LONGER Nano Pro 12W Portable Laser Engraver, 5000mm/s Speed

I picked this up as a compact laser engraver, and it’s been a fun addition to my workshop. It doesn’t take up much space, but it’s capable of producing clean, detailed engravings on a variety of materials. Setup was straightforward, and I was making projects much sooner than I expected. The enclosed design is a nice feature, especially for keeping the work area contained while engraving. It feels well built, and the engraving quality has been consistent. This isn’t intended to replace a large production machine, but for hobbyists, makers, or anyone wanting a portable engraver for personalized gifts and small projects, it’s a great option. I’ve been very happy with its performance and would recommend it to anyone looking for a compact laser engraver with impressive capabilities.

This Longer Nano Pro Portable Laser Engraver is portable laser. This is actually out third Longer laser and the Nano Pro is a typical well done durable product from Longer. Is it perfect, no it is not. There are a couple of things that you need to get used to and work around but overall this is an outstanding product. Our other two Longer lasers are larger and are certainly not portable especially with their associated enclosures. This product is small and built for portability. You can take it to a craft show and make name tags in real time for instance, or as we have done, take it to a wood shop and engrave a logo or names on the bottom of a table. It is a very clever design, includes a safety shield plus safety glasses and depending on your design and material is a relatively fast engraver. The worktable size is limited but great for name tags or small designs. Assembly out of the base is easy and fairly quick and the 12000mW laser power is sufficient for lots of designs and materials. One negative is the lack of an exhaust hose connection. When engraving materials smoke is generated and the built in fan does clear the working area under the shield but the smoke just goes into the area you are in. This is an issue if you are in an enclosed space. Overall it is a great and slightly specialized product.

Disclaimer - I have never used an engraver or any type of equipment like this Longer Nano Pro, so the experience may be different for someone who is better oriented to using these! If you're a total beginner like me, you may find yourself a little frustrated when you get to the point of using the software to actually engrave something (even one of the test pieces that comes with the engraver). It was super easy and straightforward to set up, and the intro instructions for the free software (LaserGRBL) were easy to follow. But, once I got to attempting my first project, I was totally lost. The instructions that come with the engraver are high level and don't really explain things like the baud rate, power, lines/mm and why those factors are important. So far I've tried the LaserGRBL a half dozen times and been unable to produce a finished engraving. I plan to try the other software, LightBurn, even though it does have a licensing fee. I'm hoping that the help manual is a bit more detailed than the engraver's instructions and the free software. I don't want to give up because this little engraver seems like it will be a blast to use, but the learning curve is pretty steep. If you're looking for instant gratification this may not be the hobby (or equipment!) for you.

Title: Glass Half Full: Great for Tech Techies, But NOT a Plug-and-Play Crafter's Machine As a long-time crafter, I know how many of us got our start using Cricut or Silhouette machines. As crafting evolves, many of us are looking for that next "cool thing" to expand our hobbies or small businesses, and laser engraving feels like the natural next step. But let me be straight with you: this device is NOT plug-and-play. Unlike a vinyl cutter or a standard home printer, you cannot simply download software, pick a few basic settings from a dropdown menu, and hit print. The Software & Setup First, be aware of the software ecosystem. The recommended desktop software requires a paid license for copyright-compliant use, though we did find that the companion phone app was free. My son and I were both highly motivated to get this running—he spearheaded the setup, and I genuinely love diving into new technology. However, after about an hour and a half of troubleshooting, we couldn't get the machine to actually burn a design onto paper. The laser moved perfectly and completed the entire pattern, but it left no mark on the material. Is it Defective or Just Hard to Use? To be entirely fair, there is a chance we received a defective unit, or it could have been user error. But that leads to my main takeaway: you absolutely must be comfortable with complex technology to operate this. Unlike user-friendly crafting tech, you need to manually figure out power settings, focal depths, and material densities. As someone who considers themselves very tech-savvy, I still found the user interface to be incredibly unfriendly for the average crafter. The Bottom Line Buy this if: You are a major tech enthusiast who loves deep troubleshooting, tinkering with settings, and a steep learning challenge. Skip this if: You want a beginner-friendly, plug-and-play experience to easily elevate your crafting business.

I am clearly impressed with the Longer Nano Pro 12000mW Portable Laser Engraver and with the Longer company. I really like the Laser Burn app that is compatible with this laser because it does all of the guess work for you. Then the laser creates your picture in just a few minutes. I must admit that I had to read the manual first to find out where all of the buttons are located and how to work everything. I love how they managed to fit everything you need into such a small laser engraver and yet make it so powerful. The Nano Pro is 12 Watts, it has a speed of up to 32,000mm/s and an engraving speed of up to 5,000mm/s, This laser can print and cut accurately and quickly. It is very well made and light enough that it can be held in your hand. It has safety features to prevent fires. I think Longer hit it out of the ball park with this laser.

The Longer Nano Pro 12000mW Portable Laser Engraver is a professional-grade tool designed for high-performance engraving and cutting across a wide spectrum of materials. With a powerful 12W laser output and a remarkable maximum speed of 5000mm/s, this machine serves as a reliable resource for both intricate artistic projects and efficient production tasks. Its precision is a standout feature, offering a 0.01mm resolution that ensures even the most complex designs are rendered with exceptional clarity on wood, acrylic, leather, metal, and ceramics. The technical integration of this engraver is highly sophisticated, featuring full compatibility with LightBurn software. This provides a versatile and industry-standard interface for managing projects, allowing for seamless transitions from design to execution. The portable "Nano" design makes it a dependable choice for those who require a high-quality engraving solution that can be easily set up or relocated within a workspace without sacrificing the structural integrity or power of a larger desktop unit. Safety and ease of use are prioritized through a well-engineered setup process that is accessible to both experienced makers and those new to laser technology. The robust build quality ensures a stable and secure platform for high-speed operation, maintaining consistent results over long-term use. The ability to handle diverse materials—from delicate leathers to harder ceramics—makes this a versatile tool for any workshop or studio environment. For those seeking a high-speed, precision-focused engraver that combines professional software compatibility with a compact footprint, the Longer Nano Pro is a fantastic and high-value investment. It offers a sophisticated balance of power and accuracy, making it a dependable choice for achieving professional-level results on a variety of surfaces.

Powerful and portable with reliable everyday results I bought this portable laser engraver to personalize wooden keepsakes and acrylic tags for small runs. I wanted something powerful yet portable, and the handheld design plus the safety features gave me confidence right away. The promise of easy software compatibility also sounded practical for how I work, so I started with a few simple patterns. In daily use, setup felt straightforward. The included installation guide helped me get up and running with common engraving software, so I could jump into designs quickly. The adjustable handheld setup means I can engrave on curved edges or thin objects without needing a dedicated workstation. The machine is compact and light enough to move between the workbench and a table, and the protective cover plus safety glasses are reassuring when I am learning the motions. What stood out most was the speed and the crispness of the results. The engravings come out with clean edges and well-defined lines, and I noticed the preview speed lets me check designs quickly before committing to the material. It handles a range of materials from wood to acrylic and leather with predictable results, and the support team has been responsive if I have a question. One small note is that there is a learning curve for dialing in focus and alignment, especially for tiny text, but once I set the sweet spot it repeats consistently. Overall I would rate it five stars for reliability, versatility, and ease of use. It has become a reliable tool for quick, personalized projects.

I've had the Longer Nano 12W portable laser for about a week now and did a lot of testing. I've included photos, videos, results, and opinions in this review. This is my third laser engraver/cutter and my second laser from Longer. I purchased the Longer Ray5 20W previously and I have owned a portable 0.5W engraving laser for 2 years. In summary, the Longer Nano is a very well made product. The manufacturing quality is fantastic and the machine does a great job at its core functions. I felt several things though such as the airflow system, safety enclosure, and height calibration to be lacking. Pros: • Documentation, packing, assembly • Build Quality • Ease of use, setup, Lightburn compatible • Portable, lightweight, quiet Cons: • Poor Airflow and Air Assist • Protective Enclosure is cumbersome • No auto leveling • English support is challenging You'll notice the build quality of Longer products as soon as you receive one. The packing is so well organized it's a full unboxing experience. Everything is documented and labeled. The machine itself is solid and durable. It sets up easily and quick and the docs are well-written, with type large enough to read, pdf soft copies of everything, drivers on a usb stick, etc. As you can see in the attached photos, the Nano can create spectacular detail in wood, much more than my .5W portable. The primary advantage of this laser type over my larger Longer laser is that it's simple to start a job. You simple lay the workpiece in place and get started. The main feature I felt needing improvement is the airflow system. The exhaust fan on the protective cover removes the smoke from the enclosure and keeps the smoke from blocking the laser's path to the workpiece. It works ok, but I found adding a small fan down level with the workpiece dramatically improved the results. (see the attachment noting the extra fan). In general, having an extra fan or better yet an air-assist near the workpiece would be a big help. You can mitigate char by doing many passes with less power, but that adds tons of time to the process. The protective enclosure is awkward. Of course it's mandatory but it's also not possible to remove it and replace it without raising the mechanical height of the machine, which is a slow process. So each time you need to make an adjustment, even a tiny one, you must repeat the machine's recalibration process. The buttons to do this are located on the back of the machine so you cannot see them and you must hold them during the process. My other portable laser which costs half as much, has a one touch button, with automatic height calibration. I run on a Macbook, so I encountered a setup issue that most users will not. (be sure to use the LaserNano.lbdev config file and the CH340 driver) I found the language issue with support was a challenge. To be clear, these are very smart folks and I'm sure their english is much better than my mandarin. But it still takes extra time, clarity, photos, and multiple emails to communicate the issue and answer questions. They do seem very dedicated and responsive. Summary: I did many engravings and cut throughs. It seems the sweet spot for me is things like detailed engravings of coasters and other small items. It also makes great cut throughs for inlays like the bald eagle photo attached. Creating inlay cavities was less consistent so that will take more testing. And for repetitive work I will likely update the protective enclosure to support more efficient workpiece swap outs and airflow.