Desktop Laser Engravers for Crafting: Which Brand to Choose?

Time's changed, the rise of personalized customization and craft creation has transformed desktop laser engravers from professional studio tools to essential equipment in home workshops.

According to MarketsandMarkets reported in PR Newswire, the global laser processing equipment market is projected to reach $7.17 billion by 2025, with desktop devices driving the fastest growth due to their versatility and affordability. 

Faced with dozens of brands, how do you choose a machine that truly matches your needs? This in-depth analysis examines 6 desktop laser engraver brands, helping you cut through marketing hype to find the optimal balance of performance and value.

Mapping Wavelengths to Creative Possibilities

There are 4 mian types of lasers used in desktop laser engraver:

1. Fiber Laser (1064nm)

As the most common used laser in laser engraving market, fiber laser engraver excels at deep engraving and color marking on metals like stainless steel, titanium alloys, and aluminum with highest laser engraving speed.

2. Diode Laser (450nm)

Different from fiber laser engraving machine, diode laser has a good command of non-metal laser engraving work, like laser engraving on wood, acrylic, leather, papercard or something else. 

3. CO₂ Laser (10.6μm)

Upgraded diode laser, or we can call it non-metal masters. For its wavelength is readily absorbed by organic materials, delivering exceptional results on wood, acrylic, leather, and glass. 

4. UV Laser (355nm)

Compared with other lasers, the principle of UV laser is cold-processing. Break molecular bonds via photochemical reactions rather than heat, enabling zero-distortion marking on glass, transparent acrylic, and food packaging. 

* Why some desktop laser engravers are 1W or 2W IR laser with 1064nm?

Some laser engraver supplier may mark their desktop laser devices with IR lasers with 1064 nm laser wavelength, like LP4. Actually, IR laser includes lasers with wavelength between 700nm to 1mm, and 1064nm wavelength is the best one for a fiber laser engraver. Some suppliers tends to deliver the laser type is IR laser but with specific wavelength, wihle others use 1064nm as the given wavelength for fiber laser. 

Quick Recommendation

Matching Your Ideal Laser Engraver

 Brands like EM-Smart brings laser technology into craftmen's desk, in this part, we would like to introduce 5 desktop laser engraver machine suppliers. With a brief but clear pros and cons map to help you choose the right one.

1. EM-Smart

EM-Smart is a laser engraver brand has 27 years experience in laser marking industry,  supplies users with high-end desktop fiber laser engraver and dual laser engraver. 

For people would like to use laser machines as capable helper in crafting work, we recommend EM-Smart Dual and EM-Smart MOPA. 

EM-Smart Dual -- 20W Fiber laser & Diode Laser

Pros: 

1. 20W Fiber & Diode dual laser engraver handles with 300+ laser engraving materials.
2. Compact design with laser engraver enclosure, totally desktop type.
3. Compatible with laser engraving software like LightBurn(provided) and Ezcad.
4. 150mm laser engraving height and 230*230mm maximum work area.
5. 800W in-built camera for preciser marking results.
6. ±0.002mm extreme laser repeated precision.
7. Dust extraction design for dust-free laser processing.
8. Supports rotary engraving with laser rotary attachment.
9. Supports electric fousing & manual fousing.
10. Removable bottom plate, with cutting panel is on the back.
11. Machine warranty: 2-year for fiber laser, 1-year for diode one.

Cons:

1. 20W limited laser power output, suits for crafts materials like non-metals and thin metals.
2. Large objects need to be laser engraved in batches.

EM-Smart Dual has 20W maximum laser output, for craftmen who do small DIY crafts like jewelry laser engraving, polywood cutting or metal engraving, 20W is enough to do such laser engraving work.

The most sparking pro for a dual laser engraver is compatible with metal and non-metal laser engraving materials. Polywood, papercard, metal sheet or other laser engraving materials, EM-Smart Dual leaves you a deep impression.

Pros:

Cons:

2. xTool

xTool is a desktop laser engraver brand mainly contains diode lasers and CO2 lasers, its dual laser engraver like xTool F1 and xTool F1 Ultra are famous in its capable laser marking efficiency and color engraving results.

Here, for craftmen, we recommend two deskop laser devices:

xTool F1 Ultra -- 20W Fiber & Diode dual desktop laser engraver

Pros:

1. Same as EM-Smart Dual, 20W fiber & diode dual laser source
2. Self-developed laser engraving software -- XCS
3. Provide color laser engraving function
4. 145mm engraving height and 220*220mm work area
5. Build-in 16MP camera for positioning
6. Prepared material parameter settings, friendly for laser novice

Cons:

1. Limited work area and height. Its work area can be extended via xTool Conveyor, which need extra payment.
2. 12 months warranty for both fiber and diode lasers, which is not relatively short for users.
3. Unlike xTool F1, the engraving plate of F1 Ultra has a solid plate can't be removed.

xTool as one of the reliable laser engraver suppliers, gets a seat at the laser marking table for its easy-to-use laser engraving processing. For they have relatively overall laser engraving system, including self-developed software XCS, own laser cutter files website and touchscreen controller. 

Related Reading:

xTool F1 Ultra vs EM-Smart Dual 20W Laser Engraver：Alternative Competitor

xTool M1 Ultra -- 4-in-1 Diode Laser Engraver

Pros: 

1. 4 kinds of crafting functions, includes laser, inkjet, blade, and pen modules
2. Larger range of laser engraving materials, up to 1000+
3. 300*300mm maximum laser engraving area & 125mm working height
4. Special snapshot Preview and Pin-point Positioning™ system for preciser results

Cons:

1. 10W/20W diode laser source may not suit well for metal materials. Fiber laser is still the best one for laser engraving on metals.
2. Larger work area can lead to larger machine volume. M1 Ultra has a bulk with 620 mm x 498 mm x 178 mm, which means it is more suitable for craftmen who has a self studio. 
3. Due to diode laser source, its highest engraving speed is 400mm/s, slower than F1 Ultra and EM-Smart Dual. 

xTool M1 Ultra is a 4-in-1 laser machine for users who completely create in their own. If you like to design your own brand or sell 100% unique crafts with non-metals, M1 Ultra can be your best choice. For people who prefer laser engraving on tough items like metals, slates or some, and jewelry laser engraving, choose a laser engraver with fiber laser source shall be better.

3. LaserPecker

LaserPecker is famous for its compact and relatively mini desktop laser engraver from its infant LP1 Pro to LP4 and LP5. Its biggest feature for all products is that no matter whcih type of LaserPecker machine, each one is handheld laser engraver. But for crafts, not only should we pay attention to its shape, but its various functions.

LaserPecker LP4 -- World's first dual laser engraver

Pros:

1. As we mentioned, small-size handheld & portable laser engraver
2. 10W Blue diode & 2W Infrared laser sources
3. Smart touchscreen design for smooth laser type switching, with one tap
4. Self-developed laser engraving software -- LDS
5. Adjustable 180° rotation for multi-angle laser engraving work
6. Maximum engraving speed up to 4,000mm/s

Cons:

1. Lower laser power for IR laser. 10W diode laser output may handle with some laser cutting work for non-metals, while 2W IR laser may perform bad in dealing with metals.
2. Smaller work area. With its handheld and portable feature, its engraving area is limited to 160mm x 120mm.
3. Handheld feature should be used as a supplementary instruction for its portability. After all, safety comes first, laser engraver for crafts is better used in the desk. 

With dual laser sources, LP4 no doubts can handle with larger range of laser engraving materials. While due to its low laser power, it suits better in laser engraving work, of course laser cutting work can be done, longer time shall be needed. LP4 fits users needs who mainly do engraving work on non-metals.

LaserPecker LP5 -- Smart 20W Fiber + Diode Laser Engraver

Pros:

1. 20W fiber & diode higher laser power
2. Compact and portable desktop laser engraver
3. Enable in color laser engraving work
4. Engraving speed up to 10,000mm/s with variable text and smart filling

Cons:

1. Same as LP4, limited work area. According to its offcial website, its standard work area is 120 x 160mm (Ellipse) and 100 x 100mm (Square). 
2. Canceled original screen-touch design, users need to operate it via the PC and mobile terminals.
3. According to users feedback, LDS is not smooth enough during the processing, while LightBurn also has this kind of problem, which we can see from its own support page.

4. ComMarker

ComMarker, a manufacturer of laser engraving and marking machines, offering a range of lasers, including fiber, UV and CO2 lasers. All of its machine shapes are the same-like, the brand focuses on delivering laser processing solutions that balance accuracy, efficiency, and versatility, covering applications from creative projects to industrial marking.

ComMarker Omni 1 -- 5W/10W UV Laser Engraver

Pros:

1. UV Cold Laser (355nm) for non-thermal marking on 1500+ materials
2. ZeroBurn™ technology for marks on leather/acrylic without scorching
3. Motorized Z-axis (200mm travel) with dual 70mm/150mm lenses
4. 0.0019mm Ultra-Precision for 16K HD engraving at hair's-width resolution

Cons:

1. 23.5KG weight of the machine. Though it is compact design due to the original one, it is not portable and easy-to-remove.
2. High price for 5W or 10W laser power is not cost-effective. And lower power means longer time for laser engraving work, hard for laser cutting.
3. UV laser module replacement costs $1,500–$2,000 per unit and requires factory recalibration.

ComMarker mainly produces machines with fiber, JPT and UV lasers. ComMarker Omni 1, compared with its best seller B4 is not cost-effective. But with UV laser source, it provides non-thermal markings, which is safer in a way. And its high laser engraving percision can be useful for users who pay attention to the photo laser engraving and complicated pattern engraving.

ComMarker B4 -- Professional Fiber Laser Engraving Machine

Pros:

1. ComMarker B4 series provide users with a range of fiber laser power from 20W to 100W
2. 0.01mm laser precision with engraving speed up to 15,000mm/s
3. Free laser field lens provided for 200*200mm larger work area
4. 90° rotating vertical arm, unlocking expansive engraving space
5. Weigh only 11KG, big improvement from Omni 1

Cons:

1. Fiber laser is professional in laser engraving on metal, though non-metals can be dealed with it, diode laser is more suitable for such work.
2. Limited compatibility with LightBurn software, it requires purchasing the Galvo plugin separately (~$88).

ComMarker B4 is same like EM-Smart Basic or EM-Smart Super, professional in laser engraving on metal, but it is faster to 15,000mm/s. And it provides a free laser field lenses for 200*200mm engraving area, which is definitely cost-effective for buyers.

5. Omtech

OMTech is a US-based laser equipment brand specializing in CO₂/fiber laser engravers and cutters, known for high cost-performance ($1,000-$5,000) and full-category coverage targeting SMEs and makers. Its machines enable large-format processing (up to 400×600mm) with industrial precision (±0.01mm), though safety accessories require separate purchases.

Omtech Polar+ -- Desktop CO2 Laser Engraver and Cutter

Pros:

1. Integrated 10.1" touchscreen for standalone operation (no PC required)
2. USB offline engraving + power-loss recovery auto-resume
3. 510×300mm workspace + 360×5mm pass-through design
4. 55W laser cuts 1" acrylic & 0.6" wood efficiently
5. Dual rotary axes included (fits Ø30-75mm objects)

Cons:

6. WeCreat

Wecreat is a brand specializes in home-use laser cutting and engraving equipment. Its core products like the Vision Pro series feature auto-lift mechanisms and 0.01mm precision, with an integrated HD camera for "WYSIWYG" positioning to simplify operation. Targeting home DIYers and small businesses. Priced around $1,000, it focuses on North American and European markets.

WeCreat Vision -- World's 1st Auto-Lifting Laser Engraver

Pros:

Conclusion

Back to the topic, we briefly introduce 6 laser engraver brands for crafting. There 4 things you need to pay attention to when buying a new desktop laser engraver: what to engrave, what size you want, what power you need, how much you prepared.

Each brand has its core feature, we EM-Smart specilizes in fiber laser engraving machine, if you prefer metal laser engraving, we won't let you down. Also, this year we recommand our new member -- EM-Smart Dual, hope you can have a wonderful engraving experience with EM-Smart!