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       Laser engravers give you a new way to express your creative spirit. Some of them can even make you money. Brands like xTool and Glowforge are paving the way for a brighter, more creative future.
       CNET staff, not advertisers, partners, or commercial interests, decide how we review products and services. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission.
       Diodes have difficulty cutting transparent materials, and CO2 also has difficulty cutting metals. Please choose the appropriate diode according to the material you want to cut.
       Laser cutting creates fumes and dust, so good ventilation is essential. If your home doesn’t have any nearby windows, consider installing a powerful air purification system.
       Lately, it seems like more people are exploring their creativity, and there’s a never-ending stream of new products to satisfy that desire. Devices like 3D printers, vinyl cutters, and laser cutters are now affordable enough to fit almost any budget, allowing people to bring their creations to life in new and exciting ways. If you have the right materials and equipment, you can even make money on platforms like Etsy, TikTok, and Shopify. Over the years, I’ve used laser cutters to create everything from small dog tags to leather hat patches. Every laser engraver I’ve used has its pros and cons, so my CNET colleague Russell Holley and I developed testing criteria to rank the best laser cutters.
       The xTool P2 is our top pick for the best laser cutter. It’s not the cheapest laser cutter on the market, but with an incredible set of accessories, great software, and a cut size and speed that’s hard to ignore, it’s almost a Glowforge Pro replacement, but it wins. It’s big, so make sure you have enough space in your studio for it. If you’re looking for a small laser cutter for crafts, the Glowforge Aura is perfect for smaller projects.
       You may notice that there are no open laser engravers on this list. After testing several of them, I found them to be too dangerous for the average hobbyist. They may be fine for commercial purposes, but using an open laser in a garage is too dangerous and not recommended. An enclosed laser beam is much less likely to ignite materials.
       I’ve added the Algolaser Pixi to our list of the best laser engravers and increased the detail on each of my picks to give you more information about which products I think are the best and why they deserve the top spot.
       The xTool P2 is a full-featured laser cutting tool for the home or small studio that delivers fast, powerful laser cutting. With a full set of accessories, the P2 can cut up to 3 meters of material, as well as round glass and glasses, and is capable of cutting or etching any material you want, including glass (etching) and clear acrylic (etching and cutting).
       The software is excellent and can help you design your part to best suit your cutting needs. The camera is powerful and can help you align your material, but be careful when working close to the edge of the camera as the fisheye image will be slightly distorted. This package includes some starter materials and a fire safety system for your peace of mind.
       If you are serious about laser cutting and want to do large projects or high volume production, then the xTool P2 (or new P2S) is the tool for you. It is powerful and easy to use, making it suitable for almost any project.
       If you have a small studio or only need to etch simple materials, you can skip P2. It is intended for large and complex projects.
       The Glowforge Aura is the company’s first consumer laser cutter, aimed at the entry-level market. It’s smaller than other models and has less laser power, but it’s great for smaller projects. We’ve used the Aura to create fine engravings, etchings, and other types of laser cutting with great results.
       The Aura is a good choice for those who are skilled at cutting materials that the Cricut can’t handle, like thick leather or 3mm wood. While it’s slower, it can cut a variety of materials and can engrave almost anything.
       The Aura’s cutting area is quite small. While it can do through-the-hole laser engraving, it’s still only 12 inches wide. If you want to do larger projects, you might want to try the xTool P2 or the larger Glowforge.
       I’m always on the lookout for a small, portable laser. The ability to customize products for people at a convention, Renaissance fair, or farmers market can give you an edge over the competition. The Pixi is lightweight, easy to use with the companion app — at least for smaller jobs — and works great with Lightburn. It may not be the fastest laser out there, but it works great on everything I’ve tried it on, including colored acrylic, leather, faux leather, wood, and even stainless steel.
       Not only is it great to take to trade shows and conferences, but it’s also a great way to learn about lasers safely. Its housing and exhaust fan make it much safer than other laser engravers in its price range. It’s also a fun product for STEM activities in schools.
       I wouldn’t buy the Pixi if you’re cutting material. In theory, a 5- or 10-watt machine can cut wood or acrylic, but in my tests, it took forever. And since there are no slats in the base, the heat reflected from the cut can burn the bottom of the material. You’re better off choosing a more powerful machine from this list. Update: Algolaser contacted me to explain that the cutting platform is actually upside down. The bottom side is the slotted version, which I like to see on a laser platform. Again, another reason to choose the Pixi.
       Like the original F1, the F1 Ultra has given me a lot of fun during my time using it. There’s something unique about engraving 3D depth maps on coins, slate coasters, or even garden stones that you can’t get with regular lasers. The F1 Ultra is a hybrid laser that features a blue diode for standard cutting and engraving, as well as a fiber laser for 3D engraving. The 3D engraving feature is where the F1 Ultra really shines, as it allows you to create unique products that are hard to find outside of large factories.
       The F1 Ultra is slightly larger than the F1 and has the same accessories as the F1, such as the rotary system and grooved work surface. The best accessory is the conveyor belt, which works with the built-in intelligent software to engrave the same design in batches, so if you need to make more than 100 keychains at a trade show, you can do it quickly and easily.
       The F1 Ultra is a niche laser in a niche market, but it offers a lot of interesting ways to create art. If you already want to engrave with a blue laser but want to try something different, the Ultra is a great choice.
       If you want to cut or etch transparent materials, the F1 Ultra is not for you. You will need a CO2 laser to do this effectively. If you want to etch larger objects, you may also want to consider another laser engraver.
       I haven’t had as much fun with a creation tool as I have with the xTool F1 in a long time. It’s lightweight and easy to take to trade shows, conferences, or farmers markets. With the included accessories, you can easily etch a batch of products as easily as one. The software is also great, making it easy to line up projects or draw new ones from photos.
       I recently took the F1 to a STEM fair for elementary school students, and everyone loved watching it quickly cut the school logo onto metal business cards. While it’s pricey for such a small cutting area, it can easily pay for itself by filling a few orders at a farmers market stand or two. It’s definitely worth the investment.
       The F1 is a really fun machine that seems like it was made for trade shows and farmers markets. It’s also very portable, and if you add a filter and a wheeled carrying case to your kit, you can use it anywhere you have access to electricity. If you need to spend some time creating things for people outside of your studio, the F1 is a great choice.
       As with the F1 Ultra, you cannot cut transparent materials. If you want to cut transparent materials, look for another machine.
       The Beamo is the smallest of Flux’s impressive line of CO2 laser cutters, but don’t let its diminutive size fool you. The 30-watt laser is less powerful than some of the products on this list, but it’s still powerful enough to etch glass, though you’ll likely need an additional diode laser to etch steel. It will, however, cut through wood, leather, and acrylic with ease.
       Beamo also features a convenient touchscreen that allows you to control it from your studio without having to connect to a computer. Flux even offers an app so you can control Beamo directly from your phone.
       If you’re looking for a CO2 laser with pure cutting power but don’t want to spend $4,000, the Beamo might be the machine for you. It’s more hands-on than some more expensive machines like the xTool P2S, but it cuts wood and plastic and does its best job engraving glass.
       CO2 lasers are not for everyone. If you are just engraving on metal or wood, you don’t need a laser this powerful. There are cheaper options for that kind of work.
       The WeCreat is a fun little box that can engrave and cut a variety of materials. It won’t cut thick wood or steel, but it can be a fun project for the family to do. I think it would be great for school use, especially because it comes with an exhaust filter, hood, and air supply system, making it safer for classroom use and preventing little fingers from getting burned. I’ve created a few projects for my kids’ daycare and the teachers have loved them. While the software isn’t as good as xTool or Glowforge, the camera is accurate and does a great job of marking out the placement of materials. It even comes with a test square to try out any material and determine the power level needed. This is something all laser cutters should have.
       WeCreat Vision is perfect for teachers and small businesses. It’s fast, accurate, and fun to use. Kids can have fun creating interesting projects in their STEM classrooms.
       The WeCreat is a diode laser, albeit a very powerful one. It can easily cut 5mm thick wood, but if you want to cut thicker materials or clear acrylic, you should look for something else.
       Glowforge has made it clear from the start that its mission is to make it possible for anyone to use what it calls a “laser printer,” and the Glowforge Pro is a shining example of that. A fisheye camera lets you view the cutting surface via a web app, making it easy to click and drag to engrave or cut what you want. If you purchase the optional filter system, you can use this laser anywhere. Of all the systems in this review, Glowforge’s emphasis on ease of use stands out.
       This ease of use also comes with some limitations that you won’t find anywhere else. Many of the great features of Glowforge Pro are only available with a monthly subscription. Unless you use Glowforge’s Proofgrade, the process of determining the right settings for engraving or cutting becomes very manual. Additionally, the fisheye lens used by Glowforge can sometimes cause accuracy issues when cutting or engraving small, centered surfaces.
       It’s no coincidence that Glowforge is one of the most popular home laser companies. They’re easy to use and have a great community support. If you’re looking for a great laser for your small business, the Glowforge Pro is the one for you.
       Glowforge is a fairly closed system, so if you’re looking for a laser to work with or use a wide range of third-party materials, you might want to stay away from it.
       Testing laser engravers involves both objective and subjective measurements. We spend time measuring speed, accuracy, ease of use, and the overall appearance of the finished product. These tests take over a month in our labs and workshops to ensure that the lasers can withstand normal use.
       Speed ​​is tested using an old-fashioned stopwatch. I designed a simple CNET logo that can be cut on different materials. We record the time it takes to complete the cut. We use 3mm basswood, 3mm black acrylic, and 3.5mm cardboard as test materials to get a good overall look. We then compare the speed with the software to see how accurately it calculates the cutting speed.
       The engraving is a photo of my adorable dog, Indiana Bones. I imported the image into the workspace and used 3mm basswood as the material. Using the standard engraving settings for each machine, I engraved Indiana’s image into the wood. Then, my CNET colleague Russell Holley and I checked the quality of the laser-cut wood image. We looked at the contrast, level of detail, graininess of the engraved surface, and gave a rating for the overall quality.
       I have developed a file with 10mm and 5mm pitch to test the accuracy of the laser cutter with a camera. The file is printed on standard paper and imported into the laser cutting software. We then use the laser cutter’s camera to align the physical mark with the digital mark and set the laser to cut. Once the laser cut is complete, we use a micrometer to measure the offset to see how accurately the camera image of the paper is displayed. This is especially useful for lasers with fisheye lenses.
       It depends on what you want from your laser. If you want to engrave on wood, leather, or anodized aluminum, a diode laser is cheaper and easier to maintain than a CO2 laser. Diode lasers, especially in the lower price ranges, can be more difficult to set up than CO2 lasers and may be slower. If you want fast engraving and a more powerful cutting experience, go with a CO2 laser. If you’re looking for a laser with niche features but powerful enough to engrave metal, try a fiber laser like the F1 Ultra.
       Laser cutters range in price from cheap DIY lasers for $300 to large Glowforge lasers that can cost up to $5,000 or more. I recommend starting your laser cutting journey with a diode laser for around $1,000 or a CO2 laser for around $2,000. However, if you are looking for a compact laser cutter, the Algolaser Pixi is an interesting little laser cutter worth checking out.
       Most lasers, whether CO2 or diode, can cut wood, acrylic, and leather up to 5mm thick. The more powerful the laser, the thicker the cut. Etching is easier and can be done with almost any laser, although metal etching is better with diode lasers, and glass and clear acrylic are better with CO2 lasers. Suitable materials include:
       Fiber lasers are quite unique in that they have difficulty etching some of the materials listed in this article. However, they can engrave metal, stone, and even wood to significant depths, making them ideal for creating 3D effects and deep engravings.
       Anything that produces toxic fumes should be avoided, although if you have a good filtration system, many toxic fumes can be reduced. It is better to melt cleanly than to cut anything that can melt.
       James has been writing about technology for years, but first became obsessed with it in the early ’90s. While his main area of ​​expertise is maker tools—3D printers, vinyl cutters, paper printers, and laser cutters—he also enjoys playing board games and role-playing games.