Guides By Material Machine Finder

We independently pick everything we recommend. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more›

Find the right laser for what you want to make.

Plain-English buying guides for diode, CO2 and fiber laser engravers, desktop CNC routers and the gear around them. Picked by published specs for hobbyists, Etsy sellers and small shops.

Take the Machine Finder Read the buying guides

Three questions before you buy

  1. What material? Bare metal points to fiber, clear acrylic to CO2, wood and leather work on a diode.
  2. Engrave or cut? Cutting thick stock needs more power or a CNC router.
  3. Where will it run? Every laser needs ventilation; kids and pets call for an enclosure.

Popular picks

Roundups with quick picks, a spec comparison and who should skip each machine.

Browse by category

Laser Engravers Laser engravers for every budget and material: open-frame and enclosed diode machines, CO2 laser cutters, fiber… CNC Routers CNC routers carve with a spinning bit instead of light. They cut thick wood, MDF, plastics… Laser Accessories The parts that make a laser work better: air assist pumps, rotary attachments for tumblers, enclosures,… Laser Safety Laser safety gear: safety glasses rated for your laser wavelength, enclosures, fume extractors and fire safety.… Engraving Materials Blanks and stock to engrave and cut: wood blanks, laser plywood, acrylic sheets, leather, slate coasters,… Laser Software Design and control software for lasers and CNC routers: LightBurn, xTool Creative Space, LaserGRBL and CNC… CNC Tooling Bits and shop gear for CNC routers: end mills, V-bits, spoilboards, clamps and dust collection. The…

Shop by material

Which machine engraves or cuts it, and what never goes under a laser.

Wood (hardwood and softwood) The most forgiving laser material. Diode lasers cut thin stock in one or more… Plywood Laser-grade birch and basswood plywood cut cleanly. Hardware-store plywood often has glue voids or… Acrylic (PMMA) CO2 lasers cut and engrave all acrylic, including clear, with flame-polished edges. Blue diode… Leather (genuine) Vegetable-tanned leather engraves with good contrast. Thin leather cuts on a diode; thick belts… Slate Engraving lightens the surface to a pale gray, popular for coasters and signs. No… Glass CO2 lasers frost the surface of glass. Clear glass is transparent to diode light,… Stainless steel and bare metal Fiber lasers mark and deep engrave bare stainless, brass, steel and other metals directly.… Anodized aluminum The laser removes the colored anodized layer and leaves bright aluminum underneath, so every… Never laser: PVC and vinyl Burning PVC releases chlorine compounds. See the full do-not-laser list.

Recently updated

How we pick

Every pick comes from published specifications, material lists and warranty terms, scored the same way across guides. We do not run our own product trials. Our method

Safety first

Wavelength-rated glasses, ventilation, and never leaving a running laser alone. Laser safety

Affiliate disclosure

We earn a commission when you buy through our links, at no cost to you. It never changes a pick. Details