Can the xTool M1 Ultra Really Cut Acrylic? (Spoiler: Yes, But Here's What You Need to Know About the Limits)

The xTool M1 Ultra can cut acrylic, but only up to about 3mm (1/8") with the laser module, and you'll get a clean, flame-polished edge only if you dial in the settings perfectly. If you need to cut thicker acrylic sheets, you're better off using the knife blade module for softer acrylics or outsourcing to a shop with a CO2 laser. I manage purchasing for a small product design studio, and this was the first thing I tested when we got the M1 Ultra because our designers kept asking for acrylic prototypes. Here's what I found after about 50 test cuts across different acrylic types and thicknesses, including what the marketing material doesn't tell you.

The Short Answer: Laser vs. Blade for Acrylic

The M1 Ultra is a 4-in-1 machine (laser, knife, printer, embosser), and the acrylic cutting question splits right down the middle of its two primary cutting methods.

Laser Cutting Acrylic on the M1 Ultra (The 'Can It Cut Acrylic?' Part)

Yes, the diode laser can cut acrylic. I've done it. Here's what you need to know:

• Maximum Thickness: 3mm (1/8"). You might get away with 4mm on a very slow pass, but the edge quality degrades significantly, and you risk melting rather than cutting.
• Material Type: It only works well on cast acrylic (sometimes called 'extruded'). Do not attempt to cut 'cell cast' acrylic—it creates a frosted, not flame-polished, edge and tends to craze (micro-crack) along the cut line. I learned this from a $40 mistake with a scrap piece from a local plastics shop.
• Edge Quality: You get a flame-polished edge—that's the smooth, clear finish you see in laser-cut acrylic jewelry and displays. However, it's not perfect. You'll get a slight burr on the bottom edge of the cut that needs a quick sand with 400-grit paper.
• Speed Settings: For 3mm cast acrylic, I found a sweet spot at 15mm/s with 100% power, using two passes. The first pass should do about 70% of the depth, and the second pass finishes it cleanly. This is slower than a 40W CO2 laser but perfectly acceptable for prototypes.
• Fumes: Acrylic laser cutting produces a strong, acrid smell. The M1 Ultra's enclosure isn't completely sealed, so you need a dedicated exhaust setup. We vent out a window using a 4-inch inline fan. Don't try this without ventilation—it'll stink up your entire workspace.

Important Note: The M1 Ultra's laser is a 20W diode laser. Diode lasers are not as efficient at cutting acrylic as CO2 lasers. The maximum wavelength absorption for acrylic is around 9-10 microns (CO2 territory), while diode lasers operate around 445-455nm. This means you need multiple passes and higher power settings relative to what a CO2 laser would require.

Knife Cutting Acrylic (The Blade Cutting Force Question)

The xTool M1 Ultra's knife blade module uses a 'drag knife' principle. This is great for cutting thin, soft materials like paper, cardstock, vinyl, and thin leather. But for acrylic?

I tested it with a 1.5mm sheet of soft acrylic (a lower-grade extruded stuff that's a bit flexible). The knife struggled. The blade cutting force on the M1 Ultra is manually adjustable via the pressure knob, but even at maximum pressure, it couldn't cut through cleanly. It scored the surface but wouldn't penetrate. The blade would also deflect on curves, creating an inconsistent cut.

Conclusion on knife cutting: Only use the blade module for acrylic if it's extremely thin (under 1mm) and labeled as 'knife-friendly' or 'soft acrylic.' For any serious acrylic cutting, stick with the laser module and stay within its thickness limits.

Practical Experience: A Real-World Prototyping Run

Two weeks ago, we needed to create a set of 5 display stands for a trade show prototype. The material was 3mm clear cast acrylic. I had exactly 3 business days before the deadline.

I went back and forth between using the M1 Ultra and sending it out to a local laser cutting service. The service quoted $45 per stand with a 5-day lead time. The M1 Ultra would cost me a little time and the acrylic sheet ($15 for a 12x24 inch sheet, cut it into 5 stands with proper nesting).

Here's what I did, and what the process looked like:

1. Downloaded the template from a user on Etsy (paid $3 for the SVG file).
2. Imported into xTool Creative Space. The software is... fine. It's not LightBurn, but it does the job. The 'auto-detect material' feature is a gimmick—it never gets the settings right. I always rely on a simple test grid (5 squares, different power/speed combos).
3. Masked the acrylic with transfer tape to prevent smoke damage on the surface. This is crucial—the exhaust fan pulls air, but some vapor settles on the acrylic and leaves a sticky residue without tape.
4. Ran the cut. Total time: about 45 minutes for all 5 pieces (each stand was roughly 6x8 inches, with several small interlocking tabs).
5. Cleaned the edges with isopropyl alcohol and a microfiber cloth. The bottom burr was there, as expected. A quick swipe with 400-grit sandpaper followed by a microfiber buff fixed it.

Result: They worked perfectly at the show. The client was thrilled. The total cost was roughly $18 ($15 for the acrylic + $3 for the design) + about 2 hours of my time. The vendor who couldn't do it in time would have cost us the show slot.

What About Other Materials? (The 'Multi-Material' Claim)

The M1 Ultra claims to work with 'wood, acrylic, leather, metal, and glass.' Let's be precise here so you don't make the same mistakes I did (and I made a few).

Metal Engraving Only

The laser can engrave metal if you use a special marking spray (like CerMark or Enduramark). It cannot cut metal. The 20W diode laser lacks the power. Even for engraving, the results on stainless steel and aluminum are decent but not deep—think of it as a surface etch. On coated metals (like anodized aluminum), it works well without spray because it vaporizes the coating.

Wood & Leather

This is where the M1 Ultra shines. It cuts 3mm basswood plywood and thin (2-3mm) leather easily. We've done a lot of prototype packaging with birch plywood. The smoke residue is less of a problem here if you tape it.

Glass & Ceramics

Again, engraving only. The laser pulses and creates a micro-fracture effect that looks like a frosted engraving. No cutting. I tried cutting a thin piece of slate (about 2mm) and it just cracked. Stick to etching glassware and tiles for gifts or prototypes.

Alternatives & When to Use Them

The M1 Ultra is not a substitute for a 40W CO2 laser when you need to cut 6mm or 10mm acrylic. If you're planning to produce acrylic parts in volume (thousands of units) or you need thicker cuts (>3mm), look at the following alternatives:

• Boss Laser LS-1416 (CO2): Cuts up to 10mm acrylic cleanly. Much higher power, but it's an open-bed system, so it requires more space and ventilation. Price is around $3,000+.
• Glowforge Pro (CO2): Cuts up to 1/2" (12mm) acrylic. More user-friendly, but cloud-dependent and requires a subscription for advanced features. Price is around $6,000.
• Local MakerSpace / Laser Cutting Service: If you only need acrylic prototypes a few times a year, just use a local service. It's cheaper than owning a machine that will sit idle 80% of the time. Per my experience, a 3mm cut from a service costs about $10-$15 per square foot.

According to USPS (usps.com), as of January 2025, a First-Class Mail small package (up to 4 oz.) costs $5.90. If you're shipping small acrylic parts, this pricing matters for your customer

One Thing That Surprised Me (And Might Help You)

I expected the M1 Ultra to be a 'jack of all trades, master of none.' And in some respects, it is. But for prototyping and low-volume production of designed objects, it's actually a very clever tool. The ability to combine a precise knife cut for paper with a laser cut for acrylic in the same machine is rare at this price point ($1,800-$2,000).

If you're a small business owner, a product designer, or an office manager trying to bring prototyping in-house to save time (like I was), this machine can be a real asset—as long as you understand its acrylic cutting limits upfront. Don't try to cut 6mm acrylic with it. Do try to use it for quick, 3mm acrylic concept models, and you'll probably be pleasantly surprised.

Should you buy the xTool M1 Ultra for acrylic work? Only if your needs match what I described: thin acrylic, cast only, with a willingness to tune the settings and clean the edges. It's not a production machine. But for a capable, multi-tool desktop device, it's the best option I've found. My experience is based on about 50 orders with this device. I can't speak to how it compares to a 100W CO2 laser. But I can tell you it saved our trade show prototype timeline, and that's worth a lot.