Compare 253 laser cutters with real cutting tests. CO2, diode, and fiber lasers from $139 to $26,000+ — tested and compared.
Updated for 2026 · Tested by a maker with 6M+ YouTube views
569K views — everything you need to know before buying
Affordable entry point for cutting thin wood, acrylic, and leather. Great for beginners and hobbyists.
The cutting workhorse. 40–150W power for clean cuts through wood, acrylic, fabric, and leather.
Metal cutting and marking specialists. Cut thin metals and engrave stainless steel, titanium, and gold.
Low-heat specialty marking for plastics, glass, crystal, coated metals, ceramics, and fine detail work.
A diode laser in the $300–$600 range is the best starting point. Machines like the xTool D1 Pro or Creality Falcon offer good cutting ability on thin wood and acrylic, with straightforward software and minimal setup. If you know you'll be cutting thicker materials, consider a CO2 laser like the OMTech K40.
Yes, diode lasers can cut wood up to about 10–15mm thick depending on the laser power and wood type. A 10W diode can cut 3–5mm plywood in a single pass, while a 20W+ diode can handle 8–12mm. For thicker materials or cleaner cuts, a CO2 laser (40W+) is more efficient.
CO2 lasers can cut wood (plywood, MDF, hardwoods up to 20mm+), acrylic (up to 20mm), leather, fabric, paper, cardboard, cork, rubber, and some plastics. They cannot cut metals directly — for that you need a fiber laser or a very high-power CO2 with metal-cutting assist gas.
Cutting thickness depends on laser power and material. A 40W CO2 cuts 6–8mm wood and 6mm acrylic. An 80W CO2 cuts 15–20mm wood and 12mm acrylic. A 130W+ CO2 can handle 25mm+ wood. Diode lasers typically max out at 10–15mm on soft wood. Always check the specific machine's tested cutting specs.
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