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Bare stainless, brass, titanium and uncoated aluminium need a 1064 nm infrared source. A blue diode laser at roughly 450 nm bounces off bright metal: it only marks steel through a marking spray, a coating or a paint layer, which is why a 40W diode can look convincing on a painted dog tag and do nothing on a bare tumbler. Everything else in this category follows from that one wavelength.
The machines split into three tiers, and the tier matters more than the number on the box. A 2 W pulsed IR module bolted onto a diode machine marks small parts shallowly and slowly. A 20 W fiber head paired with a diode in the same enclosure covers wood, acrylic and real metal work in one purchase. A dedicated open-frame fiber galvo is the fastest and deepest of the three, and the one that puts an uncaged Class 4 source on your bench.
None of them arrives complete. A 1064 nm-rated pair of goggles, extraction for metal fumes and coating residue, and usually a rotary for rings and tumblers are separate buys — and on the open-frame machines they are not optional.
The short answer, by job
| If the job is… | Machine | What decides it |
|---|---|---|
| Wood, acrylic and bare metal in one machine | xTool F1 Ultra | 20 W fiber plus 20 W diode, colour oxidation on stainless |
| Marking small metal parts, compact footprint | LaserPecker LP4 | 2 W 1064 nm head, goggles for both wavelengths in the box |
| Metal marking on a large enclosed diode bed | xTool S1 + IR module | 498 × 319 mm bed, swap-in 2 W IR module |
| Dedicated fiber with a documented manual | ComMarker B4 | Class IV manual, dual lens, EZCAD2 included |
| Dedicated fiber on the tightest budget | Gweike G2 Pro 30 W | 1064 nm, 150 × 150 mm, LightBurn |
| Higher wattage, US-based supplier | OMTech fiber 30/50 W | 1064 nm, 30–60 kHz, MOPA option |
Which laser actually marks bare metal
| Source | Bare stainless, brass, titanium, raw aluminium | Anodised, painted or coated metal | Depth on steel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blue diode, ~450 nm | Reflected; only marks with a spray or coating | Strips the dye or the paint layer — the usual "metal engraving" people mean | Surface only |
| CO2, 10.6 µm | Only with a marking compound | Works through the coating | None |
| 1064 nm IR module, 2 W pulsed | Direct mark | Direct mark | About 0.05 mm |
| 1064 nm fiber, 20 W and up | Direct mark; embossing on brass and copper | Direct mark | Depth-capable |
Two distinctions do the real sorting. The first is marking versus engraving: marking changes the surface, engraving removes metal, and depth follows pulse energy rather than the number in the product name. A 2 W pulsed IR module is a marking tool — its stated maximum depth is around 0.05 mm and it will not cut, which rules out dog tags you expect to feel a groove in. Deep engraving on brass and copper starts at the 20 W fiber level.
The second is colour. Annealing stainless and titanium to a coloured oxide is done with a fiber source, and xTool lists it for the F1 Ultra. No 2 W IR module does it, and no blue diode does it on raw metal. If coloured steel is the product, the 2 W tier is not a budget version of the answer — it is a different answer.
The 2 W IR tier: marking metal without a fiber machine
xTool's IR module is the reference point for this tier: average output above 2 W, a peak around 15 kW in short pulses, a 0.03 × 0.03 mm spot, 3.6 mm of effective focal depth and roughly 0.05 mm of maximum depth. It marks, it does not engrave or cut, and it needs a machine to live in. That is the honest description of every 2 W IR product below.
The original xTool F1: used or refurbished only
The original F1 pairs a 10 W, 445 nm ± 15 nm diode with a 2 W, 1064 nm IR head in a compact galvo, but xTool's US store no longer carries it, so it is only a used or refurbished purchase; the F1 Ultra below is the current model in this format.
The safety picture is the part buyers skip. xTool classes the F1 as Class 4 with two Class 4 working lasers, intended for professional use under a designated Laser Safety Officer, recommends OD5+ eyewear against both 445 nm and 1064 nm, and gives a nominal ocular hazard distance of 4 m. Goggles are an optional purchase, not part of the box, and the machine should run between +10 and +30 °C with a smoke purifier behind it. PVC, vinyl and any chlorine-containing material are out.
LaserPecker LP4: the same 2 W ceiling, smaller work area
The LP4 pairs a 10 W, 450 nm diode with a 2 W, 1064 nm IR source, in a 160 × 120 mm work area that extends to 160 × 300 mm with the slide extension, at up to 4000 mm/s. The IR spot is 0.05 × 0.05 mm, and per LaserPecker the IR side engraves under 0.1 mm per pass and cannot cut at all.
Two things worth knowing. The unit draws 120 W from its supply for that 2 W IR output — the electrical figure is not the laser power, and reading it as such is the most common misunderstanding in this tier. And the start-up package includes protective goggles shielding 450 nm and 1064 nm, which several competitors charge extra for, though LaserPecker does not publish the OD rating; if coloured stainless is the goal, neither source on this machine will produce it.
Check the LaserPecker LP4 on Amazon
xTool S1 plus the 2 W IR module: the upgrade path for a big enclosed bed
The S1 is a 455 nm enclosed diode machine with a 498 × 319 mm bed and a 40W rating in the name that xTool does not break down as an optical figure. Its IR module is the same 2 W average, 0.03 × 0.03 mm class of source as the F1's, not hot-swappable, with flame detection disabled while the IR head is working.
The safety detail that marketing pages tend to flatten: the S1 is Class 1 only in Class 1 operating conditions — baseplate installed, or riser base with the doors closed. Fit the riser base with the conveyor feeder and it is no longer a Class 1 machine. Goggles are not included, and the IR module does not change that. LightBurn drives the S1 for basic operations only, without module position control or curved-surface mode.
Third-party reports on the module are mixed: a buyer comment on a reseller page says metal results were not much beyond what the diode already produced, and one independent review of the same module on the D1 Pro found it slow with difficult focus, usable for low-volume jewellery marking and rust removal. Buy it to extend an S1 you already own, not as a cheaper route to a fiber machine's output.
Check the xTool S1 40W on Amazon · Check the xTool S1 1064nm IR module on Amazon
The 20 W fiber tier: one machine for wood and metal
This is the tier most people actually want once they understand the first one. A 20 W fiber source handles bare metal properly, a diode handles the wood and acrylic orders, and both live in one enclosure — at the cost of a Class 4 rating you have to manage rather than a Class 1 appliance you can forget about.
xTool F1 Ultra: fiber depth and diode breadth in one galvo
The F1 Ultra pairs a 20 W fiber source with a 20 W diode, on a 220 × 220 mm bed that extends to 220 × 500 mm with the conveyor and accepts material up to 145 mm tall. The fiber spot is 0.03 × 0.03 mm against 0.08 × 0.10 mm for the diode, which is why the metal side looks crisp and the wood side looks like a good diode. Galvo speed reaches 10,000 mm/s, and the fiber head cuts thin sheet with repeated high-speed passes: 0.4 mm brass, 0.3 mm stainless, 0.2 mm aluminium.
It is also the machine in this list that colours stainless and titanium by oxidation, and the one that embosses brass and copper — though embossing needs a depth map, not just power. Those two capabilities are what separate it from every 2 W IR option above.
The caveats are concrete. xTool states the F1 Ultra is Class 4 precisely because it allows processing with the lid open, so a lid does not make it a Class 1 device; lid-open detection exists but ships disabled, goggles rated OD6+ are not in the package, the hazard distance is 4.1 m, and users are told to stay at least 0.5 m away. Autofocus tolerates only 0.5 mm of thickness deviation before infrared and blue calibration is needed, thin sheet metal warps under heat and shifts its own focus, and batch processing does not handle curved surfaces — rings and tumblers go on an RA2 Pro or RA3 rotary. For extraction, xTool recommends the SafetyPro AP2; the Desktop Air Purifier is not compatible. Flame detection can false-trigger on some materials.
Check the xTool F1 Ultra on Amazon
LaserPecker LP5: fiber in a portable body, with a small bed
The LP5 moves to a 20 W, 450 nm diode plus a 20 W fiber source at up to 10,000 mm/s. The work area is the trade: 120 × 160 mm as an ellipse or 100 × 100 mm as a square, extending to 160 × 300 mm with the slide. LaserPecker claims it cuts 1 mm brass, stainless, aluminium and titanium sheet, which would put it in F1 Ultra territory on thin stock — treat that as the ceiling rather than the expectation.
Its standout is the safety interlock: both the enclosure and the conical cover have door sensors that halt the laser the moment they are opened. LaserPecker does not state a class for the LP5, so treat it as Class 4 until it does; on a hybrid, door sensors that halt the laser are a meaningful feature, not a spec-sheet line.
Check LaserPecker LP5 listings on Amazon
Dedicated fiber galvos: faster and deeper, less forgiving
Below the hybrids sit open-frame fiber galvos. They mark and engrave metal faster and deeper than anything above, and they come with no lid, usually no goggles, and documentation that varies from adequate to thin. Every one of them is a 1064 nm Class 4 source you have to respect.
ComMarker B4: the documented entry point
The B4 is a 20 W fiber marker, 1064 nm, 0–15,000 mm/s and 0.01 mm accuracy, air cooled, with a dual 110 mm and 200 mm lens setup. Its manual rates the machine Class IV, asks for a dry ventilated room between 5 and 35 °C under 70 % humidity, forbids unattended operation, and warns that teenagers in the room need supervision — the most explicit safety language of any fiber machine here. EZCAD2 is bundled, LightBurn needs its own licence, and the software runs on Windows only.
Focus is manual with a calibration file per lens, and the manual's own FAQ spends several entries on preview-versus-mark offset and faint marks. That calibration step is the real learning curve; expect the first week to be about getting the beam where the preview says it will be. The 20 W model runs 30–60 kHz per ComMarker's own comparison table.
Check the ComMarker B4 20W on Amazon
Gweike G2 Pro 30 W: the cheapest route to fiber, with the thinnest paperwork
Gweike's G2 Pro is a 1064 nm fiber galvo with a 150 × 150 mm working area, LightBurn support and CE and FDA certificates listed. The Pro page describes a fully enclosed, radiation-proof shell, which is a more reassuring build description than the bare open frames at this price, and Gweike sells its safety goggles as a separate item rather than including them.
The catch is documentation: the laser class is not stated on the product page, so treat the machine as a Class 4 source until you have paperwork in hand. Colour marking claims for the G2 family also conflict between Gweike's own crowdfunding page and third-party comparison sites — do not buy it expecting oxide colours on stainless. What you are buying is a working 1064 nm source at the lowest entry point, and accepting that you will be the one assembling the safety case around it.
Check the GWEIKE G2 Pro 30W on Amazon
OMTech fiber: more power, a US supplier, and a sprawl of variants
OMTech's fiber line runs from compact 20/30 W units to a 50 W galvo at 1064 nm and 30–60 kHz, plus a MOPA 30 W line with a JPT source at up to 10,000 mm/s. Working areas sit around 150 × 150 mm on the compact models and 6.9 × 6.9 in on the split ones, with autofocus and camera variants available.
This is the pick for a small shop that wants a US-based supplier and headroom above 20 W. Budget time for reading listings carefully: Q-switched versus MOPA, split versus integrated, autofocus versus manual, and source brands that comparison sites disagree on. MOPA is the version to choose if colour marking matters, and the 30 W MOPA is a better fit than the 50 W fixed source for that specific job.
Check OMTech fiber laser listings on Amazon
What you have to budget on top of the machine
Goggles matched to 1064 nm. This is the line item people forget, and it is not interchangeable with the safety glasses in a woodworking drawer. xTool publishes OD5+ for the F1 and OD6+ for the F1 Ultra and S1, and neither machine ships with them. Gweike sells its own separately. ComMarker's manual recommends goggles without naming an OD, which leaves you choosing the rating yourself. On a hybrid, the eyewear has to block both 1064 nm and the ~450 nm diode.
Extraction. Metal marking throws fine particulate and burns off coating residue. xTool routes the S1's smoke outside or to a purifier, and specifies the SafetyPro AP2 for the F1 Ultra because the Desktop Air Purifier is not compatible with it. A fiber galvo with no extraction in an enclosed room is a bad plan regardless of what the laser cost.
A rotary for anything round. Rings, tumblers and cups do not focus correctly on a flat bed, and batch mode on the F1 Ultra explicitly does not support curved surfaces. RA2 Pro or RA3 on the xTool side, ComMarker's D69/D80/R5 options or a rotary clamp, and the slide plus rotary extension on the LaserPecker machines.
Marking spray, if you stay on a diode. It works, and it is a consumable with a per-part cost that also changes the surface finish rather than the metal underneath. It is the right answer for occasional jobs on a machine you already own, and the wrong answer for a metal business.
Running an open Class 4 source at home
A lid does not convert a Class 4 fiber head into a Class 1 product. xTool says so directly about the F1 Ultra: it is Class 4 because it lets you process with the lid open, and the lid-open detection that would stop it ships turned off. That is a setting you have to switch on deliberately, not a safety net you inherit.
Hazard distance is the number most owners never look up: 4 m for the F1 and 4.1 m for the F1 Ultra. Everyone inside that radius is in the beam path if the enclosure is open, not just the person running the job. No fiber machine in this list should be left marking unattended, and none of them should be used on PVC, vinyl or any chlorine-containing material — the fumes are corrosive to the machine and toxic to you.
Two more class traps worth knowing. The S1 with a riser base and conveyor feeder is not a Class 1 machine even though the base model is sold as one. And the IR module on that same S1 runs within −10 to +30 °C with a preheat cycle required below 10 °C; a cold garage in winter is an operating condition, not a detail.
What does not belong on this list
The xTool F1 Lite is a diode-only machine with no IR head; the name is close enough to the F1 that buyers confuse them. The xTool D1 Pro was discontinued on 1 January 2025, with accessory support promised only into 2026 and no named replacement, so it is not a current purchase. The Atomstack A20 Pro in its 1064 nm version exists but current new availability could not be confirmed, which is not good enough for a recommendation. And any diode machine sold as a metal engraver without mentioning spray or coating is selling you the coated-metal workflow, not the bare-metal one.
If you want the shortest version of the whole article: the xTool F1 Ultra is the machine that covers wood, acrylic and real metal work without a second purchase, and it is the one to buy if you can carry the Class 4 discipline and the add-on costs. If your work is small metal parts only, the ComMarker B4 gets you a proper 1064 nm fiber source with a manual that tells you what you are handling, for less than a hybrid. Neither is a mistake; buying a diode and a can of spray to serve a metal business is.
