Disclaimer: While I was gifted the xTool M1 Ultra, all reviews, opinions and project ideas are completely my own. Additionally I will receive a small commission if you decide to make a purchase through one of my affiliate links. This comes at no additional cost to you and greatly supports Pjs and Paint. For more information regarding sponsorships and affiliate links please feel free to read the affiliate disclosure on our privacy policy page.
The xTool M1 Ultra is an amazing machine that combines 4 main functions including laser cutting and engraving, inkjet printing, knife cutting and pen drawing. It is a wonderful tool that is perfect for bringing your personal crafts or business ideas to life.
When I first opened up the box, I was admittedly a bit intimidated. Never having used a laser cutter before, I wasn’t sure how the set up would go. I was pleasantly surprised that within a few short minutes my machine was set up, connected to the design program, and ready to process my first project!
Initially I had a few project ideas I wanted to eventually writing tutorials for. However, wanting to familiarize myself with the machine a bit, I created a laser engraved wood keychain with the logo of my brother’s place of employment.
Within minutes I had a super professional looking keychain that I was excited to show my brother. After seeing the keychain he immediately said that he wanted to purchase a batch of custom keychains to sell at the shop to customers. Never did I think that within the first day of opening my xTool M1 Ultra that I would be making money from it!
Personal excitement aside, the xTool M1 Ultra is just a fantastic machine. I have used similar products in the past but can honestly say this is by far the easiest to use, extremely versatile and produces the most professional quality products.
Key features of the xTool M1 Ultra:
This multifunctional machine provides many benefits unlike any other craft machine I’ve seen before.
Space Saver:
Laser cutting and engraving, knife cutting, inset printing and pen drawing are just a few of the amazing functions of this 4 in one machine. This saves so much space that would have been taken up by multiple devices.
Versatile:
With just this one machine you can go from engraving to cutting and so much more. The multi-module processing is a unique feature of this product that has been such a time saver.
Easy to Use Software:
Having used multiple design programs in the past I can honestly say the xTool Creative Space is one of the easiest to learn. Along with the fact that is works seamlessly between desktop and mobile, it is an all around great design tool.
Pin-point Positioning and Snapshot Feature:
I’ve come to learn that this is probably my favorite feature of the machine. When I first made my initial test keychain project (keep reading to see how I did it!) I only placed one keychain in the machine. Once it was requested that I make a large batch of keychains I was concerned how I would be able to line up and accurately engrave multiple pieces at once.
This is where the Snapshot Feature came in to play. I simply laid the blank keychains out onto the Riser Base with Honeycomb. I then went into the xTool Creative Space app on my phone, took a photo of the layout and it seamlessly uploaded directly to the Creative Space app on my desktop. I was then easily able to layout the graphics and 10 keychains were engraved all at once, flawlessly I might add!
There are endless amounts of materials to work with and projects you can create with this tool. For what it’s worth, even though I was sent the machine to review, I ended up purchasing tons of materials and accessories with my own money simply because I fell in love with the machine so quickly! My creativity was definitely sparked by the amount of projects I was looking forward to creating.
From wood crafts, to paper craft, stone, leather and more, the xTool M1 Ultra can really do it all!
Who is the machine good for?
The xTool M1 Ultra is amazing for both hobby crafters and business owners alike. Whether you are just looking to create personalized items for yourself, family or friends, or want to sell items for a profit, this machine is for you!
The xTool M1 Ultra Riser Base Kit with Honeycomb Panel
This riser base kit with honeycomb panel can be purchased as an add on which I very highly recommend. It significantly upgrades the thickness of what you can engrave. And with the rotary accessory along with it you can engrave curved surfaces such as mugs, tumblers, rings and so much more.
How to make your own custom keychains
As I mentioned earlier, this machine is excellent for both personal and business projects. While purchasing the tool is an investment I can honestly say I made money with it with my very first project!
This is how I created custom wooden keychains for a local business.
Supplies needed:
- xTool M1 Ultra
- Riser Base with Honeycomb Panel (highly recommended)
- Keychain blanks
The first thing I did after setting up my machine was lay out all of the blank keychains onto the honeycomb base.
I then used the snapshot feature to take a photo of the layout and uploaded it to the Creative Space software. Once the background photo was on screen, I imported the logo file and arranged them all on the keychains.
It didn’t matter that some of the keychains weren’t spaced evenly or were slightly tilted, as long as I placed the design on the background, it was good to go.
I excitedly watched as the machine began engraving the keychains. It didn’t take nearly as long as I thought it would and they came out great. I made a whole bunch my very first day with the machine and the local business was very happy with them!
Whether you are hobby crafter or looking to start a business, this tool is definitely something you should consider for your space!
