Bambu Lab Introduces R1: A Standalone 55-Watt CO2 Laser Cutter

Bambu Lab announced the R1, its first standalone CO2 laser engraver, and opened pre-orders through the company’s official store. The base model is priced at roughly $2,500 and ships are expected to begin arriving in the month following the announcement.

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For almost five years Bambu Lab has been a leading maker-space brand, best known for plug-and-play 3D printers. Earlier models such as the H2D and H2S incorporated optional laser modules, but those hybrid configurations required compromises between printing and cutting performance. The R1 is the company’s first product that exists solely outside its 3D-printing line, positioning Bambu Lab to compete with desktop laser makers like Xtool, WeCreat and Glowforge.

First impressions of the beastly new Bambu Lab R1 laser cutter

• Construction – Light-gray plastic housing with a solid metal frame; LEDs outline the CO2 gas chamber.

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• Laser Power – 55-watt CO2 source, cutting wood, acrylic, cardboard, leather, paper, fabric and engraving glass, stone and coated metals.

First impressions of the beastly new Bambu Lab R1 laser cutter

• Work Area – 600 × 300 mm envelope; an optional conveyor expands length to 600 × 3,000 mm.

First impressions of the beastly new Bambu Lab R1 laser cutter

• Auto-Alignment – TriSense System detects material placement, measures surface height and maps the tool-head path in a single click. A Vision Encoder (sold separately) can further correct mechanical drift.

First impressions of the beastly new Bambu Lab R1 laser cutter

• Software – Bambu Suite, a free desktop app, provides tracing, background-removal, material-specific settings and safety controls such as Class 1 certification, an automatic stop when the lid opens, and an optional fire-extinguishing system.

First impressions of the beastly new Bambu Lab R1 laser cutter

• Integration – Connects to the Bambu Handy app and Makerworld library, allowing file management and calibration within the same ecosystem used for Bambu’s 3D printers.

First impressions of the beastly new Bambu Lab R1 laser cutter

Beta testers report that the R1 cuts 3 mm plywood effortlessly and handles clear acrylic and glass without the charring seen on comparable CO2 lasers. The software’s preset parameters keep acrylic from burning, and the built-in tracing feature can convert a photographed object into a cutting path automatically. Setup is quick, with calibration tools and the familiar Bambu UI reducing the learning curve for existing Bambu users.

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The unit is bulkier than some competing models, requiring two people to unbox, but its footprint is about one-third smaller than a typical CO2 laser of comparable power, fitting into a home office rather than a dedicated workshop.

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At $2,499 the R1 undercuts entry-level desktop lasers such as the xTool P2S, which launched around $4,300. By offering a dedicated laser rather than a two-in-one printer/laser hybrid, Bambu Lab aims to address market criticism of compromise devices and attract makers seeking a single, high-performance tool.

First impressions of the beastly new Bambu Lab R1 laser cutter

Bambu Lab’s press release notes that acceleration algorithms and vision-encoder technology originally developed for its 3D printers have been adapted to the R1 to reduce ringing and improve image accuracy during high-speed cutting.

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The R1 expands Bambu Lab’s line from additive to subtractive manufacturing, offering makers a unified hardware and software workflow for both printing and laser cutting.

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A full, long-form review is pending as testers continue to evaluate the R1. Pre-orders remain open, and shipments are slated for the upcoming month.

First impressions of the beastly new Bambu Lab R1 laser cutter