CO2 Laser vs. Diode Laser vs. Infrared Laser: Which Best Fits Your Needs?

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2026 FLUX Lasers Comparison | Find the Best Laser Cutter for Your Business

Looking to buy a laser cutter but unsure which one to choose? With numerous options available, finding the right laser cutter for your business can be daunting. Whether you’re a startup aiming to produce custom products or an established business seeking to enhance your production capabilities, selecting the perfect laser cutter is essential. This guide will explore the distinctions between FLUX desktop laser cutters, their unique features, and how to choose the best one for your specific business needs. Before we delve into comparing the machines, let’s first understand the differences between the main types of lasers used in cutters and engravers.

Laser Types Comparison

What is CO2 Lasers

CO2 laser cutters rely on a high-pressure, gas-filled tube with mirrors at each end. These mirrors reflect the light generated by the energized CO2 back and forth, amplifying the beam. Once the light reaches the desired intensity, it is directed onto the chosen material for cutting or engraving. CO2 laser cutters are highly versatile and can cut a wide range of materials, including non-metals and thicker materials such as wood and acrylics. They offer faster initial piercing times, quicker straight-line cutting, and smoother surface finishes, making them ideal for various cutting applications.

Factors to consider when choosing CO2 lasers include the need for consistent maintenance and occasional part replacements, such as the laser tube and lenses. Additionally, CO2 lasers cannot cut metals but can engrave on stainless steel with a spray-on coating and anodized metal. Therefore, if you’re looking for metal engraving lasers, it’s better to choose diode lasers or infrared lasers.

Advantages of CO2 Lasers

Material Flexibility: CO2 laser cutters can cut through a wider range of materials, including non-metals.
Thicker Materials: Efficient for cutting thicker materials over 5mm, providing faster initial piercing times, quicker straight-line cutting, and smoother surface finishes.
High-Speed Cutting: CO2 laser cutting machines handle large amounts of cutting work quickly. The laser beam moves at high speeds, allowing it to cut complex patterns or shapes in seconds. This makes CO2 lasers very useful in high-volume production, such as automotive manufacturing and sheet metal processing, significantly boosting production efficiency.

What is Diode Laser

A diode laser cutter uses semiconductor diodes to produce a focused laser beam. These lasers are known for their compact size and efficiency. The light produced by the diodes is focused through a lens system, directing the beam onto the material for cutting or engraving. Diode lasers are particularly effective for engraving on various materials and cutting thin materials. They are ideal for precision work and detailed designs. Factors to consider when choosing diode lasers is that Diode lasers are is not able to cut and engrave on transparent materials such as glass and transparent acrylics, if what you want to make through the laser cutter is highly relative to these materials, CO2 laser fits you better.

Advantages of Diode Lasers

Compact Size: Diode lasers are smaller and more portable than other types of lasers, making them ideal for limited-space environments.
Precision: Excellent for fine, detailed work, suitable for engraving on materials like wood, plastic, and coated metals.

What is Infrared Laser

Infrared lasers typically have a wavelength of 1064nm. They are named infrared (IR) lasers because their emitted light falls within the infrared spectrum, which ranges from 700nm to 1mm (1,000,000nm). Since the laser beam is in the infrared region, it is invisible to the human eye and has no discernible color. Infrared lasers are known for their precision and ability to handle specific materials that absorb infrared wavelengths effectively such as metals.

Precision and Accuracy: The focused beam of an infrared laser ensures that even the most complex designs are engraved with deep detail, producing crisp and clean marks.
Versatility in Materials: Infrared lasers can accurately engrave on a wide range of materials, including metal, plastic, stainless steel, copper, glass, and ceramics. This versatility brings more possibilities for creativity and customization.

Top Desktop Lasers Picks for Small Business

As we explore the differences between laser types, let us find which FLUX Laser best fits your needs. The FLUX CO2 Desktop Laser Cutter offers a wide range of options from 30W to 60W, each targeting different segments of small businesses. We’ll guide you through each FLUX CO2 Laser and their suitability for various small business products.

For personalized gifts business

beamo 30W CO2 Laser Cutter & Engraver

If you are planning to start or already own a personalized gifts business, such as customized accessories, phone cases, or wedding favors, the beamo is an excellent fit for your studio. FLUX beamo features a pre-assembled metal body and acrylic lid, measuring 24 by 17.5 inches. Its modest build fits perfectly on any desk, while still offering a large cutting space of letter size (A4) for its powerful 30W CO2 laser. Compared to traditional laser cutting machines, beamo’s compact size provides you with more room for creativity. Essential components like the water cooling system and exhaust system are all integrated into beamo’s small footprint, ensuring exceptional laser engraving performance.

Key Features of beamo

Compact Size: At 24 by 17.5 inches, beamo fits perfectly on any desk, providing more room for creativity.
Integrated HD Camera: Allows for precise material placement and preview, ensuring accurate engraving.
Built-in Safety Features: Includes auto pause if the lid is opened and an internal water cooling system for stable cutting.
High-Resolution Laser: The 30W CO2 laser offers exceptional engraving at 0.05 mm layer spacing and 1,000 DPI resolution.
Versatile Material Compatibility: Capable of cutting and engraving a wide range of materials, including wood, acrylic, leather, and more.
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For Miniature and Board Game Business

Beambox Series

If you are a miniature designer or create products requiring many parts, FLUX Beambox II is ideal for you. FLUX Beambox II offers a huge work area of 23.62 x 14.76 inches and cuts up to 20mm thick acrylics (varies by material). With a built-in camera to preview materials and a large work area, it can efficiently cut puzzle pieces, miniatures, board game components, and more, saving time while maintaining high quality.

Key Features of Beambox II

Large Work Area: Offers a maximum work area of 38.98 x 26.38 x 9.84 inches and cuts materials up to 10 mm.
Built-in Camera: Allows for precise material alignment and preview before cutting.
High Resolution: Engraves with a high resolution of 1000 DPI, ensuring detailed and precise results.
Intuitive Touch Panel: Equipped with an easy-to-use touch panel for smooth operation.
Class 1 Laser Product

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For Mass Production Businesses

HEXA 60W Desktop Laser Cutter & Engraver

If you own a business that requires mass production and prefer not to outsource due to high communication costs, then FLUX HEXA is the perfect fit for you. Built for mass production, HEXA features a 28.74 x 16.14 inches work area and a 60W high-quality CO2 laser, enabling efficient mass production. With a built-in camera and auto-focus, operation is extremely user-friendly. Equipped with a Cortex M4 core chip, FLUX HEXA can engrave at speeds up to 900mm/s, freeing up more time for additional work. With excellent laser efficiency and durability, FLUX HEXA perfectly cuts through dozens of materials, allowing you to expand your product line.

Key Features of FLUX HEXA

Massive Work Area: HEXA offers a 28.74 x 16.14 inches work area
High-Speed Engraving: Equipped with a Cortex M4 core chip, it can engrave at speeds up to 900mm/s.
Powerful Laser: Features a 60W high-spec CO2 laser tube, achieving up to 1000 DPI resolution.
Auto Focus: Allows for easy focus adjustment with a simple tap. Wide Material Compatibility: Efficiently cuts through dozens of materials, including wood, acrylic, leather, and more.
Class 1 Laser Product

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For Small Businesses with Diverse Products

Ador Color Printing Laser Cutter & Engraver

FLUX Ador is the world’s first color printing laser cutter, revolutionizes the field by combining color printing capabilities with laser cutting. It features interchangeable modules for different tasks: a diode laser, an infrared laser, and a printing module, which allows for vibrant color additions post-cutting. Equipped with three interchangeable modules, Ador expands the capabilities of laser cutting by combining diode laser module, infrared laser module, and color printing module all in one machine. This integration not only enhances the versatility of product creation but also establishes the Ador as a business-friendly laser cutter

Key Features of Ador

Built-in HD Camera: Instantly preview your designs.
Modular Design: Effortlessly transition between diode laser & IR laser & printing module.
Smart Dashboard: Seamlessly navigate files and track progress live.
Laser Safety Window: Protect your eyes with OD5-grade shielding.
Large Workspace: A vast 430 x 300mm work area awaits.
Class 1 Laser Product

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Understanding the unique features of each laser type, such as CO2, diode, and infrared, ensures you select the best tool for enhancing production efficiency and product quality. With FLUX, you’re not just investing in a tool but unlocking the potential to transform creative ideas into profitable products, helping your business thrive in a competitive marketplace.