xTool has built one of the most varied laser lineups in the business. A few years ago, they made one hobbyist diode engraver. Now they cover everything: diode, CO2, fiber, MOPA, UV, enclosed, open-frame, portable, and production-grade.
The machines are genuinely well-made. I’ve worked with several of them personally, and the build quality and software are consistently above what you’d expect at each price tier.
But the lineup is wide. And picking the wrong machine is easy if you don’t know what separates them.
This guide cuts through all of it. Every major xTool machine, mapped to the use case it’s actually built for.
Which xTool laser engraver should you buy?
The right xTool machine depends on what you’re making and what materials you’re working with.
Here’s the short version.
If you engrave and cut wood, acrylic, leather, or fabric — and want something enclosed and safe to run at home — the xTool S1 40W is the pick. It handles the widest range of everyday materials at this price.
If you also need to cut vinyl or draw designs (think Cricut-style workflow with a laser too), the xTool M1 Ultra bundles all of that into one machine.
For anyone whose work involves metal, the xTool F1 Ultra is the machine to look at: its dual fiber and diode lasers handle steel, brass, and aluminum the way diode machines simply can’t.
And if you’re running a small production shop with high daily volume, the xTool P3’s 80W CO2 laser and 36″×18″ workspace puts it in a different category.
For those just getting started, the xTool M2 is a compact, enclosed entry-level machine with optional full-color CMYK printing built in. It’s a rare feature at this price point.
If portability is the priority, check our roundup of the best portable laser engravers. But for most buyers, the machines below cover the core use cases.
The Best xTool Laser Engravers
Here are the six machines worth considering, matched to the work they’re built for.
1. xTool S1 40W: Best for Most People
The S1 40W is the machine I’d recommend to the majority of people asking “which xTool should I buy?”
It’s enclosed, Class 1 safe, and built to handle the materials most makers actually work with: wood, acrylic, leather, fabric, painted metal.
The 40W laser cuts through 18mm cherry wood in a single pass and 15mm opaque acrylic cleanly. That’s real cutting power for a diode machine.
The work area is 23.93″ × 15.16″ — enough for most personalized product work. The built-in enclosure means you can run it in a home workshop without filling the room with smoke, as long as you’ve got a basic exhaust setup.
It also supports LightBurn, which matters if you’re already deep in that workflow (more on that below).
For most people making custom goods — gifts, home decor, personalized items — this is the machine that hits the right balance of power, size, and ease of use.
2. xTool M2: Best for Beginners
The M2 is xTool’s newest enclosed entry-level machine, and it’s a smart design. It combines a diode laser with a CMYK inkjet print head — so you can print a full-color design and cut the outline in one session, without moving the material.
The base version is a clean, Class 1 certified laser engraver and cutter.
The color print module is an optional upgrade. If you don’t need color printing, the base machine is the right buy: compact, safe, and easy to pick up as a first laser.
One important note: the M2 is XCS-only. If you’re committed to using LightBurn, look at the S1 instead. And if you need a large work area or plan to cut thicker materials regularly, the S1 is also the better long-term investment.
But for someone just getting into laser crafting who wants the most beginner-friendly setup on the market today, the M2 is the right starting point.
For more options across brands, check our guide to the best laser engravers for beginners.
3. xTool M1 Ultra: Best All-in-One for Crafters
The M1 Ultra is for people who want laser engraving and cutting but also do vinyl cutting, pen drawing, or inkjet printing — and don’t want four separate machines taking up bench space.
It’s a true 4-in-1: laser engraving and cutting, blade cutting (vinyl, heat transfer film, and more), inkjet printing, and pen drawing. The 20W laser cuts 10mm wood and 8mm acrylic in one pass. Swap the module and you’ve got a precision vinyl cutter.
It’s a compact machine that genuinely replaces a full craft station.
Like the M2, it runs XCS exclusively. LightBurn isn’t supported.
If your workflow is standard laser engraving with no blade cutting or printing involved, the S1 is the cleaner, more focused pick.
But if the all-in-one approach fits how you work, the M1 Ultra is one of the most versatile machines in this category.
4. xTool F1 Ultra: Best for Metal and Jewelry
If your work involves metal — engraving jewelry, dog tags, knives, or hardware — the F1 Ultra is where xTool’s lineup gets serious.
It runs a dual-laser system: a 20W fiber laser for metal engraving and a 20W diode laser for wood, acrylic, and leather. You don’t need to swap modules or choose one material type. The machine handles both, at speeds up to 10,000 mm/s. A 16MP camera handles autofocus and precise positioning automatically.
Based on the machines I’ve set up, the F1 Ultra punches well above its class for metal work.
Fiber lasers at this power level typically cost significantly more when you go the industrial route.
For more options in this category, check our full guides to laser engravers for metal and laser engravers for jewelry.
5. xTool F2 Ultra: Best for Professional Metal Work
The F2 Ultra is the most powerful fiber machine xTool makes. The dual-laser version pairs a 60W MOPA fiber laser with a 40W diode laser — giving you the metal-cutting depth the F1 Ultra can’t reach (brass up to 2mm, stainless steel up to 2mm, aluminum up to 1mm), plus full non-metal cutting in the same unit.
The MOPA technology also unlocks color engraving on stainless steel. Not just marking, but actual color.
At speeds up to 15,000 mm/s, it’s built for volume. Dual 48MP cameras deliver 0.2mm positioning accuracy — a 60% improvement over single-camera systems.
This is a professional tool for professional output.
If you’re doing high-volume metal personalization, custom jewelry at scale, or industrial marking, it’s worth the investment.
If you’re engraving metal occasionally alongside wood and acrylic, the F1 Ultra is the smarter buy.
6. xTool P3: Best for Production and Business
The P3 is xTool’s flagship CO2 laser and it’s in a different category from everything else on this list. An 80W CO2 laser, a 36″×18″ workspace (2.3 times larger than the P2S), and a top speed of 1,200 mm/s. It cuts 25mm acrylic in a single pass.
The ACS Smart Workflow automates positioning, focus, and LiDAR ranging, which removes the manual setup that slows down production runs.
For small businesses doing signage, batch custom orders, or large-format work, the P3 is the machine that actually scales.
It’s a serious investment.
But if your daily workload justifies it, there’s no better xTool machine for production use.
You can also see how it compares to the rest of the CO2 field in our CO2 laser engravers roundup.
What’s the difference between xTool’s diode, CO2, and fiber lasers?
The laser type is the single most important spec when choosing an xTool machine. It determines what materials you can work with and how well.
Diode lasers (S1, M2, M1 Ultra) use a blue semiconductor beam.
They’re best for wood, leather, fabric, opaque acrylic, and painted metal. They’re affordable, compact, and what most hobbyists use. They can mark stainless steel but can’t cut metal cleanly. For a broader look at this category, our diode laser engravers guide covers the top options across brands.
CO2 lasers (P3) use a gas-filled tube that produces an infrared beam.
CO2 lasers cut through clear acrylic (which blue diodes can’t touch), achieve faster speeds at equivalent wattage, and handle larger-format work. The trade-off is machine size and price. Our CO2 laser engravers roundup goes deeper on that category.
Fiber and MOPA lasers (F1 Ultra, F2 Ultra) are the only type that deep-engrave and mark metals with real precision at speed.
MOPA specifically (F2 Ultra) enables color engraving on stainless steel by controlling pulse duration to produce different oxide colors. These machines cost more but are the only serious option for a metal-first workflow.
Does xTool work with LightBurn?
Whether an xTool machine supports LightBurn depends on the model.
The xTool S1 supports LightBurn natively.
xTool’s official support documentation confirms you can switch between XCS and LightBurn after connecting the S1 to your computer. You’ll need to set the transfer mode to buffered for LightBurn to work correctly, but it’s a fully supported workflow.
The xTool M1 Ultra and M2 do not support LightBurn.
xTool’s guidance is clear that these machines are designed for XCS. LightBurn won’t work reliably with them. If your workflow depends on LightBurn — for camera-based alignment or custom toolpaths — the S1 is the pick.
XCS (xTool Creative Space) is free and has improved significantly. For most use cases, it handles everything well. But if LightBurn is a requirement, the S1 is the machine to build around.
Which xTool is best for small business?
For small business use, the right xTool depends on your production volume and what you’re making.
The xTool S1 40W is the most versatile choice for small-batch custom product businesses: personalized gifts, custom decor, branded merchandise. It’s powerful enough to fill daily orders and compact enough to fit in a home studio or small workshop. For a broader comparison, our guide to laser engravers for small business walks through what to look for.
The xTool P3 is for businesses where volume is the actual constraint. If you’re filling large orders daily, cutting signage, or running batch jobs on thick material, the P3’s 80W power and massive workspace directly reduce the time-per-job that limits your capacity.
If metal customization is your core product — engraved jewelry, personalized hardware, branded barware — the F1 Ultra or F2 Ultra is the right business tool. The S1 won’t get you there for metal-first production.
What xTool accessories are worth buying?
A few add-ons make a real difference depending on how you use your machine.
The RA3 Pro Rotary Attachment is worth adding if you engrave tumblers, wine glasses, pens, or anything cylindrical. Most xTool machines support it and setup takes a few minutes.
The Air Assist module (built into some S1 bundles, available as an add-on on others) pushes a stream of air at the cut point to clear debris and reduce charring. It makes a noticeable difference on wood and acrylic quality, especially for cutting work.
The SafetyPro AP2 Smoke Purifier is the right call if you can’t vent to the outside. It filters smoke and fumes internally. In an apartment or a fully indoor space, it’s close to a requirement.
The Honeycomb Panel provides a raised cutting surface that lets smoke escape from underneath the material, reducing burn marks on the back face of cuts. It’s inexpensive and worth including from the start.
Conclusion
xTool makes genuinely good machines across the board. The hard part is matching the right one to your actual workflow.
For most people: the S1 40W.
For crafters who want everything in one machine: the M1 Ultra.
For metal work: the F1 Ultra.
For production volume: the P3.
And if you’re just getting started and want the simplest possible setup: the M2.
For more options by use case, we have full roundups on diode laser engravers, CO2 laser engravers, and laser engravers for metal.
Check current pricing directly on xTool’s site — they run regular promotions and bundle deals that can change the value calculation significantly.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best xTool laser engraver for beginners? The xTool M2 is the best starting point for beginners. It’s enclosed, Class 1 safe, compact, and paired with an intuitive XCS interface designed for people who’ve never touched a laser. If you want more cutting power from day one, the xTool S1 40W is a better long-term investment and still approachable for new users.
Can xTool engrave stainless steel? Yes, but the machine type determines how well. Diode laser machines like the S1 can mark stainless steel surfaces — especially coated or dark metals — but can’t engrave deep into bare steel. Fiber laser machines like the F1 Ultra and F2 Ultra engrave stainless steel cleanly and deeply. The F2 Ultra’s MOPA technology can produce color engraving on stainless steel.
Does xTool include software for free? Yes. All xTool machines come with xTool Creative Space (XCS), which is free with no subscription required. XCS handles design, camera alignment, material presets, and job management. Some machines (the S1 in particular) also support LightBurn, a paid third-party tool popular with advanced users.
What materials can xTool laser engravers cut? It depends on the laser type. Diode machines (S1, M2, M1 Ultra) cut wood, MDF, leather, felt, opaque acrylic, and thin fabrics. CO2 machines (P3) cut everything diodes can, plus clear acrylic and thicker materials. Fiber machines (F1 Ultra, F2 Ultra) engrave and mark all metals, and handle non-metals via the diode module. No desktop laser should be used on PVC or any chlorine-containing material.
How does the xTool S1 compare to the xTool M1 Ultra? The S1 is a focused laser engraver and cutter. The M1 Ultra adds blade cutting, pen drawing, and optional inkjet printing to the same machine. If you only need laser capability, the S1 is the cleaner pick and delivers more cutting power at equivalent configurations. If your workflow spans multiple tools — laser, vinyl cutter, and printer — the M1 Ultra replaces all of them.
