When we first heard of a laser engraving machine that was suitable (and safe) for home use, it’s fair to say we were a little bit dubious. But from the moment we saw the laser light up, we were amazed by this incredible product!
Summary
An ultra-precise self-contained laser engraving and laser cutting machine that is beginner-friendly and safe for home use.
- Buy now from xTool (£1,999 | $2,534)
How we tested
We tested the xTool S1 20W Enclosed Diode Laser Cutter in our office work space, setting up on a tabletop the size of a large desk or workshop table. We followed the manual instructions provided to set up the machine, and downloaded the free Xtool design software.
We trialled the xTool S1 20W laser engraving machine on a variety of materials to test its performance and efficacy. We were provided with the Rotary Bundle, which also included a material kit so we were able to get making as soon as we were set up!
To truly test if this laser engraving machine was suitable for beginners, we used this machine following the basic manual and software instructions alone. While there are many handy videos and information available from the xTool support and community, we just got stuck straight in to see what it could do.
The results
xTool S1 20W laser engraving machine review
Key features
- Laser power (Watts): 20W (there is a 40W option which enables more metal laser cutting/etching possibilities)
- Engraving area dimensions: 498 x 319mm
- Cutting area dimensions: 498 x 319mm
- Product dimensions: 765 x 561 x 183 mm
- Compatible materials: Paper, Wood, Leather, MDF, Stainless steel, Some dark opaque acrylic, Bamboo, Fabric, Dark glass, Ceramic, Jade, Marble, Shale, Cement, Brick, Plated metal, Painted metal
- Engraving speed: 600mm/s
- Cutting speed: 600mm/s
- Software compatibility: Windows 10 or above & macOS, Android & iOS Phones and iPad Tablet
- Connectivity (USB, Wi-Fi): USB/Wi-Fi
- Warranty: 30-Day Return Service, 24-month Warranty
- RRP £3,099/$3,929 for the Rotary bundle
Functions 5/5
The fact that the xTool S1 20W doubles up as both a laser engraving and laser cutting machine is incredibly convenient.
Using the included free software you can easily select whether you want parts of your design to be engraved, scored or cut, with the machine doing all tasks in a single job – no need to reset or treat them as separate tasks.
Considering that the laser is powerful enough to cut and engrave a huge range of materials, it feels incredibly safe to use. The large opaque orange lid gives you a great view of your progress while also protecting your eyes.
Range
The basic kit bundle consists of an xTool S1 20W (or 40W) Laser Engraving Machine, Air Assist module, Honeycomb Panel, Free Fire Safety Set plus Free Material Kit. This will be suitable for working with most flat 2D mediums, however there are extra bundles if you want to enter the world of 3D engraving or thicker laser cutting.
Buying a Rotary bundle means your xTool S1 also comes with the RA2 Pro module, allowing you to engrave on curved surfaces, with the supplied riser base giving you a larger work area to enable you to work with thicker materials.
The beauty of the xTool S1 range is that its enclosed laser diode is modular, meaning you can easily swap between the 20W, 40W or even their ultra precise 1064nm Infrared Laser Module.
There is also an additional bundle that includes a Smart Smoke Purifier with a 99.7% purification rate, which is perfect for if you’re working in a small space or one with poor ventilation.
Adjustability
The adjustability is one of the features that really wowed the socks off us! It’s ridiculously simple to make designs of all sizes fit your material.
Simply place your material on the base plate, then using the marking setting within the included software, position the laser crosshairs to specific points (depending on the desired shape).
The distance sensor also means that the S1 can detect how thick your medium is, which of course is very important for the cutting function. You can also use the supplied honeycomb panel when laser cutting which will help to give you a cleaner cut and avoid burn marks.
All of this also helps to make the most of your materials. Being able to control the exact area that the laser will mark or cut enables you to use odd shapes or offcuts of materials. You can even think ahead and use the machine to cut your materials into sections for you to easily store for later use.
We specifically tested this with our slate coaster. First we engraved a picture on it, but realised that we had set the image slightly smaller than we intended. So next we went back to the design and added a text border. All we had to do was put the coaster back in place and remark the position, then we successfully added a second engraving onto the same coaster.
Software
We downloaded and installed the xTool Creative Space software with ease, and found it remarkably simple to use and navigate.
If you’re already familiar with digital images then you’ll have no problem using it, and vector files make it even easier. There are a range of image tools within the software, allowing you to create text or shapes from scratch or manipulate existing files or images.
While the Creative Space software has a lot of functions to help you prepare your images, there are some areas where it can be a bit tricky to perform some specific tasks. For example, when working with layers and wanting to mask certain elements, while the software does have the capability to do this, it’s not immediately obvious how.
As well as customising and preparing your design, the software is also where you prepare the machine for your specific project. You use the software to mark out your surface area and depth, which is incredibly simple to do. Once you’re happy with your settings and ready to start processing, you’re told how long the process will take as well as being shown the laser's trajectory path.
Don’t have an image – no problem, the xTool Creative Space even has its own AI generator to help you create your own design.
Compatibility 4/5
Materials 5/5
The huge range of materials that can be used with the xTool S1 Laser Engraving Machine opens up a world of creativity. Just using the supplied material pack we made engravings on wood, acrylic, stainless steel, vegan leather, pre-prepared printing screens and slate.
When preparing your design, you are able to choose from a list of materials which will automatically apply the optimum speed and power settings for that specific material.
If however, you can’t find your material within the list of options, there is also the option to apply settings manually using the easyset panel, and a list of optimum settings for different materials can be found on the xTool website.
Precision 5/5
We can’t give the xTool S1 anything other than top marks for precision! It can render incredibly intricate designs into beautiful etchings, and create super-fine lines which look really impressive when used with text.
There is a degree of needing to learn how certain images will translate into an etching. For example, we took a vector image that was quite large and then made it too small, which meant some of the finer details were lost in the etching. However, this is something we would put down as user error and part of the process of learning what is possible.
Instructions 4/5
The xTool S1 Laser Engraving Machine is marketed as being easy-to-use and suitable for beginners, and in fairness, it is remarkably straightforward to use. While you can find many videos and information on the xTool website, to give it a true beginners test we relied only on the included manual and basic software instructions.
First we needed to set up the machine, and while the manual instructions are largely picture based, it was actually surprisingly simple to assemble. It does require an element of common sense (and confidence), however, if you can follow flat-pack furniture instructions then you’ll be fine.
The software is really easy to use and straightforward. If you’re already familiar with working with digital images (which we are) then you’ll find it very similar to other programmes and layout. It really is as simple as drag and drop an image in, and resize to meet your materials dimensions.
The only reason we would mark the instructions down is because there are some areas where the instructions could be clearer and go beyond the basics.
For example, the honeycomb panel should be used with any projects that use the laser cutting function. However, these instructions come later in the manual in a section alongside instructions for other accessories, so we didn’t realise we needed to use it on our first project. We think this could have been pointed out earlier (or the software could have alerted us to this when selecting the cutting function).
There are also some more advanced settings which might confuse or overwhelm some people (such as engraving settings: Bi-directional or Uni-Directional). Some things you can find information about online, but again a little bit of extra information on these sorts of things would be helpful.
Obviously if you’re buying one of these yourself you are likely to watch some videos and do a bit more research, but a little bit more labelling and signposting of important information would help to instil more confidence in inexperienced users.
We still maintain it’s beginner friendly and easy-to-use, however we strongly recommend taking your time (although it is tempting to get stuck straight in) and reading through all the manuals, software instructions and browsing the xTool support site before starting any project.
Safety 4/5
We deliberately tested the auto-stop feature by lifting the lid mid-way through an etching. The machine stopped instantly with a loud beep alert, and once the lid was closed and prompted to continue on the software, the machine continued the etching from exactly the same place with no visible effect on the final etching.
The exhaust and air filter system is incredibly impressive, especially when using the cutting function. We were a bit concerned about testing this machine in the office, especially when we could see the smoke created when cutting out our wooden shapes.
The fully contained nature of the machine meant that you could visibly see the smoke being sucked away by the exhaust system. When cutting and engraving small wooden items the only noticeable effect was a slight smell that you would find in any wood workshop (it reminded us of school woodwork class). When engraving slate we could barely detect any scent at all.
However, when we came to etching on a prepared coated screen (for use with the xTool screen printer) which took roughly an hour, there was a very strong smell and significant amount of fumes. Even though we were working in an open space, it is clearly essential to be able to place the exhaust pipe out of a window or similar ventilated space. We feel like these safety instructions could have been clearer.
It’s also worth pointing out that while the xTool is remarkably small for a machine of this type, it is still a larger item that will require two people to lift safely.
Value for money 5/5
What’s in the box
- Basic kit: xTool S1 20W Machine, Air Assist, Honeycomb Panel and Free Fire Safety Set plus Free Material Kit
- Rotary kit: xTool S1 20W Machine, RA2 Pro, Riser Base, Air Assist, Honeycomb Panel and Free Fire Safety Set plus Free Material Kit
- Rotary - Purifier bundle: xTool S1 20W Machine, Smart Smoke Purifier, RA2 Pro, Riser Base, Air Assist, Honeycomb Panel and Free Fire Safety Set plus Free Material Kit
Overall value for money
The xTool S1 Laser Engraving Machine really does bring professional laser technology into your home or workshop. If you’re looking to expand your small business or creative practice, this machine will quickly prove its worth and then some.
While a laser engraving machine is an investment, xTool provides excellent customer service. You’re covered by a 24 month warranty and also have the option of a 30 day return period.
In the event that something does go wrong, xTool are quick to sort it out. In the first instance you can use their automated chat bot to help find troubleshooting solutions, or raise a ticket with their helpdesk. We experienced this firsthand as we had a fault develop with our machine, and upon contacting xTool they promptly sent out replacement parts with fast delivery.
Where to buy xTool S1 Laser Engraving Machine
- Buy now from xTool (£2,199 | $2,788)
Our verdict: Should you buy the xTool S1 20W Laser Engraving Machine?
If you’re thinking about investing in a laser engraver, the xTool S1 definitely gets our thumbs up! While the price tag means it’s a serious investment, in fairness it’s actually remarkably affordable for such an incredible piece of technology.
This machine is perfect for creatives who are looking to develop their craft and discover new possibilities, or small businesses who wish to create their own personalised professional products. Children should always be supervised around such tools, but it’s so easy to use that we imagine that it would go down a treat in schools or clubs too.
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