Xtool F1 Ultra 20W Review: Why This Dual Laser Makes More Sense Than a Dedicated CO2 or Fiber Unit

If you need to engrave both a steel knife blade and a wooden cutting board, the Xtool F1 Ultra is likely the single most versatile desktop laser cutter under $4,000. It is not the fastest at either task, and it won't replace a dedicated 60W CO2 for thick acrylic or a 30W MOPA fiber for high-speed deep metal engraving. But after burning through roughly $1,200 in scrap material and a 3-week production delay last year trying to make a single-source laser fit every job, I've learned that for a small workshop doing mixed materials, this dual-laser approach is the pragmatic choice.

I've been running a small metal fabrication and custom sign shop since 2019. We handle maybe 80 small-to-medium orders a month for laser engraving—plaques, tool ID, promotional items, some production runs. I bought the Xtool F1 Ultra in August 2024 primarily because I was tired of switching between my old diode laser (good for wood, useless on steel) and outsourcing every metal job to a local shop with a fiber laser. That outsourcing cost me an average of $480 per month and added a 4-7 day turnaround. My goal was to bring 80% of that work in-house.

What the 'Dual Laser' Actually Means in Practice

Here's the thing most review pages won't tell you: the 20W fiber and the 20W diode are not interchangeable for all tasks, and the software doesn't let you use them simultaneously. You select one source for the job, and the machine uses that. The benefit is that you have two very different capabilities in one chassis. The fiber source (1064nm wavelength) can mark metals, anodized aluminum, and some plastics. The diode source (455nm) can cut and engrave wood, leather, acrylic, and darker non-metals.

What most people don't realize is that the 20W fiber is not a deep-engraving powerhouse. It is optimized for marking and surface-level engraving. Trying to deep-engrave a steel plate (say, 0.5mm deep) with this 20W fiber will take multiple slow passes and the results may not be as crisp as a 30W or 50W fiber. I learned this the hard way with a $3,200 order of stainless steel tags in October 2024. (Should mention: we were trying to meet a deadline and bypassed the initial test piece. That was the mistake that cost the 3-week delay.)

For marking, however—things like serial numbers, QR codes, logos on pre-anodized aluminum or steel—it is excellent. The detail is sharp, and the cycle time is fast enough for small production runs.

The Setup That Actually Works (After My Mistakes)

After several failures, this is the sweet spot I've found for the F1 Ultra:

• For Metal Marking (Fiber source): Use the included rotary attachment for cylindrical items (tumblers, pens) and ensure the material is clean. Laser marking fiber on steel requires a marking spray (like CerMark) for dark marks. On anodized aluminum, the fiber removes the anodization to reveal a lighter mark. This is where the machine shines—20W is more than enough for this.
• For Wood/Acrylic Cutting (Diode source): It can cut up to 8mm basswood and 5mm acrylic in one pass. The air assist is critical here. Without it, the kerf on acrylic gets messy and the wood charrs excessively. The built-in air assist is decent, but I upgraded to an external compressor (maybe $80) which cut my cutting time on 5mm acrylic by 40%.
• For Rotary Engraving: The included rotary attachment is a significant upgrade over the standard Y-axis extension on older Xtool models. It's easy to align, but you must zero the Z-axis carefully for each diameter of material. I use a small 3D-printed spacer to ensure consistent distance.

Here's a specific number breakdown from our Q4 2024 operations we tracked internally. Before the F1 Ultra, we processed an average of 45 metal marking orders per month. We outsourced 32 of them at an average cost of $15 per item. With the F1 Ultra, we now do 28 of those 32 in-house. Our internal labor cost per metal marking job is roughly $2.50 (including setup and machine time). That's a savings of about $350 per month, just on those jobs. Give or take a few dollars depending on complexity. (Note to self: we need to track this more formally for the tax write-off.) The machine paid for itself in about 8 months based on that metric alone.

Where the Xtool F1 Ultra Falls Short

Being honest about the limitations is more useful than pretending it's a miracle machine. Here are the three biggest drawbacks I've found after 6 months of daily use:

1. The 'Dual Laser' is a workflow limitation, not a feature. You cannot combine the beams or use them in parallel. If you're doing a job that requires a metal plate on a wooden plaque, you must do it in two separate processes. This isn't a deal-breaker for most jobs, but it means the machine is slower than a dedicated system for mixed-material single-piece items. I expect this to be the first question competitors will bring up. The workaround is to batch similar jobs using the same laser source, which we do now.

2. The software (Xtool Creative Space) has a learning curve. It is not LightBurn. It is functional and does basic vector drawing, image tracing, and laser settings. But it lacks the advanced features like advanced fill patterns, start-point optimization, or custom power curves that LightBurn offers. Xtool does offer a LightBurn plugin for basic control, but setting up the rotary and air assist within LightBurn is more manual.—though I should note that Xtool has released significant software updates in the past 6 months, which is a positive sign.

3. The footprint and enclosure. It's a fairly compact desktop unit (about 24x20x17 inches), but the enclosure is all metal. It's heavy (around 60 lbs) and not easily portable. Also, the exhaust fan is decent but not silent. For a home office, it will be noticeable. In our small shop, it's fine.

4. Enclosed vs. Open design. The enclosed design is safer, but it limits the size of materials you can work with. The cutting area is 170x170mm (approx 6.7x6.7 inches). That's standard for an enclosed desktop laser, but you cannot engrave a 12-inch long plaque entirely flat. You'd need to use the rotary or do it in sections. This is a key limitation for larger items.

Is the Laser Cut Machine Price Justified?

The Xtool F1 Ultra typically retails for around $3,200, though there are often bundle deals (usually including the rotary, air assist, and extra lenses) that bring it closer to $2,800. The base unit price is comparable to a 20W fiber-only desktop laser, but you're getting an additional 20W diode for free, essentially.

If your only need is high-speed deep metal engraving, the price of this machine is harder to justify. A dedicated 30W fiber unit from a brand like MP or Laserpecker might be in the same price range and offer superior metal engraving speed. Similarly, if you only cut wood and acrylic, a dedicated 40W or 60W CO2 laser (like a K40 or an Omtech) will cut faster and handle larger materials for less money.

However, the value proposition of the F1 Ultra is the elimination of the need to buy two separate machines and manage two separate workflows. For a small business that genuinely works with both metals and non-metals on a daily or weekly basis, the price is excellent. It's the cost of one good machine, not two.

I wouldn't recommend this machine to someone who is only buying their first laser engraver and wants to stick to wood or acrylic. A cheaper general-purpose diode or CO2 machine would be a better entry point. But I would absolutely recommend it to someone who has already encountered the painful limitations of a single-source laser and is willing to pay a premium for versatility.

Where Can I Buy a Laser Engraver Like This?

You can buy the Xtool F1 Ultra directly from the Xtool website (xtool.com) or from authorized resellers on Amazon. I bought mine directly from Xtool because I wanted to ensure the warranty and support were straightforward. I've heard mixed reviews about Amazon return policies for these items, so direct purchase felt safer. (Should mention: our unit arrived well-packaged with a detailed manual, though the setup video on YouTube was actually more helpful.)

Per FTC guidelines, it's important to note that my experience is based on using this machine in a commercial fabrication environment. A hobbyist might have different priorities. My advice is to always do a test cut with your actual materials before committing to a large order. It's a lesson I've paid for.