The 5 best desktop C02 laser cutters in 2021

Get your hands on a laser cutter. You will never regret it.

Laser cutting is my go-to recommendation for desktop manufacturing enthusiasts. It is easy to learn, easy to use, and creates quick results.

A C02 laser cutter is a potent tool that can cut and engrave in various materials and quickly takes a blank piece of wood and turns it into an art masterpiece. 

But it all comes down to the quality of your laser and how streamlined its process is.

Recently, some laser cutter manufacturers have put tremendous effort into their lasers, so they perform smoothly and are user-friendly even to kids who can enjoy and learn with them.

Let's explore the five laser cutters that have made it to our best cutters list and offer the most value for money return.

The five best desktop laser cutters in 2021

1) Gweike Cloud

In recent months, the Gweike cloud has made waves in the desktop laser cutter industry due to its high-quality and still unbeatable affordable pricing.

It is quite a new player in the market but has made it to the top of our list because it is packed with features, has a powerful 50W laser, and it's super affordable with prices of around 3K instead of 6K of similar quality lasers.

It has a build area of 20 inches by 11.8 inches, And also features a passthrough slot that makes the length of the material simply unlimited! And it has all standard and upgraded features such as air assist, water chiller, autofocus, a CCD camera, and much more. The company also offers a free air filter with every cutter, which is helpful when using it at home, office, or school.

The cutting depth is quite impressive, with 10mm on basswood and 8mm on acrylic with a single pass.

The software was internally developed by G-weike and is available on their website gweikecloud.com/cloud. It is easy to learn and use, and you can visualize the outcome via the CCD camera. But the machine is not locked into their software. You can use any software that can handle RUIDA controllers, such as Lightburn and others; this is helpful for people who need the ability to work offline without an internet connection.

2) Flux Beamo

Flux beamo is a highly popular laser cutter with a vast community of fans, and it is an excellent fit for someone who doesn't need the ability of deep cutting. It is a stable and well-performing cutter and makes cutting as easy as possible, even for beginners.

It features a 30W laser and a work area of almost 12 inches by 8.2 inches and has a built-in camera so you can visualize the design for real before starting the print. Beamo runs on the beam studio software, and it has an Andriod/ios app available to keep you creating on the go. 

It can cut 3mm wood and 5mm acrylic in a single pass, getting even deeper on multipass.

Beamo goes for around $2,000/2,500 a piece.

3) Glowforge pro

The Glowforge is a trendy choice for the broad market, especially in the US, and it is Made in the US and offers extraordinary quality and performance. It has All sought-after features, such as a live preview camera, passthrough slot, large work area, autofocus, and more. It also has material detection on its own branded materials. It is probably the leading player in the desktop upgraded C02 laser cutter industry. Their main downside is the price; it goes for about $6K.

They have a cheaper option for about 3K, but it doesn't have some of the best features, such as passthrough, and is not as quick.

4) Emblaser 2

The Emblaser 2 is somewhat different from the others listed here because of the different laser technology used. It uses solid-state lasers instead of C02 laser power. The benefit is that it does not need optical path alignment, which can be a headache for c02 laser users. It has a laser equivalent to 20W C02 laser power. It also carries some of the great features available for desktop laser cutters, such as a camera, air assist, air filtration system, and a robust workspace of 20 by 12 inches.

5) SnapMaker 2.0

The SnapMaker made headlines for being the most funded technology on Kickstarter, with more than $7M in funding. And the reason for this excitement is that this machine unlocks the whole custom manufacturing at once and gives you the ability to do whatever your desire is, additive printing or subtractive cutting and CNC machining.

The SnapMaker 2.0 is a 3 in 1 device with a 1.6-watt laser cutter that can cut up to 3mm acrylic and 1.5mm plywood, and it also features a powerful 3d printer module and a CNC mill.

We have to admit that the main focus SnapMaker out in this machine was a 3D printer (SnapMaker is a 3D printer brand). Still, the laser cutter is quite impressive and is especially good in engraving.

The tool head is interchangeable, the assembly and changing are easy, and it has a grand user manual and youtube tutorials.

Conclusion

Whatever your final pick is, the most important is starting your creative journey and producing great results soon. You can use your cutter for a home experiment, develop your product prototype, get your children busy with something creative, or sell homemade masterpieces of engraved wood art.

Opportunities are endless, and the rewards for your work are high because you see the result in a few minutes. Start exploring your creative sides, and you will find the true you.