Buying Guide Enclosed & CO2 Lasers
The Best Laser Engravers for Beginners: Three Worth Buying
Three diode lasers for a first machine, each for a different kind of space. Why the enclosure matters more than the wattage when you are starting out.
Laser Cutting & Engraving
Diode and CO2 lasers for engraving and cutting wood, leather and acrylic - the maker tool closest to the workshop, and the one where ventilation matters as much as the machine.
Start here
Buying Guide Enclosed & CO2 Lasers
The Best Laser Engravers for Wood: Three for Three Jobs
Engraving wood and cutting it are different jobs. Three lasers for woodworkers, from a budget open frame to a CO2 cutter that handles thick hardwood.
Latest reviews
Review Enclosed & CO2 Lasers
Creality Falcon2 Pro S Review: Enclosed, With a Camera
A 22W enclosed diode laser that adds camera placement and autofocus. Where it beats the xTool S1, and the corners Creality cut to get there.
7.8
Review Enclosed & CO2 Lasers
Glowforge Review: Still Worth Buying After the Restructure?
Glowforge sells direct, not on Amazon, and went through a restructuring in late 2025. What that means for buyers, and the CO2 laser we would buy instead.
8.6
Review Diode Laser Engravers
Sculpfun S30 Pro Max Review: The Open-Frame Budget Pick
A 20W open-frame diode laser with automatic air assist and an expandable bed, for much less than an enclosed machine. What you give up for the price.
7.6
Review Enclosed & CO2 Lasers
xTool P2S Review: The Desktop CO2 Step Up
A 55W desktop CO2 laser with dual cameras and passthrough. It cuts clear acrylic and thick hardwood that no diode can - if you have room for 45 kg and an exhaust run.
8.6
Review Enclosed & CO2 Lasers
xTool S1 Review: The Enclosed Diode Laser to Start With
An enclosed, Class 1 diode laser with a big bed and no goggles needed. What it cuts, what a diode cannot do, and who should buy something else.
8.4
Guides
Guide
The Best Woods for Laser Engraving (and the Ones to Avoid)
Why basswood and maple engrave cleanly and oak does not. A woodworker's guide to grain, resin and density under a laser beam.
Guide
Diode vs CO2 vs Fibre Lasers: Which One Do You Need?
Three laser types, three wavelengths, and three very different sets of materials. How to tell which one the work you actually want to do needs.
Guide
Laser Engraver Safety and Ventilation: What Actually Matters
Goggles, fire and fumes - the three real risks of a hobby laser, and how to deal with each. Plus the materials you must never put under the beam.