Best Home Laser Cutters in 2023 [Affordable]

Laser-cutting machines were initially introduced in industries for manufacturing applications.

But with the recent developments in technology, laser-cutting machines have become more portable and affordable, making them popular for home use.

You can use these home laser cutters for making projects like signage, rubber stamps, jewelry, invitation cards, felt patches, puzzles, and artwork.

This article lists and reviews the best laser cutters suited for home laser cutting applications.

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Best Home Laser Cutters in 2023

1. xTool D1 Pro (20W) - Best Diode Laser Cutter

Parameters	xTool D1 Pro
Laser Power	20W
Work area	16.93" x 15.35" x 2"
Material Capability	Paper, plastic, cardboard, leather, wood, etc. Can also engrave metal

With the introduction of the 20W laser in a single module, xTool D1 Pro has become the most powerful diode laser cutter on the market.

xTool D1 Pro has an all-metal (aluminum and steel) build with an open-frame design. It has a desktop configuration with a footprint of 28.5" x 9.8".

Its work area measures 16.93" x 15.35" and can house up to 2" thick workpieces.

The 20W module internally has four 5W diode lasers operating at a wavelength of 450nm.

Laser output from these lasers is combined using a series of lenses to provide a combined output of 20W. It also compresses the laser beam to a spot size of 0.08 x 0.1 mm.

The machine has a belt-driven transmission along the XY axes. It is driven by NEMA17 stepper motors and can achieve a max speed of 400 mm/sec.

It doesn't have autofocus capability. So you'll have to adjust the Z-height manually.

To help you set the laser focus accurately, the laser module on xTool D1 Pro has a drop-down focusing bar integrated with it.

Also, the scale marks on the laser module's body help you set the focus depth below the workpiece surface. This feature is generally used for cutting thick workpieces or performing sub-surface engravings.

In terms of connectivity, it has USB and WiFi capabilities. The controller also has a memory card slot. It'll help run projects offline.

You can control the machine through xTool Creative Space or LightBurn software.

xTool D1 Pro comes in parts, and you can assemble it in about 20 minutes. The quick start guide provided with the machine has detailed assembly instructions.

The machine has a rotary, extension kit, air assist set, enclosure, and honeycomb working panel upgrades.

xTool provides a standard 12-month warranty for the D1 Pro. They also offer an optional xToolCare package that guarantees premium support.

For a complete review, read a detailed review of xTool D1 Pro or watch the following review video.

2. OMTech K40 CO₂ Laser - Best K40 For Home Use

Parameters	OMTech kK0
Laser Power	40W CO2 laser
Work area	12" x 8"
Material Capability	Paper, plastic, cardboard, leather, wood, etc

OMTech DF0812-40BG is the best K40 laser for home usage. It has a work area of 12" x 8" and a footprint of 31.9" x 19.7" x 9.8."

Its enclosed setup provides better safety and is a good fit to work around in a home environment.

The acrylic shield on the door lets you see the work area while running a job and protects you from laser exposure. In addition, it has an LED strip light in the work area.

You can easily turn off the machine in emergency situations using the E-stop switch.

A 40W CO₂ laser tube with a 2,000 hours lifetime powers OMTech K40. You can directly acquire replacement tubes from OMTech.

The beam path is positioned by 3 mirrors and comes aligned, so that's less time spent on beam alignment.

Since the mirrors are hot glued to the surface, changing the mirrors or aligning the tube after a replacement will take a lot of work.

The machine has a vented level board in its work area. It clears smoke from trapping at the bottom part of the workpiece and relieves burn stains.

Without the vented level board, the machine has a Z-height of 2.5", but with it installed, the maximum achievable Z-height is 0.5".

Belt drives drive the X and Y-axis of OMTech DF0812-40BG. While cutting, it can achieve a maximum speed of 948 ipm.

DF0812-40BG is compatible with many upgrades from OMTech. This includes their rotary roller, water chiller, air filter, K40+ motherboard, etc.

The machine works with LaserDRW, CorelDraw, and CorelLaser software programs.

But if you want to work with LightBurn, you'll have to upgrade the machine with their K40+ motherboard.

Inkscape and K40 whisperer are also popular choices among hobbyists to work with this machine. These software programs are free to use.

OMTech provides a 2-year warranty for the machine and a 6-month warranty for the laser tube.

You can reach out to them through emails listed on their website. They also have a community group on Facebook.

3. Comgrow COMGO Z1 (10W)

Parameters	COMGO Z1
Laser Power	10W
Work Area	15.75" x 15.75" x 4.13"
Material Capability	Paper, plastic, cardboard, leather, wood, etc

Like xTool D1 Pro, COMGO Z1 from Comgrow is an open-frame desktop laser machine.

Z1 employs a 10W diode laser operating at a wavelength of 445nm. The FAC (Fast Axis Collimating) lenses on the laser module help it achieve a laser spot size of 0.08 x 0.08 mm.

This means it can concentrate the laser beam to a small spot allowing it to make narrow-cut lines.

It is powerful enough to cut through thin sheets of fabric, leather, wood, acrylic, etc.

I tested COMGO Z1 on some materials and was able to cut a 3mm thick ply with minimal burns at a speed of 400 mm/min.

The frames of the machine are made of four equally sized aluminum extrusions. It provides Z1 a footprint of 22.64" x 22.65" x 8.07" and a work area of 15.75" x 15.75" x 4.13".

COMGO Z1 is belt-driven by NEMA 17 stepper motors along the XY axes, providing a transmission speed of 5,000 mm/min.

You'll have to manually move the laser head up or down to set the laser focus depending on the workpiece thickness. The Z-travel on Z1 is 4.13".

The controller module of Z1 houses a 32-bit 3-axis microcontroller programmed with customized GRBL firmware.

It has a USB and WiFi adapter port for connectivity. The controller also has a memory card slot, which allows the machine to run offline if needed, but you'll have to buy a GRBL offline controller.

You can work with COMGO Z1 using LightBurn and LaserGRBL software. Comparatively, LighBurn is the best option for cutting applications as it has an easy workflow with lines.

The assembly is simple, and you can set the machine up for the first job in under 15 minutes.

Comgrow provides a pair of safety glasses and some test materials with the machine.

They also offer accessories like the enclosure, rotary roller, and a honeycomb workbed as optional upgrades.

Z1 is covered under a one-year manufacturer's warranty. For support, you can reach them through email or an online form.

Watch the following video for a complete review, including unboxing, assembly, and testing.

You can also consider TwoTrees TS2 Laser Engraver. It provides a similar laser power output of 10W with a larger work area of 17.7" x 17.7".

4. Atomstack X7

Parameters	Atomstack X7
Laser Power	5W
Work area	16.1" x 15.74"
Material Capability	Thin sheets of paper, plastic, cardboard, etc.

Atomstack X7 series of laser machines have a 5W (X7) and a 10W (X7 Pro) diode laser variant available. You can opt for the 10W variant for faster cutting speeds.

It uses a special lens to compress the laser spot to a size of 0.08mm x 0.08mm, allowing for a better energy concentration of the laser beam.

Also, it provides a focal length of 30 mm. This helps the laser beam stay focused at a greater depth allowing it to cut through thick workpieces.

When I ran the machine at full power, I was able to cut 2mm thick acrylic at a speed of 300 mm/min in 4 passes.

See more test results on Atomstack X7 Laser Review: Tested [2023].

Like most diode lasers, it has a lifetime of 10,000 hours. You can get a laser module replacement directly from Atomstack.

X7's frames are made of four aluminum profiles. It provides an open-frame design to the machine.

It has a footprint of 22.44" x 23.62" and a work area of 16.1" x 15.74". It weighs around 9.5 lbs and can sit on top of a desktop.

The machine uses belt-driven transmission systems on the XY axes. They are run using NEMA 17 stepper motors.

Atomstack X7 has an ESP32 chip-based controller. The machine also comes with a 3.5" touchscreen controller that allows you to run jobs offline from a memory card.

The machine works with LaserGRBL and LightBurn software. You can connect the machine to a computer using WiFi and a USB cable.

Atomstack sends the machine in parts. Assembly instructions are available in the user manual. I was able to assemble it in about 20 minutes.

X7 machine has many upgrades like the rotary, support columns, honeycomb worktable, air assist kit, and extension kit.

Atomstack provides a 1-year warranty for the X7 laser machine. For support, they are open to communications through WhatsApp, email, and Facebook chat.

Watch the following video for a complete on-hand review of Atomstack X7.

5. FSL Muse Core

Parameters	FSL Muse Core
Laser Power	40W CO2 laser
Work area	20" x 12" x 2.5"
Material Capability	Paper, plastic, cardboard, wood, leather, etc.

FSL (Full Spectrum Laser) is a US-based laser manufacturer. Muse Core is the basic model under their Muse series of laser machines.

By default, the machine comes with a 40W CO₂ laser, but they also offer an optional 45W upgrade. The 40W laser can cut through up to 0.25" thick workpieces.

Like most CO₂ lasers, Muse Core also has an enclosed setup. It has a footprint of 32.3" x 20.3" x 8.5" and a work area of 20" x 12" x 2.5".

Muse Core uses belt-driven transmission systems along the XY axes. The Z-axis is also motorized, which helps it automatically set the laser focus.

The machine also has a touchscreen controller that enables you to control the laser head and set laser parameters like power and speed.

With the machine, FSL provides you access to its proprietary software, RetinaEngrave3. It's an OS-independent software as it runs on browsers.

It is also offline software, meaning you don't need to be connected to the internet for it to work.

You can type in the machine's IP address on the URL bar, and it'll open up the software interface loaded in the machine.

FSL offers many upgrade options for the Muse Core laser cutter. This includes focus lenses, air compressor, water chiller, exhaust fan, rotary, etc.

They provide a standard 1-year warranty for the machine and also offer a 2-year warranty extension option as an upgrade.

For support, you can reach them through phone, email, or online form. You can also request a demo of the machine if you are interested.

6. Glowforge Basic

Parameters	Glowforge Basic
Laser Power	40W CO2 laser
Work area	20" x 18" x 2"
Material Capability	Can cut paper, plastic, cardboard, wood, etc.

As mentioned in its name, Glowforge Basic is the basic model released by Glowforge. It is a 40W CO₂ laser machine.

It has an enclosed setup with a footprint of 38″ x 20.75″ x 8.25″. The work area measures 20" x 18" x 2".

Glowforge Basic uses a class 1 laser, which is considered safe to work with. Hence is a good fit for a home environment.

Glowforge Basic has two cameras facing the work area, a macro, and a wide-angle camera.

These cameras enable you to preview the workpiece with the design, helping you properly place, resize, and orient the design to get the desired result.

In terms of connectivity, Glowforge only has WiFi capability. If your computer doesn't have WiFi, you can use a USB WiFi adapter to connect the machine via WiFi.

The machine works with Glowforge Print software. It also has a premium version, but the basic version has all the features required for home use.

It is a browser-based software similar to the RetinaEngrave used to control the Muse laser cutter. Unfortunately, Glowforge Print software requires an internet connection to work.

If you regularly cut materials like leather, wood, plastic, etc., you should consider buying an air filter from Glowforge.

Otherwise, the fumes will fill your house, causing bad smells and breathing troubles. Sometimes these fumes can also be toxic.

For the Glowforge Basic laser cutter, Glowforge provides a 6-month warranty for US customers and a 12-month warranty for customers in the UK.

If you live in some other country, you can contact Glowforge and ask for their services specific to the country you live in.

You can contact them through phone, email, or online form.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which type of laser is best for home use?

A CO₂ or diode laser will be your best option for home use. CO₂ lasers generally are more powerful than diode lasers. If you only want to engrave and cut thin workpieces like fabric, leather, etc., get a diode laser, but if your applications require more cutting jobs, then a CO₂ laser will be your best bet.

Are home laser cutters safe?

Home laser cutters are safe to work with if you follow laser safety guidelines and wear safety glasses designed to block the laser beam from the specific laser you use. Since laser cutters cut materials by burning them, they are highly prone to fire hazards. So only work with laser-safe materials recommended by the manufacturer.

Can a home laser cutter cut metal?

No, most home laser cutters can't cut metal workpieces. They generally use a diode and CO₂-type laser that are only good at cutting wood, cardboard, acrylic, rubber, leather, glass, and other similar materials. To cut metal effectively, you'll need to use a fiber laser.