Review: xTool F1 Ultra Laser Cutter

Manufacturer: xTool

Price as tested: $3,699

Link: https://www.xtool.com/products/xtool-f1-ultra-20w-fiber-diode-dual-laser-engraver

Previously we looked at the xTool F1; this time we bring you the F1 Ultra, a machine that is more of a big cousin than a big brother to the F1. If you are willing to give up the extreme portability for more power, the F1 Ultra is here for you.

Unboxing the F1 Ultra is a surprise — it’s big. It has a 220mm×220mm cutting area, not huge for a diode laser but the Ultra isn’t just a diode. Like the F1, the Ultra boats dual lasers. xTool increased the power of the blue diode to 20W from 10W and swapped the IR diode for a far more powerful 20W fiber laser. This makes etching metals a quick affair, including those cool 3D etches that laser cutting folks like to show off.

The Ultra has a number of new accessories: a large conveyor for automating jobs and etching larger objects, a button and foot pedal for quickly kicking off repeating jobs, and a built-in screen to ease running the machine without needing a computer.

The Ultra also has a built-in camera, making aligning jobs on any material easy. There’s even a new AI feature in xTool Creative Space that will auto-align your designs on multiple objects placed randomly on the bed.

While I really like the F1 Ultra, I am disappointed by a few things. Aligning the lasers (something you should only have to do on initial setup) isn’t the easiest, requiring access to a screw you can hardly see. I also wish they had kept the removable bottom plate. The Ultra features a solid plate on the bottom but it makes it harder to make jigs. 

The F1 Ultra may no longer be a portable workhorse for the crafting community, but the added power is well worth the added bench space it will need to reside in your workshop.

This review appeared in Make: Vol 93.