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When I first tell people about my incredible Glowforge, most are intimidated by the price. While you can get a build-your-own laser setup on eBay, it's not going give you the plug and play ease of the Glowforge. From unboxing to my first cut, with the Glowforge, only about an hour passed. I was able to make this Christmas Countdown Tree about a week after getting my machine.
Confused? Check out this post for the basics: What the heck is a Glowforge?
I've joined a couple of laser cutting groups on Facebook, and am intimidated by all of the “which rendering software should I buy?” and “Is my chiller strong enough for my CO2 laser setup?” I'm not even going talk about the folks sharing photos of their laser-inflicted burns. EEEK! I'll keep my laser safely enclosed in a giant case, thankyouverymuch.
While you do pay a bit of premium for the Glowforge products, you also have access to their skilled support team, continuous software updates and potential new features, and the communities on both the Glowforge website and on Facebook are endless resources of information.
The Glowforge Models
At the time of this writing, there are three Glowforge models available, and all have their differences. The Glowforge Basic, which is $2495, is their entry level product. It's a Class 1 laser with a laserable bed area of about 19″x11″, and a maximum height of 2″. The next one is the Plus, which is what I have. Priced at $3995, it's the same body as the Basic, but the upgraded laser components let it run about 20% faster than the Basic. The top of the line is the Glowforge Pro, a Class 4 laser, which costs $5995. The main body is the same as the other two, but the Pro features a “passthrough slot,” which allows you to cut 20″ wide by almost ANY length. The cooling is also upgraded, allowing the laser to run longer and at a wider range of temperatures.
How can I afford that?
Thankfully, Glowforge does offer financing! Affirm carries the financing at a very reasonable interest rate, so you can get a Glowforge Basic for as low as $118 a month! That's practically some people's Starbucks budget!
It's easy to set up financing, you simply choose “Affirm” as your payment method at checkout.
I've had my Glowforge since November, and I'm already well on my way to paying it off! Like, it'll be paid for in about 2 more months, if I keep selling my products the way they've been selling! While I didn't use the financing plan, it would be easy to cover that $118 a month just with product sales.
Save even more
Thinking about buying a Glowforge of your own? I've got great news! You can save $100 off a Basic, $250 off a Plus, or $500 off a Pro if you use my referral link! Not a bad deal, I'd say!
If you have any questions about Glowforge ownership, please don't hesitate to reach out! You can leave a comment here, or send me a message on my Facebook page.
I would like to have a Glowforge by credit.
Would like information on what to do please.
I’m a crafter and since COVID-19 I’ve been thinking strongly about purchasing a Glowforge! I’ve heard and researched on it for the past year and a half. The only thing is I’ve lost employment and I’m needing something to generate income.
How does financing work, and would I be able to upgrade later on?
Hi Gina,
Glowforge doesn’t offer an organized upgrade program, but I have seen folks sell their machine used to help finance an upgraded model. I haven’t actually gone through the financing process myself, so you’d want to contact the company for that info.
Where do you get the materials to work with? I’ve had my eye on a Glowforge for a while and we’ve finally moved into our new house where I can have a craft room, but I don’t want to have to spend tons on materials up front either.
Hi Jessica! Congrats on your new house! I get materials from tons of different places; there are a few things available at Home Depot or Lowes, but I prefer to order online so I can support small businesses who specialize in laser supplies. I’ve had some pretty good luck at local lumber yards too, if they carry a selection of 1/8″ and 1/4″
I was hoping to engrave some things i already own (cutting boards i got at a discount) so on..
how do i research if they are laser safe?
I’m stilll kicking the tires to see if this the right machine for what i have in mind.
Hi Selene, In general, wood things like cutting boards are fine to engrave, especially solid wood. I’m sure there are exceptions, but I haven’t had issues with any wood materials.
Do all 3 models only cut 2” deep? Really struggling with which model to purchase. I would like to purchase mostly to make some things for my daughters wedding coming up next year.
I loved it when you said that while you can get a build-your-own laser set up on eBay, it’s not going to give you the plug-and-play ease of the Glowforge. My brother has an engraving business, and he mentioned that he needs a Glowforge 3D Laser Printer. I will share this post for him to have an idea where to buy Glowforge 3D Laser Printer.