xTool

About xTool

xTool is a Chinese maker of laser and digital fabrication tools, headquartered in Shenzhen. The brand was launched in 2021 out of Makeblock, a Shenzhen company known for educational robotics, and its first widely known product was the M1, a combined laser and blade cutter introduced through a Kickstarter campaign that year. Trade press reports that the business now sells in more than 60 countries, mostly direct to customers.

Most of xTool's range is aimed at makers, small businesses and workshops: diode, CO2 and fiber laser engravers and cutters in its D, P, F and M series, plus blade cutters and garment printers. The MetalFab line takes the brand into light metalwork by combining handheld laser welding, cutting and cleaning in one unit; an 800 W version with a built-in wire feeder sits below the 1200 W model.

We list the MetalFab Laser Welder 1200W, a portable air-cooled fiber laser for welding, handheld cutting and cleaning metal up to 5 mm. It is the lowest-power unit among our laser welding machines and is sized for thin metal and light fabrication. Our comparison of laser welding vs TIG and MIG sets out where it fits.

A good fit for

• Small fabrication and repair shops welding thin sheet up to 5 mm
• Makers and sign shops adding metal welding and cleaning
• Shops that need a portable, air-cooled unit without a separate chiller