xTool P2 55W CO2 Laser Engraver review: A luxury laser engraving machine with a premium price tag

00:00 Intro
02:32 Setup
04:10 Cutting power test on 3mm and 5mm plywood
11:14 Photo engraving test on plywood and MDF
12:41 1/2 inch (12.7mm) oak wood cutting/engraving with dual camera alignment test
15:02 Riser base setup and working with 2x4FT large plywood sheet
17:15 Slate engraving test
18:34 Metal card engraving test
19:23 Clear acrylic engraving and cutting
19:55 Pros and Cons
Affiliate links:
xTool P2 55W CO2 Smart Laser Engraver:
US: bit.ly/xTool-P2
EU: bit.ly/xTool-P2-EU
UK: bit.ly/xTool-P2-UK
xTool Black Friday Sale & Cyber Monday Sales (Ends on Nov 30):
$200 off $2299 (CODE: XTCUT200)
$150 off $1699 (CODE: XTCUT150)
$250 off $2999 (CODE: XTCUT250)
After the above codes expire, you can still save $80 by using the CODE: AURORA80
Aurora Tech Channel 3D Printers, Laser Engravers, and CNC Machines: Price Tracker and Recommendation List:
auroratechchannel.com/
Other xTool machines & bundle:
xTool S1 40W Laser Engraver:
Review Video: • xTool S1 40W: The new ...
US: bit.ly/xTool-S1
EU: bit.ly/xTool-S1-EU
UK: bit.ly/xTool-S1-UK
xTool D1 Pro 20W laser engraver:
Review Video: • xTool D1 Pro 20W laser...
US: bit.ly/US-xTool-D1-20W
EU: bit.ly/EU-xTool-D1-20W
UK: bit.ly/UK-xTool-D1-20W
xTool F1 10W Diode + 2W IR Dual Laser Engraver:
Review Video: • xTool F1 laser engrave...
US: bit.ly/xToolF1
EU: bit.ly/xTool-F1-EU
UK: bit.ly/xTool-F1-UK
xTool M1 fully enclosed laser engraver:
Review Video: • xTool M1 fully enclose...
US: bit.ly/US-xTool-M1
EU: bit.ly/xToolM1EU
UK: bit.ly/xToolM1UK

[@angrygaragemechanic]

The best review of this machine on KZbin right now 👍

[@nickjeffrey8050]

She normally has the best reviews 👌👌

[@cw4608]

I agree 100%!

[@jimmyrepine8952]

Learning curve might be higher, but this review helped me make my decision to get the xTool P2 over a Glowforge Pro.

[@thecentralscrutinizerr]

I bought mine 3 months ago. Got every available accessory with it to, including the rotary for glass, the riser base, and the feed system. Problem is, its all still sitting in the boxes. I have even unboxed it yet. I guess I'll go ahead and set it up. Hope I don't burn the world down.

[@gaiustacitus4242]

Thank you for producing the most informative review of the XTOOL P2 I've yet to locate. FYI - Basswood is a type of wood often used in making string instruments and drum shells because it is lightweight and has good tonal qualities. Woodworkers also use it when they wish to create small and intricate models or objects that include detailed carvings. What makes basswood such a good choice for these applications (and laser engraving, too) is that it has very little wood grain.

[@SshanIcsS]

As always on of the highes qualiti tests on KZbin. Thank you.

[@Fancylooks]

Oh, wow what a beast, I love these machines, I am curious about all of them after I got an Atomstack A10 pro, considering to upgrade to a faster one, and you are such an excellent reviewer on them. I like very much when you explain things that happen to you while reviewing, very interesting to know when you found out the files cut twice because the drawing had another overlapping design, great to know, thank you for all the explanations.

[@masternit]

You're my favorite reviewer for these types of things. Not that my direct opinion would likely matter but I'm sure it's nice to hear.

[@flakk1989]

Great video as always. The ending really did it for me, lol.

[@dneeceann]

Amazing video! You shared so many details about the machine. Great job! 👍 ❤

[@robbrown6667]

Love your reviews! As always, they are professional and very well done!

[@camilleeppstein]

Best review I've seen yet!

[@Jacbean10]

wow..great review. I love how you went over everything, lots of detail. i def want this now...TFS

[@malcolmturton9779]

Great review of an amazing machine. It's a glowforge killer along with the Qweike and others. The price is high for an hobbyist though. I will have to stick to my diode which has the advantage of larger cutting area (without the roller feed) I have just pledged to the Elegoo Phecda 20w and would love to see you do a review on that when it becomes available if you get the option. Nice to see a little cameo from your dad and brother. You must have a very big garage 😃

[@sallen8322]

Thanks! Your review convinced me to purchase!

[@jayclinton1811]

Informative and in depth. Great video. Thanks foe valuing my time.

[@PERFECTDARK10]

She’s so smart and speaks so well.

[@orlandosanchez6086]

I like your reviews! Nice machine

[@xxxvholic]

good review as always!

[@thuymeans317]

Very nice review. Would really like to see a video explaining HOW and WHERE to vent laser engraving machines, options available, DIY solutions etc. This topic is not covered by many videos but so important for those interested in buying a laser cutter. Thank you for all the work done on these very thorough reviews

[@richellefiscus9309]

Xtool sells a purifier u can attach it to so u don't have to vent outside

[@TMS5100]

Hello, I am a time traveler from the future posting comments on this youtube video. Do you remember when Aurora Tech only had 50k subscribers? Hard to believe I know. Here in the future Aurora Tech has over 100 million!

[@adrinfpv]

U traveled through time, and you spent ur effort to update a KZbin channel? Rad!

[@glassboxes]

that looks like fun to use

[@ulaB]

Finally someone doing an more in-depth show and tell. Thank you for going into the details too. But I do have some questions: 7:20: why doesn't the camera view show the top of the material (the "Interval: 0.100 mm" part)? 8:23: What's the red dot? 16:35 does the riser come with honeycomb? One reason for me to look into this instead of the commercial machines in the same price range is lack of space. Even though this is not a small machine, it seems to easier fit into an appartment. :)

[@AuroraTech]

7:20: why doesn't the camera view show the top of the material (the "Interval: 0.100 mm" part)? Because the Interval text is outside the picture size of the close-up camera 8:23: What's the red dot? The red dot is for the material auto height measure. 16:35 does the riser come with honeycomb? No, it doesn't, that's my own honeycomb bed for diode laser.

[@ulaB]

@@AuroraTech Thanks for your fast reply. I'm really intrigued by the machine and might get one, especially since I prepaid to get the $1000 discount

[@VengD]

Creative Space does that, with the overlapping lines. I always double check when I've been using my D1 and M1 machines. The software seems to do it at random.

[@ScottElyte]

11:22 I'm sure someone has already said this by now, but those are sheets of basswood ply, basswood is the type of tree/wood, ply is the shape

[@TinkeringJohn]

Hi Aurora. A pleasure to text to you again. I just set up my P2 and want to run the test you did with the different parameters cutting squares. I can't seem to find the file. I wanted to check to see if my machine is performing as it should, so I went to my "go-to girl" 😉😉

[@kpowerbg]

Very detailed review as usual- you guys rock! I have question: do you think that you can do 2.5 axis laser engraving (moving the focus distance (Z axis))? Some softwares like carveco can produce laser path slicing 3D relief

[@jaswoodwork]

Awesome review! Thanks. What’s the largest diameter that this machine can cut? I’d like to cut a 24” circle using acrylic or plywood material.

[@FlyBy2507]

22:34. Indeed, heigth of this machine is high 😀 Thanks for this touch of humour.

[@Hangs4Fun]

Great review as always. 5:44 reminded me of the "hanging chads" from the 2000 Presidential election, ha

[@theonyxgrovecompany]

Great review! What’s the thickest wood you’ve cut? Have you noticed a difference in cutting different wood materials like the plywood and mdf? I’m thinking this machine would be good for me but looking to cut around 3/4” mdf.

[@OnePotMeals]

Very well presented and laid out. I notice that the bottom seems to be open. Is there anything that would prevent one from placing this unit on a larger (deeper) piece to engrave something already constructed? I know it is heavy and that is a drawback to that but a purpose built stand would alleviate that allow a wide range of use

[@richellefiscus9309]

They sell a riser stand for it

[@Babyfasty]

Do you use laser safety glasses when the machine is elevated? Are they included in the box?

[@jimc31]

I hoping you where given a model to review!

[@paulpardee]

"OK, the movers are gone" :D I'm blown away that you were able to cut through the oak. I would have bet good money that wouldn't have worked well. I'm pretty impressed with the laser, but as you said, the price is a bit too high. I'd really be interested in seeing your take on other lasers in the sub-$1000 range. I'd like one, but I simply can't justify paying $5k for something I'll be using once or twice a year for crafting. Any idea about how long that laser tube will last and how much the replacement part is?

[@Scriven42]

I LOL'd at that part. Dad's first appearance on the channel, and he's "the movers" LOL!

[@GCheung55]

Great review! What kind of smoke filtering or fume extractor setup do you have! Any recommendations you’d suggest for the xTool P2?

[@AuroraTech]

It comes with ducting, but as my own ducting is around 12FT long, I added another 120mm fan at the connector, you can see that at 3:27

[@GCheung55]

@@AuroraTech any 120mm fan you’d recommend?

[@aberodriguez4149]

Ouuuu I don't think this will fit in my little work space. 😁

[@neilrisley6667]

Nice video...thank you. When cutting out the longest part of the drawer how do you move the sheet to align with the cutting area? I'm assuming you would have to pause the machine to move the sheet up, how is this done with perfect accuracy? Hope that makes sense

[@AuroraTech]

Yes, I have to move the sheet manually. Without the auto feeder, you cannot cut anything larger than the print bed in one single job.

[@neilrisley6667]

​@@AuroraTech did you find it easy to keep it aligned when you had to move it up tho?

[@BelieveInTheLordJesus777]

Did you manage to test the Batch engraving feature?

[@nswoodcraftdesign6516]

What are the settings for the p2 when in lightburn auto height detection not supported thanks I'm new to this.

[@elalconcel3853]

Do you have the link for the cutting power test file on the xtool website?

[@antoniomontejano7375]

I’m new to c02 lasers. Can this machine do cnc cuts into acrylic.

[@WaltWilliams-jl5mr]

Great review.. best one so far. can it engrave on brick?

[@AuroraTech]

I believe it should be possible to engrave on brick, as the black slate that I have engraved on is similar to a rock.

[@krisknowlton5935]

Walt, I know for a fact that a 50 watt raycus fiber laser will engrave on brick. And it does it very quick. I have heard that 50 watt CO2 laser will engrave brick but I don't have one so I can't test it out.

[@tonytrinh4990]

Nice review but the cutting tests made no sense. It seemed to perform better cutting 5mm ply versus the 3mm basswood.

[@bonprez9981]

How does this machine do on HDPE? I’m having a terrible time finding a machine that’s able to engrave onto it.

[@richellefiscus9309]

Can u do clear acrylic with the IR laser?

[@adrinfpv]

Hi, do you think this can cut at least 5mm carbon fiber sheets?

[@AuroraTech]

I don't have CF sheets, but I guess not, you may be able to find the answer here: www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?t=365258

[@susanepler5731]

What is the life / hours of the tube & what is the replacement cost as a consumable?

[@AuroraTech]

A generic 55W CO2 tube would cost around $200 to $300, and its lifespan is approximately 8000 hours.

[@tmo6517]

How much will it cost to replace the laser?

[@user-fs6ub6nf5s]

Do you have any distributors in India?

[@tweekFPV]

👍🏻👍🏻

[@TheRealRoGueMS]

Just dont forget that 85% and above will shorten your laser tube lifespan drastically!

[@kousakasan7882]

I would like to get a good laser cutter/engraver, but I just pre-ordered the new Creality 8K resin printer. It will be a while till the wife lets me purchase a laser. I tried tempting her with the fact it cuts thicker wood, unlike her cricut machine, but no go.

[@indernaru]

I feel for you Mate , because I too have to explain and justify , why I really need the new Xtool P2 . But to no avail . It's a hard life.

[@krisknowlton5935]

Tell your wife you are using your cigarette money to pay for the machine. The money you would spend for two packs a day for a year will pay for it. That's what I tell my wife and she goes along with it. (I've never smoked)

[@cw4608]

Does the X Tool require a different version of Lightburn? I do not have the DSP version.

[@AuroraTech]

I am using the P2 with a Lightburn DSP license, so I'm not sure if that is required or not, but most CO2 lasers do require DSP. However, if you are willing to invest $5k to get this machine, spending an extra $60 for the DSP license may not be that big of a deal.

[@kaitlynhecks-jackson3189]

I am very bummed they were not on top of it and had the curved engraving and features available before the release. They were already asking for prepayment a month in advance of shipping. Now these new (extraordinary) features aren’t even available yet. I was set to pre-order and decided to wait instead, HUGE bummer.

[@neilrisley6667]

it's likely that all features will be available by the time the machines are delivered. Don't forget any videos posted atm are from beta testers (so the machines used are pre-release)

[@kaitlynhecks-jackson3189]

@@neilrisley6667 I understand that. I still think the “hype” would have been better if the beta testers were able to showcase those features since it’s what sets the machine apart from others. I personally just can’t dive into a commitment of that price not knowing exactly how well it works.

[@neilrisley6667]

@@kaitlynhecks-jackson3189 I feel like the risk was worth it with the discounted price. I ordered the P2 with the riser base, the auto feeder & the rotary (along with the free £150 acrylic pack) Total cost was under £4,300 which compared to other machines out there is bested in price only by the Gweike Pro (even without the features) The Gweike Cloud Pro is less powerful, has a smaller working area & the passthrough & riser feet are nowhere near as good as the P2s. I guess if you'd rather wait to see reviewers show the extra features being used you have to pay the extra price without discount. xTool already have videos of the extra features working, that was good enough for me.

[@kaitlynhecks-jackson3189]

@@neilrisley6667 it was very tempting. I’ll give them that. But your also paying that and waiting a month and a half for a machine you haven’t been able to view all of the functions. On top of that, they sale they have right now is only $200 more. And since the curved engraving is the main reason I want it. I’m willing to pay more and wait for reviews. But once you receive it, you will have to let me know what you think! I’m definitely anxious for the reviews.

[@BelieveInTheLordJesus777]

How did you manage to get all that for £4,300? It is £4,898.00 on their website before the price goes up significantly... :(

[@jimc31]

I noticed you place a honeycomb under the plywood, why?

[@AuroraTech]

XTool suggested using the top level of the riser and flipping the tray to raise for thin sheets. However, I opted to use a regular 400x400 honeycomb bed instead, based on personal preference. If you don't have something to raise it, flipping the tray will also work just fine.

[@tmo6517]

Also- does it work offline unlike Glowforge??

[@AuroraTech]

Their software is not cloud base, it just find your machine over WiFi or a USB cable. You can use LightBurn to control it as well, but you may not able to use the cameras with LightBurn.

[@maxSchlein]

Watching your videos I realize my kids suck and I need to punch them in the head later. lol. For real though, why dont we see your brother? More outtakes and bloopers

[@dejedejsson]

I don't really see that this machine is for your target audience, was hoping for a review on the creality K1!

[@Iwannarox]

Maybe she can gain new followers like me with this review.

[@manuelgranados5524]

Ironically, their most viewed video is another machine by the same company, which is likely also very expensive.

[@dejedejsson]

@@manuelgranados5524 Ironically, videos on exclusive cars are also the most viewed, but very few of those who see these videos can afford to buy the car, that's not the audience the customers are in, it's a waste of time for Aurora and a waste of money for the advertiser. If you're just looking for viewers, you can make cute animal videos!

[@dejedejsson]

@@Iwannarox A video about creality K1 has thousands of potential buyers, on this machine maybe you!

[@Iwannarox]

@@dejedejsson Not after I just spent a bunch of money on the P2, lol. I already have an older creality machine that I don't use anyway so I have 0 interest in a new one.

[@mauriceraybon6837]

You never give enought details. What controller does it have. Can the lens be change out. Does it use standar lenes ..etc. ill wait for a detailed review frome someone before considering . Try to add more technical details to your videos

[@RB-yq7qv]

The Running gear is cheap and the machine is way over priced. This machine will not be coming to my work space.

[@elmakcnc5960]

4 k is a joke for this crap laser!!!!!!!

[@ulaB]

"Multiple exclamation marks," he went on, shaking his head, "are a sure sign of a diseased mind." - Terry Pratchett, Eric