xTool F1 Ultra Review: Is It the Best Fiber Laser Engraver for Small Business?
Last updated June 2026
Who the xTool F1 Ultra Is Built For
The xTool F1 Ultra is aimed at a specific type of small business owner: someone who works across multiple materials and currently either owns multiple machines or avoids certain jobs because their single engraver can't handle them. Jewellers who want to engrave metal and wood in the same session. Custom gift makers who personalise everything from keychains to cutting boards. Product sellers who want to add metal business cards or dog tags to their catalogue without buying a dedicated metal engraver.
The dual-laser design is the entire value proposition: instead of choosing between a fiber laser for metals and a diode laser for non-metals, the F1 Ultra runs both, automatically switching between them depending on the job.
Before this review, it's worth clarifying what the F1 Ultra is and what it isn't. It's an engraver — a galvo-mirror laser engraving and cutting machine — not a welder. It doesn't join metal; it marks, engraves, and cuts thin stock. For the questions around whether a fiber laser system makes sense for your specific application, see our MOPA vs standard fiber laser guide for the technology context.
Watch this real-world xTool F1 Ultra review and test:
What's in the Box and First Impressions
The F1 Ultra ships with: the machine itself, a touchscreen controller, power adapter and cable, two safety lock keys (the machine won't fire without both keys inserted), exhaust pipe, slatted panel, L-shaped positioning piece, a material sample pack, user manual, and lint-free cleaning cloth.
The machine footprint is 10.75" × 14.69" × 19.37" (approximately A3 paper size footprint, tall enough to be noticeable on a desk but not imposing). The fully enclosed acrylic lid is required for operation — it provides eye protection from both the 455nm diode (visible blue light) and the 1064nm fiber IR laser.
Build quality matches what xTool has established across their product line: solid aluminium construction, well-fitted panels, quality cable management. The machine feels like a professional instrument rather than a prosumer gadget.
Key Specs: What They Mean in Practice
Dual 20W Fiber + Diode Laser
The F1 Ultra is billed as the world's first 20W fiber and 20W diode dual laser desktop engraver — a marketing claim that appears accurate as of its 2024 launch. Both lasers are at the high end of what desktop-class fiber and diode machines achieve.
20W fiber laser (1064nm infrared): A genuine fiber laser, not a diode at a different wavelength. The 1064nm wavelength is standard for metal engraving and marking — it's absorbed by metals where visible wavelength lasers reflect. At 20W, this is 10× the power of the smaller F1's infrared laser.
20W diode laser (455nm blue): At the top end of desktop diode laser power. Blue diode lasers at 455nm are effective on wood, leather, acrylic, and most non-metal materials.
Automatic switching: The machine automatically selects the appropriate laser for the material rather than requiring manual mode switching.
For the comparison between MOPA fiber and standard fiber laser technology, see our MOPA vs standard fiber laser guide.
Working Area and Conveyor System
The standard working area is 220×220mm (8.66" × 8.66") — described by xTool as the largest working area among desktop galvo laser engravers. With the optional conveyor extension, effective processing length extends to approximately 500mm × 220mm. The Auto Streamline™ production feature allows the machine to automatically orient designs to fit a material and queue batch jobs.
Camera, Autofocus and Software
The F1 Ultra includes a 16MP camera system for preview alignment. Autofocus maintains focus across 3D curved surfaces — an important capability for engraving tumblers, rounded metal surfaces, and irregular objects. The software is xTool's XCS (xTool Creative Space), with LightBurn compatibility also available.
Real-World Performance Testing
Metal Engraving: Stainless Steel, Aluminum, Brass
The fiber laser at 20W performs genuine metal marking and engraving — deep, permanent marks on stainless steel, aluminum, gold, silver, iron, platinum, and brass. The machine is capable of deep engraving, 3D embossing effects on metal, colour engraving on stainless steel, and cutting thin metal (0.4mm brass, 0.3mm stainless steel, 0.2mm aluminium).
The speed at which these results are produced is the machine's genuine selling point. A metal business card engraves in approximately 5 seconds. For small businesses selling personalised metal items in quantity, this speed at desktop scale is commercially significant.
Diode Laser: Wood, Leather, Acrylic
The 20W 455nm diode laser handles wood, acrylic, leather, paper, glass, ceramic, slate, and similar non-metallic materials. Benchmarks from testing: leather patch (logo engraving) approximately 6 seconds; paper card approximately 1 second; acrylic cutting 12mm max; wood cutting 15mm max.
The 20W diode also handles laser rust removal at low power settings — tested at 20% power, 600mm/s, removing thick rust in two passes without surface damage.
Speed and Batch Production
10,000 mm/s maximum engraving speed is meaningful in practice — 2.5× faster than the smaller F1 (4,000 mm/s). At this speed, the machine's production economics change. The Auto Streamline™ system queues multiple items, adjusts for material positioning via the camera, and runs batches with minimal operator intervention.
Where the F1 Ultra Excels
Dual-material businesses. Any business that works across both metals and non-metals in the same workflow. If you're selling custom wooden coasters AND personalised steel keychains, the F1 Ultra handles both without reconfiguration.
High-speed batch production. At 10,000 mm/s with Auto Streamline™, the throughput is commercially relevant for craft fair sellers, Etsy businesses, and corporate personalisation services.
Jewellery and small metal work. Deep metal engraving, embossing, and colour engraving at desktop scale.
3D curved surface engraving. Tumblers, bottles, rounded handles, and non-flat surfaces that require focus-following technology.
Compact footprint for client-facing studios. The enclosed design and professional build quality suit studios where clients visit.
Where It Falls Short
Not a welder. The fiber laser at 20W cannot weld metal. It marks, engraves, and cuts thin stock only.
Thin metal cutting only. Maximum 0.3–0.4mm metal cutting thickness. For fabricators who need to cut metal components, a different machine is required.
Working area is fixed at 220×220mm without the conveyor. Very large single-piece work can't fit without tiling.
Premium pricing. For businesses whose work is exclusively wood and non-metals, a 20W diode-only machine at lower cost would cover the application.
Who Should Buy the xTool F1 Ultra?
Small businesses working across metal and non-metal. If your product line includes both metal personalisation and non-metal engraving/cutting, the F1 Ultra's dual-laser design eliminates the need for two separate machines.
Jewellers and personal accessory businesses. Metal engraving at production speed, embossing capability, colour engraving on steel.
High-volume production at desktop scale. The 10,000 mm/s speed and Auto Streamline™ batch system suit sellers doing consistent product lines in volume.
Studios with limited space. The enclosed desktop footprint and professional appearance make it appropriate for client-visible or shared studio spaces.
You can get the F1 Ultra directly: Buy the xTool F1 Ultra at The Maker's Chest.
Who Should Look Elsewhere?
Businesses working exclusively with wood, acrylic, and leather. A 20W diode-only desktop laser covers this material set at lower cost.
Fabricators who need to cut metal above 0.5mm. The F1 Ultra's 0.3–0.4mm metal cutting limit rules it out for production metal cutting.
Buyers looking for a portable event laser. The smaller F1 (2W infrared + 10W diode, 4,000 mm/s) is the portable craft fair alternative.
Professional metal engravers at high volume. At 20W the fiber laser sits below the 50–100W+ fiber sources used in production metal engraving shops. See our how to laser engrave metal guide for what parameters matter at higher volume.
Final Verdict
The xTool F1 Ultra is a genuinely impressive desktop laser for what it's specifically designed to do: high-speed engraving and cutting across metal and non-metal materials in a compact, enclosed, production-ready platform. The dual 20W laser combination is the first of its kind at the desktop scale, and the 10,000 mm/s speed is commercially relevant for batch production.
For small businesses that work across materials and need production speed at desktop scale, it's among the most capable machines in its class. The main question before buying: do you actually need both the fiber and the diode laser regularly? If yes, the F1 Ultra is difficult to beat at this price tier.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the xTool F1 Ultra?
The xTool F1 Ultra is a desktop dual-laser engraver and cutter combining a 20W fiber laser (1064nm infrared) and a 20W diode laser (455nm blue) in one enclosed unit. It engraves and cuts metals (stainless steel, aluminium, brass, gold, silver, iron, platinum), wood, acrylic, leather, glass, ceramic, slate, and plastics — automatically switching between the two laser sources based on the material. It runs at up to 10,000 mm/s using galvo mirror scanning, with a 220×220mm work area expandable to approximately 500×220mm with the conveyor extension.
Can the xTool F1 Ultra engrave metal?
Yes — the 20W fiber laser (1064nm) is specifically designed for metal engraving and marking. It engraves stainless steel, aluminium, brass, copper, gold, silver, iron, and platinum with high clarity and depth. It also produces colour engraving on stainless steel via laser oxidation. For cutting, it handles 0.3mm stainless steel, 0.4mm brass, and 0.2mm aluminium sheet.
How fast is the xTool F1 Ultra?
The F1 Ultra engraves at up to 10,000 mm/s maximum speed using galvo mirror scanning — 2.5× faster than the smaller F1 (4,000 mm/s). At production settings, a leather patch takes approximately 6 seconds, a metal business card approximately 5 seconds, and a paper card approximately 1 second.
What is the difference between the xTool F1 and F1 Ultra?
The xTool F1 is the smaller, portable version: 2W infrared laser + 10W diode laser, 4,000 mm/s maximum speed, more compact form for portability. The F1 Ultra is the larger, higher-power production machine: 20W fiber laser + 20W diode laser, 10,000 mm/s, 220×220mm work area (the largest desktop galvo area), and conveyor extension capability. The F1 Ultra is significantly more capable for production and metal work; the F1 is more portable and lower cost.
Is the xTool F1 Ultra worth the price for small business?
For businesses working across both metal and non-metal materials: yes. The dual 20W laser combination eliminates the need for two separate machines, and the 10,000 mm/s speed with Auto Streamline™ provides commercially relevant throughput for batch orders. For businesses working exclusively with wood, acrylic, or leather: a 20W diode-only machine at lower cost covers the application.
Browse Fiber Laser Engravers at The Maker's Chest
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Not sure which machine fits your workflow? Contact our team — we help customers choose the right laser every week.
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