After auditing $180,000 in manufacturing equipment spending over six years, I can say this plainly: If you're looking to buy a laser cutter and the price is your main filter, you're probably going to lose money. For our small workshop, the xTool S1 wasn't the cheapest option on paper, but in a total cost of ownership (TCO) model, it was. That's the key difference between looking at a quote and looking at a cost.
How I got here: The $1,200 'cheap' laser lesson
I'm a procurement manager for a 12-person company focused on custom prototyping and small-batch production. Over the years, I've documented every order for consumables, tools, and equipment. In Q2 2024, when we decided to bring laser engraving in-house, I started comparing options. We needed to cut and engrave acrylic, wood, and leather for client samples, and we wanted to offer laser engraved coffee mugs as a product.
I looked at several desktop lasers. A unit from a lesser-known brand was priced at $1,800. The xTool S1 bundle (with the 20W module and rotary tool) was priced at around $2,600. The initial instinct is to save the $800. But I've been burned by that instinct before.
In 2023, we bought a 'budget' CNC router for $1,200. It seemed like a great deal. Six months later, we had spent $450 on replacement spindles because the stock one failed, and $400 on re-cutting a single order because the machine lost calibration. The final cost was over $2,000. The 'cheap' option resulted in a $1,200 redo (net loss compared to a more reliable unit). That experience made me a stickler for the details.
Breaking Down the xTool S1 Cost (vs. Cheaper Options)
Let's look at the specific costs for the xTool S1. I compared it against a generic $1,800 desktop CO2 laser for cutting acrylic and a $200 diode laser module for the coffee mug engraving.
1. The Module Strategy (The Biggest Hidden Savior)
The xTool S1's modular design is where the TCO argument wins. The standard machine comes with a 20W diode module. This is great for wood and leather. But for cutting acrylic, a diode laser generally struggles. You need a CO2 laser for that. The xTool S1 allows you to swap in a 40W CO2 laser module. That's the purchase we made.
The generic $1,800 unit was a dedicated CO2 laser. On the surface, this is cheaper for acrylic. But here is the hidden cost: it couldn't do fine diode engraving on glass or metal without additional, expensive attachments. For our coffee mug project (using a rotary tool for cylindrical engraving), the generic unit required a $600 add-on kit. The xTool S1's rotary tool is a standard part of a bundle and costs less than the competitor's add-on.
The result? With the generic machine, you're locked into one technology. If you need two, you buy two machines, or expensive add-ons. With the xTool S1, you have one base and swappable heads. It's a lower cost for a multi-process workshop.
2. The Acrylic Cutting Reality Check
When you search 'xtool s1 cutting acrylic', you see results. I tested this myself. The 40W CO2 module on the xTool S1 cuts 3mm acrylic cleanly. The 20W diode module... it's not good for the edge.
I'll be honest: if you only cut acrylic, the xTool S1 is not the most powerful. A dedicated 60W or 80W CO2 tube laser will cut faster and handle thicker material (maybe 6-8mm). But for our work, we rarely cut acrylic thicker than 3mm. The small space in our workshop could only fit a desktop model. The xTool S1 fit perfectly. The decision was: buy a large industrial CO2 laser (starting at $5,000) or buy the S1 with the 40W module. The S1 won on space and cost for our specific 3mm requirement.
I saw a review that claimed the S1 could cut 10mm acrylic. That's marketing. Ours struggled with 5mm. As of May 2025, the technology is improving, but always verify specific material thickness claims.
3. How Laser Welding Works (A Tangent That Matters)
This isn't about the xTool S1, but it's a matter of confusion. We do thin metal marking, not welding. I wish I had tracked how many times clients ask 'how laser welding works' after seeing our engraver. Laser welding is a high-power, industrial process (usually for joining metals). The xTool S1 is a desktop engraving and cutting tool. It can mark metal (by removing a coating or creating an oxide layer), but it cannot weld it. This distinction is critical for budget planning. Buying an S1 to weld metal will result in a $2,600 disappointment.
The Final Numbers: Why the S1 Won
(This was accurate as of May 2025. Market changes fast, so verify current prices.)
Let's construct the TCO for our scenario:
Option A: Generic CO2 + Generic Diodes
- Generic Co2 Laser: $1,800
- Diode module for mugs + Rotary kit: $650
- Total: $2,450
- Risk: Calibration failure rate (based on our previous experience) likely 1 failure in 12 months, costing $400 in downtime/repairs.
- Estimated 2-Year TCO: $3,250
Option B: xTool S1 Bundle
- Base + 20W Diode + Rotary: $2,100
- 40W CO2 Module: $500
- Total: $2,600
- Risk: Low. The build quality checks out. We've had it for 8 months—no issues.
- Estimated 2-Year TCO: $2,800 (Including consumables like lenses which are cheap).
We saved $450 upfront, and over two years, we are projecting a $450 saving in reduced risk compared to the generic option. That's an 17% saving on our budget.
When NOT to buy the xTool S1
I have to be realistic. This machine isn't for everyone.
- Industrial production: If you need to cut 6mm acrylic at 10ft/min, buy a $10,000+ industrial laser.
- Pure CO2 work: If you only cut acrylic, get a dedicated K40 or similar CO2 laser. It's cheaper and simpler.
- Laser welding: This tool does not do it. Don't buy it for that.
(Should mention: we also looked at the xTool D1 Pro, but the enclosed design of the S1 was crucial for our small, dusty workshop. The safety enclosure is a feature that's easy to undervalue until you need to filter fumes.)
The S1 is the right tool for a specific job: a small, multi-material workshop wanting to avoid the headache of multiple cheap, unreliable machines. It's not the cheapest, but it's the cheapest way to do it right in a desktop format.
