After testing 47 lasers on the Make or Break Shop YouTube channel, here's what actually cuts 1/4" plywood clean. Based on my testing and surveys from 847 owners.
I know how you got here. You bought a $400 diode laser because the YouTube guy said it "cuts wood beautifully." Then you tried cutting a 1/4" plywood sign blank—the actual material you buy at Home Depot—and wound up doing eight passes at 3mm/s, fighting charring every layer, watching your "fast laser" take 45 minutes per sign.
That's not a settings problem. Diode lasers fundamentally don't work well for cutting wood—they can engrave fine, but cutting? You're fighting physics. CO2 lasers cut the same 1/4" plywood in one pass at 10mm/s with clean edges and no charring. I'll explain exactly why later, but if you're already frustrated with your diode, that's the answer.
If you're cutting wood signs for Etsy, craft fairs, or client work, you need a CO2 laser. Desktop or industrial—that's about your budget and production scale. These three picks are desktop machines ($1,700-$4,700) because most makers don't need a $15,000 industrial unit for craft fair signs. The real difference between these machines? What happens when something breaks at 11 PM with orders due Friday.
RF tube instead of glass—no water chiller needed, more consistent power, lasts 2-3x longer. US phone support that actually answers. Cuts 1/4" plywood clean in one pass. (Also available as XT model with glass tube for $600 less)
Gets you cutting CO2 if budget's tight. Email support only. Good for testing if you can sell signs before bigger investment.
80W CO2, massive 915×458mm work area. 4-camera system for perfect alignment. Deep Z-axis means you don't need a riser to fit tumblers (unlike the XRF). Built-in CO2 fire suppression. But at $7,000, it's significantly more expensive than the OneLaser XRF.
Here's the truth: The biggest mistake wood sign makers make isn't choosing the wrong brand. It's buying the wrong type of laser entirely.
I've watched dozens of makers buy $300 open-gantry diode machines thinking "cheaper is fine for starting out." Then they try to cut 1/4" plywood - the actual stock you buy at the hardware store - and wind up doing 8 passes at 3mm/s, fighting charring, and hating their life. That's not beginner problems. That's physics.
If you're CUTTING wood or acrylic signs, you need CO2. Period. Diodes can engrave just fine, but cutting? You're trying to dump energy into organic materials with a wavelength that barely wants to interact with it. CO2 lasers work with wood because the 10.6 micron wavelength resonates directly with the C-O bonds in cellulose. It's not marketing - it's molecular physics. (See our Why Lasers Work guide for the full breakdown)
After testing 47 lasers, this is the first desktop CO2 I recommend without caveats. Here's why:
Real cost check: $4,099 all-in. No chiller needed.
Note: OneLaser also offers the XT model with a glass tube instead of RF. Same excellent support and controller, but you'll need a water chiller (~$200) and it won't last as long. Saves you $600 upfront if budget is tight. Real cost: ~$4,100 total.
From 31 verified owners: The RF tube is the standout feature everyone mentions. "It just works great every time" is a common theme. People switching from Polar and other budget CO2s note it "cuts cleaner" and feels production-ready. US phone support gets praised specifically—when optical alignment shifted during shipping, support walked owners through fixes instead of the usual email runaround.
The gripes? Camera needs tweaking out of the box. Stock air assist is weak (upgrade exists). Nozzle gets dirty on heavy use. Not dealbreakers, but you'll notice them. Several owners running 40+ hours weekly, business revenue $30K-$100K range.
Look, if $4,000 is out of reach and you need to validate the business idea before investing, the Monport Onyx gets you cutting capability. But let's be honest about what you're trading:
This is the "get in the door to see if I can sell signs" machine. If the answer is yes, you'll be upgrading to OneLaser within a year.
When to skip the budget option: If you already have orders, have an existing business adding capability, or can't afford downtime. Save up the extra $2,400. The support difference alone is worth it.
The P3 is impressive tech. Four cameras (top, bottom, lid, and on the laser head), massive 915×458mm work area (nearly twice OneLaser's), 80W of power, deep Z-axis depth that fits tumblers without a riser (unlike XRF which requires the $600 riser add-on), and the first desktop CO2 with built-in CO2 fire suppression. The software integration is slick—drop material, cameras auto-position, minimal setup per project.
But at $7,000, we need to talk about what you're actually buying:
For the same $7,000, you could buy:
When P3 makes sense: You do varied projects, custom one-offs, value minimal setup time over production speed. The camera system genuinely saves time on alignment and positioning for mixed work.
When it doesn't: Production wood signs. You need DSP speed, control, and the ability to fine-tune for efficiency. The ease-of-use features don't matter when you're cutting the same signs all day.
| Feature | OneLaser XRF Top Pick | Monport Onyx Budget | xTool P3 Ease of Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price (machine only) | $4,099 | $1,316 | $6,299 |
| Real total investment | ~$5,110 | ~$2,160 | ~$7,460 |
| Tube Type | CO2-RF | CO2-Glass | CO2 |
| Laser Power | 38W | 55W | 80W |
| Work Area | 600x300 mm | 460x290 mm | 915x458 mm |
| Software | Lightburn | Lightburn | |
| Chiller Needed? | No (air-cooled) | Yes (~$150) | Yes (~$300) |
| Support | US phone + email | Email only (overseas) | Email/web (overseas) |
| Max Speed | 1,200mm/s | ~500mm/s | 1,200mm/s* |
| Controller | Ruida DSP | G-code | G-code (2G accel) |
| 1/4" Plywood Cut | 1 pass, 10mm/s | 1-2 pass, 5mm/s | 1 pass, 8-10mm/s |
| Best For | Production, existing business | Validation, side hustle | Varied projects, ease of use |
Technically yes, but not practical for production. Even on a 60W CO2 laser, 1/2" requires multiple passes and edges char significantly. Stick to 1/4" or thinner for clean, consistent results. If you need thicker material regularly, consider a CNC router instead.
Yes, without proper ventilation. Budget $200-300 for an inline fan (4-6" diameter) and ducting to vent outside. The built-in exhaust fan moves air inside the chamber but isn't strong enough to push smoke through ducting. Proper ventilation is non-negotiable for wood cutting.
Glass CO2 tubes: 2,000-5,000 hours (roughly 18-24 months at 20 hours/week). RF tubes: 5,000-10,000 hours (3-5 years at similar usage). But support quality matters more—can you get a replacement tube quickly when it dies? OneLaser ships from US warehouses. Budget brands? You're waiting weeks for overseas shipping.
Birch plywood (1/8" and 1/4") is the sweet spot for signs—clean cuts, minimal charring, widely available. Baltic birch is even better but pricier. MDF works but chars more. Avoid pine (resinous, inconsistent). Hardwoods like maple and walnut cut beautifully but cost more per board foot.
Technically no—all three machines come with manufacturer software. But LightBurn ($60 one-time) is industry standard for a reason: better interface, more control, works across brands, massive community support. It's like buying a professional tool instead of using the free version. Worth every penny for production work.
Depends on your prices and volume. Rough math: $25 sign with $3 material cost = $22 margin. OneLaser XRF ($5,110) pays back in ~232 signs. At 4 signs/week, that's about a year. At 20 signs/week (small production), that's 3 months. The faster machine means more capacity, which affects payback time significantly.
Most makers I talk to have already wasted $900 on a diode that couldn't cut, then $1,700 on a budget CO2 with no support. Just buy the OneLaser XRF first. Your future self will thank you.
Testing lasers on the Make or Break Shop YouTube channel. 12 lasers owned, 47 tested.
Last updated: January 2025
