Which xTool laser machine should you choose based on your needs?

xTool is now one of the leading brands in the laser engraving and cutting market, offering a range of innovative, reliable, and accessible machines. Whether you’re a maker, artisan, or personalization professional, there’s an xTool model suited to your needs.

This guide helps you compare the brand’s main machines to make the right choice based on your projects, materials, and work surfaces.

Which xTool laser machine should you choose based on your needs

xTool Laser Technologies: What Are the Differences?

At xTool, several laser technologies are available, each suited to specific uses and materials. Understanding their differences will help you choose the machine best suited to your needs.

Diode Laser

The diode laser is a semiconductor laser that emits blue light with a wavelength typically around 450 nm. It is the most common technology used in xTool machines aimed at crafters, makers, and semi-professionals.

Advantages:

– Very good precision for engraving and cutting organic materials like wood, leather, cardboard, fabric, and some dark plastics.
– Often compact machines with controlled energy consumption.
– Low maintenance costs and good durability.

Limitations:

– Cannot directly engrave raw or reflective metals without special treatment.
– Not effective on transparent materials (clear acrylic, glass) that let the light pass through.

CO₂ Laser

The CO₂ laser uses a gas (carbon dioxide) to generate a laser beam. It is the preferred technology for cutting and engraving non-metallic materials, especially transparent or thick ones.

Advantages:

– Excellent ability to quickly and cleanly cut materials such as clear acrylic, wood, leather, rubber, glass, and some fabrics.
– Very good engraving quality on a wide range of organic and composite materials.
– Often paired with large working areas.

Limitations:

– Not suitable for engraving or cutting metals.
– Machines are generally bulkier and require an efficient smoke extraction system.

Fiber Laser

The fiber laser is a solid-state laser technology that uses a rare-earth doped optical fiber to generate a high-energy laser beam with a short wavelength (around 1060 to 1080 nm). This technology excels in metal engraving and marking.

Advantages:

– Allows direct engraving on raw metals (stainless steel, aluminum, brass, titanium, copper) without any pretreatment. Color engraving is possible with MOPA laser.
– Very fast and precise engraving, ideal for industrial applications and metal object customization.
– High reliability and low maintenance.

Limitations:

– Not suitable for cutting non-metallic materials.
– Usually reserved for professional environments due to the cost and complexity of the machines.

Possible Applications with xTool Machines

xTool laser machines offer great versatility and adapt to a wide range of uses, from creative hobbies to industrial production. Engraving, cutting, personalization, or technical marking: discover the main applications achievable with the brand’s various models to choose the right xTool machine.

1. Object Personalization

xTool laser engravers are perfect for personalizing everyday objects. Whether it’s a unique gift or small batch production, these machines allow you to engrave names, logos, patterns, or QR codes on a variety of materials.

Thanks to compatible rotary modules like the RA2 Pro, it’s even possible to work on cylindrical items such as bottles, mugs, pens, or vials.

Fiber models like the F1 Ultra or the F2 Ultra offer fine metal engraving, while the P2S and M1 Ultra are ideal for wood, leather, and glass.

2. Wood Engraving and Cutting

Wood is one of the most commonly used materials in laser engraving. xTool machines equipped with diode or CO₂ lasers provide clean cuts and high-precision engraving on all types of wood (plywood, MDF, solid wood).

Perfect for creating decorative panels, architectural models, miniature furniture, or personalized items (keychains, puzzles, lamps).

The S1 40W model is particularly well-suited for these projects thanks to its power and large working area.

3. Metal Engraving and Marking

Models equipped with fiber or MOPA lasers enable direct engraving on raw metals: stainless steel, aluminum, brass, copper, or titanium.

This application is ideal for industrial marking (serial numbers, barcodes, QR codes), engraved jewelry, or the customization of anodized metal objects.

The MOPA laser can also create colored engraving effects on stainless steel and titanium depending on the settings used.

The F series, especially the xTool F2 Ultra, supports engraving on a wide range of metals.

4. Vinyl Cutting and Sticker Creation

Among the possible applications is the creation of stickers, adhesive labels, window or vehicle signage, and even heat transfer designs for textiles.

Thanks to the built-in camera and intelligent detection, cutting is optimized to reduce errors and maximize productivity.

The M1 Ultra model combines laser and blade cutting, allowing you to precisely cut adhesive vinyl, fabric, and other thin films.

5. Stamp Making and Rubber Engraving

Thanks to CO₂ technology, it is possible to engrave rubber with great precision, enabling the creation of personalized stamps for professional (offices, crafts), event, or artistic use.

Designs can be highly detailed, and the precise laser settings allow perfect control of engraving depth.

Machines like the xTool P2S or the M1 Ultra are the most suitable for this type of application.

What Materials Can Be Processed with xTool Machines?

Here’s an overview of the compatible materials by model to help you decide which xTool to choose:

xTool F1 Ultra / F2 Ultra

Cutting: Paper, Wood, Leather, MDF, Felt, Some dark opaque acrylics, Brass, Stainless steel, Aluminum
Engraving: Paper, Wood, Leather, MDF, Stainless steel, Some dark opaque acrylics, Bamboo, Fabric, Dark glass, Ceramic, Jade, Marble, Slate, Cement, Brick, Plated metal, Painted metal, Aluminum, Brass, Silver, Plastic, Platinum, Titanium, Gold

xTool M1 Ultra

Cutting: Wood, Opaque acrylic, Paper, MDF, Cardstock, Vinyl, PVC, Leather
Engraving: Wood, Opaque acrylic, Leather, Stainless steel, Plated metal
Printing: Paper, Cardboard, Wood, Canvas, Acrylic

xTool P2S

Cutting: Wood, Opaque acrylic, Clear acrylic, Paper, Cardstock, Cardboard, Foam, MDF, Leather, Felt
Engraving: Wood, Opaque acrylic, Clear acrylic, Paper, Cardboard, Galvanized metal, MDF, Leather, Felt, Rubber, Glass, Plastic, Cork, Ceramic

xTool S1

Cutting: Paper, Wood, Leather, MDF, Felt, Some dark opaque acrylics
Engraving: Paper, Wood, Leather, MDF, Stainless steel, Some dark opaque acrylics, Bamboo, Fabric, Dark glass, Ceramic, Jade, Marble, Slate, Cement, Brick, Plated metal, Painted metal, Plastic

Work Area: Which xTool Should You Choose?

The engraving area determines the size of the objects you can work on:

Compact (F1, F1 Ultra, F2 Ultra): ideal for personalized items, quick engraving, jewelry, and labels
Medium (M1 Ultra, S1): perfect for diverse craft projects or small business production
Large format (P2S): suitable for batch production, large objects, signage, and continuous engraving

Model	Work Area	Possible Extensions
xTool S1 40W	498 × 319 mm	Riser base
xTool P2S	600 × 305 mm	Automatic conveyor, riser base
xTool F2 Ultra	220 × 220 mm	Automatic conveyor
xTool F1 Ultra	220 × 220 mm	Automatic conveyor
xTool F1	115 × 115 mm	RA2 Pro rotary module
xTool M1 Ultra	300 × 300 mm	Riser base

Compatible Accessories and Extensions

To enhance the use of your xTool machine, several accessories are available:

Automatic conveyor: compatible with several models, it enables continuous cutting and engraving for batch production.
RA2 Pro rotary module: perfect for engraving cylindrical or round items such as bottles, pens, or bracelets.
SafetyPro AP2 – Air Purification System: a high-performance smoke extraction and filtration system to ensure a clean and safe work environment.
Safety Fire Set: fire safety kit specially designed for laser operations, to protect your workspace.
Honeycomb panels, supports, and risers: accessories for stabilizing your materials and improving cutting or engraving quality.
Compatible software: mainly xTool Creative Space (XCS), user-friendly and intuitive, designed for precise control of all xTool machines.

These accessories help tailor your setup to different needs, whether for automation, safety, or precision.

Comparison Table of Main xTool Machines

Model	Technology & Power	Work Area (mm)	Compatible Materials	Key Features	Target Users
xTool S1 40W	Blue Diode 40W	498 × 319 mm	Wood, leather, dark acrylic, fabric, cardboard	Auto focus, enhanced safety, large work area	Wood/leather artisan, organic material creator
xTool P2S	CO₂ 55W	600 × 305 mm	Clear acrylic, wood, leather, rubber, glass	Dual-lens camera, fast cutting, conveyor compatible	Batch production, professional workshop
xTool F2 Ultra	Diode 40W + MOPA 60W	220 × 220 mm (220 x 500 mm with conveyor)	All metals, plastics, leather, wood	Color engraving on metal, fast industrial engraving, dual AI camera	Metal specialist, industrial workshop, high-volume production
xTool F1 Ultra	Diode 20W + Fiber 20W	220 × 220 mm (220 x 500 mm with conveyor)	Raw and anodized metals, technical plastics	Ultra-precise engraving, touch interface, active cooling	Metal expert, high-end creator
xTool F1	Diode 10W + IR 2W	115 × 115 mm	Anodized metals, plastics, leather, labels	Ultra-fast engraving, enclosed case, portable	Mobile creator, portable metal engraver
xTool M1 Ultra	Hybrid: Diode 20W + Ink + Blade + Pen	300 × 300 mm	Paper, wood, leather, vinyl, glass, acrylic, anodized metal	3-in-1 machine, AI camera, vinyl cutting, extreme versatility	Versatile creator, advanced creative hobbyist

Explore the xTool Range

The xTool range stands out for its technological diversity, precision, and user-friendliness. Whether you’re looking for a machine for DIY projects, artisan products, or professional use, there is a solution tailored to your needs.

Take the time to identify the materials you want to work with, the size of the pieces to produce, and how often you’ll use the machine.

You can then explore our complete selection of xTool machines to find the model that perfectly fits your projects.

Polyfab3D is an official xTool partner and offers you a 2-year warranty on all brand products.

✅ Why Choose Polyfab3D?

Premium Support and After-Sales Service: Starting from your needs, we will guide you to the most suitable solution and provide long-term support for its implementation and daily use.

Official Reseller: Polyfab3D is a certified reseller of top brands, ensuring you get official products, exclusive access to the latest innovations, and priority technical support.

Fast Delivery and Customer Satisfaction: Polyfab3D is committed to providing you with an optimal and fast experience. Positive feedback from our customers rewards us and proves the reliability and efficiency of our service.