1. What this site is, and is not
This site is a specification index for desktop laser engravers and cutters. We collect the numbers manufacturers publish, normalize the units, put them side by side and build calculators on top of them.
We do not run physical tests. We do not own every machine listed. We do not measure cut depth, speed or accuracy ourselves. Any page that says "X cuts 10 mm plywood" is repeating a manufacturer's claim, with a link to it, and says so.
We do not publish "reviews" or star ratings. Pages are called spec sheets, comparisons ("X vs Y by the numbers") and shortlists by spec. Pros and cons on this site are derived from specifications (for example, "no camera listed, so alignment is manual"), not from impressions.
2. Sources, in order of preference
- The manufacturer's own product page or spec tab (the regional store closest to the US store).
- The manufacturer's store data feed (for Shopify stores, the product JSON), which contains the same description text and variant names as the page.
- The manufacturer's PDF manual or spec sheet.
- Regulator or standards text for safety classes (FDA/CDRH, IEC 60825-1), quoted, never paraphrased.
- Retailer listings, only as a temporary placeholder flagged "pending verification". Such values are never used in sort results or comparison verdicts.
Review sites, forums and marketplaces are never used as sources for specifications.
3. Every value carries three things
- Source URL of the page we read.
- Access date (YYYY-MM-DD).
- Confidence level:
high— read directly from a fetched manufacturer page or its store JSON;medium— attributed to a manufacturer domain through a search snippet because the page itself could not be fully loaded on the access date; shown with a note;low— only seen on a retailer or third-party listing; displayed as "pending verification" and excluded from comparisons.
If a manufacturer does not state a value, the cell reads "not stated". We do not fill gaps with typical values.
4. Normalization rules
| Field | Rule |
|---|---|
| Power | We record optical output as stated. Where a maker lists both module input and optical output, optical is used; if only one unlabeled number is given, we record it as stated and flag it. CO2 machines: tube rated wattage. |
| Work area | X × Y in mm. Inches are converted at 25.4 mm/in and marked "converted by us". Extended/passthrough or conveyor areas are listed in a note, not in the main cell. Ovals (galvo units) are stored with the note "ellipse". |
| Speed | mm/s. Values given in mm/min are divided by 60 and marked "converted by us". "Up to" is treated as maximum. |
| Enclosure / class | Only what the manufacturer states for the product as sold. An optional enclosure does not make a machine "enclosed" in the table. |
| Rotary | "included", "optional <accessory name>", or "not stated". A listed max diameter is stored separately. |
| Software | Names as given by the manufacturer. Third-party compatibility (for example, LightBurn) only when the manufacturer names it. |
5. Calculators
Every calculator on this site shows its formula next to the result:
- Work area fit: a rectangle of W × H fits a bed of X × Y if (W ≤ X and H ≤ Y) or (W ≤ Y and H ≤ X). No margin is subtracted for a single piece. When counting copies, a user-set gap g is placed between copies: copies = max(floor((X+g)/(W+g)) × floor((Y+g)/(H+g)), the rotated alternative). For non-rectangular fields (an elliptical galvo field) the manufacturer's stated inscribed rectangle is used, never the ellipse's bounding box. Rows whose data is retailer-only ("pending verification") are excluded from calculators by default. Cylinders are unrolled: length × circumference (π·d).
- Rotary fit: a cylinder fits if its diameter is within the manufacturer's stated rotary range and its length is within the stated work area along the rotary axis.
No calculator claims that a machine will produce a good result; it only compares geometry with stated specs.
6. Update cycle and corrections
Data is re-checked against source pages on a monthly schedule. Changed values get a new access date. Every change is logged on the Corrections page with the old value, the new value and the source. If you find an error, use the Contact page; corrections are published with attribution if you wish.
7. Affiliate links
Some links are affiliate links (marked rel="sponsored"). They never change the data or the order of a table. The disclosure appears at the top of every page that contains such links, per FTC guidance. Full disclosure.
8. Safety statements
Laser safety classes and warnings on this site are quoted from the manufacturer or from regulators (FDA/CDRH, IEC). We do not give safety advice beyond those quotes.
9. Images and 3D
Diagrams may be AI-generated and are labeled "illustrative". 3D size boxes use manufacturer-stated dimensions and are labeled "dimensions per manufacturer".