LONGER Laser Engravers: Desktop Making for Personal Gifts
The most coveted gifts of the past few Christmases haven’t come from a department store. They’ve come from someone’s spare room: a walnut chopping board with a family name burnt into the grain, a leather passport cover stamped with initials, a phone case printed with a dog’s face. Behind a lot of them sits a […]
The most coveted gifts of the past few Christmases haven’t come from a department store. They’ve come from someone’s spare room: a walnut chopping board with a family name burnt into the grain, a leather passport cover stamped with initials, a phone case printed with a dog’s face. Behind a lot of them sits a desktop machine, and LONGER is one of the brands that has made those machines cheap enough to try. The Shenzhen company sells LONGER laser engravers from $99.99, plus 3D printers and, newest of all, a desktop UV printer that prints colour onto almost anything flat. Here’s what each one does, what it costs, and what the product pages don’t dwell on.
What is LONGER, and why are makers paying attention?
LONGER was founded in 2016 by two scientists, Dr Changshi Lao of Georgia Tech and Dr He Yi of MIT, who had used lasers in the lab and thought they should be cheaper. It began in 3D printing and, by its own account, bought the British open-source printer firm RepRapPro in its first year. It still sells LK-series filament printers and Orange resin printers, but the catalogue’s centre of gravity has shifted to lasers. LONGER now claims more than a million users in 120-plus markets, and runs US and European warehouses with free shipping over $49. The pitch is less about industrial muscle than about access. The machines are aimed at hobbyists, Etsy sellers and small studios who want to personalise things without renting workshop time.
Which LONGER laser engraver should a beginner buy?
The cheapest way in is the Ray5 mini, which starts at $99.99 for a 2.5W laser and arrives pre-assembled. Its working area is just 130 x 140mm, about the size of a coaster, so think keyrings, tags and small boards rather than signs. It runs over USB, WiFi or an app, with limit switches and an emergency stop built in. The step up worth considering is enclosed. The Ray7S is a Class 1 machine, meaning the beam stays inside a fully closed, tinted box. That matters if you share your home with children, pets or anyone who won’t be wearing goggles. LONGER says it engraves at up to 36,000mm/min and uses Klipper firmware to smooth vibration. Prices run from $279.99 for 7.5W to $849.99 for 40W, and only the 40W includes an air-assist pump. The smaller Ray2, also Class 1, costs $239.99 or $319.99.
Is the LONGER Nano Duo AI worth $1,519.99?
The Nano Duo AI is where LONGER shows off. It pairs a 20W blue diode laser, for wood, leather and cutting, with a 2W infrared laser, which suits metals and finer marking. That gives you two tools in one compact tower, rather than one module that tries to do everything. The headline features are software: AI design, auto-positioning and auto-filling, run through the brand’s LaserBurn app. LONGER calls its dual-axis extension an industry first. It expands the working area to 300 x 300mm and allows vertical cutting, but it’s sold separately at $429.99. The Pro Set is $1,869.99 and the Pro Max Set $2,119.99. This makes sense for a small business engraving metal tumblers and jewellery every week. For an occasional gift-maker it’s a lot of machine, and a lot of money.
Can the LONGER ePrint UV printer really print on anything?
UV printing cures ink instantly with ultraviolet light, so it can lay full colour onto wood, acrylic, metal and phone cases. The LONGER ePrint uses two printheads and 12 ink channels, and the brand says that makes it up to six times faster. It can also build raised, textured colour up to 15mm high and print across height differences of up to 10mm. The machine also lets you use other makers’ inks. It raised more than $4.2 million on Kickstarter from over 1,600 backers, and prices start at $1,799, or $2,499 for the dual-UV version. The honest caveat is timing. Crowdfunding deliveries slipped through the summer, and LONGER only said in October that shipping had begun. Independent reviews of finished units are still thin. Wait for owner reports before you order.
What should you know before buying a LONGER machine?
Lasers burn, and burning makes smoke. Open-frame models need goggles (LONGER sells a pair for $8.99) and real ventilation, and the brand’s own smoke purifier costs $499.99. Even an enclosed machine needs its fumes sent somewhere. Machines carry a 12-month warranty. The return terms are tighter than the marketing: 30 days from delivery, a service fee based on the order total, and a machine must have lasered fewer than 50 times. After 15 days, replacements also carry a fee. Start small. A Ray5 mini or Ray2 will teach you whether engraving is a weekend habit or a side business before you spend more. If it’s the latter, LONGER has a clear upgrade path, and a December workbench full of personalised presents.
This article contains affiliate links; we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices were checked on LONGER’s US store in October 2026 and may change. Always follow the manufacturer’s laser-safety guidance.
