Did you know that you can cut and engrave stainless steel with a laser cutting machine?

And these machines are getting more and more popular every day with hobby crafters.

If you’re wondering how to pick the best one, how much they cost, what types of laser is used in which machine, and what kind of stainless steel products you can use with them, then you’re in the right place.

Check out my list below of the 10 best laser cutting machines for stainless steel.

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Can a laser cutter cut stainless steel?

Laser cutter machines can cut stainless steel and several different materials.

Some of the other materials include

• Mild steel

Mild steel is a very popular choice when it comes to metals to use with a laser cutter. 

This is because it can be used in many different end products.

It’s one of the sheet metals that’s easy to source. 

• Stainless steel

You can find stainless steel blanks, such as flasks, dog tags, aluminum sheets, and buttons.

These blanks are ready to be cut or engraved.

This saves you time because you won’t need to do a lot of extra steps to size and assemble them.

How much does a metal laser cutter cost?

Metal laser cutters vary in cost from the budget-friendly to the expensive industrial models.

Low cost model

For example, a simple die-cutting machine from Cricut costs anywhere between $179.99 and $399.99.

Cricut offers a monthly installment payment method, making this a budget-friendly option for anyone looking to pay over time.

Mid-range model

Glowforge is a favorite laser cutting machine of many home crafters. It’s easy to use and set up and offers lots of how-to tutorials on their website.

It can also be used with many materials including stainless steel.

The machines are more expensive than those from Cricut. But, most Glowgforge owners will tell you that these machines are worth every penny.

There is even a waitlist sometimes during the peak seasons like around the holidays.

While it can be used at home, it still contains a higher laser power capable of making good cuts to a wide range of cutting material.

Whether you are using thin metals or thicker steel or stainless steel sheets, Glowforge can handle it. 

High-end model

The high-end models consist almost exclusively of industrial-sized machines.

These are the kind of machines that you will find in a factory or the back end of a showroom.

A typical industrial Golden Laser stainless steel tube and sheet metal fiber laser cutting machine ranges in cost from $50,000 to $100,000

What machine can cut stainless steel?

1.Cricut Maker Machines

Cricut Maker machines work not only with fabric, acrylic, and wood but also for metal crafts. 

There are two styles of machines from Cricut that will allow you to work with stainless steel.

Let’s see what these machines are.

2.Cricut Maker 

The original Cricut Maker machine is an upgraded version of the Cricut Explore Air and the Cricut Explore 3 machines.

You can get the Cricut Maker machines in three colors, Champagne, Rose, and Blue.

3.Cricut Maker 3

The latest version of the Maker machines does everything that the original does plus more.

The Maker 3 lets you cut 13 inches wide, up to 75 ft (33 cm wide, up to 22.8 m).

What metals can you engrave with Cricut maker?

You can cut and engrave metal craft blanks like tumblers and dog tags with this cutting machine. This includes reflective metal and brushed metal.

To do this, you’ll need an engraving tool. This tool is multi-purpose because you can also use it with soft metals, leather, acrylic, plastic, anodized or sublimated aluminum, and more.

Here are some of the metals that you can use with it.

• Aluminum sheets
• Stainless steel
• Brass

4. Glowforge Basic

The Glowforge Basic lets you make prints and comes with a 40W tube power.

5. Glowforge Pro

The Glowforge Pro machine is great for home, business, or school use. It comes with a 45W tube power and upgraded hardware for improved speed. It has a pass-through slot for giant prints to ensure that your cut edge will fit and it is 3 times faster than the Glowforge Plus.

6. Glowforge Plus

This machine has all the amenities of the Glowforge Basic but also has an engraving and cutting speed that is two times as fast as the Basic.

7. Industrial Professional Laser Cutting Machines

Golden Laser

The fiber laser cutting machine from Golden Laser is a high precision and high speed fiber laser cutter system. In the video below you can see it cutting a 10mm sheet of carbon steel. fast and precision metal cutting solution. 

The fiber laser machines from Golden Laser can be used with the following metals and materials:

• stainless steel
• carbon steel 
• mild steel
• alloy steel 
• galvanized steel 
• silicon steel 
• spring steel 
• titanium sheet 
• iron sheet 
• inox sheet and other metal sheets
• metal plates

Some of the ways and places that you can use the laser cut sheet metals are in:

• electrical cabinetry 
• kitchenware 
• hardware 
• metal enclosure
• advertising and signage 
• lighting lamps 
• decoration 
• medical instruments 
• automotive industry and other metal cutting fields.

Kern Laser Systems

Kern Lasers makes machines that use high-efficiency laser energy to cut metal. These lasers can be used with stainless steel, aluminum plate, and brass. The OptiFlex large format laser machine is one of their most popular co2 laser cutter machines.

The kern’s co2 OptiFlex is also their most popular machine and capable to use in the following methods:

• metal cutting
• acrylic fabrication
• high-speed engraving

Watch how it cuts in the video below

How to use Glowforge with Stainless Steel

Using Glowforge to engrave stainless steel can be done by following a few simple steps. 

Tools You’ll Need:

• Glowforge
• Steel blank (flasks, dog tags, or tumblers)
• Laser spray (ex. Cermark LMM-6000) 
• masking tape
• microfiber cloth
• 2 melamine wood blocks

Setup to engrave stainless steel with Glowforge

Spray the Cermark LMM-6000 on the stainless steel blank. 

Use thin, even strokes to spread the product on.  

Let it dry for at least 30 minutes.

Remove the crumb tray and place the blank between the two melamine wood blocks.

Depending on your material, use the iPhone7 settings and set the Glowforge to a speed of 600 and a power of 100.

Let the machine print the image onto the blank.

Once the print process is complete, take off the masking tape.

Wash the Cermark off with water. Make sure to remove all of the product.

Next, dry the blank with paper towels.

The final step is to buff the blank with a microfiber cloth.

Find the full steps with photos here.

Yield: 1

Engrave stainless steel with Glowforge

Print

Using Glowforge to engrave stainless steel can be done by following a few simple steps. 

Materials

• Stainless steel blank (flask, dog tags, or a tumbler)
• laser marking spray 
• masking tape
• microfiber cloth
• 2 wooden blocks

Tools

• Glowforge

Instructions

1. Spray the laser marking spray on the stainless steel blank. 
2. Use thin, even strokes to spread the product.  
3. Let it dry for at least 30 minutes.
4. Remove the crumb tray and place the blank between the two wooden blocks.
5. Use the iPhone 7 setting and set the Glowforge to a speed of 600 and a power of 100.
6. Print the image onto the blank.
7. Remove the masking tape.
8. Wash the Cermark off with water.
9. Dry the blank with paper towels.

The final step is to buff the blank with a microfiber cloth.

Find the full steps with photos here.

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  Meet Glowforge

Conclusion

There are many laser cutting machines on the market.

Above, I’ve given you a breakdown of the seven best from the least to most expensive. 

Determine what you need from your laser machine, how much you’re willing to spend, and make your decision from there.