xTool Laser Engravers

Diode lasers like the D1 Pro handle wood, leather, paper, and dark acrylic at a lower entry price, CO2 machines like the P2 add speed and depth for cutting acrylic, wood, and glass, and fiber lasers like the F1 Ultra are the only type that can mark bare metal such as steel, brass, and aluminum. Metal marking is the one job only a fiber laser can do, regardless of how powerful a diode or CO2 unit is. Choosing between the three ultimately comes down to which material you'll work with most, since a diode won't mark metal and a fiber laser isn't built to cut thick wood or acrylic, no matter how much you spend.

The xTool S1 is the enclosed diode option most beginners should buy if budget allows, with a built-in enclosure and exhaust that removes the biggest safety hassle of open-frame machines, and its 40W version cuts 10mm acrylic and 8mm plywood in a single pass. A built-in enclosure and exhaust matter more for a first machine than raw wattage, since it removes the guesswork around ventilation and eye protection. Budget-conscious beginners can still start with an open-frame diode machine instead, but that shifts the cost of safety glasses and ventilation onto the buyer.

No, diode and CO2 lasers can't mark or cut bare metal because the wavelength isn't absorbed well by reflective metal surfaces; only a fiber laser like the xTool F1 Ultra handles steel, brass, and aluminum directly. Buyers who need metal marking should skip diode and CO2 machines entirely rather than trying to force the material through them, since even repeated passes at max power typically just scorch a coating instead of engraving the metal. A metal marking spray can approximate the look on a diode machine, but it isn't a true substitute for fiber.

The 40W xTool S1 cuts up to 10mm acrylic and 8mm plywood in a single pass, output that's typically associated with CO2 machines rather than diode lasers. Getting CO2-level cutting depth from a diode machine is what sets the S1 apart from cheaper open-frame diode engravers, which usually need several passes to clear the same thickness. Thicker material, like 3/4-inch hardwood, still benefits from a dedicated CO2 machine's higher power ceiling.

xTool backs its machines with a dedicated buyer's guide, comparison charts, and support documentation, and independent reviewers have tested and ranked its models among the top performers in 2026 buying guides. Being one of the most widely tested and reviewed brands in the category gives buyers more independent data points to compare against than smaller, newer brands. That track record also means replacement parts and firmware updates are easier to find years after purchase.