The best laser cutters and engravers in 2023

The best laser cutters and best laser engravers can be a great investment for crafts whether you want to cut materials like metal, plastic, wood, and glass or just engrave and score your own designs. Nowadays, the devices are a lot more accessible, and hobbyists and small businesses can more easily afford a capable device.

We've reviewed, researched and rated the devices below to help you find the best laser cutter for your needs. We think the best laser cutter overall is the xTool P2, which I found to be fast and versatile, but there are other options that may better suit different needs, including the best laser cutter for a small business. For each device, we've tested its cutting power and precision and ease of use. We've also taken into consideration software compatibility and reviews from customers and other professionals to include a variety of options for different setups and budgets.

You'll also want to consider which of the best digital art software you'd like to use to design your artwork for cutting. Of course, if laser cutters aren't for you, there are plenty of other creative tools to choose from, like the best Cricut machines, the best Cricut alternatives, and the best 3D pens. 

Quick list

We start with a very brief overview of top picks of the best laser cutters. Scroll down further to browse our full selection or click on the links to jump down to read more about any specific option.

Ian Dean

Ian Dean has spent 20 years writing about art, crafts and technology. In recent years, he has been creating crafts using digital craft machines such as Cricut as well as laser cutters and engravers. Below is Ian's pick of the best laser cutters that he has personally tested or been recommended by working professionals.

The best laser cutters in full

The best laser cutter overall

The xTool P2 is the newest laser cutter from a brand that is fast becoming one of the more popular in this space, with a laser engraver and cutting machine for most uses. The headline news is the P2 is a 55 watt CO2 laser cutter, just pipping Glowforge and comparable to the Gweike Could Pro. (Read my xTool P2 explainer for a detailed breakdown of this laser machine.)

Similar to the Glowforge Pro below, it has a metal casing with a glass lid and inbuilt extractor fan. It's designed to be clean and easy to use. The P2 boasts some impressive stats too, its workspace is larger than Glowforge Pro; P2 is 600mm by 308mm, while Glowforge Pro is 495mm by 279 mm. Though, to be clear, Glowforge Pro has a passthrough that works out of the box while P2 requires an add-on, the Automatic Conveyor Feeder to really make use of its expandable size (3,000 x 500 mm).

What could be seen as P2's weakness is actually one of this laser cutter's strengths. xTool has a history of offering interesting add-ons, and the P2 is no different. You can increase the size of the workspace height using a Riser Base. The P2 is speedy too, running at 600 mm/s, it cuts 18mm basswood in one pass with ease.

The xTool P2 is cheaper than the Glowforge Pro (below) but quite comparable overall, despite having a slightly more powerful laser. One thing of note, P2 has a precision of 0.3mm while Glowforge has a macro camera that can reach 0.1mm levels. I have both laser cutters and am currently testing P2, and can say both machines are excellent. With P2 the advantage is it fits into xTool's wider ecosystem of add-ons, ensuring that overall, this laser cutter can do pretty much anything, including rotary engraving (purchased separately).

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The best laser cutter for small studios

Glowforge Pro does for laser cutters what Cricut has done for craft cutters. This is a beautifully designed 'laser printer' that removes the mess and fuss and packages it all in a clean and approachable device, making it easily the best laser cutter around at the moment (for a price). This model is the top Glowforge laser cutter, while the brand has a the medium Plus edition and a slightly less powerful Basic model. 

The Glowforge does the same cutting and engraving as many of the best laser cutters on my list, but its design keeps any mess inside the machine (a filter sucks away any dust and debris into an external air filter). Designs are sent to the machine via a bespoke app, and the Glowforge machines support Windows, Mac and tablet devices.

The Glowforge Pro uses a high-spec Class 4, 45 watt laser which is the most powerful you can get outside of an industrial use. (The Plus and Basic use a 40 watt, Class 1 laser, which is still more powerful than most on this list.) When I tested this for my Glowforge Pro review, I was impressed with the machine's speed, ease of use and an excellent design app. It does, however, ideally need to be used with the Glowforge Air Filter accessory.

It's this ease of use and clean approach to laser cutting and engraving that ensures the Glowforge makes it to No.1 on my list. It looks like a standard printer but can engrave everything from metal to wood and tiles to paper and leather – it's perfectly suited to every task that requires accurate cutting too, from costume creation to model work. This Pro model comes with a 'passthrough' slot for large lengths of material, making it an ideal wood laser cutter – you can even make furniture. The results are always great, making this the best laser cutter for small business overall.

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The best value laser cutter

The Glowforge Pro and xTool P2, above, are both pretty expensive. So if you're looking for a desktop model for personal use rather than using the company account, you want something a bit more affordable yet with power. In which case, this 50W CO2 laser cutter from Gweike offers exceptional value. 

Despite being cheaper than the Glowforge Pro, it offers more power (50W) and the company claims it's three times faster at cutting, achieving speeds of up to 600mm/s on the x axis. However, it lacks the precision of Glowforge Pro (a 55W model is available that offers an autofocus feature).

It comes with cloud-based laser software which links directly with your machine via Wi-Fi. It can also be controlled by Gweike's offline software or Lightburn. This enables you to control a variety of cutting and engraving techniques in one cutting cycle with multiple layers. There's a pre-configured and fully editable material settings library on board, and a built-in 5MP camera for positioning your material precisely.

Along with your laser cutter, you get a material pack, including laser plywood, acrylic and corrugated card, an extractor fan and a tool kit, including lens cleaning cotton swabs, Allen key set and laser alignment targets to assist with routine maintenance. All in all, I think it's a great choice for a home or small workshop, if you need plenty of power. The main downsides for me are that there's no autofocus, and there's a lack of instructions or guidance for how to use it. That means there's quite a steep learning curve, and if you're using it for business then that's going to take the shine off the lower price (after all, time is money). If you can spend the extra time getting used to its ways, though, this is a real bargain.

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The best laser cutter for crafters

The xTool M1 laser cutter is something quite different to the other machines on my list as it features both laser and a blade cutting technology inside its curved, neatly designed box of tricks. No wonder it's a Red Dot Award-winning designl the combination of tools plus a compact design means the xTool M1 really stands out. That makes it the best laser cutter for crafter we've used to date. 

Essentially, the M1 allows you to do what the best Cricut machines can, and make use of a laser to engrave, cut and score. The blade can cut cleaner than some lasers, with no scorching, and means you needn't spend time masking materials ahead of cutting. When I tested it for my xTool M1 review, I found that you need the enclosed metal risers and ideally you'll the Air Filter too (see my guide to the best xTool accessories).

The downside is that the laser in the xTool M1 isn't as powerful as the Glowforge or some of the other xTool machines on my list. It's a 5 or 10 watt diode laser (depending on the model), which is less powerful than the Glowforge CO2 45 watt laser, so a little slower. The plus side is that a diode laser will likely last a little longer and is cheaper to replace if it goes wrong. However, the blade isn't a rotary blade as you'd find in a Cricut Maker 3, but is similar to that found in the best Silhouette machines.

If you don't have a craft machine already, the xTool M1 is a good option as it blends the abilities of a Cricut with those of a decent laser cutter and engraver, and you can extend the height and attach rotary device. You can find out more in my guide to the best xTool machines.

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The fastest portable laser cutter

The xTool F1 is a smart little laser engraver and cutter that can sit on your desk, enabling you to create engraved tags, signs and coasters or gifts with ease. This is xTool's answer to the portable laser machines pioneered by LaserPecker, and as we wait for LaserPecker 4, the xTool F1 is a good choice for beginner engravers.

There are some eye-catching specs, including 0.00199mm accuracy, a 4000 mm/s engraving speed (more than enough for small projects) and its 115 x 115 mm workspace can be upgraded to a 400 x 115 mm with a tray accessory (purchased separately). In comparison to the larger P2, Glowforge Pro and Gweike laser cutters the F1 is small and limited, but it is a great device for beginners (though I would say the xTool M1 is the ideal starter machine).

The big advantage of the F1 for me is how little space it takes up (I have a Glowforge, P2 and M1 and let me say, space is getting tight). The F1 can sit on your desk next to your Mac or PC and it doesn't look out of place. If you're looking to get into laser engraving and want to make small gifts for friends, to be sold on Etsy or tags for your craft products, the F1 is a handy addition to have.

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The best powerful laser cutter

The Glowforge Basic offers the same design and approachable use of the more powerful Glowforge Pro, No.1 on my list, but it has a number of changes to bring the price down, for example, it has a slower cooling system and a 40-watt laser rather than a 45-watt beam.

But don't let the word 'basic' in the name put you off, the Glowforge Basic remains an incredibly powerful and fast laser cutter. Its CO2, 45-watt Class 1 laser is more powerful than the xTool M1, which means it's a little quicker to work with. It also lacks the Pro Passthrough slot of the Glowforge Pro so you're restricted to smaller projects or designing projects around the space.

However, in use, it offers the same fast and clean approach as the higher-spec Glowforge Pro and uses the same app and workflow. So you just need to set up your design, wait for the laser cutter to focus and push the glowing 'print' button. Easy. The advantage of the Basic over the Pro is you won't need the Glowforge Air Filter too, as its slower laser doesn't produce as much smoke and dust. That's roughly a $1,000 / £1,000 saving.

If you want a high-end laser cutter for a little less, the Glowforge Basic is one of the best around at the moment. And Glowforge's ecosystem of laser-primed materials, app and support is welcome.

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The best laser cutter for hobbyists

The xTool D1 Pro Laser Engraver is one of many laser cutters and engravers xTool makes. Coming in either red or grey, this machine makes use of new laser tech that sends four beams through the reflector to combine into one 20W laser. An upshot of this is it oxidises metallic surfaces in an instant meaning you can create over 300 colours from your metal engravings. It does this at a respectable speed of 400 mm/s.

While I prefer the Glowforge at No.1, the xTool D1 Pro is a neat little device made from all-aluminium for a sturdy base. It's an older style design compared to Glowforge, and with an open top things can get dusty. But like Glowforge, the xTool is an approachable laser cutter and engraver that comes with a good app to help your designs and its size, slightly greater than A3, means large designs are doable on this machine. The downside? The 'risers' to heighten the device for larger objects are sold separately.

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The best portable laser cutter

Need a laser cutter you can carry about easily from place to place? The LaserPecker 2 Laser Engraver is a great choice for a home crafter or DIYer. Compact in size (162.5 x 60 x 122mm), weighing just 2.2kg and with a useful handle, it's lovely and portable. This machine can cut wood, paper, acrylic and leather that's 5mm thick or less, and offers a maximum engraving size of 100x2000mm. It's packed with safety features, too, including a protective shield, goggles, over-heating protection, password lock, motion detection, laser indicator and overheat shut down.

I own a LaserPecker 2 and find it handy to create quick tags and small craft projects, but compared to some on this list it's a little underpowered. However, this is a fun laser engraver and a good starting point. It's worth noting LaserPecker 4 launches in July (I'm currently testing one) and it's a huge leap above this model, but it means you will likely get discounts on LaserPecker 2 coming up.

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The best laser cutter for beginners

Highly capable and relatively straightforward to use, the Ten-High Upgraded Version CO2 is a very capable laser cutter for most users – in the US, at least. It can slice through a wide variety of materials, including wood, leather, plywood, acrylic, density board, bamboo, cloth, double colour plate and glass. Note that it won't cut through metal, so if you're aiming to do some metal laser cutting, you'll want to skip down to the Triumph Fiber Laser Cutting Machine, which is specifically designed for that purpose. 

Lining up your materials for cutting is made easier with the Ten-High Upgraded Version CO2 thanks to a clever red light positioning system, and for safety, there's a suspension system that immediately shuts off the laser the moment the doors are opened. With a generous amount of space for your engravings, and a ventilation fan to keep the exhaust smoke moving, the Ten-High Upgraded Version CO2 has been comprehensively equipped. It's also compatible with CorelDRAW, and connection is easily achieved via the USB port.

Want to see the Ten-High Upgraded Version CO2 in action? Check out this video for a quick demo. 

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The best miniature laser cutter

If you're a beginner or hobbyist, you're probably looking for something cheap and lower powered than the laser cutters we've mentioned so far. In which case, let us point you to the AtomStack Portable Mini Laser Engraver. While it's nice and portable, its 5W laser power can cut cardboard, non-woven fabric, veneer, acrylic, some thin plastic board, sponge, MDF and leather, and engrave materials like wood, bamboo, cardboard, plastic, leather, MDF, slate, lacquered metal and stainless steel. 

A great little machine for home projects, this machine comes 85% assembled, which may sound like a strange brag but it's actually very welcome when dealing with laser cutters. Its all-aluminum alloy anodized structure design makes it impressively durable, and I found it could cut and engrave most small items I wanted to use it with, from glasses to leather bags and picture frames. 

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The best laser cutter for versatility

If you're a hobbyist looking for a versatile laser cutter, we'd recommend the OMTech 40W. It works with a wide range of materials, including bamboo, acrylic, fabric, glass, ceramic, delrin, cloth, leather, marble, matte board, melamine, paper, mylar, pressboard, rubber, fibreglass, anodised aluminium, tile, plastic and Corian.

There's a decent-sized 300x200mm surface, with clamps to keep your cutting material in place and a level board to enable you to work with bulkier objects. A red dot pointer indicates the engraving point and path, to help you ensure you get the right position and scale for your object. 

Elsewhere, the pre-installed exhaust fan keeps everything cool, with low noise. And there are four detachable wheels you can use to move this laser cutter around easily. On the downside, while this machine does come with software, it's not really worth bothering with, so we'd recommend downloading K40 Whisperer and Inkscape instead.

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The best simple laser cutter

The Laserpecker Mini Desktop Laser Engraver is a miniature laser cutter you can fit right on your computer desk. It's also portable enough to bring with you should you want to do some creative work away from home. To make this possible it's quite stripped back and limited in its capabilities, but it's still a handy device to have. 

Just connect the engraver to your phone or tablet via Bluetooth and you can transfer your designs to a range of light materials. It's capable of engraving most non-metal materials, including wood, leather, paper, bamboo, plastics, and cloth. A pair of safety goggles are included too. While it's not as robust or as feature-laden as number 3 on our list, this is still a solid entry-level engraver.

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FAQs

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How to choose the best laser cutter

First, you'll need to set yourself a budget. Remember that if you're going to be monetising this skill, then pushing your budget as high as possible makes sense to get the best end product in the fastest time, and with the lowest usage costs. It is vital to consider the cost of replacement parts – you don't want to find yourself unable to keep the machine running. Another thing to consider is speed, especially if your aim is to mass produce a product to sell within a limited time. Accuracy is also important so you may want to focus on that when narrowing down your options.

Size, weight and power usage are further considerations, since you may have a space that simply won't fit one of these beasts, or they may be too power hungry for you to run. That said, if you want speed you may need to use more power for a more powerful cutting laser that gets your final result faster. You will also need to check the cutting plate size to make sure it's big enough to suit whatever it is that you're cutting.

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How we tested the best laser cutters

To choose our picks of the best laser cutters and engravers, we tested and reviewed the products just like you'd use them. That means using the machines to cut, engrave and score a variety of materials over a number of days and testing out all of the capabilities promised by manufacturers to make sure there are no false promises. 

We evaluated the machines for accuracy, speed and support for materials. We also considered ease of use, size and value for money in order to provide options for different needs, including more economical laser cutters and options that can fit on a desk. For more details of our processes, see our guide to how we test and review at Creative Bloq.

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