4 Best Laser Engravers for Tumblers in 2024 (Budget-Friendly)

You’re excited to start creating personalized cups and tumblers for customers, friends, and family.

We’re talking matching his-and-her cups for newlyweds, keepsake tumblers for a special trip, or colorful cups that spark joy whenever you open the cupboard.

Like these matching tumblers made by MakerFlo crafter Suzanna for a bridal party 👰✨

Now, you just need to find a good laser engraver to buy.

But if you’ve ever tried to research these machines, you know how confusing it can be to understand your options and which is best for you.

We’ve been there.

We’ve spent lots of time learning how these machines work and finding the best laser engravers for tumblers so we can share them with you.

Below, you’ll find our top 4 picks, the pros and cons of each machine, and how to pick the right one for your small business.

Now, onto the list 👇

What’s the Best Laser Engraver for Tumblers?

Best Laser Engravers for Tumblers

• Best for Beginners: xTool F1 Portable Laser Engraver
• Most Versatile: xTool P2 Desktop Laser Cutter
• High-Precision Engraving: Thunder Laser Bolt
• Best for Commercial Use: Boss Laser LS-1420

#1 - xTool F1 Portable Laser Engraver

Best for Beginners

 

 

The xTool F1 is a super-fast, entry-level laser that can engrave more than 300 different materials at a super-affordable price.

It’s great for beginners because it’s easy to use yet powerful enough to engrave wood, leather, plastic, and metal, thanks to its dual-laser system.

@makerflocrafts The possibilities with this Xtool f1 are endless! Post in the comments what you’d like us to engrave next! #xtool #f1 #engraved #diy #custom #butterfly #transformation #youpick #fyp #foryou #foryoupage #wood ♬ In the Bosom - Sweet After Tears

Features:

• Comes with two lasers, which expand your options for engraving
• Extremely affordable at $1.5K
• The fastest machine on this list (It’s fast because it reflects the laser beam across the surface instead of moving the laser back and forth.)
• Small and portable, so you can take it with you to craft shows or multiple workspaces

Downsides:

• Not as high-powered as other lasers
• Because it reflects the laser instead of beaming it directly from above, some cuts may be at a slight angle

Add the RA2 Pro 4-in-1 Rotary Attachment (sold separately) to use this laser engraver with tumblers.

Specs

• Size: 7” x 9.25” x 13.1”
• Weight: 10.1 lbs
• Laser Type: Diode & Infrared
• Working Area: 4.53” x 4.53” square with rounded corners (Can expand to 15.75” x 4.53” with slide extension)
• Maximum Engraving Height: 4.4”
• Power: Diode: 10W, Infrared: 2W
• Max Speed: 4000mm/s
• Laser Spot Size: Diode: 0.08mm x 0.06mm, Infrared: .03mm x .03mm
• OS: iPhone, Android, iPad, Windows, Mac
• Software Support: xTool Creative Space (Free), Lightburn
• Warranty: 1-year warranty for main parts including laser, 3 months for other parts
• Can Engrave: Diode: Paper, wood, leather, MDF, stainless steel, bamboo, some dark opaque acrylic, fabric, dark glass, ceramic, jade, marble, shale, cement, brick, plated metal, and painted metal, Infrared: metals and plastics
• Can Cut: Diode: Up to 8mm of wood and 5mm of some dark opaque acrylic, also paper, leather, MDF, felt
• Connectivity: USB/Wi-Fi

Pricing

$1599

Final Verdict

Choose this laser engraver for a fast laser, portable workspace, and easy-to-use free software—perfect for a first-time user.

Buy the xTool F1 Laser Engraver from MakerFlo

#2 - xTool P2 Desktop Laser Cutter

Most Versatile

The xTool P2 Desktop Laser Cutter boasts a powerful CO2 laser with 55W of power out of the box, more than any other laser on this list.

The laser can engrave and cut a wide variety of materials, including all colors of acrylic.

Features:

• More materials to choose from
• Uses 3D modeling technology to engrave designs on curved surfaces
• Comes in two colors: Pearl White and Space Gray

Downsides:

• Takes up more space than the F1
• Slower engraving speed

Pick up the RA2 Pro 4-in-1 Rotary Attachment (sold separately) to use this engraving machine with tumblers.

@xtoolofficial #engraving on #curvedsurface ???? Are you kidding me??? This is #xtoolp2 #co2lasermachine can do people!! #laserengraving #lasercutting #lasermachine #xtoollaser #curvedsurfaceengraving ♬ Hey It's Me - Official Sound Studio

Specs

• Size: 39.3” x 25.1” x 10.5”
• Weight: 99 lbs.
• Laser Type: CO2 (Glass Laser Tube)
• Working Area: 23.6” x 12”
• Maximum Engraving Height: 2.7” (Can be extended to 8.4” with riser base, sold separately)
• Power: 55W
• Max Speed: 600mm/s
• Laser Spot Size: 0.15mm x 0.2mm
• OS: Windows, Mac, iPad
• Software Support: xTool Creative Space (Free), Lightburn
• Warranty: 1-year warranty for main parts, 6 months for laser, 3 months for other parts
• Can Engrave: Paper, wood, acrylic, leather, cardboard, MDF, felt, rubber, bamboo, fabric, glass, ceramic, jade, marble, shale, cement, brick, plated metal, painted metal
• Can Cut: Up to 20mm of acrylic and 18mm of black walnut wood, also paper, wood, leather, cardboard, MDF, felt, rubber
• Connectivity: USB, Wi-Fi, Ethernet

Pricing

$4299

Final Verdict

Choose the xTool P2 for a versatile and extendable machine that’ll grow with your business.

Buy the xTool P2 Laser Engraver at MakerFlo

#3 - Thunder Laser Bolt

High-Precision Engraving

The Thunder Laser Bolt features an RF laser, a type of CO2 laser that creates a finer point of light, perfect for fine detailing.

Features:

• RF laser has a finer point, which makes for cleaner and finer engravings
• At 30W, it still has plenty of power and can cut through all types of acrylic
• Equipped with 1GB of storage space to save designs for later

Downsides:

• Larger, heavily and not as easy to move or store on a desktop

To use this with tumblers, add on the RotoBolt Rotary, starting at $700.

Specs

• Size: 36” x 27” x 18”
• Weight: 170 lbs.
• Laser Type: CO2 (RF Laser)
• Working Area: 20” x 12”
• Maximum Engraving Height: 4.3”
• Power: 30W
• Max Speed: 1000mm/s
• Laser Spot Size: Thunder Laser doesn’t disclose this, but RF lasers measure 0.07mm on average
• OS: Windows, Mac
• Software Support: RDWorks, Lightburn
• Warranty: 2-year factory warranty, less for consumable parts
• Can Engrave: Wood, acrylic, leather, glass, tumblers, MDF, rubber, plastics, anodized aluminum (and more)
• Can Cut: Wood, acrylic, leather, fabric, MDF, rubber (and more)
• Connectivity: USB, Wi-Fi, Ethernet

Pricing

$5495

Final Verdict

Consider purchasing the Thunder Laser Bolt for high-speed and intricate engraving.

Learn more about the Thunder Laser Bolt

#4 - Boss Laser LS-1420 Laser Cutter & Engraver

Best for Commercial Production

The Boss Laser LS-1420 combines the power of a CO2 laser with high speeds, perfect for high-volume production.

This machine can engrave and cut more productively, saving you time and money.

Features:

• Comes with tech support for life, so you’ll always get help when you need it
• Combines high-speed engraving with an affordable price
• You can upgrade the laser to 70W for extra power

Downsides:

• This is a BIG laser cutting machine, so make sure you have space for it first

To use this with tumblers, pick up the PiBurn v4.0 Roller Rotary Attachment starting at $923.

Specs

• Size: 61.5” x 36.6” x 45.3"
• Weight: 415 lbs.
• Laser Type: CO2 (Glass Laser Tube)
• Working Area: 19.75" x 13.75"
• Maximum Engraving Height: 7.5”
• Power: 50W (Can upgrade to 70W)
• Max Speed: 1500mm/s
• Laser Spot Size: Not listed, but must be similar to xTool P2
• OS: Windows, Mac, Linux
• Software Support: RDWorks, Lightburn
• Warranty: 2-year limited warranty, 1 year for laser tube
• Can Engrave: Acrylic, wood, leather, rubber, paper, plastic, fabric, MDF, cardboard, Corian, foam, fiberglass, aluminum, steel, copper
• Can Cut: Acrylic, wood, leather, rubber, paper, plastics, fabric, MDF, cardboard, Corian, foam, fiberglass
• Connectivity: USB, Wi-Fi, Ethernet

Pricing

$4997

Final Verdict

The Boss Laser LS-1420 is an excellent choice for businesses that want to ramp up production and expand into other product lines.

Learn more about the Boss Laser LS-1420

What is a Laser Engraver?

A laser engraver is a machine that etches and engraves designs into different materials.

These machines are also known as laser cutters because they can usually cut through materials like wood and plastic.

Why Use a Laser Engraver for Tumblers?

If you want to customize tumblers to sell them as products or give them as gifts to family and friends, you’ve got a few options.

• Epoxy: You can coat a tumbler with epoxy resin (see our glitter tumbler tutorial for more).
• Sublimation: You can print and transfer a design with a sublimation transfer to make a sublimation tumbler (see our step-by-step guide here).
• Hydro Dipping: You can dip a tumbler or cup into hydro dip paints to create groovy, swirly designs (see our hydro dip tutorial for more).
• Laser Engraving: You can engrave designs directly onto them with a laser engraver, which looks like this:

(A personalized MOM tumbler made by MakerFlo crafter Erikka T.)

👉 Read More: Laser Engraving for Beginners: The Stress-Free Guide to Getting Started

Each method creates a different effect, but laser-engraved tumblers last longer and resist damage because the design is physically etched into the surface.

Plus, they look pretty cool, too! 😊

What Kind of Laser Is Best For Me?

So far, we’ve covered four types of lasers: diode, infrared, a glass tube CO2 laser, and an RF laser.

What makes these lasers different?

Here are the basics:

• Diode lasers are lower power but more affordable
• Any laser can emit infrared light (the F1’s infrared laser is a type of diode laser). Infrared lights can engrave all colors of acrylic and many metals, and they have a finer point than visible light
• CO2 lasers are more powerful than diodes, but they cost more
• Glass tube CO2 lasers are the most powerful but they also need to be cooled
• RF CO2 lasers have a finer point and don’t need cooling like glass tubes, but have less power

If you’re curious about this, we go way more in-depth on the differences in our guide to laser engraving for beginners.

Safety Precautions for Laser Engravers

We couldn’t write an article about laser engraving without mentioning the obvious: take safety precautions when using these machines.

For example:

• Read the instructions carefully before operating the machine.
• Protect your eyes. Shield the laser with the built-in cover, use proper eye protection, and avoid looking in the direction of the laser while in use.
• Understand what materials you can and can’t engrave. Research each material before you begin to avoid damaging the laser or creating toxic byproducts.

What Kind of Tumblers Can I Engrave?

Your best choice for beautiful tumblers like the ones you see in this article is a powder-coated tumbler.

While the lasers on this list can’t cut through metal, they do cut through the coating, exposing the shiny surface of the stainless steel below.

At MakerFlo, we sell powder-coated tumblers at an affordable price, so you can engrave them, mark up the price, and make a nice profit for your craft-based business.

We offer even better deals if you buy a case or use our Build-a-Bundle offer.

Or pick up some of our practice cups for starters.

How to Choose the Best Laser Engraver for Your Personalized Tumbler Business

Which laser engraver is right for you?

There are so many specs to sort through. And you don’t want to waste money on something you can’t use for the long term.

Let this short list of questions guide your search:

• What kind of materials do you want to engrave?
• How much space do you have to store it?
• How are you planning to ventilate the machine and will you need to add extra equipment?
• What kind of software would you like to use?
• How much are you willing to invest?

To make it easy for you to compare, here are all the specs again in a handy comparison table 👇

Best Laser Engraver for Tumblers: Comparison Table

	xTool F1	xTool P2	Thunder Laser Bolt	Boss Laser LS-1420
Size	7” x 9.25” x 13.1”	39.3” x 25.1” x 10.5”	36” x 27” x 18”	61.5” x 36.6” x 45.3"
Weight	10.1 lbs	99 lbs.	170 lbs.	415 lbs.
Laser Type	Diode & Infrared	CO2 (Glass Laser Tube)	CO2 (RF Laser)	CO2 (Glass Laser Tube)
Working Area	4.53” x 4.53” square with rounded corners (Can expand to 15.75” x 4.53” with slide extension)	23.6” x 12”	20” x 12”	19.75" x 13.75"
Maximum Engraving Height	4.4”	2.7” (Can be extended to 8.4” with riser base, sold separately)	4.3”	7.5”
Power	Diode: 10W, Infrared: 2W	55W	30W	50W (Can upgrade to 70W)
Max Speed	4000mm/s	600mm/s	1000mm/s	1500mm/s
Laser Spot Size	Diode: 0.08mm x 0.06mm, Infrared: .03mm x .03mm	0.15mm x 0.2mm	RF lasers generally measure 0.07mm	Not listed, but probably similar to xTool P2
OS	iPhone, Android, iPad, Windows, Mac	Windows, Mac, iPad	Windows, Mac	Windows, Mac, Linux
Software Support	xTool Creative Space (Free), Lightburn	xTool Creative Space (Free), Lightburn	RDWorks, Lightburn	RDWorks, Lightburn
Warranty	1-year warranty for main parts including laser, 3 months for other parts	1-year warranty for main parts, 6 months for laser, 3 months for other parts	2-year factory warranty, less for consumable parts	2-year limited warranty, 1 year for laser tube
Can Engrave	Diode: Paper, wood, leather, MDF, stainless steel, bamboo, some dark opaque acrylic, fabric, dark glass, ceramic, jade, marble, shale, cement, brick, plated metal, and painted metal, Infrared: metals and plastics	Paper, wood, acrylic, leather, cardboard, MDF, felt, rubber, bamboo, fabric, glass, ceramic, jade, marble, shale, cement, brick, plated metal, painted metal	Wood, acrylic, leather, glass, tumblers, MDF, rubber, plastics, annodized aluminum (and more)	Acrylic, wood, leather, rubber, paper, plastic, fabric, MDF, cardboard, corian, foam, fiber glass, aluminum, steel, copper
Can Cut	Diode: Up to 8mm of wood and 5mm of some dark opaque acrylic, also paper, leather, MDF, felt	Up to 20mm of acrylic and 18mm of black walnut wood, also paper, wood, leather, cardboard, MDF, felt, rubber	Wood, acrylic, leather, fabric, MDF, rubber (and more)	Acrylic, wood, leather, rubber, paper, plastics, fabric, MDF, cardboard, corian, foam, fiber glass
Connectivity	USB/Wi-Fi	USB, Wi-Fi, Ethernet	USB, Wi-Fi, Ethernet	USB, Wi-Fi, Ethernet
Price*	$1599.00	$4499	$5495	$4997
	Buy the xTool F1	Buy the xTool P2	Learn More	Learn More

*Prices are from March 2024 and are subject to change.

Final Thoughts

You’re just one step away from those custom tumblers you’re dreaming of.

All that’s left is to order your favorite machine and tumbler attachment and pick up some practice tumblers.

We can’t wait to see what you create!

Before you go, join us and thousands of other crafters in the official Official MakerFlo Facebook Community, where you can ask questions, get help, and find inspiration from others’ creations!

Now let us know in the comments: What are you planning to make with your laser engraver?

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What laser can engrave tumblers?

Any diode or CO2 laser with at least 5W of power can engrave tumblers. Diode lasers are more affordable, but have less power than a CO2 laser. CO2 lasers have higher wattage and can engrave and cut more materials, but are more expensive. We recommend the xTool F1 (diode laser) or xTool P2 (CO2 laser) fitted with the rotary attachment.

Can a 5W laser engrave tumblers?

Yes! 5W lasers can engrave painted metals, which means they can also engrave powder-coated tumblers. But they might be slower. We recommend the 10W xTool F1 because it engraves at high speeds.

Can you engrave a Yeti tumbler?

Yes! If you have a coated Yeti tumbler, it’s ready for engraving. But if it’s an uncoated stainless steel tumbler, you’ll want to apply an anodized coating or Cermark laser marking spray, which allows the laser to make dark markings when it engraves the surface.

Can I engrave a tumbler with a Glowforge engraver?

Technically, yes, but Glowforge doesn’t have a rotary attachment for tumblers at the time of writing. That’s why we didn’t include it on this list.