Xtool M1 ultra 4 in1 craft machine which can cut, print, foil and also do laser engraving and cutting - Is it worth the money? Let's explore

 If you are here for a review of the Xtool M1 ultra  4 in 1 craft machine, you have come to the right place. If you compare the Xtool M1 ultra with silhouette and Circut electronic cutting machines, you will see that this machine can do more than what your normal electronic cutting machine can, including laser cutting, engraving, inkjet printing, blade cutting, drawing, deep cutting, foiling, and much more. Come, let's dive into more details. 

Xtool M1 ultra review and trial projects

What is included in the Xtool M1 10W ultra machine?

The basic bundle comes with the Xtool M1 ultra machine, which has a built-in module for a pen holder and fine point blade. Additionally, you will have a laser module and multifunction carriage that can hold the deep cut blade, foil transfer tip(not included in the basic model), rotary blade(not included in the basic model), etc

Love how organized and labeled everything is inside the package! 

The Xtool M1 10W ultra machine also comes with a smoke exhaust module, so you will need to set it up in an area with a window so that you can open the window and leave the exhaust pipe outside. (Please use caution regarding the surrounding area.) It is also recommended that you operate the machine in a ventilated area. If a window is not an option, then you need to consider a desktop air purifier. 

If you buy an advanced bundle, you will have an inkjet module that can print on many surfaces, such as wood, canvas, acrylic, etc. 

You will also get a sample pack of materials to try on once you set up the machine.  

I love that it comes with a toolbox to organize all the spares and also your blades. (you can see in the picture above). Also, there are other things like a triangular prism base for laser projects and a set of 0.4" tip pens for the pen tool that are included in this machine. 

Suppose you want to take one thing from this post, I highly recommend watching all the tutorials before you start opening and setting up your machine because it will be very useful to understand how each part of the machine and the software works. Scan the QR code inside the user manual to watch the videos or go to Xtool Academy to learn more about each of the Xtool machines. 

You will have answers to all your questions, comparisons between models, sizes, and everything. The webpage is longer, so you have to scroll, scroll, scroll down (ya! more than that😉 seriously, I missed all these details when I was looking for; that is the reason I am particularly mentioning this) to see what is included in this kit, processing capacity, working area size, and every minute detail. click here ---> xTool M1 Ultra 10W 4 in 1 craft machine

 

Xtool Creative Space software: 

The XCS software is easy to navigate and pretty self-explanatory. If you have already used Silhouette software, it is pretty much the same; you just need to watch the Intro video once to understand where the options are located. 

Overview of the xTool Creative Space (XCS) software

I love how the XCS software shows the time it takes to complete the project. 

Second thing, I love about the software is the layers option, which helps you separate layers based on the job that needs to be performed, like score, engrave, and cut, so that it is easy to process and organize the design. You can also color-code them. Isn't it awesome? 

Another great thing about the Xtool M1 ultra machine is the pinpoint technology and snapshot preview on the mobile app, which help you avoid guessing about the product's placement on the mat or the area to process. 

For some reason, I am having trouble connecting the Xtool m1 ultra to my iPhone App, but pinpoint positioning works perfectly to set up the material and do the process. But if you have a doubt - You don't need a mobile to operate this machine, but it is an add-on if you want to see the material background as such on your software.

One important thing to know is if your computer or laptop doesn't have a USB inbuilt (my Macbook Air only had a USB-c plugin), you may need a USB to USB-c adapter to connect the machine to the computer via USB cable that comes with the machine. 

Now let's discuss a little more in depth about each module, 

Laser module:

To use the Laser module, it is recommended that you place the material on the triangle prism. The pinpoint technology in the xTool M1 ultra is really useful to know the placement of the project. I used the default settings for my first two projects and I love how it turned out. 

Another cool thing is that the software has an option called Material test array where the machine does the laser engraving on the material at different parameters like speed and power so you don't have to go back and forth to do the trial and error and waste the materials. How cool, right? 

I was so excited to see how the laser module worked. As a result, I damaged the base a bit because the settings were a little off of the material. I could have avoided that if I had used the triangular prism base, but it's good that the software has the pause function, so I paused and shifted the material to the right place. That is the reason why my "Om" is slanted in the picture below. So, I highly recommend using the triangle prism base for the laser engraving and laser cutting project. This was my first project and I didn't explore the pin-point technology at that moment.

Is the laser in Xtool M1 ultra only for wood cutting and engraving?

No, not only wood. The laser can be used for cutting or engraving materials like leather, glass, slate, fabric, acrylic, etc. Below is the screenshot from one of the courses that come with your machine. The website is loaded with loads and loads of awesome information, which is why I keep telling you to go through the website before you dive into action. 

Click here for the Xtool website. 

Things that diode laser can do using Xtool M1 ultra craft machine

Pen tool : 

The machine comes with an inbuilt pen holder, I used the black pen that came with the machine.

I used an elephant picture readily available in the software and loved the outcome on the cardstock. 

Fine point blade:

I used the offset feature to create an outline for the elephant picture and the fine-point blade to cut around the image. The default setting worked perfectly.  It was a smooth process, and just like that, I made a cute little elephant that my son loved coloring. 

Inkjet module:

I was so excited to try this module. Initially, I downloaded a picture and printed it on cardstock. The colors were dull. But for a machine that is not an actual printer, the result is satisfiable. 

Inkjet print module sample

Then I tried to print it on an adhesive canvas sheet, and the brightness was on the lower side again (even after increasing it in the picture - check below). Yet to try it on wood. Stay tuned for my upcoming posts.             

 

The machine has an ink test mode, where the machine tests the cartridge on a small piece of paper, and another cool thing is it automatically closes the cartridge with the lid once the printing job is done. Another Wow factor about this machine. Such a neat design. 

Foil tip blade: 

You will need a pressure-sensitive foil to work with this foil tip blade, which is different from heat-sensitive foil, which can be used with a hot foil pen. Before starting the process, you will need to make sure you have secured the foil with masking or painter's tape. I tried the foil on cardstock, but the default settings did not do anything on the cardstock( you can see in the picture below the design around the Thank you) so I had to increase the pressure setting to 350 and the speed to 30 for the foil tip to work. 

You can see the result below. What I liked is the line transfer works great, but the fill transfer is kind of patchy. Maybe I should try different settings to see what works best? Have you tried using a foil transfer tip? Tell me in the comments below. 

Overall, I am impressed with how much this machine can do! It is sure a learning curve to know more about what this Xtool M1 Ultra machine can do! It comes with add-ons if you want to use tumblers, riser for bigger projects, and so on. If you are a small business owner trying to expand your product catalog, it is worth investing in this machine. 

If you are a homeschooling parent, you need to check Xtool Education to know how laser cutters can be used for education in transforming abstract concepts into tangible solutions like designing functional prototypes, engineering mechanical models, creating art, enhancing learning across multiple subjects with tech tools: STEAM, maker education, etc. 

What is the price of the Xtool M1 ultra 4 in 1 craft machine?

The basic bundle with a 10W laser is priced at $1099.They also provide flexible payments and if you already own an electronic cutting machine you can trade in to get upto $150 coupons to get your new laser machine from the XTool Website. 

I hope you enjoyed reading through my review of XTool M1 ultra. Stay tuned for the upcoming projects and I am sure you will enjoy them. 

This post is a Collaboration with Xtool, however all the opinions expressed are my own. By clicking the affiliate links above and purchasing, you are helping me grow and it is not going to cost you anything. Thank you. 

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