If you’ve ever wanted a laser cutter/engraver that feels more like an appliance than a science project, the Glowforge Pro is probably already on your radar. After spending serious time with it, I totally get why people love it. I also get why some folks move on to other machines. Here’s my honest take.
What I Love
- Setup and software are unbelievably easy - From unboxing to first cut, the Glowforge Pro is about as plug-and-play as a laser gets. The online app is clean, friendly, and the built‑in material presets mean you can hit “print” with a lot less guesswork. I still recommend doing a material test first, but the presets get you 80% of the way there.
- Huge community - If you run into a weird error or want tips for a tricky material, there’s a massive user base ready to help. It’s one of the best parts of owning a Glowforge.
- Design catalog and ecosystem - Glowforge’s design library is packed with projects built for their machines. You can buy, remix, or learn from them, which is perfect for leveling up quickly or filling a craft fair table fast.
- Proofgrade materials - Their “Proofgrade” line is high quality, pre-masked, and auto-configures in the app thanks to QR codes. Cuts/engravings come out clean and consistent. The downside? Price. It’s convenient and reliable—but you pay for that convenience.
The Size Paradox
Here’s the thing: I both like and dislike the size. The Glowforge Pro is compact compared to many CO2 lasers. It fits on a desk or in a modest maker space, and the Pro model even has a passthrough slot for very long materials. But the working area (roughly 19.5" x 11" usable, with about 20" x 12" design space) limits larger projects. For me, that especially shows up with cutting boards. I feel hemmed in by the bed size. The passthrough can help for long cuts and engraves, but it’s not the same as having a truly large bed.
Where It Falls Short
- Speed and power - Compared to other lasers I’ve used, the Glowforge Pro feels slower and less powerful for certain jobs. It’s capable, but if you’re coming from faster, higher-wattage CO2 machines or dialed-in diode setups, you’ll notice the pace.
- Material thickness constraints - With the honeycomb tray in, you’re capped well below the 3/4" lumber I use most. You can remove the tray and work with thicker pieces for engraving (up to about 2" with risers and manual focus), but you’re still not cutting 3/4" hardwood—and the workflow gets fiddlier.
- The camera isn’t the lineup miracle you’d hope for - In theory, the built-in camera is great for placing designs on your material. In practice, fisheye distortion and low contrast (hello, walnut on a dark honeycomb) make precise placement frustrating. Even dead-center material can engrave a hair off from where the preview shows. You can improve results with building scrap wood jigs or placing masking down on the honeycomb bed to score outlines for you product, but that can get cumbersome.
- Noise - The built-in exhaust fan moves air, but for the CFM, it is loud—like “jet-engine-in-a-box” loud. An external inline fan helps a lot (and is quieter), but stock it’s not something I’d want in a shared living space. I’m fine with it in a detached garage.
- Software upsells - This one really stings. After paying a premium for the machine, some of the most useful software features live behind a paid subscription.
- Cloud lock-in and longevity risk - Glowforge’s ease of use comes from its cloud-first, closed ecosystem. You must use the Glowforge app; there’s no native offline mode, no LightBurn support, and limited access to low-level controls. That’s fine, until you consider longevity. If Glowforge were to discontinue the service or the company folded, there’s a real concern the machines could be bricked. For classrooms and casual use, the simplicity is great; for long-term shop investments, the dependency is a risk you should factor in. This one is by far my biggest dislike about all Glowforge products.
Who It’s For
- Makers who value simplicity and a smooth UX over raw power and hackability.
- Etsy/craft sellers who want repeatable, attractive projects with minimal tinkering.
- Educators and community spaces where safety interlocks, presets, and an approachable interface matter.
Who Might Want to Look Elsewhere
- Woodworkers working mostly with 3/4" hardwoods or large-format projects.
- Shops/Users who want to do large batches of products. With the smaller working area, the machine lends itself to smaller personalized and unique items.
- Power users who prioritize software ownership, LightBurn workflows, or the assurance that a tool stays usable regardless of a vendor’s fate.
The Bottom Line
The Glowforge Pro nails the “appliance” experience in a category that often feels technical and intimidating. It’s easy, friendly, and supported by a thriving community and a polished ecosystem. But you trade for that convenience: slower performance, a smaller working area, noisy stock ventilation, camera alignment quirks, and a cloud-locked, subscription-boosted software model.
If you value a smooth, low-friction experience and tend to make small-to-medium projects, the Glowforge Pro is a pleasure. If you need speed, size, offline control, or deep software flexibility, you’ll run into its limits fast.
In the end, Glowforge Pro has been an amazing tool in my shop and honestly a workhorse when it comes to churning out projects. I just wish I knew this sort of information when I first started researching what product I should get.
I hope you find this helpful :)