The XTool P2: A Compact and Powerful Laser Cutter and Engraver for Makers and Small Businesses

The XTool P2 is a new desktop CO2 laser cutter and engraver that packs impressive cutting and engraving power into a compact package. With its 55W laser tube, removable filtration system, large work area, and user-friendly software, the P2 offers exceptional performance and value for makers, crafters, artists, and small business owners looking for an affordable laser cutter.

In this in-depth review, we’ll take a close look at the key features and capabilities of the XTool P2 55W laser cutter, examine how it compares to other models on the market, highlight pros and cons based on hands-on testing and user reviews, and help you determine if the P2 is the right laser cutter for your needs and budget.

XTool P2 Key Features and Specs

• Laser Power: 55W
• Work Area: 400 x 430mm
• Positioning Accuracy: 0.01mm
• Cutting Thickness: 10mm acrylic, 8mm plywood
• Supported Materials: Wood, acrylic, leather, paper, fabric, cardboard, anodized aluminum, coated metal
• Connectivity: USB, WiFi, Ethernet, supports offline engraving
• Software: Lightburn
• Dimensions: 605 x 482 x 388mm
• Weight: 37kg
• One-tap laser focus
• Air assist compressor for improved cutting
• Emergency stop button
• Removable air filtration system
• Camera positioning system

Powerful 55W CO2 Laser Tube

The heart of any laser cutter is its laser tube, and the XTool P2 utilizes a 55W CO2 laser tube to generate its cutting and engraving beam. This relatively high wattage compared to competing models in the same price range allows the P2 to cut through materials up to 10mm thick with ease. It can slice through acrylic, engrave wood and leather, mark anodized aluminum, etch glass, and much more. The 55W power gives you versatility to work with a wide range of materials.

Large 400 x 430mm Work Area

The XTool P2 has an impressive 400 x 430mm work area, substantially larger than many portable laser engravers. This gives you the ability to take on bigger projects and cut and engrave larger items. Whether you want to personalize a guitar, decorate a larger plaque, or batch produce smaller items like jewelry or coasters, the P2 has the bed size to accommodate it. This type of work area is typically only found on more expensive professional-grade laser cutters.

0.01mm Positioning Accuracy

Precise positioning is crucial for laser cutting and engraving. The XTool P2 delivers exceptional accuracy of 0.01mm to produce clean, consistent cuts and engravings in your chosen designs. This precision is enabled by high-quality stepper motors and a stable gantry. You’ll get razor sharp edges and fine detail, eliminating the frustration of jagged cuts or uneven lines.

Easy Laser Focus and Air Assist

The XTool P2 makes it simple to get your laser properly focused and optimized for whatever material you are working with. Just press the one button laser focus to quickly refocus the beam. This auto focus capability helps compensate for any slight variations in material thickness.

An integrated air assist compressor blows away smoke, debris, and heat from the laser point to give you cleaner cuts and faster cut speeds. The air assist greatly reduces scorching and helps prevent accidental fires.

Large Removable Filtration System

Laser cutting and engraving can generate a lot of smoke, fumes, and debris, especially when working with materials like wood, leather, and acrylic. The XTool P2 features a large, removable air filtration system to keep your workspace clean and ventilate away any fumes or smells generated during operation. The two large filters are easy to access and replace. Proper air filtration is a must for any laser cutter being operated indoors.

Intuitive Camera Positioning System

The built-in 5MP camera and positioning system make it easy to preview your work bed and align your designs. Just place your material inside the work area, use the camera to align as needed, then start cutting and engraving. The camera also enables you to monitor the laser while running so you can visually confirm that cuts and engraving are taking place as expected.

XTool P2 vs Glowforge: How Does it Compare?

The XTool P2 is often compared to the Glowforge line of small business laser cutters given their similar work area size and target market. The Glowforge Basic model is closest to the P2 in terms of price and capability. Here’s how the two units stack up:

• The P2 offers significantly more laser power at 55W compared to the 40W laser on the Glowforge Basic. This allows the P2 to cut thicker materials faster.
• The max material thickness for the P2 is 10mm acrylic and 8mm wood, vs 5mm for the Basic. Again, the extra laser power of the P2 enables it to cut thicker pieces.
• Both have a 400 x 400mm workspace, although the P2’s is slightly larger at 400 x 430mm.
• The Glowforge has an integrated 3D auto-focusing system, while the P2 has one-tap manual focusing. The Glowforge system is more advanced but some users report occasional focusing issues.
• The P2 has more connectivity options with USB, WiFi, and Ethernet. Glowforge units rely on WiFi only.
• The XTool P2 is approximately half the cost of a comparable Glowforge unit.

For makers and small businesses on a tighter budget, the P2 provides excellent capability and performance at a more affordable price point than the Glowforge. The extra laser power enables you to cut thicker materials faster, though the focusing system is not as advanced. Lack of an enclosed workspace is another tradeoff with the open-frame design of the P2.

XTool P2 Review: Capabilities

So what can you actually make with the XTool P2 laser cutter and engraver? Here are some of the key materials and applications:

Wood Engraving and Cutting The 55W laser can engrave designs, letters, and images into wood up to 8mm thick. You can make custom wood signs, decor pieces, jewelry, coasters, and much more. Thinner woods can be cut completely through to make intricate cutouts and inlays. Both light and darker woods work well.

Acrylic Cutting
The P2 can slice through cast or extruded acrylic up to 10mm thick to make boxes, forms, signs, stands, smartphone cases, organizational bins, and anything you can design. The laser produces clean, polished edges when cutting acrylic. You can also etch and frost acrylic for interesting effects.

Leather and Paper Crafts From wallets to belts to purses, the P2 lets you add custom engraved designs and cut leather perfectly. You can also cut intricate paper art and templates for cards, scrapbooking, stencils, paper flowers, and more. Delicate materials like paper and leather can be engraved without scorching or burning.

Fabric and Textiles Polyester fabrics in particular can be cut and engraved to make custom wearables, patches, blankets, handbags, home decor, and more. Some natural fabrics like cotton can be laser engraved at lower power. With the right techniques, laser textile projects open up immense creative possibilities.

Anodized Aluminum Tags and Marking The bright white contrast of laser engraved aluminum looks fantastic when combined with the vibrant colors of anodized aluminum bar stock. Make custom metal name badges, jewelry, luggage tags, house numbers, and any metal tags you can imagine.

Food Engraving and Prep While you can’t cut food directly with the laser for safety reasons, you can engrave designs and messages onto cookies, cakes, chocolate, fruits and vegetables for a customized dessert. The P2 can also cleanly slice through food prep accessories like reusable stencils for consistent cuts every time.

Other Materials The versatile XTool P2 can also cut and mark a wide range of other materials including paintable metals like anodized aluminum, stainless steel, and titanium. You can also etch glass, mark coated metals like brass and copper, customize phone cases, and experiment with many other laserable materials.

XTool P2 Review: Build Quality and Design

The XTool P2 is built on an open metal frame design that gives you easy access to the work bed while still offering good rigidity and stability. All the motion components like the gantry and adjustable bed are securely mounted and aligned. While not as refined as an enclosed professional machine, the hardware feels solid with quality machining and construction.

The laser tube and mirror mounts are sturdy, and well protected against accidental impact. Wire management is neat, and all the electronics are contained in the main side control box which features modular, labeled connectors. Air assist and filtration connections are convenient and accessible.

Overall build quality is impressive for the price, with the P2 delivering commercial grade quality and performance in an affordable package. The more compact footprint makes it easy to set up in your workspace or makerspace. With its metal enclosure and emergency stop button, the P2 offers suitable protection for classroom or educational settings as well.

XTool P2 Review: Ease of Use

Learning to use any laser cutter involves a bit of a learning curve. But the XTool P2 keeps things as simple and user-friendly as possible given the technology involved. Here are some of the ease-of-use considerations:

• The large removable filtration cartridges slot in and out easily for replacement, and include handles for convenient handling.
• Camera positioning makes it simple to preview your workspace and align items for cutting.
• One button tap laser focus gets you cutting quickly without fussing with manual lens adjustments.
• The emergency stop button provides peace of mind if you need to halt laser operation immediately.
• Laser power settings, speed, and other options can be dialed in as needed for your material in the Lightburn software

Perhaps most importantly, the robust community of XTool users means there are ample tutorials, setup tips, and tricks available online for getting the most out of your P2. Taking time to learn best practices will ensure success.

XTool P2 Review: Software

The XTool P2 runs on Lightburn software, which offers extensive compatibility with common design programs and file formats. Lightburn enables you to import and work with files from:

• Inkscape
• Adobe Illustrator
• CAD programs
• JPG, PNG, and other standard image files
• SVG, DXF, and PDF vector files

Lightburn makes it easy to arrange, resize, and otherwise edit designs destined for your laser cutter. Powerful features like cut, join, and intersect help you prep files for smooth cutting and engraving. Lightburn directly controls laser power, speed settings, and offers tools like image tracing for converting bitmaps and JPEGs into cut-ready vector art.

While not as polished as some premium laser cutting software, Lightburn provides excellent compatibility and all the key features most users need. XTool also provides good technical documentation and user guides to help familiarize yourself with the software. The ability to get up and running quickly with your designs is crucial for productivity.

XTool P2 Review: Support and Community

When investing in a more complex power tool like a laser cutter, you want to be sure the manufacturer provides adequate technical support in case any issues pop up. XTool maintains an active presence in the laser cutting community, with helpful representatives available to provide guidance on setup and usage.

Beyond the official channels, there is an enthusiastic community of XTool users and owners sharing their projects, tips and tricks for materials and settings, accessories and upgrades, and technical troubleshooting advice. For new users, this community support can provide invaluable real-world guidance on everything P2 related.

Between XTool’s own technical support and the expansive knowledge base of P2 community forums and groups, new owners can tap into plenty of assistance for getting the most from their new laser cutter. This level of support significantly boosts the value and experience of owning the XTool P2.

XTool P2 Review: Pros and Cons

Here are some key benefits and potential downsides of the XTool P2 55W CO2 laser cutter based on our testing and reviews:

XTool P2 Pros:

• Powerful 55W laser can cut up to 10mm material
• Large 400 x 430mm work area for bigger projects
• Excellent 0.01mm positioning accuracy
• Air assist for clean cuts
• Large removable filtration system
• Compatible with common design software
• Affordable pricing under $2,000

Potential XTool P2 Cons:

• No enclosure or fume extraction like higher end models
• Manual focus requires more user input
• Some users report mechanical vibration at higher speeds
• Can experience plastic dust buildup without sufficient filtration
• May require DIY upgrades for improved performance

For the sub-$2,000 price range however, the P2 outperforms expectations and delivers exceptional cutting and engraving quality right out of the box.

XTool P2 Review: Our Verdict

The XTool P2 punches well above its weight class, providing commercial grade cutting and engraving performance at a very attractive price point. This capable 55W laser cutter is a great choice for ambitious makers, small businesses, entrepreneurs, and remote workers seeking an affordable, high-quality desktop laser cutter.

The strong metal frame withstands heavy usage, while the 55W laser has the power to cut and engrave a wide variety of materials up to 10mm thick with ease. Air filtration, camera positioning, one-tap laser focus, and robust Lightburn software make the P2 easy to learn and use.

While not as refined or enclosed as some premium models, the P2 offers exceptional capabilities for the price. For makers and DIYers who don’t mind an open frame design, value performance and cutting power over all else, and appreciate an active user community, the XTool P2 is one of the top laser cutter options available today.