xTool SafetyPro Series Review – Air Purifier (AP2) and Inline Fan (IF2)
If you were wondering if xTool’s latest products are worth it, this xTool SafetyPro series review of the air purifier and inline fan will help you determine if these are the right devices for you! If you’re still on the market for a laser engraver, check out my review of the xTool F1 vs F1 Ultra. This post contains gifted product and affiliate links.
I am always careful when reviewing new products, especially gifted items, to be fairly critical. Nothing is perfect – ever – and so I try to remove my biases by asking myself “what would I change?”
I am struggling with that with this xTool SafetyPro series review. I share this because you will see a glowing review here that will hopefully answer some of your questions.
But if you visit prior reviews, such as my xTool F1 Ultra review or my xTool F1 laser engraver review, you’ll see that while I love those machines, I do share any concerns I might have so that you can fairly determine whether it’s the correct machine for you or not. However, on this one, I really don’t have hangups. It has been such a game changer for me (the air purifier more than the inline fan) and I have not really had any critique for either one.
Understand that if I would, I would absolutely share it here.
So why are these so awesome? Let’s go over it.
Before I say a single other word: I was gifted these to add to my original reviews – I chose to do a full review on my own because I loved them so much. I hope that you will find that it did not affect my review process. My goal is to offer you the details you need to make an informed decision based on my third party tests and your specific needs.
I also spend a lot on materials to enable me to test it to the best of my abilities, and spent many work hours testing it, 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 is the xTool SafetyPro series? Brief overview
I am not going to go over every feature here. That is what product listings are for. In this xTool SafetyPro series review, my goal is to share my perspective, so I’ll run through quickly what it is, what it does, and why it was such a game changer for me.
Air Purifier – AP2
The Air Purifier is an upgraded smart automated air purifier for laser engravers. It also works for other odor-heavy purposes.
Unboxing
xTool’s packaging always impresses me. It’s obvious that they have a high-end packaging engineer. everything is tightly packed in foam, and there are even straps to help lift the air purifier out.
The box comes with everything you need to connect it to an xTool laser engraver, with multiple options for different machine compatibility (you get it in the box and don’t have to order the correct model).
You do need to take all the filters out to remove various packaging components, but it took minutes to unbox and assemble.
What it does
Laser engraving produces some serious fumes, and needs to be vented. However, if you don’t have an outdoor source to vent to – or if you want even more protection – an air purifier does as its name alludes: it purifies the air by filtering out contaminants before letting it back out.
The reason this air purifier is so unique is twofold:
- It uses separated filters – with five layers of filtration. With most air purifiers, when a filter needs to be replaced, you replace the whole thing. Multi-layer filters are very pricey to replace. Separating the layers into multiple filters allows you the benefits of multiple types of filtration, however you can replace each one as needed. You can see in your Creative Space device settings where you’re up to with each filter.
- It is is fully a automated smart purifier that communicates with and connects with certain xTool laser engraver models seamlessly. Not only does that start it working so you don’t need to remember, but it also knows how much filtration you need for that specific type.
The SafetyPro AP2 comes with a bluetooth dongle for compatible machines, and once I set it up with my F1 Ultra, every time I used it, the settings for it showed up on my Creative Space app.
Inline Fan – IF2
The super-compact inline fan connects to the venting hoses between the xTool laser engraver and the purifier.
Installation
The xTool SafetyPro IF2 (Inline Fan) was incredibly easy to install. It simply meant adding a new portion of vent hose and placing the fan in between.
The box comes with optional wall mounts so you can tack it up on the wall if needed. On that note, my one issue with it is space – it does require you to have a bit more space to run the extra hose, however with a bit of wiggling around, I worked it out.
And yes, replacing my previous air purifier saved me so much space anyway!
What it does
The Inline Fan works like a vacuum cleaner, suctioning the fumes right into the vent hoses. The goal is to ensure less fume and particle leakage and for me, it’s especially helpful when doing larger projects with the cover open.
xTool SafetyPro Series Review & Feedback
As I mentioned, if you want more of a feature-by-feature review, you’ll want to check out the product listing. You don’t need me for that. xTool is very good at visually outlining the features and what their products do. Their website showcases each layer of filter, what it does, and to which degree. So go check that out.
My job is to share personal feedback and opinions, so here we go.
Overall analaysis
I was having a bit of an issue with my xTool F1 Ultra’s filtration. To be fair, it was a ME issue – not an xTool issue, but sometimes we need solutions to personal issues.
I have roughly 1-2 hours of crafting time daily, highly dependent on baby’s nap time. And I need to use that time to produce the bulk of the content for this blog. So every time I tried crafting my laser content, I was in a rush and forgot to turn on the air purifier – until I smelled that I forgot.
Besides for being a comfort issue, it’s a safety issue – especially if I had one of my older kids watching me!
The F1’s smaller purifier is automated (it turns on when the machine turns on) but it’s too small for the Ultra. So the xTool SafetyPro Air Purifier is a game changer for me.
It moves along super easily on casters and honestly looks so good compared to other industrial-looking models. It’s so sleek and modern.
In case you were concerned that so many layers of filters can be confusing and complicated, you simply aren’t familiar with xTool’s execution yet. Each filter features a color coded and labeled strap so that you can simply pull out what you need. And then a gorgeous, sleek cover goes over it.
And not only can each layer be replaced individually, but the AP2 Air Purifier features a first level of entry – a cyclone – which is a washable layer. This helps prevent the pre-filter from clogging, and helps prolong the shelf life of the filters by ten times according to xTool. So it’s a money-saving feature that is practical and reduces the waste involved with everyday use.
The inline fan works much like vacuum cleaner, and you can see it in action. As it’s working, I see much more of the smoke being pulled towards the fan in the back of the F1 Ultra.
I think this is a game-changer for larger, open-projects, and for use with the conveyer.
Project by Project breakdown: Testing it on high-odor materials
Please note that I am not a scientist, and I can’t measure odor levels in any scientific way. I am sharing my personal crafting experience and perspective.
Acrylic
Acrylic is one of my favorite materials to cut – as I shared in this post outlining which colors acrylic can be cut using a Diode laser – and can give off a plastic-y smell.
The AP2 Air Purifier definitely help improve the air quality as I worked. You can see the air being pulled back by the fans. I tried making some layered wood and acrylic earrings for you to see how high-fume projects can be improved with the xTool SafetyPro Series.
This is one where it hits me hard when I forget to turn on the air purifier. As I mentioned, this alone makes it a game changer for me.
Leather
In previous reviews I mentioned not really liking to use laser to cut leather – and I’m really not committed to that. I mean, it is somewhat cumbersome to set up leather for cutting machine processing – laser is much more straightforward.
One of my biggest reservations was the smell it gives off.
It was radically improved using the SafetyPro series tools. I actually shut it off in middle to remind myself how bad it was before – and it was bad without. I quickly turned the purifier back on.
Now I just need to get around the inconsistencies in thickness of leather, and figure out a go-to setting for cutting. And especially since leather is a beautiful material to engrave using laser, I plan to give this some more time.
Get the SVG for these earrings here.
Wood
As you can imagine, wood lets off a lot of smoke, and while other purifiers handled it well, the SafetyPro series handled it even better. Combine that with the Inline Fan pulling all the smoke in – and the fact that I usually do have the lid open, since I cut larger pieces of wood – it was once again, a game changer.
Wood also creates a lot of particle compared to the other materials I reviewed. Having the cyclone to reduce that, and multiple layers of filter that can be replaced more affordably, makes this a must-have for wood crafters.
Get the SVG for these earrings here.
Is the xTool SafetyPro Series worth it?
The air purifier
The SafetyPro AP2 Air Purifier seems to be the new default from xTool when purchasing larger machines – including the F1 Ultra and P2. The F1 seems to still come with the desktop purifier.
I highly recommend you get the bundle with the purifier. If you already own a standard air purifier, I personally think it’s worthwhile – because you can’t put a price on your health (or sometimes you could, when the bills start coming….)
I haven’t tested it with the F1 so I can’t really speak to how it automates with that, but just for the cost savings on filters, if you go through lots of filters, the AP2 is a win.
However, if you’re taking it on shows, you’ll probably also want the desktop purifier – at least to take along – since it’s more compact.
The inline fan
This is a much lower cost item that adds a visible benefit. Need I say more?
I recommend this if you have the space – or can make the space – to route it.
Who it’s best for
I always like to include a little synopsis in my reviews of who a product is best for, who it seems to be targeted towards – based on the benefit it provides, not necessarily based on brand advertising.
With this I’d like to say “anyone who uses a laser engraver!” However, more specifically:
- If you have a larger machine (too big for the desktop purifier) and do shows, this is much more portable – and looks nicer too!
- If you need automation – whether you do quick projects like me or just forget, this will be your savior.
- If you’re working indoors with no proper ventilation, or want to winterize your workspace, you’ll want a high performing duo to help improve your air quality – and this is a winner.
Got any questions on my xTool SafetyPro Series review? Comment below and I’ll try to answer ASAP!
