Russell Holly/CNET
With more Americans identifying as makers, new products are arriving to scratch that creative itch every day. Machines likeꁃ printers,ꁿnyl cuttersꁊd laser cutters are now available at prices to fit just about any pocketbook. They allow people to bring their creations to life in new and interesting ways. If you have the right materials and machines, you can even turn a profit on stores like Etsy, TikTok and Shopify.
I've used laser cutters for about five years to create various projects, from small dog tags to etching a 7-foot workbench with elven runes. Each cutter I use has a host of different pros and cons, so along with my CNET colleague Russell Holly, I've developed testing criteria to assess the best laser cutters.
You may notice that there are no open laser cutters on this list. After testing several I find them to be too dangerous for the average user. They could be good for commercial spaces, but having an open laser in a garage is just too dangerous for me to recommend.
The is our top pick for the best laser cutter. It isn't the cheapest laser cutter around, but with a host of amazing accessories, fantastic software and a cutting size and speed that are hard to ignore, it takes the crown from the Glowforge Pro, but just barely. It's huge, so make sure you have room in your workshop to house it.