Looking to add a personal touch to gifts, but don’t know how to go about doing it?
Maybe you want to add personalization to your business?
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Technology has reached a point where everyday individuals can purchase an entry-level laser cutter for an affordable price.
If you’re a business and want to take it to the next level, there are upgrade options as well.
However, if you’re new to the idea of laser cutting and engraving you may not know what to look for.
That’s where we come in.
We have a list of the very best laser cutter and engraving machines on the market today, for all possible price points. So whether you want to spend a few hundred bucks or several thousand, we’re here for you.
These are our favorite laser cutter and engraving machines.
Even if you work in the printing and manufacturing industry, laser cutting and engraving is an entirely different beast. Here you’re often working with everything from hard metals to extremely soft material that might break if not engraved correctly.
With so many new unknowns you may have no real clue what to go with, how much to spend, and what is right for your business.
Regardless of if you want an engraving machine for your personal or professional use, here is what you need to consider.
1. Price
Yes, above everything else, know how much you can pay (and afford). The laser cutters and engraving machines we’re covering here range from just under $200 to nearly $10,000. So as you can see, there is a substantial price difference.
Now, even if you’re looking for professional equipment doesn’t mean you need to drop 10 grand. In fact, you may find the best option for your company’s needs costs just a few hundred. In general, it’s a good idea to at least have a general idea with what you’re comfortable spending.
2. Software Compatibility
With a laser cutter and engraver, you’ll have one of two options. The first is to force all of your work into software that comes specifically with the engraver. The second option is an engraver that will work with your software. This way, if you create something in CAD or an Adobe property you can transfer it over to the engraver.
Typically, the included software is going to cost less but it may reduce your ability to fully realize your creative side, as you’ll be forced to stay within certain fonts and designs.
3. Material Options
What kind of materials do you want to personalize? Some of these laser cutters and engraving machines will only work on softer materials, such as leather or glossy applications you can place on mugs. Others will work with metal. This will play a very big role in what the right engraving machine is for you. If you want to engrave on metal there are very specific machines you need to consider. If you want to print only on leather or software materials there are other options out there.
This is where you need to know exactly what your plans are ahead of time, otherwise, you might end up with a laser cutter and engraving machine that doesn’t do what you need.
4. Connection Options
How does the engraving machine connect to your computer? This may not be as important for some while for others it is extremely important. With most, you’ll find there is a USB connection. However, others might connect via Bluetooth or a 2.4GHz wireless interface. If you don’t mind a wired connection you shouldn’t have a problem. Other times, if you want to free up your workspace, you should consider a device that uses wireless technology.
5. Size
How much space do you have to work with? Do you need something that will fit on your desk, or are you alright with a stand-alone device that is about the size of a desk on its own? As you increase the price point and boost the features you’ll also find many of these devices are substantially larger (and heavier) than what you find on the less expensive side of the spectrum.
The size of the engraving machine isn’t always obvious by the pictures, so make sure to look into the product specs. You don’t need to have UPS at your door, only to find the package is as big as the actual front door. Always know the specs prior to ordering.
Model |
Engraving Area |
Laser Power |
Price |
|
Orion Motor Tech 80W |
20 x 28 in |
80w |
||
BIBO 3D Printer |
8.4 x 7.3 in |
100w |
||
Dremel LC40-01 |
18.4 x 12 in |
40w |
||
Orion Motor Tech 40W |
12 x 8 in |
40w |
||
FoxAlien LE-4040 |
15.7 x 15.7 in |
5w |
There’s no shortage to engraving and cutting options. And with such an expansive price point it’s tricky to pick one over others. After all, you can get some impressive devices at the top of the price point. But not everyone is willing (or able) to drop around $10,000 for a top-of-the-line device.
There’s no shortage of engraving and cutting machines on the market. And with such an expansive price point it’s tricky to pick one over others. After all, you can get some impressive devices at the top of the price point. But not everyone is willing (or able) to drop around $10,000 for a top-of-the-line device.
That’s why we decided to go with the Orion Motor Tech 80W CO2 Laser Engraver Cutter. In terms of cost, it’s near the bottom of the list. It also only really works on wood. However, the wood engraving and cutting with the Orion Motor Tech 80W CO2 Laser Engraver Cutter is truly remarkable. For the price, you can’t beat the definition of the engraving. The fact that it can alter the depth of its cuts is one of the main reasons why it’s our choice.
Some of the other features on the Orion Motor Tech 80W CO2 Laser Engraver Cutter we like include:
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Orion Motor Tech 40W CO2 Laser Engraving Cutting Machine is an excellent workstation and one that directly competes with every other Orion laser cutter on this list. That is because outside of the design, it has some intuitive features for those who want to start laser engraving.
The Orion Motor Tech 40W CO2 Laser Engraver Cutter weighs 50 pounds and a control panel with adjustable knobs. The 4 detachable wheels enable you to move it around easily. The model works with most 3rd party vector graphic software programs, such as CorelLaser & LaserDraw. It also works with printers, scanning machines, and with documents in TIF, BMP, JPG, JPEG, WMF, EMF, and PLT formats. Unfortunately, it isn’t compatible with Mac OS systems.
It has an integrated exhaust fan to improve ventilation performance when working. Once it you turn it on, the red dot guidance will indicate the machine’s path. It has a 12 by 8 inch (300 x 200mm) engraving surface which is enough for all your engraving projects.
With this model, you can engrave or cut wood, bamboo, acrylic, mylar, pressboard, rubber, fabric, glass, ceramic, paper, fiberglass, leather, marble, melamine, anodized Aluminum, tile, cork, and more NON-metal materials.
Some of the features on the Orion Motor Tech 40W CO2 Laser Engraver Cutter to consider include:
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FoxAlien LE-4040 Desktop Laser Engraver is the perfect device for home use. The model is an excellent tool if you need to cut wood, MDF, acrylic, cardboard, vinyl, leather, even pleated and powder-coated metal while on maximum speed (although it won’t cut it as nicely as wood).
It has an engraving area of 15.75 by 15.74 inches (40 x 40 mm), a maximum engraving speed of 3000 mm per second, and an accuracy of 0.1 mm. The cutter supports Windows XP, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10, and Mac OS.
This laser engraver doesn’t have a fan and it won’t extract fumes and smoke, so you need to keep it in a ventilated area when working. You can connect it to your computer via a USB port from where you can manage it. Moreover, it is compatible with any kind of GRBL software LaserGRBL, Candle, or Lightburn.
The strong and precise laser cutter and engraving machine comes with one 5000mW module, power supply, three hex wrench, one USB cable, one U Disk one goggles, a user manual and with a pack of screws. It is extremely lightweight so you can use it on the table in your workshop.
The main components of this machine come pre-assembled, but you’ll need around 10 minutes to assemble the engraver. This one might be on the cheap side but it’s not a laser cutter for beginners since it hasn’t got any safety features and needs a little adjustment before you start engraving.
Features of FoxAlien LE4040 Desktop Laser Engraver
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BIBO 3D Printer and Laser Engraver is a 3D printer that doubles as an engraving machine. So, for those who need to 3D print and engrave different materials, this is your go-to machine. Here, we will focus on the engraving aspect of it. The Bibo can cut through wood, double-color planks, leather, crystal, organic plastic, fabrics but it is also suitable for seal engraving, garments, or toys.
It has a printing/engraving area of 214 x 186 mm (8.4 x 7.3 inches). The engraving cutting precision of 3D Printer and Laser Engraver positioning accuracy is 0.01 mm (0.0004 inches.)
The printing layer resolution is 0.05-0.3mm, which is impressive for such a device. It’s compatible with Windows, Mac, and Linux OS and with STL, OBJ, DAE, AMF, BMP, JPG, JPEG, PNG, and GCODE file formats.
It is one of the cheaper laser cutters and engravers, but it is equipped with a superior laser head and has effective heat dissipation with two cooling fans.
Some of the features of BIBO 3D Printer and Laser Engraver:
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The Ten-HIGH 3020 is the upgraded variation of the previous covered Ten-High engraver. It gives you far more workspace, so if you need to work on a larger scale you can. With this engraver, you can work on a 12 inch by 8-inch surface area.
The Ten-HIGH 3020 is an extremely accurate engraver, with accuracy reaching 0.01mm. Additionally, at top speed, the Ten-HIGH 3020 can engrave at up to 600mm per second.
To help prevent the build-up of vapors given off while engraving plastics and other materials, there are double exhaust fans built into the Ten-HIGH 3020. It also connects to your Windows computer system via a USB interface.
As is the case with the other Ten-HIGH release, the Ten-HIGH 3020 is compatible with CorelDraw (not included), yet can only be used on a Windows computer.
Some features on the Ten-HIGH 3020 to consider include:
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The previous Bobs laser cutters are designed almost specifically for wood cutting. If you’re not looking for a wood cutter and want something capable of engraving an assortment of other materials the TEN-HIGH CO2 Engrave Machine is one option to consider.
It does work with a wide number of materials, including wood, leather, glass, cloth, bamboo, paper, and just about everything short of metal.
With the purchase of the TEN-HIGH CO2 Engrave Machine, you do receiver a specially designed software called LaserDraw. It is also compatible with CorelDraw, although CorelDraw is not included with the product.
The TEN-HIGH CO2 Engrave Machine software is compatible with all Windows operating systems, although it will not work with macOS computers.
The TEN-HIGH CO2 Engrave Machine will connect to a computer via a USB interface. It is not wireless, so you will need to have a nearby system.
Some of the features on the TEN-HIGH CO2 Engrave Machine to consider include:
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VEVOR Laser Engraver 50W CO2 Laser Cutter is the laser cutter and engraver on the higher price tag, but the powerful performance entirely justifies it. Although it isn’t suitable to cut and engrave metals, this machine is perfect for suitable wood, textile, industrial architectural modeling, specialty advertising, plastics, rubber stamps, picture framing and so on.
It is powered by 50W and has a working area of 20 by 12 inches (304 mm x 508 mm) with a maximum engraving speed of 15.7 inch per second and cutting speed of 23.6 inches per second. This laser engraving machine has a sealed laser tube, with a lifetime of up to 2000-4000 hours, and a 50W laser head.
VEVOR Laser Engraver can remove heat and combustible gases with the ventilation tube, ventilation fan and a blowing nozzle, as well as the water-cooling system. That way it saves your product from burning during engraving working. Its resolution is up to 4500 dpi.
The formats that are is supported on this machine are the ones that work in CorelDraw, Photoshop, and AutoCAD. It’s compatible with Windows and MacOS if you use LightBurn software, which isn’t included in the package. The Vevor measures 40.15 x 25.5 x 24.8 inches and it weighs 165 pounds.
The intuitive control panel with an LCD display enables you to easily adjust the laser. Vevor 50W is a little stronger than the one we mentioned earlier, and it will suit all your company’s cutting and engraving needs.
Here are the features you would like to see in an efficient laser cutter and engraver:
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In case you’re not really into the big and bulky laser engraving machines, or if you simply don’t have the space in your workshop for it, then the beamo 30W Desktop Laser Cutter & Engraver would be your best bet.
This little laser cutter and engraver weighs less than 50 pounds and works via your smartphone with the native Smart Trace software. The software can read JPG, PNG, SVG, and DXF file formats. You can work with either Adobe Illustrator, Autocad, Inkscape, CorelDraw, Silhouette Studio or even Microsoft Word or Powerpoint to get the design you need for engraving and cutting.
The Beamo has 0.05mm layer spacing, like some bulkier laser engravers. But the feature that will amaze you is the 1000-dpi resolution. While working, the ventilation fan prevents the smoke and fume exhaustion, so you’re safe there.
The model shapes, cuts, and engraves on wood, acrylic, fabric, leather, cardboard, stainless steel, cement, anodized metal, glass, and much more. The hybrid laser module (purchased separately) enables you to even cut metal. The working area of 11.81 by 7.68 inches (300mm x 210mm) is not suitable for big projects, but it is enough if your products have smaller dimensions.
Some of the beamo 30W Desktop Laser Cutter & Engraver include:
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When looking at Orion Motor Tech 80W CO2 Laser Engraver Cutter, you’d think you were looking at a combination toolbox and generator. The red and black design does give it this kind of a look. However, it is a strong engraving machine that can work with several materials.
Beyond what the other engraving machines can function on, the 80W Laser Engraving Machine is also able to engrave into the tile, marble, mylar, ceramics, plus the previously mentioned materials like plastic, vinyl, rubber, leather, and other non-metal materials, except for coated metal.
One of the main benefits of the Orion Motor Tech 80W Laser Engraving Machine is its large work area. In fact, up until this point, it has the largest work area available of 20 inches by 28 inches. The engraving speed is up to 500 mm per second, and the cutting speed is up to 80 mm per second.
Like other brands, the Orion Motor Tech 80W Laser Engraving Machine is compatible with different software, including LightBurn, Adobe Illustrator, AutoCAD and CorelDRAW. It comes with the native RDWorks/Corellaser software to use with the PC. However, you can also upload directly from a USB stick or a hard drive.
When working with materials that produce toxins and vapors when engraved in, you’ll want a continual movement of air. With the Orion Motor Tech 80W Laser Engraving Machine, there is a built-in air compressor that directs a continuous stream of air to remove all heat and combustible gases. This is an added safety feature that’s extremely beneficial to keep you away from dangerous fumes.
The Orion Motor Tech 80W Laser Engraving Machine is designed for an industrial site, or at the very least, somewhere you can safely house it. This is because the device has 330 pounds, so it’s not something you can toss onto the computer desk.
Some of the features you’ll find on the Orion Motor Tech 80W Laser Engraving Machine include:
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When you want a laser cutter and engraver that will look right at home with your home office or place of business and doesn’t have the industrial feel as nearly all the other options on this list, the Glowforge Plus 3D Laser Printer is perfect for you. In fact, it looks like an oversized large format printer.
The beauty of the Glowforge Plus 3D Laser Printer is that not only is it an engraver but it is technically a printer as well.
While it doesn’t use the plastic mold design as other 3D printers, the laser design allows you to cut a complete 3D object. This way, you not only can engrave an object but you can completely build it from scratch.
The Glowforge Plus 3D Laser Printer works with most computer operating systems, including not only Windows and macOS but also iOS and Android. You can even control the printer/laser engraver using the provided Glowforge App
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The TEN-HIGH CO2 Upgraded Version Engrave Machine is a laser engraving machine with 60W of power. It can cut through acrylic, plywood, PVC, leather, glass, density board, solid wood, double color plate, silica gel, ox horn, felt, resin, and other non-metal materials.
It has an engraving area of 400 x 600 mm (15.7 x 23.6 inches), an engraving speed up to 30 mm per second and a cutting speed up to 500 mm per second. This one is extremely heavy and it’s meant for industrial purposes rather than your workshop table.
The engraving machine while the positioning accuracy is 0.15 mm. The visual operating panel is extremely easy to use. The industrial-grade precision metal-mold laser head can cut up to 6 mm into cork and similar materials.
It supports all formats from CorelDraw and it supports bmp, dib, jpg, jpeg, png, gif, wmf, emf, pcx, tif file formats. This model is equipped with a superior laser head and has effective heat and fume dissipation with the high-power axial fan and water cooling.
Moreover, it comes with the electric automatic lifting system, and a blowing flame-retardant system is to prevent burning when the machine is in operation. It comes with a native software, focal length card, an exhaust pipe, a power cord, a USB cable and key, adhesive tape, clamps, a limit switch, an air pump and a water pump.
TEN-HIGH as a few distinct features:
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SFX 180W Reci W8 CO2 Laser Engraver Cutter Machine is a powerful engraving machine that takes advantage of an air-assisted engraving feature. It also works with programs like CorelDraw and AutoCAD and supports bmp, hpgl (plt.), jpeg, dxf, ai, dst, dwg and las file formats.
With the SFX machine, you still can’t engrave into metal. However, you can engrave into just about any other material out there, including bamboo, plexiglass, crystal, wood, glass, ABS, acrylic, and others.
Its engraving speed is up to 60000 mm per minute and it has a cutting speed of 5000 mm per minute. The positioning accuracy is 0.01 mm, which means it can engrave tiny details in your materials. The air pump and the exhaust fan ensure that there’s enough heat dissipation when the machine’s working.
The180W Reci W8 will connect to your computer system using a wired USB 2.0 cable connection. This model is heavy. There’s no other way to say it. It weighs in at 946 pounds, so you would need to have a designated place for it.
Some of the features on the SFX 180W Reci W8 CO2 consider include:
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The Dremel LC40-01 High Speed Laser Cutter is the most expensive on the list but it does the job the right way. This laser cutter cuts or engraves wood, glass, paper, leather, acrylic, cardboard, fabric, rubber and so on.
It can run continuously through all your projects and features 5 safety sensors, which ensure the proper work of all components. Moreover, the product comes with the 350-fume extraction and filtration system that will remove the fumes and the particles that can potentially harm you in the cutting or engraving process.
Plus, this machine has extremely user-friendly software. The engraving area on Dremel Laser Cutter is 18.4 x 12 inches (467 mm x 304.8 mm). The cutting area is a little bigger than on the previous engravers and it measures 20 x 12 inches (508 mm x 304.8 mm). Also, the maximum engraving height is 1.25 inches or 32 mm, while the maximum cutting height is ¼ of an inch for wood and acrylic (6 mm.)
It measures 38.98 x 26.38 x 14.96 inches and weighs only 90 pounds, which is much less than the previous models.
Some of the features on the Dremel LC40-01 consider include:
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There’s no limit to the kind of laser cutters and engraving machines out there. You can pick up an entry-level option for under $200 if you’re interested in basic engraving on leather and vinyl stickers, or you can move your way up into the world of wood and metal.
Realistically there is no one right or wrong engraving machine on the list. You may need something with serious cutting power while others might want something as a hobby device, or to help their up and coming Etsy store.
We decided to give our Editor’s Pick to the Orion Motor Tech 80W CO2 Laser Engraver Cutter. We were extremely impressed by the overall quality of the wood engraving. The fact that it altered the engraving depth was exceptional, especially for the price tag. It may not be much to look at, but there is a reason why it’s an Amazon’s Choice recipient.
While we love the wood engraving machine, what’s your favorite? If you were to pick something out, which one would you go with, or is there another laser cutter and engraving machine on the market you’d go with instead?
Let us know in the comments! We’d love to hear from you.
Disclosure: The product recommendations are not sponsored and are chosen by our editorial staff. We may earn an affiliate commission when you purchase an item through our links.
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