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New to the xTool M1 machine? Well this article is just for you. This xTool M1 beginners guide will give you an introduction to the machine.
Jump to Sections in this Post
- What is the xTool M1 machine?/ What does the xTool M1 machine do?
- How big is the xTool M1 machine?
- What size materials can the xTool M1 cut?
- How much does the xTool M1 machine cost?
- What’s inside the xTool M1 box?
- How to use xTool Creative Space software?
- How to vent the xTool M1?
- Is xTool M1 better than Glowforge machine?
- xTool M1 vs. Cricut machine
- What are xTool M1 accessories?
- What setting do I cut my materials on?
What is the xTool M1 machine?/ What does the xTool M1 machine do?
The xTool M1 machine is a 3 in 1 laser and blade-cutting machine. With this machine, you can laser cut and laser engrave and you can also blade cut.
The laser feature of the machine includes a diode laser that can cut a variety of materials. This type of laser has a longer lifespan than other laser-cutting machines on the market and is more affordable.
With the blade cutting, the xTool M1 is similar to a Cricut, Silhouette, and other cutting machines.
The machine comes in two wattage types, 5W and 10W and the difference is the speed at which both machines can cut. I was sent the 5W xTool M1 machine to review and it works perfectly fine in my apartment.
How big is the xTool M1 machine?
The xTool M1 machine is 22″ x 18″ x 9″ and weighs a little over 21 pounds. As a reference for you Cricut users, a Cricut Explore Air 2 is 21.2” x 7” x 5.9” and weighs almost 11 pounds.
So, while the length of the xTool M1 and Cricut Explore Air 2 is about the same, the xTool M1 is about 11 inches wider and about 3 inches taller (height).
However, the xTool M1 is the perfect desktop laser machine.
What size materials can the xTool M1 cut?
The xTool website states that the xTool M1 machine can cut over 500+ materials including a variety of wood types. This is very appealing for those who have Cricut machines and want to upgrade to cutting wood.
A brief list of some of the things you can cut with an xTool M1 machine include:
- 3 mm Basswood
- 3 mm Black Walnut
- Adhesive Vinyl
- Heat Transfer Vinyl (Iron-On)
- Jewelry Set (Ring & Necklace)
- Kraft Paper
- Metal Cards
- Metal Card Box
- Pet Tags
- PU Faux Leather
- PVC Sheets
- Some Opaque Acrylic Sheets (the xTool M1 cannot cut clear, white, or blue acrylic sheets.)
- Sticker Paper
- Stone Coasters
- Wooden Phone Stand
- Wood Slices
- Wood Tags
You can see a full list of materials that the xTool M1 can cut/engrave here.
How much does the xTool M1 machine cost?
The xTool M1 machine is much more affordable than any other laser cutting/engraving machine including the Glowforge.
The xTool M1 10W machine costs $1,499. The Glowforge Aura is $1,199, the Glowforge Plus machine costs $4,995 and the Glowforge Pro costs $6,995.
The xTool M1 machines are frequently on sale and you can get one for about $850-$950 so be sure to check their website often or join my email list so I can let you know when the machines go on sale.
What’s inside the xTool M1 box?
When you buy the xTool M1 machine, there are lots of materials in the box so you can start cutting and engraving right away.
In my box was a 3mm piece of basswood, a sheet of PU Adhesive vinyl, a piece of faux leather, a dog tag, a strong grip (pink) double-sided cutting mat, a light grip (blue) double-sided cutting mat, extra blades and an operating manual.
The smoke exhaust pipe, pipe clamp, smoke outlet, screws, USB cable, and power cable.
How to use xTool Creative Space software?
The xTool Creative Space software is very easy to use and has somewhat of a similar setup to Cricut Design Space.
To install the xTool Creative Space software, click here.
You will make sure the software is installed on your computer and then connect your machine to your computer using the USB cable. Make sure your xTool machine is on.
If you want to use WiFi to connect to your xTool M1 machine, you will still need to connect using the USB cable first.
In xTool Creative Space, you should be able to see the inside of your machine using the high-resolution camera that’s inside your machine.
- Let me know how you’re liking this xTool M1 review by saving this article for later and sharing it on social media.
You can lift the lid of your xTool M1 machine, add your material (wood, opaque acrylic, leather, etc.), and click the update button in XCS to get an updated camera view inside your machine.
You will then upload or create your design or image so you can place it on top of your material. You will then use a variety of settings inside XCS to let the software know what type of base material you’ll be blade cutting, laser cutting, or laser engraving.
The xTool Project Center has a variety of projects that you can explore and use to make some amazing projects.
Learn how to use xTool Creative Space software.
How to vent the xTool M1?
When using your xTool M1 machine, due to the laser cutting and engraving of a variety of materials, smoke and fumes will be released. While it’s not a large amount of smoke or unbearable fumes, for your protection you do need to ventilate your work area.
There are 2 ways to vent your xTool M1 machine. The first way is using the air assist set that you connect to your machine. Your machine should come with the air assist and the necessary smoke exhaust pipe, a plastic smoke outlet attachment, and a metal pipe clamp.
With this option, you will attach the vent hose to your xTool M1 machine using the plastic vent attachment and metal hose clamp. The vent hose will then need to be exhausted through a window or door to get rid of the smoke and fumes.
The second way to vent your xTool M1 machine is to use the smoke purifier to vent your machine in an enclosed space. The smoke purifier is a small ventilation machine that sucks the smoke and fumes into it.
Is xTool M1 better than Glowforge machine?
If you’ve been on the search for a laser cutting machine, you’ve likely come across the Glowforge machine and now you want to know how the xTool M1 machine compares to the Glowforge machine.
Laser type
The first obvious difference between the two machines is that the xTool M1 uses a diode laser and the Glowforge uses a CO2 laser. The laser wattage of the Glowforge machine is 40w and the laser wattage of the xTool M1 is either 5W or 10W. Which leads to the cut time differences in both machines.
Cut time
One noticeable difference between the xTool M1 machine and a Glowforge is that the Glowforge is faster than the xTool. It takes the xTool M1 slightly longer to cut/engrave materials than a Glowforge.
Materials
While the xTool M1 and the Glowforge both can cut a large number of materials, the Glowforge can cut a lot more acrylic colors than the xTool M1.
Price
While the Glowforge may outcompete the xTool M1 in terms of cut time and types of materials that can be cut, the xTool M1 wins in regard to the pricing of the machine.
The Glowforge Basic machine costs $3,995 and the Glowforge Pro costs $6,995. This price does not include the air filter machine which costs an additional $1,295.
The xTool M1, on the other hand, retails for $1,100, but you can frequently catch the machine on sale for as low as $850. So the xTool M1 is definitely better than the Glowforge in regard to being less expensive.
Again, join my email list so I can let you know when the xTool M1 machines go on sale.
- Let me know how you’re liking this xTool M1 review by saving this article for later and sharing it on social media.
Overall, I personally think the xTool M1 is worth the money, it’s much cheaper than a Glowforge and it can do the exact same things as a Glowforge. Don’t break the bank to create your projects.
xTool M1 vs. Cricut machine
You may also want to know how the xTool M1 compares to a Cricut machine.
Cutting/engraving
The xTool M1 machine uses a laser to cut and engrave and it also uses a blade to cut. Because of the different cut options, the xTool M1 machine is more versatile than a Cricut machine. A Cricut machine uses a variety of blades to cut and engrave.
However, the xTool M1 blade cuts slower than a Cricut machine so if you have a Cricut machine, you would definitely want to use it to keep blade cutting your projects.
Materials
Because the xTool M1 has a laser and blade, it can cut and engrave way more things than a Cricut. An xTool can also cut a lot of the same materials as a Cricut machine including adhesive and iron-on vinyl, cardstock, and leather.
What are xTool M1 accessories?
Accessories for the xTool M1 machine include the air assist, the rotary tool, and the riser base with honeycomb panel.
I described the air assist earlier, but again, you use the air assist to ventilate the inside of your xTool M1 to rid your workspace of smoke and fumes.
The rotary tool allows you to engrave tumblers, balls, mugs, rings, and other spherical and cylinder objects.
The riser base allows you to raise your xTool M1 so you can cut and engrave taller and thicker items. The honeycomb panel goes in the bottom of the xTool M1 machine and channels smoke and heat away from the cutting area creating a clean and crisp cut with no burn marks.
What setting do I cut my materials on?
The xTool M1 website makes it really easy to know what settings to put your machine on to cut a variety of materials.
On this site you will be able to look at the material, the thickness of it, if you can laser cut, laser engrave, or blade cut the material and the power, speed and number of passes for the material.
IMPORTANT
Always attend to your xTool M1 machine while it is cutting/engraving. Never leave your machine unattended because minor flare-ups may occur so always stay within sight and look inside of the machine frequently.
I hope that you enjoyed this xTool M1 review. Be sure to save this pin for later.
