The OMTech 40W has a box-like construction that makes it well-suited for the home of hobbyists. It’s compatible with most non-metal materials, including wood, paper, stone, glass, leather, and more. It’s also readily upgradeable for those who want to add 50W or 60W laser tubes.

There are also a variety of safety features like water-break protection and a ventilation fan for extracting smoke and fumes. The hardware is comprised of durable CNC parts. In its stock form, the OMTech 40W offers a resolution is 1000 dpi, and its working temperature is between 4 – 40 °C. Although this laser engraver has earned an abundance of praise from those who ordered one via Amazon, the OMTech 40W certainly has its flaws.

Most of the issues raised by customers don’t seem to be focused on the OMTech 40W itself, but rather with the software that comes with it. A number of reviewers on Amazon praised the laser engraver’s capability at such an affordable price, but many had negative remarks about the user-friendliness and functionality of the software.

For starters, the laser engraving software is not compatible with iOS, so you can only utilize it with a Windows operating system. It’s suggested that users utilize CorelDRAW to create vector designs, but this software doesn’t actually come with the OMTech 40W. The software interface is only able to control the XY coordinates, while the laser intensity has to be manually set on an unmarked knob, making it difficult to dial in an exact number.

While the specifications claim that the engraving area is 12 x 8 inches out of the box, some users have stated that this isn’t really the case. The holding jig appears to be limited to about 8 x 3.5 inches and requires upgrades to reach the maximum area that is being advertised.

Owners of this laser engraver also discuss the need to upgrade the hardware in order to obtain more optimized results. Certain components that users tend to upgrade include a better exhaust fan, water pump and spinner, and even the laser tubes.

While enhancing the hardware of this engraver might seem like a daunting task, there are a plethora of resources on YouTube to help you assemble and upgrade the OMTech 40W. In fact, many reviewers suggest using YouTube videos instead of the manual that comes with the engraver.

Despite the software troubles, the OMTech 40W remains a popular option due to its incredible affordability and customizability. While better (and much more expensive) laser engravers can be found on the market, this desktop machine is well-suited for hobbyists. The general consensus seems to be that this laser engraver isn’t ready to use out of the box, but with some experimentation and tinkering, you’ll eventually obtain exceptional results.

All in all, this isn’t the type of laser engraver you expect to start pumping out high-quality results right away. It requires research, experimentation, and some necessary hardware upgrades to reach the level of more expensive machines. At the same time, it’s difficult to find a laser engraver for under $1,000, let alone $500. And, for around $400, the OMTech 40W is appealing no matter how much post-purchase tinkering it requires.