP2.)	Check price
xTool SafetyPro AP2 smoke purifier The purifier xTool pairs with its CO2 and high-power machines when venting outdoors isn't possible.	Fumes & enclosure	xTool P2S, xTool S1 40W, xTool F2 Ultra, xTool M2 10W (xTool positions the larger AP2 Max for the P3.)	Check price
AC Infinity Cloudline S4 4-inch inline duct fan with speed controller Boosts a laser's built-in exhaust over long duct runs so smoke actually leaves the room.	Fumes & enclosure	Any laser (Check your machine's exhaust port diameter; adapters may be needed.)	Check price
Creality laser engraver enclosure, 700 × 720 × 400 mm, with exhaust fan A fire-resistant tent that contains smoke and stray blue light from open-frame diodes.	Fumes & enclosure	A20 Pro V2, Ray5 40W (Measure your frame first: the Ray5 40W and A20 Pro V2 footprints are close to the 700 × 720 mm limit. An enclosure doesn't make a Class 4 laser Class 1; keep goggles on when it's open.)	Check price
VIVOSUN 4-inch aluminum ducting, 25 ft with clamps Replaces short stock hoses so you can reach a window or wall vent; foil duct tolerates hot exhaust better than vinyl.	Fumes & enclosure	Any laser	Check price
Atomstack F80 air assist pump, 10–60 L/min The base A20 Pro V2 ships without air assist; this is what gives clean, deep cuts with less charring.	Air assist	A20 Pro V2	Check price

Option 1: Duct it outdoors (usually the better choice)

xTool’s support guidance starts here: put the machine near a wall or window and run the exhaust pipe outside, so the gas and dust leave the room entirely. It’s cheaper than a purifier and has no filters to replace.

The basic setup

Machine exhaust port → duct → window or wall vent. Most enclosed lasers have a built-in exhaust fan and a short hose. Replace or extend the hose with 4-inch foil duct, such as the VIVOSUN 25 ft aluminum duct (about $19). Foil handles hot exhaust better than thin vinyl.
Seal the window opening. A board or rigid foam panel cut to the window width, with a hole for the duct, is the common DIY approach. Fabric doesn’t work: smoke goes out and comes back in. Sliding-window vent kits and dryer-style wall caps are tidier, longer-term options.
Add an inline fan if smoke lingers. xTool recommends one when the duct is long or the job is smoky.

Sizing the inline fan

xTool’s rule is simple: the external fan must move more air than your laser’s built-in fan, or it’s wasted money. Two reference points:

Fan	Duct	Rated airflow	Notes
AC Infinity Cloudline S4 (about $90)	4 in	226 CFM	223 Pa static pressure, 10-speed controller
xTool SafetyPro IF2 2.0	xTool fittings	140 CFM	Syncs on/off with recent xTool lasers

Static pressure matters because duct, bends and filters resist airflow. A fan’s CFM rating is measured in ideal conditions; your real airflow will be lower.

Check your port size. Laser exhaust ports aren’t always exactly 4 inches, so you may need a reducer or adapter between the machine and the fan. Our accessory notes flag this for the Cloudline S4.

Getting good airflow

Short and straight. Every bend costs airflow. xTool says that with too many bends even an 8-inch fan can perform like a 4-inch one. Pull flexible foil duct taut rather than leaving it in loose coils.
Fan toward the outdoor end. Our reasoning, not a maker rule: a fan near the outlet keeps most of the duct under suction, so small leaks pull room air in instead of pushing smoke out.
Mind the direction. Inline fans have an airflow arrow. Mount it backward and you’ll push smoke into the machine.
Run the fan after the job. xTool suggests letting the built-in fan run for a while after processing to clear the chamber, and its software lets some models set an exhaust delay.
Clean the fans. xTool says both built-in and external fans need periodic cleaning to avoid blockages.

The downsides

Venting outdoors needs a window or a wall hole you’re allowed to make, and in winter an open window is cold. xTool itself notes exhaust fans may not suit winter unless you have a wall vent. If the duct runs through a window, pull it in and close up when you’re done so cold air and weather don’t come back down the hose. Also think about where the smoke goes. Don’t vent toward a neighbor’s window, a patio or an air intake, and check local rules.

Option 2: A smoke purifier (when you can’t vent)

A purifier takes the exhaust hose and pushes it through layers of filters, so the machine can run in a room without outdoor access. xTool frames it as the indoor option for cold winters or when you can’t open windows or drill walls.

Match the purifier to the machine

Light engraving on low-smoke machines. The xTool Desktop Smoke Purifier (about $249) is sized for the M2, F2 and F1 Ultra. xTool sizes it for low-smoke machines and points heavy cutting to the AP2.
Heavy cutting and CO2. The xTool SafetyPro AP2 (about $919) is what xTool pairs with the P2S, S1 40W and F2 Ultra. xTool positions the larger AP2 Max for the P3.
Bundles. Some machines come with a purifier: the Falcon A1 + smoke purifier listing (about $603), the xTool F2 + purifier (about $1,439), and the Glowforge Aura’s Amazon bundle includes Glowforge’s Craft Laser Filter.

What filters cost to run

Filters are a recurring cost you should price in before you buy. xTool publishes both prices and lifespans for the AP2’s five replaceable filters (the cyclone stage is washable):

AP2 filter	xTool US price	Rated life	Cost per hour
Pre-filter	$20	100 h	$0.20
Medium efficiency	$30	200 h	$0.15
Activated carbon	$50	600 h	about $0.08
Ultra-dense carbon mesh	$40	300 h	about $0.13
High-efficiency	$40	300 h	about $0.13
Total	$180 for a full set		about $0.70/h

xTool’s lifespans come from a test cycle on an S1 40W that was mostly basswood engraving and cutting. Smokier work, like MDF or thick cuts, will shorten them. At 20 hours of laser time a week, that’s roughly $14 a week in filters, which is why venting outdoors wins on running cost when you have the option. If you’re running a business, put this figure into the “machine cost per hour” field of our profit calculator.

Purifier rules

Don’t combine it with an inline fan. xTool says the fan’s high airflow disrupts purification.
Change filters on time. A clogged filter cuts airflow, and smoke backs up into the machine.
Consider ducting the purifier’s outlet outside anyway. xTool’s support page shows this setup, which also handles any odor the filters miss. No purifier makes a laser completely odor-free.

Open-frame lasers need an enclosure first

An open-frame diode like the Atomstack A20 Pro V2 or Longer Ray5 40W has no exhaust port, so smoke just spreads. A fire-resistant tent like the Creality enclosure with exhaust fan (about $47) gives the smoke a single exit you can duct. Measure first: both machines are close to its 700 × 720 mm limit. An enclosure contains stray light but doesn’t make a Class 4 laser Class 1, so keep wearing goggles when it’s open.

Air assist isn’t ventilation

Air assist blows a jet of air at the cut. It improves cut quality, reduces charring and flare-ups and keeps the lens cleaner, but xTool notes it doesn’t filter or remove smoke from the room. You need both. If your machine lacks it, our accessories guide covers add-ons.

Materials that ventilation can’t fix

Never laser PVC, vinyl, faux leather, polycarbonate, ABS, HDPE, foam or fiberglass, however good your extraction is. PVC releases chlorine gas that harms your lungs and corrodes the machine. MDF is allowed but produces heavy smoke with a strong smell, so vent it outdoors or through a proper filter. Check anything unfamiliar in the material checker, and read our safety guide for the full list.

Bottom line

If you have a window or can add a wall vent, duct outdoors: about $109 for 25 ft of foil duct and a 4-inch, 226 CFM fan covers most home setups. Keep the run short and straight. If you can’t vent, buy a purifier sized for your machine, and budget for filters; by xTool’s numbers the AP2 runs about $0.70 an hour. Either way, no laser should run with its exhaust hose just dumping into the room.

What Materials Can a Laser Cut or Engrave? Diode vs. CO2 vs. Fiber

Fri, 30 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

“Can my laser cut this?” has two parts: can the light be absorbed by the material at all, and is it safe to burn? The first depends on the laser’s wavelength, not its wattage. A 40 W blue diode still can’t cut clear acrylic, because the light passes through. This guide walks through the common materials by laser type. It follows the same conservative data as our material checker, which covers typical hobby machines: 10–40 W blue diodes, 40–55 W desktop CO2, 20–60 W fiber and 3–5 W UV. Your machine’s own material library and settings come first.

What each laser type can doTypical hobby machines. ✓✓ cuts and engraves · ✓ engraves or marks · ◐ only with paint or marking compound · ✕ doesn't work · ⛔ never laser it.

Material	Blue diode	CO2	Fiber	UV
Basswood / birch plywood	✓✓ Cuts & engraves	✓✓ Cuts & engraves	✕ Doesn't work	✓ Engraves / marks
Clear cast acrylic	✕ Doesn't work	✓✓ Cuts & engraves	✕ Doesn't work	✓ Engraves / marks
Black / opaque colored acrylic	✓✓ Cuts & engraves	✓✓ Cuts & engraves	✓ Engraves / marks	✓ Engraves / marks
Genuine leather (veg-tanned)	✓✓ Cuts & engraves	✓✓ Cuts & engraves	✕ Doesn't work	✓ Engraves / marks
Slate & dark stone	✓ Engraves / marks	✓ Engraves / marks	✓ Engraves / marks	✓ Engraves / marks
Glass	◐ Only with prep	✓ Engraves / marks	✕ Doesn't work	✓ Engraves / marks
Anodized aluminum	✓ Engraves / marks	✓ Engraves / marks	✓ Engraves / marks	✓ Engraves / marks
Powder-coated & painted metal (tumblers)	✓ Engraves / marks	✓ Engraves / marks	✓ Engraves / marks	✓ Engraves / marks
Bare stainless steel	◐ Only with prep	◐ Only with prep	✓ Engraves / marks	✓ Engraves / marks
Bare aluminum, brass, silver & gold	✕ Doesn't work	✕ Doesn't work	✓ Engraves / marks	✓ Engraves / marks
PVC, vinyl & faux leather	⛔ Never — hazardous	⛔ Never — hazardous	⛔ Never — hazardous	⛔ Never — hazardous

Full list with notes in the material checker. Cut thickness depends heavily on power and passes.

How to read this

Cuts: cuts through, with thickness depending on power, passes and air assist.
Engraves: marks or engraves well, but doesn’t cut.
Only with prep: needs paint, tape or a marking compound to take a mark.
Doesn’t work / never: no useful result, or hazardous.

Each material below links to its entry in the checker so you can share or bookmark it.

Wood and paper

Basswood and birch plywood: every type engraves; diode and CO2 cut. It’s the default laser material. A 10 W diode cuts about 3 mm in a pass or two; 20–40 W diodes and CO2 go thicker. Maker claims in our data include 8 mm basswood in one pass for the xTool M2 10W, 18 mm cherry in one pass for the xTool S1 40W, and 18 mm basswood in one pass for the xTool P2S. Cheap plywood has glue voids that leave uncut spots, so buy laser-grade sheets, like the 3 mm basswood 12-pack (about $25).

Solid hardwood: engraves beautifully on every type. Dense hardwoods cut slowly on diodes; keep thickness modest and use air assist.

MDF: cuts and engraves, with a catch. The resin binder makes heavy smoke with a strong smell. Vent it outdoors or through a proper filter.

Paper and cardboard: diode and CO2 cut fast at low power. It ignites easily, so never leave the job unattended. Fiber doesn’t work.

Cork: diode and CO2 cut thin sheets cleanly. Popular for coasters; watch for flare-ups.

Plastics

Clear cast acrylic: CO2 only (UV engraves). This is the single biggest reason people buy CO2. Blue diode light passes straight through, so diodes can’t cut it, while a CO2 cuts it with flame-polished edges. xTool lists transparent and mirrored materials, mostly blue materials and some extruded acrylic among the things its S1 diode isn’t suited to. Prefer cast over extruded acrylic for engraving. Our cheapest CO2 is the OMTech K40+ at about $760–$800; the P2S claims 20 mm acrylic in one pass. See clear cast acrylic sheets (about $46 for 10).

Black and opaque colored acrylic: diodes can cut thin sheets. Dark acrylic absorbs blue light. Our checker conservatively says around 3 mm with enough power and passes; higher-power diode heads claim more (xTool rates the M2’s 20 W head at 8 mm black acrylic in one pass). Creality’s own listings disagree on whether the 10 W Falcon A1 cuts acrylic, so treat that as unconfirmed. Blue and transparent colors still don’t work on a blue diode.

Laser-safe stamp rubber: CO2 cuts, diode engraves. Only rubber sold as laser-safe. Neoprene and many synthetic rubbers contain chlorine; treat them like PVC.

Natural materials and textiles

Veg-tanned leather: diode and CO2 cut and engrave. Chrome-tanned leather releases chromium compounds, and faux leather is often PVC. Never laser those. Leatherette patch blanks are cheap test stock, though they’re not for fiber-only machines.

Cotton, felt and denim: diode and CO2 cut with a sealed edge. Synthetics melt and some release toxic fumes, so check the fiber content.

Stone, glass and ceramic

Slate and dark stone: engraves on every type. It gives a light gray mark on black, which is why slate coasters are a best-selling blank. Lasers don’t cut stone.

Glass: CO2 frosts it; UV marks it; diode needs prep; fiber doesn’t work. Blue diodes pass through clear glass, so you need a coating. xTool’s F2 FAQ says the same about its galvo machine: apply a black coating or anti-reflection layer first.

Glazed ceramic tile and mugs: prep on diode, CO2 and fiber. Most hobbyists paint the glaze first (the “tile method”) or use a marking compound. UV marks some glazes directly.

Metal

Metal is where buyers get misled most, because listings say “engraves stainless” without saying how well.

Anodized aluminum: engraves on every type. The laser removes the dyed layer for a crisp white mark. Black anodized business cards make good test pieces.

Powder-coated and painted metal: engraves on every type. The laser burns off the coating to reveal the metal. This is how most tumbler engraving works, and round items need a rotary. See best laser engraver for tumblers.

Bare stainless steel: fiber and UV engrave; diode and CO2 need marking spray. Some makers list stainless as diode-engravable, and the M2, S1, Falcon A1 Pro, Atomstack A20 Pro V2 and Longer Ray5 can leave a mark, but it’s slow, dark and low-contrast. Fiber lasers mark and deep-engrave bare stainless, and MOPA fibers like the xTool F2 Ultra can color-mark it. The F2’s 5 W IR head also color-marks stainless, titanium and copper, per xTool.

Bare aluminum, brass, silver and gold: fiber only (and UV). These reflective metals bounce diode and CO2 light. Fiber is the tool for jewelry and bare-metal work. The ComMarker B4 20W is the most affordable true fiber in our data (about $1,399–$1,719, now marked clearance by ComMarker), and higher-power fibers can cut thin sheet.

Materials you must never laser

These are “never” for every laser type in our checker, and they match university lab do-not-cut lists such as the University of Illinois’s:

Material	Why
PVC, vinyl and faux leather	Chlorine gas that harms lungs and corrodes the machine
Polycarbonate (Lexan)	Discolors, catches fire, harmful fumes
ABS	Melts; smoke includes cyanide compounds
HDPE	Melts and catches fire
Polystyrene and polypropylene foam	Catches fire fast, drips burning plastic
Fiberglass and coated carbon fiber	Toxic resin fumes

Some maker lists are looser than ours. If any source tells you a plastic is fine and our checker says never, don’t risk it. When you can’t identify a plastic, don’t laser it. Our safety guide covers fumes and fire.

Which laser type fits your material list

Mostly wood, leather, slate, coated tumblers and dark acrylic: a blue diode. The Falcon A1 Pro (about $1,099) is an enclosed 20 W example.
Anything clear or glass: CO2, from the K40+ to the P2S and P3.
Bare metal plus organics: a dual-source machine like the xTool F2 (about $1,219) or F1 Ultra.
Mostly bare metal: a fiber laser. See best laser engraver for metal.

Clear acrylic and bare precious metals rarely share one machine. If both matter, plan on two lasers, or read diode vs CO2 vs fiber to decide which to buy first. The laser matcher filters our lineup by the materials you tick.

Bottom line

Wavelength decides the material; power decides the thickness. Blue diodes handle most craft materials except clear acrylic, glass and bare metal; CO2 adds clear acrylic and glass; fiber owns bare metal. Coated metal, anodized aluminum and slate work on almost anything. And the never list is short but absolute.

Laser Engraver Wattage Explained: Optical vs. Electrical Watts

Fri, 30 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Search Amazon for a laser engraver and you’ll see “80W”, “120W” and “180W” in listing titles next to machines that cost less than a phone. Then a 55 W CO2 costs ten times more. Both can be true at once, because the watts aren’t measuring the same thing. This explainer covers what each number means, how to find the real one, and why even honest watts don’t compare across laser types. Every figure comes from our comparison data and the makers’ own spec sheets.

Three numbers called “power”

xTool’s own buyer guide lays out three different power ratings you’ll see on laser machines:

Optical (output) power: the laser light that leaves the module and reaches the material. This is the number that cuts and engraves.
Laser electrical power: the electricity the laser module draws. It tells you about consumption, not capability.
Machine power: what the whole machine draws from the wall, including motors, fans and controller.

Machine power is always the highest and optical power the lowest. xTool’s example: a diode machine with 10 W optical power, 40 W laser electrical power and 60 W machine power. A diode turns only part of its electricity into light; the rest becomes heat. xTool adds that some companies quote the electrical figure instead of optical power, so always compare optical output.

Our data stores optical output only for every machine, which is why our numbers often look smaller than the listing titles.

Listing titles vs. real output

Machine	What the listing or title says	Optical output in our data
Creality Falcon A1	“80W”	10 W (listing states “Power Output Level 10000mW”)
Creality Falcon A1 Pro	“180W”	20 W (listing states “power output level 20000mW”)
Atomstack A20 Pro V2	120 W input	20 W from a dual-beam module
Atomstack A40 Pro V2	“48W”	40 W per Atomstack’s own comparison table
xTool F2	150 W max input	15 W diode + 5 W IR
OMTech K40+	“45W”	45 W tube rating, not a measured output

None of these listings is hiding the real figure. Creality prints the milliwatt output in the listing body. But the big number is the one in the title, and the title is what most shoppers compare. A “180W” A1 Pro isn’t 18 times a 10 W M2; it’s twice.

How to find the real number

Search the listing and spec table for “optical”, “output” or “mW”. 10,000 mW = 10 W.
Check the warning label and manual. The FDA requires labeling on Class II–IV lasers to state the class and the output power.
Be suspicious of round, huge numbers on cheap machines. In our data, the most powerful blue diodes are 40 W optical (the xTool S1 and Longer Ray5 40W).
Ignore “equivalent” claims. A diode isn’t “equivalent” to a CO2 of some wattage; they’re different tools, as covered below.

Not all optical watts are equal, even within a type

Multi-beam diode modules

Higher-power diode modules usually combine several emitters into one spot. Our data notes the A20 Pro V2 uses a dual-beam module and the Ray5 40W an 8-beam compressed module. The total is still optical output, but combining beams affects the spot. Longer specifies the Ray5 spot as 0.10 × 0.15 mm. A smaller spot concentrates the same watts into a smaller area, which matters for fine engraving and clean cuts. Two 20 W diodes with different spot sizes won’t perform identically, which is why maker cut claims and independent reviews matter more than the watt figure alone.

CO2 tube ratings and aging

CO2 wattage is usually the tube’s rating. OMTech calls the K40+ “45W” and publishes no measured output; our data notes that glass tubes in this class typically deliver less than the label and fade with age. xTool gives specifics for its 55 W P2S: about 95% power at 1,000 hours and about 70% at 6,000–8,000 hours. A CO2 rating describes a new tube, so budget for replacement on a machine you’ll run hard.

Fiber: average vs. peak

Fiber and IR lasers pulse. Their ratings are normally average output, and xTool states that the F2’s 15 W diode and 5 W IR figures are both average power. The peak power inside each pulse is far higher, which is part of why a 20 W fiber like the ComMarker B4 deep-engraves stainless that a 40 W blue diode only marks faintly. Within fiber, the source type matters too: the B4’s 20 W is a standard Q-switched source, while the F2 Ultra’s 60 W MOPA can color-mark stainless.

Why watts don’t compare across laser types

Four kinds of hobby laserThe light source decides what a laser can cut and mark. The format decides speed, size and safety.

Blue diode (open or enclosed)

The affordable all-rounder: engraves and cuts wood, leather, cardboard and dark acrylic, and engraves coated metal. Can't cut clear acrylic or mark bare metal. Slower cutting than CO2.

Typical: 10–40 W output, $300–$2,000

CO2 tube

The cutting machine: faster, cleaner cuts in wood and every color of acrylic, plus glass etching. Bigger, needs water cooling and serious venting. Can't mark bare metal without a compound.

Typical: 40–55 W desktop, $2,000–$7,000

Fiber (1064 nm)

The metal specialist: marks and deep-engraves stainless, aluminum, brass, silver and gold, and many plastics. Poor at wood and useless for clear acrylic or cutting sheet goods.

Typical: 20–60 W, $1,500–$5,000

Galvo / portable

Mirrors steer the beam instead of a moving gantry, so it's extremely fast over a small field — ideal for personalizing many small items. Often dual-source (diode + IR) in hobby machines.

Typical: ~100 × 100 mm field, $500–$2,500

Materials absorb some wavelengths and ignore others. That, more than wattage, decides what a laser can do:

Blue diode (around 450 nm): absorbed well by wood, leather and dark materials. Clear acrylic lets it pass straight through, so no blue diode cuts clear acrylic, whatever the watts.
CO2 (10.6 µm): absorbed by wood, every color of acrylic and glass. It doesn’t mark bare metal without a compound.
Fiber and IR (1064 nm): absorbed by metals. Poor on wood; the B4 won’t cut it at all.

Some examples from maker claims in our data:

Machine	Power	What it claims
xTool S1	40 W blue diode	18 mm cherry in one pass; no clear acrylic
xTool P2S	55 W CO2	18 mm basswood and 20 mm acrylic, including clear, in one pass
Falcon A1 Pro	20 W blue diode	10 mm basswood; a slow dark mark on stainless
ComMarker B4	20 W fiber	Deep engraves bare metal; doesn’t cut wood

The S1 and P2S claim similar wood thickness, but the CO2 also cuts clear acrylic and, in our data, cuts thick stock faster. The A1 Pro and B4 have the same 20 W rating and almost no overlap in what they do well. So: choose the type from your materials first, then compare watts within that type. Our diode vs CO2 vs fiber comparison and material guide cover this in depth.

How many watts do you actually need?

For blue diodes, measured in optical watts:

5–10 W is plenty for engraving wood, leather, slate and coated metal, and cuts thin plywood and card. The M2 10W claims 8 mm basswood in one pass.
20 W makes regular cutting of 3–6 mm sheet practical.
40 W is for thick plywood and dark acrylic.

More power cuts deeper and faster, but it also means more smoke and a bigger fire risk, and it costs more. If you mostly engrave, a 10 W enclosed machine like the Falcon A1 (about $549) does the job; its “80W” title doesn’t change that. The laser matcher filters by what you want to make rather than by watts, which sidesteps the problem entirely.

Bottom line

Read past the title to the optical output, usually printed in watts or milliwatts in the spec table or on the safety label. Remember that CO2 ratings describe new tubes and fiber ratings describe averages. And never compare watts across laser types: pick the type from your materials, then let optical watts rank the machines within it. Check today’s price and the exact module wattage before you order, because makers sell several power versions under one listing.

Laser Engraver Accessories Worth Buying (and the Ones That Can Wait)

Fri, 30 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Laser makers sell a lot of add-ons, and a new owner can easily spend half the machine price again on things that sit in a drawer. This guide sorts the accessories in our data into what to buy now, what to buy when a project needs it, and what can wait. Fit notes come from the listings and maker pages; we haven’t tested these accessories ourselves. Prices are typical Amazon street prices from October 29, 2026, so check today’s price before you buy.

Buy first: safety and ventilation

These aren’t upgrades. Every laser needs them.

Ventilation. Duct outdoors with 4-inch foil duct (about $19) and, if smoke lingers, a 4-inch inline fan (about $90). If you can’t vent, a purifier: the xTool Desktop Smoke Purifier (about $249) for light work, or the SafetyPro AP2 (about $919) for heavy cutting. Our ventilation guide explains which.
Fire gear. A fire blanket 2-pack (about $40) and a C-rated extinguisher. LightBurn prefers CO2 extinguishers because dry chemical powder will destroy the laser; the Amerex ABC extinguisher in our data (about $63) works well on burning material but will likely ruin the machine.
Eyewear for open-frame and Class 4 machines, rated for the exact wavelength: 445–455 nm blue-diode glasses (about $28) or 1064 nm goggles (about $39) for fiber and IR. Dual-source machines need protection at both. See the safety guide.
An enclosure for open frames. The Creality enclosure with exhaust fan (about $47) contains smoke and stray light around an A20 Pro V2 or Ray5 40W. Measure first: both are close to its 700 × 720 mm limit.

Worth it if your machine lacks it: air assist

Air assist blows a jet of air at the cut. xTool lists the benefits as better cut and engraving quality, less charring and fewer flare-ups, and a cleaner lens. It doesn’t filter the room’s air.

Many machines in our data have it built in or included (M2, Falcon A1, Falcon A1 Pro, Ray5 40W, K40+, P2S, P3). It’s optional on the S1 and the Atomstack A20 Pro V2, and not available on the F-series, LP5, Glowforge Aura and Falcon A1C.

The clearest buy is on the Atomstack A20 Pro V2. The base kit ships without air assist, and the A20 Pro V2 + F80 bundle cost about $460 against about $390 for the bare machine, so about $70 more. The F80 pump bought alone was about $110. If you plan to cut, start with the bundle.

Worth it for the right projects: rotaries

A rotary turns round objects under the beam so you can wrap a design around a tumbler, glass or ring. It’s the key accessory for a tumbler business and useless if you don’t make round things.

Rotaries, beds and upgrades on Amazon (fit checked October 2026)
Item	Type	Fits	Buy
Creality Rotary Roller Pro 3-in-1 kit Jaw-chuck and roller rotary for engraving cups, glasses and rings on Falcon lasers.	Rotary	Falcon A1 10W, Falcon A1 Pro (Sold for 'Falcon and other engraving machines'; Creality also bundles it with the A1 and A1 Pro. Confirm riser height for your model.)	Check price
xTool RA2 Pro rotary attachment 4-in-1 rotary for tumblers, glasses, rings and spheres on xTool's enclosed and galvo machines.	Rotary	xTool S1 40W, xTool F1 Ultra, xTool P2S (xTool says it must be used with a riser on enclosed machines; check whether your S1 bundle already includes it.)	Check price
xTool RA3 MagSwap smart rotary xTool's newer rotary with LiDAR mapping and magnetic mode swaps, built for the P3 and F-series.	Rotary	xTool P3, xTool F2 Ultra, xTool F1 Ultra, xTool F2	Check price
Ortur laser rotary roller (Y-axis) An inexpensive, widely used roller rotary for tumblers and cans on open-frame GRBL diodes.	Rotary	A20 Pro V2, Ray5 40W (Plugs into the Y-axis motor port; confirm your controller's connector and set rotary mode in LightBurn.)	Check price
Creality honeycomb laser bed for Falcon A1 / A1 Pro Sized for the A1 enclosure (the 500 × 500 mm Creality bed doesn't fit) for cleaner cuts and a protected base plate.	Bed & riser	Falcon A1 10W, Falcon A1 Pro	Check price
xTool P2 Honeycomb Working Panel 2.0 Stops small cut pieces falling through the slats and cuts backside flashback on the P2S.	Bed & riser	xTool P2S	Check price
xTool S1 Riser Base Raises the S1's clearance from 42 mm to 125 mm for rotary work and tall objects while staying Class 1.	Bed & riser	xTool S1 40W	Check price
Creality Falcon A1C 1.2W IR laser module Tool-free swap that marks bare stainless, jewelry and dark stone the blue diode can't.	Upgrade	Falcon A1C 10W	Check price
xTool Slide Extension for F2 / F1 Stretches the F2's 115 × 115 mm field to 115 × 400 mm for batches of coasters, cards and phone cases.	Upgrade	xTool F2	Check price

How to choose:

Match the maker. Enclosed machines generally need the maker’s rotary. The Creality Rotary Roller Pro (about $114) fits the Falcon A1 and A1 Pro. xTool’s RA2 Pro (about $269) fits the S1, F1 Ultra and P2S, and the newer RA3 (about $349) fits the P3, F2 Ultra, F1 Ultra and F2.
Check height. xTool says the S1 needs its riser base for rotary work. The S1 Riser Base (about $199) lifts clearance from 42 mm to 125 mm and keeps the S1 Class 1. On the P2S, our data shows rotary diameter of 3–50 mm without a riser and up to 180 mm with one.
Check diameter. xTool rates the RA2 Pro at 3–198 mm in roller mode, up to 100 mm in the chuck, 25–100 mm spheres and 11–70 mm rings. Measure your blanks’ diameters, and handles, before you order.
Open frames are cheaper. The Ortur roller rotary (about $80) is a common choice for GRBL open-frame diodes like the A20 Pro V2 and Ray5. It plugs into the Y-axis motor port; confirm your connector and set rotary mode in LightBurn.

Look for bundles first. On October 29, 2026:

The Falcon A1 + Rotary Roller Pro cost about $559, only about $10 more than the bare Falcon A1 at about $549, while the rotary alone was about $114.
The Falcon A1 Pro + Rotary Roller kit cost about $1,012, less than the bare A1 Pro at about $1,099.
The xTool S1’s only Amazon listing is titled “Rotary Bundle” (about $1,819). Confirm the RA2 Pro is in the box before counting on it.
The OMTech K40+ with rotary axis was about $900, but OMTech’s own help center says the K40 series doesn’t support a rotary. That FAQ may predate the 45 W model; ask the seller before you buy for rotary work.

Prices change daily, so recheck the gap between bundle and bare machine on the day. Our tumbler guide goes deeper on rotary workflows.

Worth it soon: a proper bed

A honeycomb bed lifts the work so the beam doesn’t reflect off a solid plate, and lets smoke clear underneath. The Creality honeycomb for the Falcon A1 / A1 Pro (about $69) is sized for those enclosures; Creality warns that its 500 × 500 mm bed doesn’t fit the A1. For the P2S, the xTool P2 Honeycomb Working Panel 2.0 (about $139) stops small parts dropping through the slats and reduces backside flashback.

Skip it if you only engrave flat blanks on the stock bed. Buy it once you start cutting through sheets.

Buy when you outgrow the machine: upgrades

xTool Slide Extension for F2 / F1 (about $219): stretches the F2’s 115 × 115 mm field to 115 × 400 mm for batches of coasters or phone cases. Worth it for market sellers doing runs; skip it for one-off gifts.
Creality Falcon A1C 1.2W IR module (about $239): adds bare stainless and dark stone marking to the Falcon A1C. Note the math: the A1C + IR bundle was about $542, roughly $143 over the 10 W machine, which is cheaper than adding the module later. Remember that blue-diode goggles don’t protect against IR.
IR heads for the M2 and A1 Pro. Both machines offer IR modules for bare metal and plastics. The A1 Pro + 2W IR bundle was about $1,151.

The cheapest upgrade: good blanks

Learning settings on scraps wastes time; laser-ready blanks give repeatable results and double as products.

Laser-ready materials on Amazon (checked October 2026)
Item	Type	Fits	Buy
3 mm basswood plywood sheets, 12 × 12 in (12-pack) The default test and project stock for every laser here; 12 × 12 in fits all but the smallest beds.	Materials	Any laser (Cut down for the 150 mm A1C or galvo machines.)	Check price
Clear cast acrylic sheets, 12 × 12 × 1/8 in (10-pack) Cast acrylic cuts with flame-polished edges on a CO2 laser; it's the material that justifies buying one.	Materials	xTool P2S, xTool P3, OMTech K40+ (CO2 only: blue diodes pass straight through clear acrylic.)	Check price
Laserable leatherette hat patches with adhesive, 3 × 2 in (50-pack) Cheap, fast-selling patch blanks that engrave cleanly with diode and CO2 lasers.	Materials	Any laser (Not for fiber-only lasers such as the ComMarker B4.)	Check price
Black anodized aluminum business cards, 0.8 mm (15-pack) Anodized aluminum engraves to a crisp white with blue diodes, CO2, IR and fiber, ideal for test pieces and premium cards.	Materials	Any laser	Check price
VIBRATITE 4-inch square black slate coasters (60-pack) Best-selling laser blank: slate engraves light grey on black with any diode, CO2 or IR source.	Materials	Any laser	Check price
YOUKE OLA powder-coated 20 oz tumblers for laser engraving (16-pack) Powder coat ablates to bright steel with diode, CO2 or fiber lasers, which makes these the classic rotary product.	Materials	Any laser (Needs a rotary attachment on flatbed machines.)	Check price

A sensible starter order: 3 mm basswood (about $25 for 12 sheets) for cutting tests, black slate coasters (about $41 for 60) and anodized aluminum cards (about $21 for 15), which engrave on every laser type, and leatherette patches (about $14 for 50). Add powder-coated tumblers (about $63 for 16) once you have a rotary, and clear cast acrylic (about $46 for 10) only if you own a CO2. A blue diode passes straight through it. Check anything else in the material checker.

What we’d skip at first

A purifier when you can vent outdoors. Duct and a fan cost about $109; xTool’s AP2 filters alone run about $180 a set.
Rotaries “just in case.” Wait for a round-object project or order.
Big bundles with extras you haven’t priced. The P2S Versatile Bundle adds an RA3 rotary, riser and conveyor for about $3,948 versus about $2,919 for the machine. That’s good value if you need all three, and $1,000 of shelf decoration if you don’t.

Bottom line

Spend on safety and smoke handling first, air assist second if your machine lacks it, and a bed when you start cutting. Buy a rotary when round objects are actually on your order list, and check whether a bundle undercuts buying it separately. If you’re pricing a full setup for selling, our startup cost guide adds it all up.

LightBurn vs. xTool Creative Space (Now xTool Studio): Which Software Do You Need?

Fri, 30 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

The software question usually comes up after people have chosen a machine, when it should come up before. A laser that only runs its maker’s app is easier to start with but harder to leave; a LightBurn-compatible machine gives you one tool that works across brands. This guide compares the two options xTool owners most often weigh, using maker documentation and our comparison data. We haven’t run a hands-on software test.

First, the name: Creative Space is now xTool Studio

xTool Creative Space (XCS) was xTool’s free design-and-control app for years. xTool has replaced it with xTool Studio. According to xTool’s support center, the final XCS version was 2.7 in June 2025, new devices and features go only into Studio, and the P3, F2 and F2 Ultra are supported only in Studio. Studio and XCS install separately, so updating doesn’t delete XCS, and xTool provides a guide for migrating material parameters. Our data lists software as “xTool Creative Space / xTool Studio” for older machines like the S1 and P2S, which ran XCS at launch.

Everything below about xTool’s software applies to Studio.

Which machines support which

Machine	Maker software (free)	LightBurn support
xTool M2 10W	xTool Studio	No
xTool F2	xTool Studio	Preliminary, LightBurn 2.2+
xTool F1 Ultra	xTool Studio	Yes, LightBurn 2.2+ on current firmware
xTool P3	xTool Studio	No
xTool S1 40W	Creative Space / Studio	Yes
xTool P2S	Studio / Creative Space	Yes, but xTool’s cameras don’t work
xTool F2 Ultra	xTool Studio	Preliminary, LightBurn 2.2+
Creality Falcon A1C, A1, A1 Pro	Falcon Design Space	Yes
Atomstack A20 Pro V2	Atomstack app, LaserGRBL	Yes
Longer Ray5 40W	LaserBurn, LaserGRBL	Yes
OMTech K40+	LaserGRBL (pre-installed)	Yes
ComMarker B4	EZCAD2	Yes, with a galvo-capable license
LaserPecker LP5	LaserPecker Design Space	Yes
Glowforge Aura	Glowforge web app	No

How xTool’s LightBurn support stands. LightBurn 2.2 added an xTool device type. Its support table (dated October 6, 2026) lists the S1, F1, F1 Ultra and P2S as supported, and the F2, F2 Ultra, F2 Ultra Single and P2 as “functional, but needs further testing”. It lists the P3, M1, M1 Ultra and M2 as unsupported. The F1 Ultra needs current xTool firmware (40.52.016.05 or higher for the Class 4 model, 40.53.007.05 or higher for the Class 1 model). xTool’s F2 FAQ, updated October 12, 2026, answers “Yes” to LightBurn, and both companies call F2 support preliminary. LightBurn also says xTool’s built-in cameras aren’t supported yet, so camera placement stays an xTool Studio feature. Our advice: if LightBurn is a must, buy a machine with long-established support (the S1, P2S or any Creality), and treat F-series support as a bonus that’s still maturing.

What each costs

xTool Studio: free with xTool machines. Its AI design tools use paid credits, but the core design and machine-control features don’t.

Other maker apps: Falcon Design Space, Atomstack’s app, LaserBurn and LaserGRBL are free.

LightBurn, per its pricing page:

	LightBurn Core	LightBurn Pro
Price	$99 one-time	$199 one-time
Runs	GCode lasers (GRBL, Marlin, Smoothieware)	Everything in Core plus DSP (Ruida, TopWisdom, Trocen, Epilog) and galvo (EZCad2, EZCad3, BSL) controllers
Updates	One year included, then $40/year (optional)	Same
Extra		True Nest

Both licenses are perpetual: when the update year ends, the version you have keeps working. Upgrading Core to Pro later costs $100. LightBurn offers a free trial from its download page.

Which license fits our machines? The Creality Falcons, Atomstack and Longer are GCode diodes, so Core. The ComMarker B4 runs EZCAD2, a galvo controller, so Pro; our data notes its LightBurn galvo license is sold separately. The K40+ ships with LaserGRBL, which suggests a GRBL controller and Core, but confirm with OMTech. For xTool and LaserPecker machines, check LightBurn’s hardware compatibility matrix before buying a license.

Glowforge is different: the Aura needs Glowforge’s cloud and Wi-Fi to run, and Reviewed put its Premium subscription, which unlocks the best of the design catalog, at $239 a year. Glowforge’s late-2025 restructuring through an Assignment for the Benefit of Creditors, after which its co-founders bought back the assets, makes a cloud-tethered workflow a bigger bet than a local app.

How the workflows differ

xTool Studio: built around the hardware

Studio’s strength is that it knows the machine. On camera-equipped xTool lasers you see the bed, drag the design onto the blank and frame it. xTool lists batch fill for runs of personalized pieces, smart nesting, rotary and result previews, a material library with parameter presets, more than 10,000 templates and AI image tools. It runs on Windows and macOS and works with mobile devices, and xTool says one computer can control several xTool devices.

Machine-specific features stay in Studio. Per xTool, LightBurn on the S1 handles focusing, framing and the RA2 Pro rotary but not curved-surface mode or material thickness measurement. On the P2S, LightBurn works without camera or autofocus support in our data. For a camera-first beginner on an M2, Studio is the whole point.

LightBurn: one program, more control

LightBurn’s strength is depth and portability. It’s a full design suite (vector editing, image tracing, boolean tools, offsets, variable text for serial numbers or names), plus job tools like kerf offset, 10 image-engraving modes and GCode customization. It supports controllers from many brands, so a shop with a Creality diode and a ComMarker fiber can use one program and one file library. It runs locally on your computer.

The trade-offs: it costs money, it has a steeper learning curve, and on machines with cameras and autofocus from xTool, you lose some of those conveniences.

Who should use which

First laser, camera-guided, mostly gifts and crafts: use the maker’s free app. xTool Studio on an M2 or Falcon Design Space on a Falcon is enough to learn on. See best laser engraver for beginners.
You already know LightBurn, or own two brands: buy a LightBurn-compatible machine. The S1 40W and P2S give you xTool hardware with a LightBurn escape hatch; the Falcon A1 Pro (about $1,099) runs on a $99 Core license.
Small business doing serial numbers and batch jobs: both work. Studio’s batch fill suits camera-placed runs on xTool machines; LightBurn’s variable text and nesting suit mixed-brand shops. See best laser engraver for small business.
Fiber metal marking: EZCAD is clunky, and LightBurn Pro is the common upgrade for machines like the ComMarker B4.
You want a guaranteed future: prefer local software (Studio’s desktop app, LightBurn or a maker app) over a cloud-only workflow.

Bottom line

Start with the free maker software. xTool Studio is a good app built around xTool’s cameras, and it’s the only option on the M2 and P3, and the only way to use xTool’s cameras on any machine. Pay for LightBurn when you need one program across machines, more control over cuts and text, or a workflow that isn’t tied to one brand, and in that case buy hardware with established LightBurn support. Prices for machines change often, so check today’s price, but the $99 or $199 LightBurn license is a one-time cost.

Laser Engraving Business Startup Cost: Three Real Budgets

Fri, 30 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

“How much does a laser business cost to start?” usually gets answered with a machine price. The machine is the biggest line, but it isn’t the budget. You also need somewhere for the smoke to go, fire gear, a proper bed, blanks to practice on and sell, and sometimes software. Below are three complete, itemized budgets built from the actual Amazon prices in our machine and accessory data, checked October 29, 2026. Prices move constantly, so treat these as a template and check today’s price on every line.

None of these numbers includes business registration, insurance, sales tax setup or a website. Those vary too much by location to list; ask your local small-business office.

Budget 1: Home starter, about $880

An enclosed Class 1 diode with a rotary, for tumblers, coasters, wood signs and leather patches. No goggles needed with the lid shut.

Item	Price
Creality Falcon A1 + Rotary Roller Pro bundle	$559
Creality honeycomb bed for A1 / A1 Pro	$69
4-inch aluminum duct, 25 ft (vent out a window)	$19
Fire blanket 2-pack	$40
Amerex 2.5 lb ABC extinguisher	$63
Starter blanks: basswood $25, slate coasters $41, coated tumblers $63	$129
Software: Creality Falcon Design Space	$0
Total	about $879

Why this machine: the Falcon A1 gives a 381 × 305 mm bed, a placement camera and LightBurn support, and the rotary bundle cost only about $10 more than the bare machine on October 29. The limits are USB-only connection, manual focus and 10 W, which suits engraving and thin cuts rather than thick stock. If you’d rather have cameras, autofocus and Wi-Fi, an xTool M2 10W at about $499 is the alternative, but you’d add a rotary separately.

Add an inline fan (about $90) if smoke lingers with the stock exhaust.

Budget 2: Serious side business, about $1,640

Twenty watts for regular cutting, Wi-Fi and a touchscreen so jobs run without a tethered laptop, and LightBurn for serial numbers and batch text.

Item	Price
Falcon A1 Pro + Rotary Roller kit	$1,012
Creality honeycomb bed	$69
Duct $19 + AC Infinity Cloudline S4 4-inch fan $90	$109
Fire blanket $40 + extinguisher $63	$103
Blanks: 2× basswood $50, slate $41, 2× tumblers $126, anodized cards $21, leatherette patches $14	$252
LightBurn Core license (optional; Falcon Design Space is free)	$99
Total	about $1,644

On October 29 the Falcon A1 Pro rotary bundle cost less than the bare machine ($1,099). It stays Class 1, adds autofocus and a touchscreen, and offers a 2 W IR head for bare-metal marking; the A1 Pro + IR bundle was about $1,151, though you’d then buy the rotary separately. Remember that blue-diode eyewear doesn’t cover IR.

If thick cutting is the business, the xTool S1 40W (about $1,819, sold as a “Rotary Bundle” on Amazon; confirm contents) is the Class 1 step up, with LightBurn support but air assist and the riser sold separately.

Budget 3: Small shop, about $6,150

A CO2 cutter for clear acrylic signs, thick wood and glass, plus a portable dual laser for bare-metal tags, jewelry and market events.

Item	Price
xTool P2S Versatile Bundle (machine + RA3 rotary, riser, conveyor)	$3,948
xTool P2 Honeycomb Working Panel 2.0	$139
Duct + inline fan for the P2S	$109
Fire blanket + extinguisher	$103
xTool F2 (15 W diode + 5 W IR galvo)	$1,219
xTool Desktop Smoke Purifier for the F2 at shows	$249
Eyewear for the Class 4 F2: 445 nm $28 + 1064 nm $39 (or one pair rated for both)	$67
Blanks: clear acrylic $46, 2× basswood $50, 2× tumblers $126, slate $41, 2× anodized cards $42, patches $14	$319
Software: xTool Studio	$0
Total	about $6,153

The P2S is our top-rated all-rounder and cuts what no diode can, but it’s a 99 lb, Class 4 machine that needs outdoor venting or the SafetyPro AP2 (about $919 instead of the $109 duct and fan). The F2 handles bare stainless, gold and silver marking at galvo speed. Drop it and the eyewear and purifier lines, and a CO2-only shop comes to about $4,620.

Ongoing costs to plan for

Blanks and packaging. Your biggest variable cost. Tumblers in the pack above work out to about $3.94 each.
Marketplace fees. On Etsy: $0.20 per listing (charged again when an item sells and auto-renews), a 6.5% transaction fee on the order total including shipping you charge, and 3% + $0.25 payment processing for US sellers. On a $30 sale with free shipping that’s about $3.30, or 11%. Etsy’s Offsite Ads fee (15%, or 12% for larger shops) applies only to orders from those ads.
Filters. Only if you use a purifier. By xTool’s prices and rated lifespans, AP2 filters cost about $0.70 per hour of laser time; a full set is $180. Our ventilation guide has the breakdown.
Wear items. CO2 tubes fade: xTool quotes about 95% power at 1,000 hours and about 70% at 6,000–8,000 hours for the P2S. Lenses and air-assist filters also need replacing eventually.
Software updates. LightBurn keeps working after the first year; another year of updates is $40 if you want it.
Warranty. Most machines in our data carry one year. xTool sells paid xToolCare extensions for the M2.

Worked example: will it pay for itself?

Here’s Budget 1 run through our profit calculator. The product is a personalized 20 oz powder-coated tumbler sold on Etsy. The time and price figures are illustrative assumptions, not measurements:

Input	Value	Why
Laser + extras	$879	Budget 1 total
Machine cost per hour	$1.50	Calculator default; venting outdoors, so no filters
Selling price	$30	Assumed, free shipping built in
Material & blank	$4	$63 ÷ 16 tumblers
Laser minutes	10	Assumed
Your hands-on minutes	8	Assumed: load, align, pack
Packaging & shipping you pay	$6	Assumed
Fees	11%	Etsy fees above ÷ $30
Your time	$20/hr	Calculator default
Items per month	30	Assumed

The math: machine time costs 10 ÷ 60 × $1.50 = $0.25, and fees 11% × $30 = $3.30. Cost per item is $4 + $6 + $0.25 + $3.30 = $13.55, leaving $16.45 before your time, a 55% margin. Eight minutes at $20 an hour is $2.67, so true profit is about $13.78 per tumbler.

At 30 a month that’s about $494 before paying yourself (about $414 after), with the laser running 5 hours a month. The $879 setup pays back in about 1.8 months.

Now stress it. At 10 sales a month, payback stretches to about 5.3 months. The same product on Budget 2’s $1,644 setup takes about 3.3 months at 30 a month. Budget 3 at $6,153 needs about 12.5 months at that volume, which is why a shop setup only makes sense once you have orders for acrylic signs, metal tags or wholesale runs that the cheaper machines can’t do. A laser running 5 hours a month is mostly idle; the constraint is demand, not capacity.

These are illustrations, not forecasts. Taxes, returns, unsold stock, photography and marketing aren’t included.

How to spend less without cutting corners

Start with Budget 1 and a few products. Test demand before buying power you might not use.
Vent outdoors if you can. It’s $109 versus $249–$919 plus filters.
Buy bundles when they undercut the parts. On October 29 the Falcon rotary bundles were the clearest example; see accessories worth buying.
Don’t skip safety to save money. A fire blanket and extinguisher together cost about $103, less than one ruined batch of tumblers.

Bottom line

Plan on about $880 for a safe, complete starter setup, about $1,640 for a stronger side-business rig, and about $6,150 for a two-machine small shop, at October 2026 prices. Then put your own product, price and realistic monthly volume into the profit calculator, and compare machines in our small-business guide. The machine is rarely what decides whether a laser business works; selling enough of something people want is.

Laser Engraver Black Friday Deals: How to Spot a Real Discount

Fri, 30 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Black Friday is when a lot of people finally buy the laser they’ve been researching. It can be a good time to buy, but laser listings make it hard to tell a real discount from a relabeled one: big strike-through prices, constantly changing bundles and several near-identical listings per model. This guide doesn’t list 2026 deals, because we can’t know them in advance. It explains how to judge a deal on the day, using the prices we recorded on October 29, 2026 as a baseline.

How laser prices behave

A few patterns from our own price data are worth knowing before the sales start.

Street prices already sit well below list. On October 29, 2026, before any holiday event:

Machine	Amazon price	Listed “List Price”	Earlier reference
xTool P2S	about $2,919	$4,499	$4,199 at launch (The Gadgeteer, Jan 2025)
xTool F1 Ultra	about $2,499	$2,919	$3,699 when Make: tested it
xTool F2	about $1,219	$1,699
xTool M2 10W	about $499	$699	$599 at Tom’s Hardware’s review
Longer Ray5 40W	about $648	$799.99
xTool F2 Ultra (dual)	about $5,099	$6,499

So a “35% off” badge on Black Friday may be measured against a list price few people pay. That doesn’t make it a bad price, but it does mean the badge tells you little.

Bundles move independently. On October 29 the Falcon A1 Pro + Rotary Roller kit (about $1,012) cost less than the bare A1 Pro (about $1,099), and the LaserPecker LP5 + Enclosure (about $2,836) undercut the bare LP5 (about $2,899). During sales, check every bundle of the model you want. The best deal is often not the headline listing.

Maker stores and Amazon differ. Creality’s own store had the A1 Pro on sale at $879 the same day Amazon showed $1,099, and Glowforge sold the Aura alone for $999 while Amazon’s only offer was a filter bundle from a third-party seller. Compare both, including shipping, returns and warranty.

How to read Amazon’s prices

Amazon explains its strike-through prices on its help pages:

List Price is the manufacturer’s suggested price. Amazon says it shows one only if customers bought the product, or other retailers offered it, at or above that price in the past 90 days (180 for seasonal products). It “may not necessarily reflect the prevailing market price.”
Typical Price is the 90-day median price customers paid on Amazon, excluding limited-time promotions. This is the more useful reference.
“Lowest Price in XX Days” means the current price is at or below the lowest featured offer in that window.

When a laser shows a Typical Price, compare the deal against that. A third-party price tracker can show longer history if you want it.

Your checklist on the day

Confirm the exact model and power. Makers sell several wattages under one listing. Our data notes the Ray5 groups configurations by work area, with the 40 W as the “385x385mm” option, and Creality titles the 10 W Falcon A1 as “80W”. Check optical output in the spec table, not the title. See wattage explained.
Confirm the bundle contents. The xTool S1’s only Amazon listing is titled “Rotary Bundle”; confirm the RA2 Pro is actually in the box. Price the extras you’d buy anyway (rotary, purifier, honeycomb) and compare bundle math. Our accessories guide has typical prices.
Check the seller. On October 29 the Glowforge Aura’s Amazon offer came from a third-party seller with 2 in stock. Glowforge also went through an Assignment for the Benefit of Creditors in late 2025 before its co-founders bought back the assets, and the Aura needs Glowforge’s cloud software to run. Check who’s selling and what warranty applies.
Check whether it’s outgoing. ComMarker’s store labels the B4 “Clearance” next to the newer B6, and xTool’s Canadian store listed the S1 under clearance. A clearance price can be good value, but confirm warranty and parts support.
Check the return window. A 99 lb CO2 or a 231 lb P3 is a big item to send back. Know the terms before you buy.
Budget the extras. Ventilation, fire gear and eyewear for Class 4 machines are part of the purchase. See the ventilation and safety guides.

Which of our picks to watch

If you’ve already narrowed your choice, these are the listings worth tracking. Prices are October 29, 2026 figures, so check today’s price.

xTool P2S, our best overall, at about $2,919. Also watch the Versatile Bundle (about $3,948 with rotary, riser and conveyor) if you’d use all three.
xTool M2 10W, our pick for beginners, at about $499. Compare it against the 20W (about $899) and 40W Deluxe (about $1,529) listings; a deal on a higher-power head can be worth more than a small cut on the 10 W.
Creality Falcon A1 Pro, our best-value enclosed pick, at about $1,099. Compare the rotary and IR bundles and Creality’s own store.
xTool F2, our best portable, at about $1,219, plus its purifier and Deluxe bundles.
Creality Falcon A1C for a budget Class 1 machine at about $379–$399; note the tiny 150 × 150 mm bed.

If you’re still deciding what to buy, start with how to choose a laser engraver or the laser matcher, then come back with a short list. A deal on the wrong laser type isn’t a deal.

Bottom line

Decide what you need before the sales, note today’s price on the exact listings you’d buy, and on the day judge discounts against the Typical Price or your own notes, not the list price. Compare every bundle, check the seller and box contents, and confirm the return terms. And verify the price on the day: we can’t promise any particular 2026 deal will appear.