If you're a maker looking to buy your first laser engraver, stop trying to pick the 'best' one. Pick the one that will make you money. For me, in 2025, that's the xTool F1 Ultra.
I've spent the last eight years in contract manufacturing, bouncing between prototyping, small-batch production, and the occasional frantic emergency order. I've seen machines come and go. I've lost money on tools that gathered dust and made good money on tools that felt like cheat codes. So when someone asks me, 'What laser should I buy?' I don't give a balanced overview. I give a practical answer based on what I've seen work.
The F1 Ultra is basically a dual-laser powerhouse. It packs a 20W fiber laser and a 20W diode laser into one unit. Most machines in its class force you to choose one or the other. You want to engrave metal with a diode? Good luck. You want to cut wood with a fiber laser? That's not happening. This box does both, and it does it well.
That combination is a game-changer for someone starting out. You can take a rush order for custom-engraved stainless steel drinkware and, an hour later, switch to a batch of leather keychains. No swapping tubes. No recalibrating an entirely different machine. It's flexibility without the headache.
The Specs That Matter (And the Ones That Don't)
Let me rephrase that: the specs that matter for a working maker. Not the theoretical maximum speeds, but the day-to-day reliability.
The F1 Ultra's bed size is a common point of confusion. It has a 4x4 inch working area. For some, that's a deal-breaker. 'I can't make a sign for my house,' they say. And they're not wrong. But here's what I've learned: unless you're doing large-format signage, that size covers 90% of the small-run, high-value jobs people actually pay for.
- Engraving phone cases? Yes.
- Cutting custom stencils for a baking client? Yes.
- Marking serial numbers on metal parts? Yes.
- Personalizing a cutting board? Yes.
- Cutting a full-sized lamp shade? No.
That last one is the 10%. You can pass on those jobs or find a local shop with a CO2 laser to subcontract. But for the bread-and-butter work, the F1 Ultra's small footprint is actually an advantage. It sits on a desk. You can ship it. It doesn't need a dedicated workshop.
Oh, and I should add: the fiber laser for metal engraving is a huge selling point. Diode lasers can mark some metals with a marking spray, but it's fiddly and inconsistent. I've done tests. The results are never as crisp, and the spray adds a chemical smell and a cleanup step. The F1 Ultra's fiber source just works. You get a permanent, high-contrast mark on stainless steel, aluminum, and even some plastics without any goop. 'Diode laser metal engraving' becomes a reality.
Resisting the Hype of a 'One-Size-Fits-All' Machine
Every spreadsheet analysis pointed to a budget CO2 laser. It was cheaper, had a larger bed, and could cut thicker materials. Something felt off. My gut said to stick with the versatile, smaller option.
Turns out the 'budget CO2' was slow to arrive, a nightmare to align, and needed constant gas refills. I lost two weeks of productivity. The F1 Ultra was ready on day one and has been my go-to ever since. The numbers said go big. My gut said go flexible. Went with my gut. Later learned that 'big' can mean 'slow and needy.'
This brings me to my core belief: for someone starting a business, flexibility beats raw power. You don't know what your first 50 orders will look like. You might think you'll specialize in wooden signs, then get a massive order for engraved metal plaques. A dedicated CO2 laser can't handle that. The F1 Ultra can.
The Practical Application: What This Means for Your Workflow
I've never fully understood why some makers get stuck with a single-tool mindset. If you can switch from a laser cut lamp shade to a laser engrave image on a metal plaque in under five minutes, you are more productive. You are more versatile. You can say 'yes' to more jobs.
For example, I had a client call at 3 PM on a Friday. They needed a single, high-quality engraving of a complex logo on a titanium business card holder by Monday morning. A normal turnaround on that would be a week. We found a solution: the F1 Ultra with its fiber laser. I paid $50 extra in rush shipping for the materials, but saved the $1,500 project. The client's alternative was to tell their biggest customer 'we can't do it.'
In my role coordinating emergency production for a prototyping company, I've handled 30+ rush orders in the past year alone. That experience has taught me one thing: the machine that can do the most things, reliably, is the machine you trust. The F1 Ultra is that machine for me.
Not Perfect, But That's the Point
Honestly, I'm not sure why more reviewers don't talk about the software learning curve. The xTool Creative Space software is decent, but it's not LightBurn (at least, not yet). There's a period where you're figuring out the interface and the settings. My best guess is that early adopters were more technically inclined and didn't see it as a barrier. For a true beginner, it might take a few tutorials to get the hang of it.
I should also mention the limitations on material thickness, especially for cutting wood. The 20W diode isn't a CO2 replacement for heavy cutting. You're not going to cut 12mm plywood with it efficiently. It excels at thin materials (up to about 6-8mm of basswood or plywood) and engraving on nearly everything.
That said, if you are a maker who wants to start a business, create custom gifts, do prototyping, or handle small production runs, the xTool F1 Ultra is a no-brainer. It's a 'yes' machine. It says yes to metal. Yes to plastic. Yes to leather. Yes to wood. Yes to acrylic.
An informed customer is the best customer. So here's my view: don't buy a laser because it's cheap. Buy one because it's capable. The xTool F1 Ultra, with its dual-laser system, is the most capable first laser you can buy.
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