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Which machine is right for your needs?    

Diode, CO2, Fiber or UV?

This is the most often asked question across both CNC router machines and laser engravers and cutters. Unfortunately, it’s also one that has been asked and answered to death and beyond…but rarely accurately. Marketing and paid “influencers” flood social media with advertising gimmicks and grandiose claims of machine capabilities and speeds that would make light traveling through outer-space jealous. That leads to a LOT of confusion over what machine is actually right for your needs. So let’s tackle some of the misconceptions first, and then we’ll give you a tangible way to assess these machines to figure out which machine is actually going to suit your needs.

Diodes can do it all…

If you’ve spent any time at all in the Facebook laser groups or Reddit laser subs, you likely have already seen folks claiming the have “such and such” brand laser and it can: cut & engrave metal, cut any thickness of wood easily, work with acrylic of any color and thickness. If you’ve bravely set out to find some visual confirmation of these fantastic feats on YouTube, then you likely have stumbled upon brand influencers and manufacturer channels doing the exact same thing. Of all the market segments where this is the case, nowhere is it worse than with the diode machine market sub-segment.

Diode lasers, at their core, use a small semiconductor chip that emits a concentrated beam of light when an electrical current passes through it (think of a supercharged version of those cat-toy laser pointers). Unlike CO₂ lasers, which rely on a gas-filled tube, diodes are compact, solid-state devices that can be neatly packaged into “desktop-friendly” machines. They’re often lauded for their portability and lower initial cost, but it’s important to remember that while they can engrave or mark a variety of materials, they’re not magical sky beams capable of slicing through plate steel on a whim. The real benefit of a diode’s design is its simplicity and relatively low power consumption, which is why so many hobbyists gravitate to them—just don’t believe the tall tales about them turning your garage into a cutting-edge industrial factory line overnight. These machines are churned out on assembly lines with little concern for quality control in most cases, and are very much a “buyer beware” proposition in most cases. There are some notable exceptions, such as Endurance Lasers which is a boutique laser builder, but these are the exception, not the rule, and they are much more expensive than the hobby class machines you will likely find flooding your social media feeds.

Diodes come in both gantry and galvo style machines, but we’ll cover more of that in a bit.

CO2, the first of the business class offerings…

CO2 lasers operate by exciting a gaseous mixture (mostly carbon dioxide) in a sealed tube to generate a powerful infrared beam for engraving and cutting. Both glass-tube and RF (radio frequency) metal-tube CO2 lasers see full-blown commercial use, but each has distinct advantages. Glass tubes typically excel at heavier cutting tasks, thanks to their higher power handling, making them a popular choice for users focused on slicing through thicker materials. Glass tube CO2 lasers are also usually less expensive than their comparably powered RF tube counter parts. RF tubes, on the other hand, produce a smaller, more precise dot size and have faster tube response times, which is perfect for detailed engraving and rapid marking. If you need crisp, intricate designs or high-speed engraving, an RF tube can be worth the investment, while a glass tube remains a solid, budget-friendly option when your main priority is cutting power. SOME (not all) CO2 lasers can also cut non-ferrous metals, but these machines are specialized, and require an assisting gas at the point of contact between the beam and the metal being worked with in order to do that kind of work.

Fiber, MOPA Fiber and UV Lasers…when working with a specialty laser counts most…

Fiber lasers generate their beam by channeling light through a specialized fiber optic cable, usually doped with rare-earth elements such as ytterbium, resulting in a highly efficient and robust laser source. Because the light is already in a fiber core, these machines can deliver the beam with incredible precision and minimal loss, making them fantastic for metal marking, high-detail engraving, and even cutting thin metals when configured with enough power. They’re often found in both industrial and commercial settings for applications like jewelry marking, tool engraving, and ID plate production. Make no mistake: if you want to cut or deeply engrave metal, you need a fiber laser. No amount of marketing should be allowed to convince you otherwise. Infrared lasers can mark metal, but you will die of old age before you successfully cut anything with an Infrared laser (the “metal working” component included with some diode lasers that allow them to claim their lasers work with metal)…and these sources are painfully slow, often taking days to complete work that a fiber laser can do in most cases under 30 seconds.

MOPA (Master Oscillator Power Amplifier) fiber lasers are a specialized type of fiber laser that allow you to precisely control pulse duration and frequency, making them incredibly versatile for marking and engraving. By tweaking these pulse settings, you can achieve a wider range of effects—everything from crisp, dark markings to vibrant color marking on metals like titanium or stainless steel. This level of control is especially valuable for high-end applications such as jewelry or branded products that demand fine detail and decorative color engravings. While MOPA fiber systems often come with a higher price tag, their ability to deliver diverse marking styles and finishes can be a game-changer for businesses looking to stand out.

UV (ultraviolet) lasers operate at a shorter wavelength (around 355 nm) than CO₂ or fiber lasers, which enables a form of “cold marking” that generates minimal heat-affected zones. This makes them especially adept at working with delicate materials like PVC or vinyl that can be hazardous under higher-heat laser processes. That said, proper ventilation and fume extraction are critical no matter what laser system or material you use. Even though UV lasers minimize heat distortion, certain plastics can still off-gas harmful compounds when lasered, so a well-maintained exhaust setup is non-negotiable for both safety and air quality. UV lasers also excel in precise marking on glass, certain plastics, and other substrates where detail and minimal thermal impact are essential. There is also some overlap with CO2 and diode lasers in that UV lasers work very well with organic substrates like wood, bone, and some kinds of stone such as slate. Typically, UV lasers are on the pricier side, inflating the barrier to entry, but they are ideal for working with glass in particular as they like the required post processing that for safety reasons is an absolute MUST when working with glass on a CO2 laser or (with a hack which I will cover on a later article specifically about glass laser work) a diode laser.

Gantry or Galvo…

A gantry is essentially the overhead framework that holds and moves the laser (or cutting head) across the work area. It glides along rails or rods, allowing precise positioning along both the X and Y axes so that your cuts or engravings land exactly where they’re intended. Galvanometers—often called “galvos”—use tiny mirrors driven by high-speed motors to rapidly adjust the laser beam’s position, enabling extremely quick marking or engraving without physically moving the laser head itself.

For the last two decades, due to their low power outputs, diode lasers were traditionally only found running on a gantry, but the advent of multiple diode stacked passthrough head units, as well as general improvements in the technology have seen a number of diode, and diode/infrared combo super compact galvo style machines come to market. While the tech looks cool, and often works significantly faster than the traditional gantry based diodes, these are still diode machines at their core, and are hobby-centric machines not built with the robust motor and mirror assemblies found in the other platforms’ galvo offerings.

Gantry-Based Lasers
Gantry-based lasers use a classic rail-and-belt (or lead-screw) setup that physically slides the laser head back and forth across the work area. Think of it like a plotter on steroids: large format, straightforward mechanics, and fewer headaches if you’re already familiar with tinkering with motors or belts. They’re a great pick if you’re cutting or engraving on bigger materials—wood signs, acrylic panels, or even batch jobs that need a lot of real estate. Just keep in mind, since the whole head moves around, these machines can feel a bit leisurely when compared to something more high-speed, and the heavier the gantry, the more momentum you’ll deal with (which adds to the engraving time because that head is going to have to slow down in order to change directions!). Also, between belts, rails, and pulleys, there’s a bit of routine maintenance (lens & mirror alignment, rail lubrication, workbed and ventilation deep cleaning, etc) . If you can spare the shop space and you’re not racing against a clock with every project, a gantry-based setup can get the job done reliably without emptying your wallet.

Galvo-Based Lasers
Galvo-based systems, meanwhile, skip all that mechanical shuffling and let high-speed mirrors do the work. Think of a disco ball that can zap designs into your material at warp speed (minus the dated John Travolta dance sequences). Because only the mirrors move, these machines engrave or mark with blazing efficiency—ideal for production lines or when you’re short on time but big on detail. They’re also more compact overall, which is handy if your workshop is already at capacity or lacking space as a resource. The downside? You usually get a smaller marking field (unless you opt for additional pricy optics…and the larger the lens, the larger the work area…but the weaker the output!), and the initial cost can make you gulp a bit if you’re on a tight budget. Plus, calibration can be more nuanced—especially if you’re swapping lenses to expand your workable area. Still, if speed and precision are top priorities, a galvo system might be worth every penny.

So now that we have covered all of the basics, here’s what most folks want to know: “Which machine do I buy???” Well, that’s a tough question to answer, honestly, because only YOU know both what your main priorities are (speed, work area, machine size, budget). But here are some ideas to get you started on your own research.

Diode machines:

As stated before, most diode machines are made with all of the precision and care of a golden arches basic cheeseburger. Sure, the picture on the menu might look appetizing as all get out, but when that squished burger patty in between the flat smashed bun sadly reveals itself in front of you…it’s not very appetizing to say the least. Open frame diode lasers are your least expensive machines for a reason. They lack safety features like an enclosure to limit your exposure to off-gassing and the laser beam itself. Closed frame diode machines skyrocket in price by comparison to their open framed siblings so much that the difference in price is enough to give most people a nose bleed from the altitude change. And the quality standards by and large just aren’t there in the same way that the other source types are (remember, you get what you pay for…and with laser machines, you don’t get what you DON’T pay for). But even with that said, there are a few brands we can say are good for the hobbyist not looking to start a side-hustle or full blown business venture from their garage wood working studio.

• Creality
• Two Trees
• Sculpfun
• YoraHome

These are all brands that have a reasonably good track record when it comes to build quality. Still, since customer support if any is in China, we HIGHLY recommend you buy these machines through Amazon. Since the vast majority of these machines will show signs of a defect within the first few days of operation, it’s best to take advantage of Amazon’s ease of returns so that you aren’t stuck with a headache. There are brands popping up and trying to make a name for themselves (or in some cases run as far away from the names they made for themselves under other brand names) all the time in this market segment, so we suggest you stick with these companies, since their track record is strong enough to get this (albeit weak) recommendation.

CO2 Gantry Laser Machines:

These recommendations are split up a bit more, and the reasons will be fairly obvious when you see how. Keep in mind that in order to avoid litigation for telling the truth about companies that are notably missing from the list below, we won’t be telling you who to avoid here…but let’s just say that there is a damn good reason they don’t make the list, and leave it at that. Please keep in mind that all links are re-directional so that we can track who gets traffic from this article and how much internally, they are NOT paid affiliate links, and we do not collect any of your data!

American Based sale of Chinese manufactured with nation specific customer service:

• Thunder Laser USA (click here to check out Thunder Laser USA)– Thunder Laser is going to be your most expensive of the machines within this particular subset, but for good reason. Their machines are incredibly robust, well built, and their service is fantastic. Unfortunately, you won’t get all of the equipment needed for commercial operation with the purchase of the machine. Necessities like a water chiller for their glass tube models, and a basic chuck style rotary for example are additional purchases (though this is pretty standard for some reason across the American reseller category…it’s not unique to Thunder, sadly). But that shouldn’t dissuade you from them out of hand. You’re getting a quality made laser machine capable of handling high volume for at least a decade or more when you buy from Thunder, so that is worth the investment. Thunder Laser USA is based in Texas. Pros: Fantastic customer service and support; Impeccable build quality and components; reasonable delivery times when machines are in stock. Cons: Pretty expensive compared to other comparable machines; lack of “all in for what you need” pricing is a bit of an inconvenience; Delivery times can be rather long if the machine you want isn’t currently in stock.

• LightObject Laser (Click here to check out LightObject)– Similar to Thunder, LightObject has fantastic build quality and ridiculously good customer service. Also, like Thunder, they manufacture their own machines, they aren’t resellers. However, unlike Thunder, they offer service and support on ALL laser machines, not just the ones they manufacture and sell, as well as custom components no one else offers like their inline water heater (an absolute essential for glass tube CO2 laser owners who live in areas that see freezing winter temps to prevent tube breakage from the tube in their machine icing over). Pros: Impeccable build quality; fantastic support for their machines as well as competitor’s builds; reasonable pricing when compared to other premium & comparable offerings in the same machine spaces; the owner of the company is a master laser engineer himself, and personally hires & trains service technicians. Cons: Often the lack of stock on hand for their most popular machines & products leads to longer than ideal delivery wait times (so plan for a long delivery time just in case); no “all in” pricing either, you’ll pay extra for the components needed to make your purchase commercially viable; on-site service can be cost prohibitive (though it IS in line with their competitors who offer the same service, not that this is of much comfort to someone having to pay for that level of support).

• Rabbit Laser USA (Click here to check out Rabbit Laser) – Like LightObject, Rabbit offers an extensive parts warehouse to ensure that if you are comfortable maintaining and repairing your own machine, you can. But their build quality is as solid as a cast iron anvil as well. Couple that with an extensive library of software and project recommendations, as well as design resources, and Rabbit is worth a visit even if you buy from somewhere else. Family owned & operated, they are knowledgeable, helpful and quality oriented (and dedicated to that mission fully as well!) Pros: Well built machines; fantastic service; highest quality components; delivery is prompt and well communicated. Cons: Definitely less budget friendly compared to their closest competitors; Machines available are fairly limited in terms of sizes and wattages; no “all in pricing”

• Aeon Laser (Click here to check out Aeon) Aeon may look a little like a lesser quality brand most renowned for reselling generic blue/gray and red/black generic Chinese made lasers, but that is where the similarities to that “competitor” literally begin and end. With top level components in their builds, built-in chillers, and a sealed track system to minimize debris from impacting gantry movement, these machines are truly a buy once-cry once type of proposition. Featuring some of the fastest servo motors in the industry, and lightning fast tube response times, if your focus is on volume personalization of bulk product offerings, then there may not be a better option out there. Pros: incredible builds in a tried and true traditional design-styled cabinet; flexibility of configuration with some models being able to operate in configurations similar to smaller desktop style machines or with a riser cabinet; some of the top engraving speeds in the industry for a few of their models (most notably the Redline series). Cons: significantly more expensive than some other comparable-by-class manufacturers and sellers; built-in components means that if a component fails, the entire machine goes down with that component; delivery times are routinely longer than anyone else in this segment of the industry, and often models are back ordered for months at a time.

Direct-from-China Manufacturers

• Liaocheng Haotian Machinery Equipment Co., Ltd. (a.k.a. Haotian Laser, Haotian Global Click here to check out Haotian Global) has been a trusted seller in the laser space for over 20 years. Their build quality is on par with the best in the industry and though they aren’t the largest manufacturer in the space, they are absolutely one of the best. Haotian offers a wide variety of gantry CO2 lasers at multiple power outputs, and sizes, with something to fit almost anyone’s needs from smaller units with minimal footprint to full-sheet machines able to process sheet goods en masse. Unlike some other companies in the space, Haotian has made significant investment in creating international support and delivery logistics a priority, as well as creating a robust support infrastructure that allows their customers to get help easily and quickly. Their all-in pricing is also a refreshing departure from the piecemeal approach that US based sellers employ, with each machine they sell including a commercial chiller for glass tube models, and chuck rotary, eliminating the need for 3rd party purchases in order to get your investment up and running. Some of their machines are purchased by other brands and re-badged for sale under that brand’s moniker. Pros: Stellar customer service and support; affordable all-in pricing models that include peripherals and accessories as well as taxes, import duty and delivery fees; a large community-based user group that is willing to help new users via Facebook groups. Cons: Some models have long lead times due to port-to-port shipping from China which can take up to 3 months.

• G•Weiki (Click here to check out G•Weiki) is the largest manufacturer in the space, producing machines under their own brand flag, as well as the manufacturer behind Boss, Laguna, and several other US sellers. Their approach is less boutique and more about market segment dominance, and it shows in their approach to product offerings, with no indication of shying away from the sometimes problematic approach of competing with their own brand via the other brands they manufacture for all vying for the same customers. Pros: Established platforms with wide adoption, able to easily handle volume orders and 3rd party manufacturing needs. Cons: some machine components are proprietary, making finding replacement parts difficult outside of expensive resellers; long lead times for machines shipping direct from China with delivery times often taking 3-5 months; limited support in the US & Europe.

• Noua Laser by XinXing (Click here to check out Noua) Though not as big or as long running as the other options, Noua laser has emerged as a competitor in the space worth paying attention to. Their pricing is reasonable, and their fulfillment strategy incorporates local deliver warehouses throughout the world to expedite machine orders. Their customer service and support is solid, and there isn’t anything in the way of unexpected curve balls when ordering from them, as they outline the entire process from purchasing procedures to final delivery every step of the way, making the process painless. Pros: well built commercial grade machines built for long service duty at reasonable prices. Cons: Not all models are available without sea-freight shipping leading to long lead times; limited machine options.

Why isn’t Epilog, Trumpf, Gravotech or Trotec included on the CO2 gantry list?

If you are familiar with these brands, then you are more familiar with the laser industry than most. I will stress this before I go on: I have nothing against these brands per se (with two notable exceptions that are my opinions, and I will explain that accordingly). Epilog makes fantastic machines that are true work horses and built to last. The problem is their software. As a rule, I don’t recommend nor do I consider machines that lead to a closed ecosystem in either software or hardware as viable in the long term. The proprietary nature of these machines make them unnecessarily expensive to maintain, and deeply limit both the community support as well as the ability to adopt industry standards that others using more open platforms enjoy. Epilog suffers from this weakness, as do the other three brands, but Epilog is the one of the four that actually kind of hurts because their build quality is so good. I would LOVE to be able to recommend them. But until they at least open up their hardware to be Lightburn compatible, I simply can’t. Trumpf suffers the same short coming, but in addition, their machines are specifically designed for operations that have multi-million dollar operating budgets and can justify massive equipment expenditures…if you are reading this, that likely isn’t you. Trotec also suffers the same condition as Epilog, but in addition to these short comings, the company has seen a major uptick in build issues and a decline in customer service reported by their customers that would make me hold back from recommending them, even if their hardware and software weren’t constrained by the proprietary sandbox. That leaves Gravotech. I started my engraving journey with Hermes I & II machines (a spindle engraving brand that was acquired by Gravotech), long before laser engravers were even accessible by major corporations let alone small businesses. Gravotech took IP those of us who started personalizing products with in the 2000s and burned our good will quickly by outsourcing their manufacturing to China, but keeping the now seemingly over-inflated price tags that an American made product would typically and rightfully carry. Their machines are in my personal opinion over priced for what you’re buying (a Chinese designed, Chinese manufactured machine with their branding and occasionally their software, nothing more), and their customer support is decent when you’re within warranty (not great mind you…just decent, I chose that description carefully), but dreadful the moment you are out of warranty because they insist you have to upgrade, and will make it cost prohibitive not to. For that reason, if you are good with locking yourself into a closed software and hardware ecosystem, then please, by all means, buy an Epilog. Gravograph isn’t worth entertaining as an option unless you are locked in by government requirements (and how they still squeak into the approval list I will never know).

Galvo Machines (Fiber, CO2, and UV):

In this section, I’m going to take a slightly different approach than I did with the CO2 gantry section. In terms of both value for the investment, and accessibility, unless you are a government contractor with specific clearance requirements, then there is literally zero reason to consider American or European laser sources for galvo machines due to the costs being orders of magnitude higher than their Chinese counterparts for comparable equipment (and I want to stress, I am ALWAYS a patriotic American who recommends buying American made products whenever it makes sense…if you are starting or expanding a small laser based or supplemented business…it just doesn’t).

I’m going to go into a little more detail for the fiber/MOPA sources than the other source types because it matters. But for the other source types, the companies I am going to include in that list only utilize the best sources for those laser types available, so as long as you’re staying within these guide rails, you shouldn’t see many issues (unless your machine gets tossed around like a corn hole bean bag by the shipper…which isn’t a manufacturing issue, that’s a shipper issue and does sadly happen sometimes, but I digress).

With fiber and MOPA laser sources, you have many manufacturers for the laser source itself. However, there are three major sources used by the vast majority of Chinese manufacturers. Those sources are MAX, Raycus, and JPT.

MAX is unarguably the lowest tier of fiber laser sources, bar none. They are commonly within the community knocked for early failure rates, broken fiber optics that render their machines unusable due to poor insulation, and wiring issues. This shouldn’t be terribly surprising as they are the least expensive of the big 3 source manufacturers, prioritizing volume over quality.

Raycus is the 2^nd largest manufacturer of fiber laser sources in China, and they are quite good, with some important things to keep in mind about them. First, their frequency range is significantly narrower than other sources on all of their power levels. Thus, you should go into a machine purchase that is powered by a Raycus source understanding you aren’t going to be able to work with everything that you see others working with in terms of material types, and you additionally aren’t going to have the ability to do the fancy multi-color annealing that you see done with MOPA sources with a Raycus based machine. But what you WILL get if you decide to go this route is a laser source that will work reliably and predictably for years. They are fantastic sources for removing material and working with precious metals. They also tend to be less expensive than JPT sources (though not by much). So if your focus is on depth of material on a limited number of substrates, Raycus sources might just be your ticket,

JPT is the big dog in the Chinese fiber and MOPA fiber source world. They have the most trusted brand of laser source within China, as well as the western world because in a word, their products just work, and work well. They have the widest frequency ranges available from either standard or MOPA fiber sources, which maximizes both the type of material you can work with as well as the results you can produce with those materials, and the sources themselves are well built and over engineered for reliability, making them the most logical choice for the widest variety of applications.

Who to buy from:

In this realm, like the diode market before it, the space is starting to get more and more crowded with offerings from both no-name new comers to import/re-badge giants alike. But even with that being the case, there are still only a handful of companies I would personally recommend buying from and here’s why: The following companies have a track record and loyal customer base that was earned through:

• reasonable pricing
• exceptional build quality
• timely delivery
• included extra value
• ease of importation (NOT something to be over looked), yes…you can buy from a reseller/re-badge brand and save the “trouble” of this process, but you’re going to pay SIGNIFICANTLY more than you would buying direct, and frankly, the companies listed here will take care of everything for you from a door to door perspective which should eliminate that anxiety all together.

1. Haotian Global (https://haotianglobal.com/)
2. OMG Laser (https://www.omglaser.com/)
3. BWM Tech (http://www.bwmtech.cn/)
4. Noua Laser (https://www.noualaser.com/collections/laser-marking-engraving-machine)

If you have been trolling the galvo laser space for any period of time, then you likely have heard of Haotian, or more likely, their representatives Pascal Liu (operations manager), Bella Wang or Eric Lee (sales representatives). All three have cult-like fan followings within the community, all of which earned through quality customer service, and they recently added a US operations team headed up by a US military vet named Brad (aka BZ Rad) who equally has proven to be deeply dedicated to their customer’s satisfaction. With over 20 years in laser & CNC machine manufacturing, they have a solid track record and are an effortless choice to work with.

OMG Laser is owned by Richard Zhang, he is a laser engineer by trade turned entrepreneur, and his customers all sing his praises loudly. The company focuses on making quality machines at accessible prices, and their support is fantastic.

BWM Tech is also a terrific company to work with, albeit not quite as easy to purchase from as the other available options, since bank transfer wire is their only purchasing option, limiting convenience. Still, this is the only gripe I have with their approach to the business, and that’s a pretty small gripe to be honest.

Noua Laser is a fairly large company in the space, with contracts spanning several continents and clients that include both engineering and customization spaces. Their main point of contact for US customers is Josie Yang, and she’s most easily reached through Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100084053595977)

So, at this point you have the most comprehensive list of information I could possibly hope to provide to you as of this time. I will occasionally (a couple of times a year) return to this post and update it if new information becomes available. Please keep in mind, these opinions are shared as my personal opinions & NO ONE compensates me or AduroMark.com, nor any principles or employees for these opinions, though I recommend that you keep in mind…if I left a brand out of this post…there’s likely a REALLY good reason they didn’t get a mention. I myself have over 20 years of experience in this industry, and am fairly familiar with most of the key players in the space. If you have further questions, or just want to talk shop, you can always reach me via e-mail at
customerservice@aduromark.com with the subject line “Attn: Frank” and I will get back to you as time permits. Best of luck, we’re routing for you!

-Frank, Co-Owner, AduroMark.com