What Kind of Laser Does Glowforge Use? Glowforge Aura Laser Power vs. Fiber, Plasma, and Water Jet

About two years ago, I had to outfit a maker lab for a 40-person company. I'm an office administrator, not an engineer, so I started the same way most people do: I searched for “what kind of laser does Glowforge use?” and then fell into a rabbit hole of fiber laser kits, plasma cutters, and water jet videos.

Here's the short answer: Glowforge uses a CO2 laser. But the longer answer is that CO2, fiber, plasma, and water jet are not competing versions of the same machine. They're different tools for different jobs. This guide is a head-to-head comparison for small business owners, teachers, and anyone who has to make equipment decisions without an engineering degree.

The comparison framework

To keep this useful, I'm comparing machine categories, not just brands, across four dimensions: what they cut, real-world power, total cost of ownership, and support or learning curve.

Category	Best at	Not great at
Glowforge CO2 laser	Wood, acrylic, glass, leather, coated metal engraving	Cutting thick bare metal
Fiber laser kit	Metal engraving and marking, thin metal cutting	Wood, clear acrylic, general craft work
Plasma cutter	Fast cutting of conductive metal	Fine detail, engraving, non-metal materials
Water jet	Thick dense materials with no heat damage	Affordability, floor space, maintenance

When I took over purchasing in 2020, I would have said a desktop CO2 laser was a hobby tool. By 2025, that has changed. A machine like the Glowforge Aura is now a legitimate production option for short runs and custom work. But it doesn't replace a plasma cutter or a water jet. The fundamentals haven't changed: match the tool to the material. The execution has transformed.

1. What kind of laser does Glowforge use? CO2 vs. fiber vs. plasma vs. water jet

All current Glowforge models use a CO2 laser tube, including the Aura, Plus, and Pro, according to Glowforge's published specs. CO2 lasers operate at a wavelength around 10.6 micrometers, which organic materials absorb well. That's why a Glowforge cuts plywood, acrylic, leather, fabric, and paper cleanly, and why it can engrave glass and stone. It can also mark coated metals, but it cannot cut uncoated steel or aluminum.

Fiber lasers use a different wavelength, around 1.06 micrometers, which metals absorb strongly. A fiber laser kit is usually a metal-engraving workhorse: it can mark stainless steel, engrave aluminum, and, with higher power, cut thin metals. But it won't cut clear acrylic well, and a cheap fiber laser kit can eat up weeks of training if your shop mostly works with wood.

Plasma cutters use ionized gas and an electrical arc to cut conductive metal. They can slice through 1/4-inch steel plate fairly quickly, but they don't engrave wood and they don't make fine decorative cuts without skill and cleanup. If you've searched for “cut plasma cutter” and found only industrial machines, that's because plasma is a metal cutting process, not a do-everything engraver.

Water jet vs plasma cutter is a common comparison because both cut metal. A water jet uses high-pressure water mixed with abrasive garnet, so it can cut thick steel, stone, and glass with no heat-affected zone. A plasma cutter is faster on thick steel but leaves a rougher edge and creates heat that can warp thin pieces. For a small business, the deciding factors are usually budget and material: plasma is far less expensive, but water jet does cleaner work.

2. Water jet vs. plasma cutter: which metal cutter makes sense?

Let's dig into that comparison a little more. If you're doing structural steel or repair work, a cut plasma cutter is probably the practical choice. It's cheaper, faster, and doesn't need a dedicated water treatment setup. If you're cutting aerospace brackets, stone countertops, or anything where heat distortion is unacceptable, a water jet is the better tool.

For most small shops, plasma wins on economics. The machine, consumables, and maintenance are all more approachable. But if you regularly cut materials that a plasma cutter can't handle—or if your customers require clean edges on thick plate—the water jet becomes harder to ignore.

3. Glowforge Aura laser power: what the spec doesn't tell you

When people ask about Glowforge Aura laser power, they usually want to know if it's “real” laser power or a toy. The Aura's official product page, which I checked in February 2025, lists a 20W CO2 laser. It's not a 100W industrial system, but it's enough for light sign making, engraving, and short production runs. I've watched it handle small-batch signage and custom engraving work without constant babysitting.

Still, advertised power is the easiest number to compare and the easiest to misread. A 20W Glowforge Aura cuts wood. A 20W fiber laser marks metal. A 40A plasma cutter cuts steel. A water jet cuts granite. Comparing them by “watts” is like comparing a sedan, a pickup, and a forklift by engine RPM. Choose based on the material you process.

From the outside, it looks like more watts means a better machine. The reality is that wavelength determines what a laser can process. We once almost bought a fiber laser kit because someone said fiber lasers were the future. One test with acrylic proved that a powerful tool can still be the wrong tool.

4. Total cost of ownership and day-to-day reality

As someone who reports to finance, I look at total cost of ownership, not just the sticker price. The upfront cost is only part of it. Glowforge systems need periodic cleaning and ventilation or a filter setup, but the operating rhythm is simple. Fiber laser kits often need a chiller and a proper exhaust system. Plasma cutters eat nozzles and electrodes. Water jet systems need abrasive, high-pressure pumps, and water treatment. In a small shop, the cheapest machine on paper can be the most expensive in practice.

The surprise wasn't the price difference between these machines. Actually, the surprise was the operating cost. The abrasive alone adds a line item to every water jet job. Plasma consumables are smaller costs, but they add up. The same is true for fiber laser protective windows and alignment tools. A Glowforge has a simpler consumables story: you buy material, you engrave, you ship.

Last year I had to make a call before a budget deadline. I had three days to decide whether to add a fiber laser kit to our order. Normally I would have run a cost-per-part test, but with finance waiting, I went with the team's existing Glowforge because we already knew the software. In hindsight, I should have asked for a two-week trial. But with the fiscal year closing, I did the best I could with the information I had.

5. Support, skill, and software

Support matters as much as specs. Glowforge has a large project library and cloud-based software, which makes it approachable for teachers and small-business staff. It's not perfect, but it's fairly forgiving for new operators. Fiber laser kits vary sharply by vendor. Some are solid; some are basically a box of parts with a thin manual. Plasma and water jet both require real operator skill. If your team can't run the machine safely, it's not an asset—it's a liability.

In my experience, the learning curve is the part people underestimate. A machine can have great power and still sit unused because no one has time to learn the material library. This is probably why Glowforge works well for our team: the software, camera alignment, and project sharing lower the bar enough that staff members can run small jobs on the same day.

6. So which one should you buy?

Here's how I'd decide after seeing these machines behave in a small shop:

• If you mainly cut wood, acrylic, glass, or leather, a Glowforge is probably the right starting point. The Aura is fine for light work; the Plus or Pro adds more speed and capacity if you need it.
• If you need to engrave or cut metal parts, look at a fiber laser kit. Just budget for training and test materials before promising quick turnaround.
• If you supply steel fabricators and need to cut plates quickly, a plasma cutter can pay for itself.
• If you need precision cuts in thick materials with no heat damage, water jet is the cleanest option.

Also consider outsourcing before buying. A water jet that runs twice a month can be handled by a local job shop for a lot less than the cost of owning one. I know that's not as exciting as buying a machine, but it's my job to say it.

Bottom line

The biggest change I've seen in five years of purchasing is that desktop tools like Glowforge have crossed into serious production territory. What was best practice in 2020 may not apply in 2025.

The fundamentals haven't changed: match the tool to the material and keep total cost in mind. But the execution has transformed.

If you're searching for “what kind of laser does Glowforge use” or comparing Glowforge Aura laser power, start with your materials, not the marketing.

Take this with a grain of salt: I'm a buyer, not a laser physicist. I'm not 100% sure every spec mentioned here is current, so verify current specs before you order. The decision process, though, doesn't change much.