Quick Answer: Cloudray isn’t one machine — it’s two different product lines wearing the same brand name. For hobbyist engraving on wood, leather, and acrylic, the BM1 (5W diode, fully enclosed, Class 1, $299 per Cloudray’s own listing) is the pick, priced and specced like a budget alternative to Wainlux’s or NEJE’s diode machines. For permanent marking on bare metal — stainless steel, aluminum, tool serialization — you need the CLM30F fiber laser marking machine instead (30W, from roughly $2,099 per Cloudray’s official eBay store), a genuinely industrial-grade tool that a diode engraver simply cannot substitute for. Picking the wrong one for your material is the single most common Cloudray buying mistake.
Cloudray built its name supplying laser parts and fiber/CO2 components to other engraver brands before it started selling complete machines under its own name — which is why its own lineup skews toward industrial metal-marking gear rather than the hobbyist diode engravers that dominate most “best laser engraver” roundups. The BM1 is Cloudray’s answer to that hobbyist gap, but it’s a late, budget-tier entry rather than the brand’s core product. This guide separates the two tiers so you don’t end up buying a $2,000+ fiber marker for a wood-sign side hustle, or a $299 diode laser for a job that actually needs bare-metal marking.
The Cloudray lineup at a glance
| Model | Best for | Laser | Work area | Price | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BM1 | Best budget / hobbyist | 5W (5000mW) diode | 80x80mm | $299 | ★★★★☆ |
| CLM30F | Best for metal marking | 30W fiber | 110x110mm–300x300mm | from $2,099 | ★★★★½ |
The Cloudray lineup by the numbers
- The BM1 costs $299 (per Cloudray’s own product listing) for a fully enclosed, Class 1-certified 5W diode laser with an 80x80mm work area — a genuine budget entry point next to enclosed rivals like Wainlux’s K8.
- The BM1 is rated for 0.01mm accuracy at up to 5000mm/min, aimed squarely at wood, leather, acrylic, paper, and glass hobby projects rather than metal.
- The CLM30F fiber marking machine is priced from about $2,099 to $2,299 depending on work-area configuration (per Cloudray’s official eBay storefront) — roughly 7-8x the price of the BM1, reflecting an entirely different, industrial-grade product category.
- The CLM30F marks at speeds up to 4000mm/s with a rated 100,000-hour laser lifespan, built around a JCZ control board and EZCAD2 software for permanent, coating-free marking on stainless steel and aluminum.
1. Cloudray BM1 — Best Budget / Hobbyist
Cloudray BM1 (5W Diode)
- Fully enclosed housing, Class 1 laser certification.
- 80x80mm work area, 0.01mm accuracy, up to 5000mm/min engraving speed.
- Works on wood, leather, silicone, paper, glass, acrylic, and cloth.
- Compact desktop footprint, DIY-friendly setup.
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The BM1 is Cloudray’s play for the same buyer that Wainlux, NEJE, and Sculpfun compete for: someone who wants a genuinely enclosed, safety-rated diode laser without paying $500+. At $299 for a Class 1, fully-enclosed 5W unit, it undercuts several enclosed rivals while still covering the core hobbyist material list — wood, leather, acrylic, glass, and cloth. The 80x80mm work area is on the small side (fine for coasters, keychains, and small signage, tight for anything larger), and like every diode laser in this price range, it can’t mark bare metal without a pre-applied marking spray. Judge it as a budget enclosed-safety pick, not a do-everything machine.
2. Cloudray CLM30F — Best for Metal Marking
Cloudray CLM30F (30W Fiber)
- 30W (30,000mW) fiber laser, JCZ control board with EZCAD2 software.
- Work areas from 110x110mm up to 300x300mm depending on configuration.
- Marking speed up to 4000mm/s; rated 100,000-hour laser lifespan.
- Marks stainless steel, aluminum, and other bare metals directly — no coating needed.
The CLM30F is a different category of tool entirely, and its price tag reflects that. Where the BM1 needs a marking spray to leave even a temporary mark on metal, the CLM30F’s 30W fiber laser burns a permanent, coating-free mark directly into stainless steel, aluminum, and other bare metals — the same underlying tech used for serial numbers, nameplates, and tool engraving in actual metal shops. Cloudray’s own eBay storefront lists configurations from around $2,099 for the smaller 110x110mm work area up to $2,299 for larger beds, and the machine ships with a JCZ control board running EZCAD2 (with some listings offering LightBurn compatibility). This is a machine for a small-business metal-marking workflow, not a hobbyist desk — treat the price gap between it and the BM1 as a genuine category difference, not just a power upgrade.
How to choose your Cloudray
Buy the BM1 if your projects are wood, leather, acrylic, or glass and you want a cheap, genuinely enclosed entry point — $299 buys real Class 1 safety that some rivals charge much more for. Buy the CLM30F if your work requires permanent marks on bare metal — no diode laser at any price will do that job for you, so the ~$2,099+ jump isn’t optional if metal marking is the point.
The rule that sorts the lineup: Cloudray’s two product lines don’t compete with each other — they compete in entirely different markets. A buyer choosing between the BM1 and a hobbyist diode rival like Wainlux or NEJE is making a normal budget decision; a buyer choosing the CLM30F is really comparing it against dedicated fiber laser engravers from OMTech or Monport, not against any diode machine. If you’re still working out which laser type fits your project, start with the main laser engraver guide or our fiber vs. CO2 laser comparison.
Ready to buy? Compare current Cloudray prices and configurations: