Best laser engravers under $500
Under $500 you're mostly looking at diode lasers: enough to engrave wood, leather and coated tumblers and cut thin plywood. Only machines with a tracked price under $500 are listed, and prices update every 6 hours.
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#1 · Diode · up to 20W
xTool M2
xTool M2 engraves wood, from $499 at xTool.
#2 · Diode · up to 12W
Sculpfun iCube Ultra
Sculpfun iCube Ultra engraves wood, from $299 at Sculpfun.
#3 · Diode · up to 20W
Atomstack A20 Pro V2
Atomstack A20 Pro V2 engraves wood, from $369 at Atomstack.
#4 · Diode · up to 40W
Ortur Laser Master 3
Ortur Laser Master 3 engraves wood, from $300 at Ortur.
What to look for
- Enclosure: most budget machines are open frame, so plan for eye protection and ventilation.
- What's included: air assist and a rotary are often extras.
- Whether it cuts the plywood thickness you want, not only engraves.
Material guides: Basswood plywood, Solid wood.
How this list is ranked
With the same scoring as the laser quiz: each manufacturer's published specs, our material data and the lowest price we track. Commission rates play no part. Where a spec isn't published, the machine's line says so instead of guessing. Hands-on notes, where we have them, are on each machine's page.