Best Laser Cutters and Engravers
While the best 3D printers can turn a spool of filament or a vat of resin into a working model, sometimes the best way to build something is by cutting through layers of acrylic, wood or metal to get the shapes you need. Other times, you just need to imprint an image or text on an existing surface. For these use cases, you need a laser cutter / engraver.
Laser cutters, also sometimes called laser engravers, come in all shapes and sizes, allowing you to safely work with a variety of materials from oak to iron-on transfers. You can get one of the best low-power laser cutters for as little as $220. Low wattage lasers are cheaper and perfect for engraving images and cutting thin materials. Higher wattage machines are more expensive, and can cut through thicker material in one pass. To help you choose, we’ve tested several models and listed the best laser cutters below.
Lasers are tested using both the supplied samples as well as popular project blanks, such as basswood sheets and bamboo cutting boards. We complete several test projects to evaluate how the laser performs while engraving text and images, whether it can cut acrylic, or etch something more difficult like stone or metal. Finally, we put the laser to work cutting thicker pine boards to determine if it meets manufacturer’s stated capabilities.
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Quick List
Best CO2 Laser Cutter
This CO2 Laser is a powerhouse machine but is simple enough for a beginner to use and has lots of built-in features great for various print projects or running a small busy.
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2. Creality CR Laser Falcon Engraver
Best Open Frame Laser Cutter
This open-frame diode Laser features a manual focusing system and a powerful exhaust fan. It can easily slice through 5mm thick wood and provides excellent engraving performance.
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Best Portable Laser
Designed with craft vendors in mind, this diode/IR Galvo laser engraver is super portable and can easily customize jewelry or various ornaments. Its compact size also makes it ideal for smaller workspaces.
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Best Budget Laser Cutter
At $219, this low-cost no-frills diode laser is still capable of producing nice dark engraving fast. It comes with safety glasses and a tinted acrylic shield, but no base plate.
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Best Laser Cutter Attachment for a 3D Printer
The SnapMaker artisan is the perfect all-in-one machine that functions as a laser, printer, and CNC combo. Not for the budget-conscious as it will set you back $2,999.
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Best Laser Cutter for Home Business
Selling for $1,097 MSRP, this diode laser printer is a serious machine for serious crafters who are ready to take their hobby into a starter business. Cuts and engraves 10mm pin boards with ease.
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Best Laser Cutters and Engravers You Can Buy
Best CO2 Laser Cutter
If you want to laser all the things, the xTool P2 does nearly everything with speed and accuracy. It can engrave and slice a wide assortment of materials, including 20mm thick Walnut and clear acrylic. It’s fully enclosed with a camera for remote operation, air assist, exhaust fan, and metal grill. The lid locks for extra safety and pushing the release button will automatically stop the laser.
The P2 comes with all the bells and whistles, and is priced accordingly. At $4999 it may not be in the budget for the average hobbyist, but is definitely a good investment for a small business. The only downside of this “desktop” machine is its size. Weighing in at 99 pounds and taking up 39 inches of counter space, this laser cutter practically needs its own workshop.
xTool offers plenty of support for budding entrepreneurs with a website full of advice and a shop stocked with unbranded materials to engrave. Sure, you could source all your own materials, but everything that xTool sells has a preset profile in the laser’s custom software to make engraving and cutting effortless.
Materials: Wood, bamboo, cork, stone, leather, fabric, cardboard and all acrylic.
More: xTool P2 Review
Best Open Frame Laser Cutter
Want to try out laser cutting / engraving without a huge investment? The Creality CR Laser Falcon will get you started for just $299. Produced by a popular 3D printing company, this was the first desk top laser we tested and it impressed us with its simple build and ease of use.
The Laser Falcon is an open frame diode laser with a manual focusing system and a surprisingly powerful exhaust fan with a carbon filter attached to the tool head. The tool head is wrapped with a laser proof acrylic shield and comes with safety glasses. You can purchase an optional enclosure from Creality for $79.
Cable management is pretty basic, but mesh sleeves manage to contain the wiring. No base plate is included with this machine, but if you’re only using it to engrave you can make do with a sheet of fireproof material like cement board from the hardware store. There’s no WiFi, so it is best used tethered to a laptop. You have the option of loading files onto an SD card and operating it with a single button on the machine.
The Laser Falcon we tested is the low power 5 watt model, which is excellent at engraving and can slice through wood up to 5 mm thick.
Materials: Wood, bamboo, cork, stone, leather, fabric, cardboard and most acrylic.
More: Creality CR Laser Falcon Review
Best Portable Laser
If you want to laser on the go, the xTool F1 is a perfect choice. It was made with craft fair vendors in mind and can safely customize small objects on the spot. It has both a diode and IR Galvo laser under the hood, which allows it to engrave pretty much anything from silver bracelets to wooden ornaments. When used with the lid down, the laser is rated as a Class 1, making it safe to operate around customers, kids and pets.
The F1 doesn’t come with safety glasses, so if you plan to laser anything bigger than 4.5 inches you’ll need to find a pair. xTool sells the glasses separately, though they are not offered in a bundle.
The laser is able to display a harmless blue preview image right on the object you’re customizing, which is incredibly helpful for adding engraving to objects you’ve previously cut.
Its compact size is also great for crafters short on space – its tiny footprint takes up no more space than a toaster.
Materials: Wood, bamboo, cork, stone, leather, fabric, metal.
More: xTool F1 Review
Best Budget Laser Cutter
The TTS-55 by Two Tree’s is a no-frills 5 watt diode laser cutter / engraver that’s a good starting point for budget minded buyers. It’s easy to use and produces nice dark engravings in a short amount of time.
The Two Tree’s laser retails at $219, and doesn’t include a base plate. If you plan to mostly use the machine for engraving instead of cutting, you can protect your work surface with a sacrificial sheet of fireproof material – we used a cement board from the hardware store.
It comes with a tinted acrylic shield around the tool head and one pair of safety glasses. Two Tree’s sells an optional enclosure for $129 which will make the laser safer to run while also assisting with smoke removal. They offer a wide variety of upgrade options to customize your set up, such as a honeycomb work surface, frame extensions, air assist and rotary machine.
There is no native software for the TTS-55, however it is compatible with LaserGRBL and LightBurn.
Materials: Wood, bamboo, cork, stone, leather, fabric, cardboard and most acrylic.
More: Two Trees TTS-55 Review
Best Laser Cutter Attachment for a 3D Printer
Laser attachments for 3D printers seems like a no-brainer – after all, you already have a perfectly good motion system, right? But the hassle of unscrewing your normal tool head and reprogramming the main board isn’t always so easy. Plus, laser safe enclosures for 3D printers are hard to find.
Enter Snapmaker Artisan, a 3-in-1 printer, laser and CNC combo that literally has it all. The machine has a handy auto focusing program, plus it uses a camera to guide material placement. Custom software from Luban is included with the machine to operate all three functions.
Switching between printing, lasering and milling is simple with quick release tool heads and snap in place work surfaces. A well vented, laser safe enclosure comes standard with the machine.
The Artisan has two drawbacks – it is very, very large and rather expensive. Priced at $2,999 it is more than an xTool D1 Pro with all the extras. But if you’re interested in lasers, 3D prints and milling – it may be the perfect all in one workshop tool for you.
The Artisan comes standard with a capable 10 watt laser and roomy 400 x 400 build surface. The machine can be upgraded with 20 and 40 watt tool heads that also have air assist.
Materials: Wood, bamboo, cork, stone, leather, fabric, cardboard and most acrylic.
More: Snapmaker Artisan 3-in-1 Review
Best Laser Cutter for Home Business
The xTool D1 Pro is an open frame laser cutter that can cut and engrave with ease. We sliced 10mm pine boards and 3mm pieces of acrylic with its powerful 20 watt diode laser. It was also able to quickly etch slate tiles and painted metal travel mugs.
The D1 Pro is very much a professional tool for makers who take their hobby seriously. It comes with feature rich software custom tuned to your laser and the website is chock-full of helpful tutorials and advice for entrepreneurs. xTool also sells label free goods and raw materials for making just about anything your laser can handle.
One of the advantages of the D1 Pro is its set of sensors: limit switches to prevent the laser from hitting the sides of the frame, a gyroscope to switch the machine off if it’s picked up, or falls, during operation and a flame detector to switch the laser off in case of fire. You also have the option of upgrading the tool head to more powerful wattage or an infrared tool head for etching plastic and metal.
The D1 Pro is not for the budget conscious, especially if you want all the extras. Its speed, quality and power are well worth the $1097 starting price tag for those who use a laser frequently. This is an excellent model for hobbyists looking to start a small business, but not ready for the investment that comes with a C02 laser.
Materials: Wood, bamboo, cork, stone, leather, fabric, cardboard and most acrylic.
More: xTool D1 Review
Shopping Tips for Laser Engravers and Cutters
There are several factors to consider before buying the best desktop laser for you, so be sure to consider these questions before making a choice.
- Add Enclosures for Safety : Any laser that can burn wood can burn your skin and damage your vision just by looking at it. The price of open frame machines is tantalizingly low, but this is because you get what you pay for: a motion system, a laser and little else. If your laser cutter doesn’t come with an enclosure, buy a third-party one; enclosures don’t need to be made by the same manufacturer as the laser equipment.
- Diode, CO2 or Fiber? The three most popular styles of desktop lasers work on different materials to varying degrees. Diode lasers are more affordable, but at the low end are only good at etching organic material. CO2 lasers can slice and dice nearly any organic material and all acrylics, but their price and large size are more suitable for entrepreneurs or hobbyists with a large budget. Fiber lasers are very niche and primarily work on metal.
- How much workspace do you need? If you want to engrave large items, like signs or cutting boards, you’ll need a laser cutter with a suitable work space. Open frame lasers can often be placed on top of large items, while fully enclosed lasers might be more limited. Check to see if an enclosed laser has a pass through door for working on oversized projects.
- What materials are you working with? If you only want to etch wood and cut paper, a low power diode laser will do the trick. If your projects require slicing a lot of wood and acrylic, a higher power diode can provide all the slicing power you need. A CO2 laser not only cuts thicker material faster, it can also slice blue and clear acrylic – materials that are invisible to the blue light of a diode laser.
- What accessories are available? Important safety devices are often sold as extra accessories by manufacturers. This is only about reducing prices, it can also save you money. Some accessories can be shared between tools while others can be purchased from your local hardware store or solved with a little DIY. For example, good ventilation is very important, but you don’t need an expensive air purifier if an open garage door is available. Also, if you’re upgrading to a new laser cutter from an old one, you can often repurpose an enclosure and air assist rather than needing to buy new equipment.
- Is software provided? Budget laser cutters may rely on free or paid 3rd party software. Free programs like LaserGRBL are very basic, while LightBurn is the industry gold standard and costs $60 for a yearly license. Premium laser manufacturers may include custom software, for example both xTool and Glowforge include proprietary software for their machines.
How We Test Laser Cutters
How We Test Laser Cutters
Each laser we review is carefully vetted for safety, performance, and ease of use. Depending on the capabilities of the laser cutter, we will use it to engrave on or cut patterns out of various materials including wood and acrylic.
We always first test the laser using the supplied safety gear, but we reserve the right to move the equipment into a 3rd party enclosure if needed.
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