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xTool M2 color craft laser and engraver review: Improved print head and positioning cameras at a lower price
The xTool M2 color craft laser and engraver brings crafting flexibility at a new low price while improving on several features, at the expense of the cutting blade and pen options offered by the M1.
10W diode, 20W diode, CMYK, 2W IR laser head options
Provided magnetic material standoff clamps are flimsy
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Here’s xTool’s second take on an all-in-one craft tool in a box. It isn’t just an iterative update to the xTool M1 Ultra. The new XTool M2 color craft laser and engraver thoroughly remixes the offering. Specifically, it throws out the previous model’s cutting blade and pen options. To compensate, it comes with a 10W diode, a 20W diode, CMYK, and a 2W IR laser head, “cut, print, engrave” options. Very worthy improvements, such as positioning and monitoring cameras, come as standard this time around. Furthermore, the print head offers CMYK inks instead of the washed-out CMY of yore, and laser air assist is included as standard. xTool’s new M2 also works with the RA3 Lite full wrap rotary accessory.
The xTool M2 10W base model is available for $599. This entry price makes the M2 about half the price of last year’s M1 Ultra. But this 10W ‘Standalone’ bundle includes just the machine and a 10W diode laser head. You’ll have to part with $699 (usually $749) for the 10W ‘Color Print & Cut Bundle’, which includes the CMYK print head and a cartridge. Moving up to $939 (usually $989) gets you the 10W Deluxe Bundle.
There are also bundles with the 20W diode laser head costing $400 more per tier (Standard, Color Print & Cut, and Deluxe). xTool also sells various print/cut heads separately, and they’re easily magnetically swappable. For example, it lists the M2 CMYK printing module with an ink cartridge for $169, extra cartridges are $99, and the RA3 Lite is $259. We don’t have prices for a 20W diode head (if you wanted to upgrade later), nor the 3W IR laser head that is shown on the promotional pages for the product.
You might prefer the 20W diode laser for faster, deeper cuts. xTool says it raises the max basswood cutting depth from 8mm to 10mm in one pass. For acrylic, it is much better, raising the cutting thickness from 3mm to 8mm in one pass with the 20W diode laser installed.
The default 10W diode laser supplied will be good enough for cutting and engraving plenty of materials for many crafty users. Officially, the following tabulated materials are cuttable, engravable, and printable.
Wood / Opaque Acrylic / Paper / Cardstock / Cardboard / Foam / MDF / Leather / Felt