Laser cutting machines are used to make precision cuts in hard metal without requiring direct contact from a cutting blade and therefore avoiding the possibility of contaminating the cut object. The beam of a laser cutter is usually 0.2mm (or about 0.008 inches) in diameter. This provides a precision cut which also minimizes waste material and increases control. A laser cutter is usually controlled by a computer that allows the laser to follow complex lines and act as a precision milling device or metal lathe as well as a simple cutting tool.

Laser cutting is most effective on hard metals such as stainless or carbon steel. Softer metals such as aluminum and copper can be cut with a laser cutter, but they require greater power to cut because these softer metals tend to reflect the laser light and absorb more heat. The laser cutter is most effective when the object being cut does not dissipate the heat of the laser too quickly allowing the beam to cleanly remove the cut material.

Since laser cutters use intense heat to perform the cutting action, the cut edges will become hardened in the cutting process. This can be benefit, but if you do not require hardened edges, you may want to consider a different form of cutting. Also, if you are using the laser cutter to drill holes, the holes produced will be slightly conical with the entry diameter being larger than the exit diameter. For this reason, a laser cutter is an excellent tool for grooving and less optimal for drilling

Laser cutters also work well for micro engraving do to their precise control coupled with computer aided design tools. These tools have made the laser cutter a semi-domesticated machine tool with a reasonably modest learning curve.

It is important to remember that laser cutters produce a great deal of heat and they can cause serious injury to human tissue. They also produce a great deal of sometimes harmful vapors so adequate venting is required whenever you operate this type of cutting tool.