Here at Minithingsforlife we use a Laser cutter / engraver. The one we use is the M1 from XTool. It is an entry level machine with a 10 watt Diode laser.

A diode is a two-terminal electronic component that acts as a one-way valve for electricity.

A diode laser generates a coherent beam of light when an electrical current passes through it.

A 10W diode laser is moderately powerful. It is an excellent entry-level choice for detailed engraving and light cutting, but it lacks the speed and thickness capacity of more powerful lasers. 

We use it to cut basswood plywood into recognizable shapes that can be used in many crafts, like circles, hexagons, and stars.  We also use it to create engravings on wood, like our business beechwood keychains. The low power of the diode laser gives higher precision making text and images look clear. Our QR codes are readable by phones and smart devices even at very small sizes.

Higher powered machines and different types of lasers can cut and engrave different materials. For example; To engrave onto metals, an infrared laser would work better due to infrared light's much shorter wavelength being absorbed by the reflective surface of metals.

CO2 laser cutters work by passing electricity through a carbon dioxide filled tube to create light. The light passes through mirrors and lenses, and much the same as the sun's rays heating up through a magnifying glass, they heat the light enough to vapourise the material.  While a diode laser cannot cut clear acrylic or other blue colours of aryclic due to the diode emiting blue light, the CO2 laser doesn't have this issue. It can happily cut acrylic of all colours.

Laser cutters have been popularised by the manufacturer xTool, based in China.

xTool became the undisputed market leader in global desktop laser cutting by lowering the barrier to entry for creative entrepreneurs and hobbyists, transforming complex, industrial fabrication technology into accessible, user-friendly desktop "money-maker" tools.