Algolaser sent me a complete combo in early 2025: the 10 W DIY Kit MK2, its foldable smart enclosure and a honeycomb bed. I didn't expect a 10 W diode to cut 2 cm of wood and acrylic this cleanly, or to give me my best photo engraving so far.
Ten minutes to build, zero smell
It's called DIY because you assemble it, but it took me no more than 10 minutes with a clear manual. As with most frame engravers: four bars, the laser module and the belts. The working area is 40 x 40 cm, a medium size for a studio. Focusing is simple with a knob: rest it on the material and go. In LightBurn I just picked a GRBL device with a 40 x 40 size over USB, and it was recognised extremely fast. There's also Wi-Fi and an app, which I haven't tried yet. I love the small hub where you plug in the light and fan, with a side controller to switch them on and off. That feels like a luxury at this level.
The foldable enclosure was the star for me. It was winter, it was pouring with rain, and I was working indoors. With its fan and the hose sending smoke outside, I smelled nothing and saw no smoke in the room. When you're done, it folds away into a wardrobe, and it works with other lasers too.
Cuts as easily as it engraves
A photo engraved at 700 speed and 30% power (with Jarvis dithering) took half an hour and looked like a real black-and-white print. 1 mm plywood went through in one pass. My sweet spot for wood was engraving at 600–1,000 speed and 20–40% power, and cutting at about 50% power and 200 speed in two passes. A 2 cm bar of wood cut through in about two passes. After adjusting the settings, I even cut a perfect cylinder out of the middle, with a hole that looked knife-cut.
Leather engraved best at 1,200 speed and 30%, very close to what I used on the 22 W Mecpow at less than half the power. A QR code on a black aluminium card took about 15 minutes. And my first ever acrylic: a keyring from roughly 2.5 mm black acrylic, engraved and cut with clean curves. My logo on a steel spatula took under a minute.
Wrapping up
It's a thumbs-up. Algolaser sent it for review but didn't pay me to speak well of it. The module is ready for air assist and I had the tube, but not the pump, so I couldn't test it. I'll fit one of my old ones.