Sharing is caring!

I’m thrilled to share with you this in-depth xTool F1 Ultra review, along with in-depth testing of what it can and can’t do and some free SVG files to cut. You can check out my original xTool F1 laser engraver review and material tests here. This post contains affiliate links.

Laser engraving can open up a whole new world for your small business. Whether you’re new to it or not, the xTool F1 Ultra might be the right machine for your. It’s got unique and innovative features, and it has limitations, all of which I’m happy to share in this xTool F1 Ultra Review.

Before I say a single other word: I was gifted an xTool F1 Ultra for the sake of this review. I hope that you will find that it did not affect my review process. I will be sharing a factual play by play of how the machine performed in different circumstances so that you can make an informed decision based on my third party tests and your specific needs.

I also spent a lot on materials beyond what xTool sent, to enable me to show you what it can do to the best of my abilities, and spent weeks testing, so if you do choose to purchase, please do so through my affiliate links! It doesn’t cost you any extra and helps support the work that I do here.

What you’ll find in this review of the xTool F1 Ultra

In this post, I plan to cover the basics. I spent many hours testing it, trying to nail down certain settings, and I learned the hard way: there’s no end to what I can test to thoroughly review the xTool F1 Ultra. So I had to call it a day at some point and share with you what I’ve learned so far.

I will be sharing with you:

• Machine specs and details

• Special features
• And loads of material tests
• My overview/opinion

Bear in mind that I do lots of hobby-level jewelry, so I definitely focused on that, but my material tests are broad and all-encompassing, so even if you don’t primarily do jewelry, you’ll find this xTool F1 Ultra review helpful.

I am also relatively new to laser engraving, so you’ll be getting this from the user-friendly, layman’s perspective, allowing you to understand how you might experience it even if you’re not a laser pro.

At the end of this post, you’ll find a form to download some of my test files for jewelry for free – all in SVG format.

xTool F1 Ultra Review – Basic machine features/analysis

I’m going to go over the basics quickly as this is all information you can easily find on their website.

In a nutshell, the xTool F1 Ultra is a first-of-its-kind dual 20 Watt Fiber and 20 Watt Diode laser, with a full enclosure. You can cut and engrave loads of materials because of the dual laser types, with Fiber focusing primarily on metals and Diode on most other materials. It’s a galvo laser – that means that it uses mirrors to reflect the laser across the surface – rather than a gantry that runs the laser module along tracks with a motor. That allows it to run super fast.

It’s much bigger than its predecessor, the F1, with a large work surface, multiple accessories for expansion, and better height. Yet, it still does not take up a large amount of desk space.

In the box

I am always floored by xTool’s packaging engineers. The product was packed in a way that even tossing it across the room wouldn’t ruin it (I think – don’t try it). It’s relatively easy to unload, thanks to the thought they put into every single step of the packaging process.

In the box, you have the main machine held together with hook and loop straps and another box. Inside the machine itself, you have two additional boxes with the touchscreen controller, screwdriver, USB C to USB cable, two “keys” (USB dongles that you need to insert for your device to work – a safety feature), an L shaped positioning piece and a lint free cloth to clean your lens.

In the other box, you have the power cable, tubing for smoke extraction, instructions, and a cutting base.

The machine also comes with a sample material package for you to start testing different materials. I don’t know if this is something that they keep consistent across the board, but mine came with some basswood plywood, slate coasters, a few aluminum business cards, a suedette jewelry pouch, two bone-shaped dog tags, a few stainless steel pendant blanks, scratch art paper (also used to calibrate the machine), kraft paper, and leatherette patches.

I love that they include such an exhaustive material sample kit with the machine – it gives more opportunity to learn what the machine can do.

Specs & Feature Rundown of the xTool F1 Ultra

• 20 Watt Diode Laser
• 20 Watt Fiber Laser
• Touchscreen attachment (included) for offline processing, 7 GB project storage
• Curved surface engraving
• 16 MP Camera – autofocus, easier project placement, autofill for batch processing

• Ultra HD Image engraving – Its Fiber has 0.03 x 0.03mm compression spot on fiber, and its diode galvo laser has 0.08 x 0.1mm compression spot.
• Laser-proof enclosure and smart cover: if opened while processing, the light power drops to harmless levels
• 220mm x 220mm work surface
• Emergency Stop Button
• Extraction Fan
• Fire Safety Alarm
• Adjustable frequency 30 to 60kHz

Optional accessories (reviews later in this post)

Conveyer – factory level productivity, plus larger engrave. This is a major perk of the xTool F1 Ultra, and I review it in depth below.

RA2 Pro Rotary attachment– 90% wraparound engraving (some creators reach basically 100% with it). This is cross-compatible with the original F1 and I reviewed it on that post in depth, but go through it again here.

SafetyPro AP2 Air Purifier – A must-have unless you’re venting outdoors. This is quite large, but sits nicely on casters under my folding table. It’s sleek and beautiful looking, and does an incredible job of keeping things odorless.

SafetyPro IF2 Inline Fan – This connects to the venting hoses and features a powerful fan – like a vacuum that suctions the fumes and debris faster than it can leak out to the room, pulling it towards the air purifier for filtration.

Foot Pedal or Button Switch – for easy operation, instead of the “start” button. These are both cross-compatible with the original F1 as well.

Common Material Cutting Max

Metals

• 0.4mm brass
• 0.3mm stainless steel
• 0.2mm aluminum sheet (including aluminum business cards)
• I tested it on 30 gauge sterling and it cut beautifully (more below…) and think it can go further. I’m not sure how much further.

Other raw materials

• Black acrylic – 12mm
• Basswood – 12 MM (really 15MM but it may cause flames at that thickness)

xTool F1 Ultra Review – Pros, cons

The xTool F1 Ultra’s fiber laser is a true fiber laser, on the lower end of the power spectrum, at 20 watts. This can do quite a lot that regular infrared lasers can’t. It CAN cut through thin metals as you’ll see below.

More complex tasks will take time.

It can also make incredible deep engraves and embossings, and I’m really excited to get started mixing this with resin crafting. I think it’s just begging to be used that way.

I think it can also be used to make molds – I’m not sure how the emboss feature will apply to silicone but I imagine it can be cool for making both clay and resin molds. I may have to be creative with the materials I use, finishing options, etc, and it’s definitely a feature I need to play with.

One of the biggest perks of the xTool F1 Ultra is the ability to do both diode and fiber laser engraving. The diode laser is great for photo marking, for removing the finish on coated metals, and for a large variety of materials.

The Fiber is great for metal, and actually removes some material, creating a true engraving, not just a marking.

Having both in one machine means that you can, for example, use the diode to engrave on coated metal and then the fiber to clean things up. Or, you can use the diode to remove the coating on an invisibly coated blank and then engrave the metal itself.

You can use a single machine to engrave a relief in wood, and then cut a brass inlay to place inside, as I’ll share below. In this respect, there is nothing quite like the xTool F1 Ultra.

Even without the conveyer, batch producing is easy with a corner bracket that has built-in screws (and requires no tools) that threads into the “pegboard” work base, and a “repeat task” feature built into the machine. Just double tap the start button to repeat your last task.

The biggest drawback is the strength. While you probably won’t need a stronger fiber laser unless you plan to do thick metal cutting, that is one thing that this machine does not do. It can cut quite functionally thin metals, as you’ll see in my tests below.

If that is the bulk of the work that you do, you may prefer a machine dedicated to that.

The Touchscreen

One of my favorite new features on the xTool F1 Ultra is the touchscreen attachment. This interface attaches to the machine and allows you to control the machine from this screen.

You can use it to access files, access external storage, recreate a project, frame, and focus, and the start button is there too. This allows for some fully offline processing.

The big green bar button at the bottom is the start button. It’s easy to use and intuitive. There’s no crazy learning curve and you don’t need to use it much, but you can use it heavily… Double tap the big green button to repeat the last task – a must for batch producing things!

And I like that it’s not built into the machine – rather, it’s a movable feature that you can place wherever is convenient.

The software: xTool Creative Space

xTool is compatible with leading laser engraving software, Lightburn, however, they also have their own native free software. I’ve been using this exclusively. As a graphic designer familiar with Adobe programs, I am impressed with what it can do on the basic design and editing level.

Features

• Generative AI – While I’m not a fan of using it to generate new images, I love that you can use it to generate depth maps for embossing!
• Material EasySet Library – they did the testing on loads of materials! For certain materials, you have a visual you can choose from for the result you’d like.

• Vector editing – including node editing
• Live trace to vectorize images
• Basic image editing features
• Built-in Library of a variety of shapes and images, including tasteful designs like leaves, florals, and more

Feedback

You can truly design what you’d like in XCS and edit things in a pretty advanced way. And since it’s built with your machine in mind, it’s easy to learn, with a more streamlined interface.

The more existing design knowledge you have, the easier it’ll be, but it’s clearly designed with the layman in mind.

In XCS 2.0, they added the ability to edit and process multiple projects at once. This is fabulous: you can literally edit the same project by minimizing the task, for example, to prep your final clean-up layer.

Or, if you’re using the same project to create multiple objects (for example, name pendants with different names, or multiple sides on an engraved pendant), you can really work efficiently.

Portability and Size

The machine size is 10.7×14.7×19.4 (approximate) inches or 273x273x492 mm. It weighs about 32.4 lbs (14.7 kg).

While not quite as portable as its predecessor, the F1, it CAN be transported with relative easy. It’s a large machine that needs to be packed and cared for, and not fully portable. 

However, it has a unique feature that makes transporting it more doable. Most fiber lasers have an external and very delicate glass fiber cable.

The xTool F1 Ultra is fully enclosed.

My recommendation is, if you plan to transport it, keep the beautifully engineered (as usual) foam packaging that it comes in and transport it in that.

With the surface/desk area being very roughly a square foot, it’s really easy to find the space for.

What the xTool F1 Ultra can and can’t do: material tests and projects

One of they keys to a successful and satisfying purchase of a high end machine is to understand its capabilities and limitations. Helping you understand this is my goal in this xTool F1 Ultra review.

I spent many many hours doing material tests, and yes, I did have to stop somewhere and actually share this with you! I’ll be giving a quick rundown of what I’ve tested, and will share the results with you, as well as feedback on how it performed and lots of opinions, of course.

Important: my purpose for material testing for the xTool F1 Ultra review is to show you what it can and can’t do – to help you make an informed purchase. It’s to give a general idea of its capabilities.

So you’ll want to run your own tests on your most-used materials. For the ones that are more complex and I had to test a lot, I included my results. However, for the ones that worked quickly I don’t simply because it’s not necessarily a best result – you’ll want to test yourself.

Cutting & Engraving Metal

Here’s the part you’re really wanting to know: how well does xTool’s 20 watt fiber laser work on metals?

I tested it in a few ways, trying to see just how far I can stretch it, with doing proper engravings, deep embossing, and even cutting metal.

I was floored by how well it handled brass. That is going to be my favorite material to use with the xTool F1 Ultra.

Emboss on metal: Custom wax seal stamp

It took me a number of tries to get this right but when I did, I was absolutely amazed (and the process is repeatable so I wont’ need to play with the next one).

To cut a wax seal stamp with my new logo, I created a depth map image. You can do this with xTool creative space, however, I found that for a high-contrast image like a logo, it makes more sense to do it myself. The deepest areas are black (the ones you want raised on the seal) and the border is white. You can soften edges using grayscales, however, I kept it simple.

I cut it using emboss feature and the following settings: Fiber, 256 layers, 90% power, 900mm/s, 1 pass, 260 lines per cm, descend at z axis every 25 layers by .01 mm. It took about 1.25 hours.

Stainless steel pendant – engrave and cut: One hour.

I cut and engraved this 0.3mm stainless steel disc pendant (free SVG for the irregular circle shape at the end of this post).

The cutting took about 35 minutes.

It’s fabulous for those who like to make their own designs and can sit around and do other things while it cuts. I am actually writing up the review of each material as it cuts. So it is very time consuming, however, it’s active time, not passive (kind of like when your cake is in the oven…)

That being said, if you’re looking to do this for onsite customization (such as name necklaces in-store) it’s on the slow end of things. I cut a very simple shape, but in a nice size to demonstrate it.

The max depth it can cut isn’t very deep at 0.3mm – it’s enough to make a simple piece that is functional. I did need to use pliers to pull it out of the border but this can probably change by tweaking my settings.

The engraving was really just to give it some chic texture and it’s fabulous! I’m going to try it with animal print textures next. I chose engrave the settings based on a test grid array.

Brass

You may have noticed based on the deeper maximum cut of 0.4mm that brass cuts nicely on the xTool F1 Ultra.

I’m obsessed with what I can do with brass.

I cut 0.2mm brass to create a metal inlay on wooden pieces, as I shared above. I hope to do a dedicated post for that process (adding it to the list of 1000 posts I plan to write – no joke!)

I also cut 0.4mm brass to make a brass pendant. Settings were power 100%, speed10 mm/s, pass 200.I hammered the final piece. SVG is included in the download at the end of this post.

And the engraving is just gorgeous – one of my more successful engravings right off the bed. Settings were Power 100 speed 80 Pass 2, lines 300, then a cleanup pass of the same design (my default cleanup pass is Power 20, speed 4000, Pass 1-3 depending how much it needs).

Sterling Silver – Deep Engrave & 24+30 Gauge Cut

Since I’m on a budget, I started off very conservative with testing a sterling silver cut and tried it on 30 gauge (0.225 mm) dead soft sterling silver for this.

I managed to cut a 3/4 inch circle with hole in a minute including engraving time! On the first test I almost engraved through to the back of the piece…

Settings for engrave: Fiber IR, 90%, 100mm/s, 3 passes, 300 LPC. Deeper engraves can be done with more passes, however be wary of your material depth.

Settings for cut: Fiber IR, 100%, 30mm/s, 10 passes.

A note: a sheet of metal must be fixed for more efficient cuts. It can shift and warp as it heats up. I taped mine on the edges to the cutting base using masking tape.

While 30 gauge is a bit thin for cutting an actual piece of jewelry, the fact that it took only a minute and cut in ten passes makes me think I can do thicker.

At this thickness, it can already be used in larger jewelry projects – whether for layering pieces of silver and soldering them, forging larger pieces, or even creating sterling silver inlays on jewelry.

Update: Since that test was successful, I went ahead and purchased 24 gauge sterling silver. I can’t give you final settings yet as I need to perfect it, but it cut it in about 24 minutes for a small (3/4 inch) letter cutout and engrave. I’ll keep updating here as I test further.

One note I see among crafters is that it’s quicker to saw cut thicker metals – and that is true. However, I do NOT count passive time (the machine is working) the same as active time (me working) because I can do other things in the room while it’s going. Setup takes minutes, and it’s much easier to produce in bulk.

Color Engraving Plated Dog Tag

To color engrave, the first thing you’re going to want to do is to create a grid array and play with the colors. My range was speed 12-50mm/s and power 10-30%.

I would like to play around more to get even more color options, however, I was already able to get a gorgeous range.

Color engraving will require you to set different settings for each item. The first time, it can take time but once you have your favorites, save those settings with the color name.

I tested this on a plated dog tag using my new logo. The colors definitely need some adjusting but they’re there… and it looks fabulous!

Aluminum Business Cards

12 Seconds. Yup, that’s how long it took to each side of these business cards!

And batch producing it is a breeze. While the conveyer – which we’ll discuss below – can nail one side of it, if you’re doing a second side, it won’t necessarily do it in the same direction. However, by using the corner bracket, you can simply double tap the “start” button and it repeats the last task.

So to make this small pile of cards, I simply engraved the first as needed, placing the bracket and doing all the setup on that one. Then I sat in a comfortable chair in front of my machine, placed a new card against the L bracket, hit the green button twice, and let it run.

I removed it and did the next. I repeat – each one took about 12 seconds.

Then, I moved onto the back design, making sure to place the card in the right direction and repeated the process…

More Jewelry Material Tests for the xTool F1 Ultra Review

I engraved a tiny heart anklet in one second. Yes, you heard right – 1 second.

I had to test engraving on 14kt gold for those of you who customize fine jewelry, so I found a single earring that’ll need to be scrapped anyway, and it worked beautifully on the first take.

I wanted to nail that stainless steel photo engrave, but it’s going to require lots more tests than I have time for. I found that what I tried either looked okay or looked great from the side but not straight-ahead. For photo engraves, coated aluminum might be a better option to use.

I had to try a gemstone bead as jewelry crafter, because I can just imagine the possibilities if you can engrave beads! I did it two ways: one was a deep emboss and one was a surface engrave. Both worked beautifully. Tip: start with slate coaster settings for this and work from there.

Clay was also an important one for me, and while I’m far from nailing those settings, it’s clearly something that works well on both polymer clay and air dry clay. That means that you can create simple blanks from clay to use in personalized jewelry.

An aluminum metal stamping blank was deep-engraved beautifully as was a plated bar pendant with my kids birth months and years

Quick tests on 14kt gold filled and copper yielded decent results – obviously more testing is needed.

Deep Emboss – Relief – Slate Coaster

I was hoping to do a full slate coaster for you, but many other reviewers have done this, and it takes a long time. I instead focused my time on testing things that others haven’t tested.

I did however do a small spot to see how far we can push the boundaries of detail with the xTool F1 Ultra.

The detail is insane. I mean I’m truly impressed with what you can do with this. When I do find the time to do a large coaster, I plan to resin fill it for a true work of art.

Curved item

Sept 2024 update: This feature has finally been released and I’m excited to share the results of engraving a fun design on the water bottle that lives in my craft room!

Instead of using a rotary to get even results on a curved item, the xTool F1 Ultra uses its camera to map out the visible portion of a curved surface, and engrave along the curve. This is a much more efficient – and easy – way to engrave curved items that don’t require a full wrap! And the results were incredible.

In just four minutes, the F1 Ultra engraved a nice sized design. I used the default settings in XCS for a coated tumbler in the closest colors I could find and it was spot on. It used the fiber laser for this.

Most of it was good to go right off the machine. The left side needed a few seconds of cleanup – however, I was able to detect that it was outside the safe zone already when I was framing.

In a nutshell, if you need to produce custom water bottles in minutes, this is the way to do it – and yes, you can get a nice sized design done quickly.

Cutting & Engraving Wood

Cutting and engraving wood uses the diode laser.

Wood keychains

One of the first projects I did was to emboss my old logo into a wood keychain. I didn’t realize what I was doing as I was first learning my machine and quickly stopped it before it went completely through!

I then went ahead and engraved a few more of these pretty wooden keychains. Even an engrave went quite deep!

I made these as backpack tags “return to” IDs for my boys, and a photo keychain for their “Supa Daddy”.

I hope to at some point experiment with embossing and resin filling these.

I used xTool XCS default Basswood settings for this.

Bamboo Napkin Holder

Another project I did was to engrave a napkin holder that I had sitting around with some artwork that I’ve created. It is absolutely gorgeous. Again, a simple engrave has a bit of depth so I hope to paint the design to help it stand out even more.

I had wanted to engrave this same napkin holder with the original xTool F1, however, it was too high. I’d have had to figure out a way to hold up/prop my machine and engrave through the open base on that one. I was delighted to be able to complete this on the Ultra.

Mango wood cutting board

This mango wood cutting board was purchased just to test the Ultra on different woods. This one already has a pretty high contrast grain, making it a bit harder to see the design (also an illustration of mine).

However, the detail is gorgeous and accurate, as you can see.

To bring it out even more, I used silk screen stencil cream to fill it in, scraping and wiping off the excess.

I used XCS’s default basswood settings for this, however, I do think I need to play a little and maybe increase it for next time.

Cutting and Embossing Wood Earrings

My final project with wood (for now…) was to cut out a simple earring with a rose that I illustrated (SVG for this is available for free at the end of this post) from 3mm basswood.

Because it’s a galvo laser, you get a slight angle on cuts with thickness, if they’re removed from the center of your cutting surface. However, this issue is much less of a problem on the xTool F1 Ultra than it is on the original F1. That’s because the laser is positioned higher, meaning it needs to angle out less.

It cut smoothly, with minimal flame.

I do want to figure out if this one can do more complex cuts (I had some issues completing complex cuts on wood with the F1) but that wasn’t my top priority for the xTool F1 Ultra review.

The engraving is a beautiful, deep engrave, that can easily be filled with paint like I did on these laser cut earrings.

I used the XCS settings from their materials library.

Cutting and Engraving Acrylic

Acrylic is a favorite to cut using diode lasers, and I’ve had fabulous results both cutting and engraving using the xTool F1 Ultra. I tested the same 3mm black acrylic and it worked beautifully, using XCS settings.

SVG for this earring is available for download at the end of this post.

I did not try colored acrylic. In general, I found xTool’s acrylic to be reliably high quality (and no they did not ask me to say this) vs. the random companies I purchased on Amazon that did not cut nicely.

I only tested black acrylic for this. Presumably other opaque colors can work, besides for blue.

Cutting and engraving leather

I used the diode laser for all of these projects.

Faux suede jewelry pouch

Included in the material kit that came with the machine was a sweet little faux suede jewelry pouch. This is fabulous both as a travel jewelry bag and as upscale packaging for a jewelry business.

I branded mine with my husband’s logo because I discovered that it’s the perfect size for business cards too.

Using xTool’s built-in settings, it engraved beautifully in a minute and 3 seconds. These can make beautiful branded products, party favors for a jewelry-making party, gifts…

The built-in camera was a fabulous tool for placement and sizing, and seeing how it’ll look at scale.

Cutting and Engraving Leather Bracelet

Leather cut very nicely using the xTool F1 Ultra. It engraved nicely as well, with lots of messy residue. I do need to run some more tests to get my settings to the ideal range, but it does do a great job.

However, I will note. When it comes to laser cutting genuine leather, it cuts very nicely, but I do prefer to cut it using my Cricut or even a knife for simpler shapes, for the very simple reason that it just makes so much smoke. It cuts okay other ways, so laser cutting feels a bit like overkill.

I would really only be recommended for very intricate designs or if batch processing (as other methods take a lot of time…)

Laser cutting leather causes a lot of smoke. And since leather can be so different from piece to piece, unless you’re always using the same leather (and can run extensive tests to nail down the perfect setting) you probably prefer to just machine cut it and not laser cut it.

Update – the new SafetyPro series purifier and inline fan mitigates this issue significantly!

The exception is faux leather (PU) which engraves and cuts nicely, and can be easier to find in consistent weights.

I included the SVG for this leather bracelet at the end of this post.

Accessory tests

xTool’s accessories are a game changer, allowing you to make the most of the machine’s engraving powers while batch producing or working on cylindrical shapes.

RA2 Pro Rotary

The RA2 Pro rotary was tested further in my previous post featuring the xTool F1. I love that it’s cross-compatible with other machines.

Here, I used the prongs to engrave a stainless steel ring with the words “This too shall pass” (inspired by King Solomon’s legendary mood ring). It can be hard to get the placement right on something like this, but it worked beautifully and quickly.

You can use it to engrave both smaller and larger cylinders, with multiple chuck options, easier-to-use rollers, and loads of placements and sizes.

Conveyer

The conveyer is a game-changer with the xTool F1 Ultra. It is the key to earning your investment back quickly by being able to batch process and take large orders.

One of my biggest hurdles that prevented me from selling my own jewelry designs was the tediousness of working with small orders, and individual products.

The conveyer allows you to pretty much run a factory. Combined with the camera, it reads the shape of your blank, identifies it on the conveyer, and automatically places your design on subsequent products. It connects easily to the base of the xTool F1 Ultra in minutes.

Make sure to use laser-proof goggles when using any accessory that leaves the cover open.

To test it, I ran a trial of a product idea I have: Hebrew “scrabble tile” wood pieces for language learning. I placed about 50 of these high quality tiles on the conveyer and placed one letter on them. I placed a random wood star as well, to see what will happen. It got all of them besides for the ones in “border” zones on the edges of batches – for a total of 44 with six misses – in 42 seconds!!

And it did it right!

Note that I did a very light engrave on this – deeper engraves will take longer. The inconsistencies in strength is something that you often see in wood due to natural variations, and can be corrected to a degree with a darker engrave.

In other words, for me, larger orders and the ability to do batch work is the key to monetizing a laser engraver with less hustle and more satisfaction. Being able to mass-produce product ideas is a game changer.

Another huge business/large order idea for me is event favors or corporate gifts. As a joke (because I don’t have a real one to work with) I tried anodized aluminum bone-shape dog tags. I engraved them with “Buddy’s Bark Mitzvah”. It did a beautiful 100% perfect job.

Using the xTool F1 Ultra with the conveyer is a game-changer in setting up a laser business and being able to properly monetize via large orders in a realistic way.

The conveyer can also be used for larger engravings (although I wish it could have a back-and-forth feature and an attachment for large cuttings too).

Button and Foot Pedal

xTool also released some add on buttons that can be used instead of the “start” button on your machine. I find this convenient for the original F1 more than the Ultra – as the F1 has a button fixed on the machine, so if I’m sitting at a slight distance I have to get up to press it.

Since the Ultra has the screen detached, I can have that a bit removed from the machine, closer to where I’m working. I do however like the foot pedal as a hands-free tool for when I’m multi-tasking.

They are both fabulous tools and work well if it’s something that you are missing and was on your wishlist. I’d stop short of calling them “must-haves”.

New! SafetyPro Series AP2 Air Purifier

xTool has recently launched their latest air purifier – one that automatically syncs with the F1 Ultra to optimize purification settings.

The AP2 Air Purifier comes with a bluetooth dongle that allows your machine to send settings to the purifier based on the material you’re cutting. And yes, it starts up when you need it to! Not only that, but it actually is smart enough to know what level of filtration you need for your specific material – because it’s a beautiful syndication of device, laser engraver, and purifier.

It comes with five layers of filter, clearly labeled, that are easy to swap out individually as needed, allowing you to change it in parts. It has a washable first layer (the “cyclone”) that stops the prefilter from clogging and helps to cut replacement costs.

I tested it out on wood, leather, and acrylic and it was a game changer. Both of those are odor-intense and the difference was there. Combine that with the inline fan – that works like a vacuum to suction the fumes and debris as you’re cutting or engraving right into the purifier – it really is a much safer – and more pleasant – way to craft.

You can read my full xTool SafetyPro Series review here.

What can the F1 Ultra do that the F1 can’t?

You can check out my full comparison of the xTool F1 vs F1 ultra side-by-side, but meanwhile, here is a point-by-point overview of what you’d be upgrading:

Size – The xTool F1 Ultra is much larger, and can cut and engrave taller objects as well as larger objects without any add-on accessories. It’s officially two times the size, but it’s actually that in all directions, making the bed pretty much four times the size.

Deep engrave metal – not mark. While the F1 can do slight engraves if you get the settings right, the Ultra can properly engrave and even do fillable deep-engraves.

Deep emboss on metal, rock, etc – This is transformative allowing you to create molds, coins, wax seals/stamps, resin craft bases, signet rings, and more.

Cut metal – The F1 can’t cut metal at all. While the Ultra isn’t a “metal cutting powerhouse” exactly, it is capable of cutting thinner metals for thin jewelry, inlays, stacked designs, and other crafts.

Double power for Diode – With more Diode power, you get much faster speeds and efficiency.

Camera – This is a feature I personally missed on F1 (and shared that in my review). The camera on the F1 Ultra not only allows for easier design and placement, but it also comes with features such as auto-fill, auto-focus, and in the future, curved object mapping.

The only drawback is in portability – however the Ultra can still be transported. There is no exposed fiber cable to break. It’s much heavier, and doesn’t have a carry handle, but you can pack it safely and carefully in a suitcase and bring it to events as needed.

xTool F1 Ultra Review Summary: So is it worth it, does it live up to expectations, etc

There is nothing like the xTool F1 Ultra on the market. Not only does it do diverse jobs, but it works incredibly on metal and is my recommendation for jewelry makers who don’t plan to dedicate a separate laser for every project type.

It is insanely fast, giving you the ability to personalize items for clients in minutes, allowing you to take on more clients.

It is not the right choice for highly specialized metal work. It is the right choice for diverse crafters who want multiple options and opportunities for taking on larger projects without investing insane amounts for each separate laser.

While some are concerned with the cost for a 20 Watt Fiber laser, it does much more than that, and is essentially at least two lasers combined in a very well-made package.

Uniqueness of this specific Fiber

Not only is this dual machine a device that allows you to cut more materials because of its dual nature, it also allows you to process certain things more officially. For example, for materials that perform best with two types of lasers, you can accomplish it using one machine.

It also has an enclosure, which means it’s safer to use in public settings an on-location (make sure you order the smoke purifier with your machine and vent it properly – even if you’re using it at home.)

And once again, because the fiber cable isn’t exposed, it’s easier to transport.

Who it’s best for

I like to finish off any review with sharing who I think this machine caters to the best – because it’s all about finding the right one for your needs.

If you need an all-in-one machine that can do as much as possible, rather than highly specialized equipment to really nail a specific material, the 20 Watt Fiber and 20 Watt Diode laser is perfect for you.

If you have limited space and want a powerful diode laser or a fiber laser that won’t take up too much desk space, this is spot on for you.

If you’re looking for a safer machine with less laser light leakage – whether it’s kids who pop into your craft space, or front-facing customers, the enclosure on the xTool F1 Ultra is a game changer.

If you’re looking for a transportable fiber laser that can be moved from place to place safely, the xTool F1 Ultra is definitely the best choice I’ve seen.

If you’re looking for a way to monetize more easily by taking on larger orders, the ability to batch produce using the xTool F1 Ultra’s fast speeds, powerful diode and fiber, and the conveyer is exactly what you need.

Final Project Gallery

Got any questions about the xTool F1 Ultra review? Comment below!

Download my free xTool F1 Ultra Review SVGs

This includes the brass heart pendant (in two to make earrings), the stainless steel circle pendant, the rose wood earrings, and the filigree acrylic earrings.

To download, fill out the form below. You’ll be signed up for our free newsletter – unsubscribe at any time in the footer of the emails. I respect your privacy and the law and won’t share your information with anyone.

Your file will arrive in a ZIP folder. Learn how to unzip files here.

Sharing is caring!