Laser types and power

Where Should You Start When Choosing a Laser Engraver or Cutter?

Published September 23, 2026 · By the Laser Lineup editors

Three projects, three lasers

Picture three projects: a name engraved on a wooden coaster, a phone stand cut from clear acrylic, and a serial number on a stainless-steel tag. They look like one shopping list. They are really three different lasers. Had all three been wood engraving, you would have far fewer machines to consider.

For each thing you plan to make, jot down the material, the largest size, engrave or cut, and how many you make at once. Keep that list next to you when you read product pages.

Clear acrylic and metal split the field

Each laser type works at its own wavelength, and materials absorb some wavelengths much better than others. According to xTool's material processing guide, blue diode light (around 450 nm) passes through transparent materials, which means a diode can't process clear acrylic directly. CO2 at 10.6 µm is the usual laser for acrylic and other non-metals. Metals bounce that wavelength back so strongly that CO2 can hardly mark them, and metal work mostly runs on 1064 nm fiber lasers instead. UV at 355 nm covers fine work on glass and many plastics.

Some machines carry two sources. The xTool F1 Ultra has a 20W blue diode and a 20W fiber laser in one box. Its working area is 220 × 220 mm: plenty for coasters and tags, nowhere near enough for a sign.

The room comes before the order

Think about the footprint plus the space to load material, the route for an exhaust duct, and whether someone can stay with the machine while it runs. The FDA sorts laser products into Classes I to IV, with the risk of serious injury rising by class. Class IV beams can hurt eyes and skin directly or by reflection, and they can start fires. Some engravers sold for home use are Class 4.