What’s the best first laser under $500?

Under $500 buys a serious open-frame diode in the 20W-optical class — enough to cut 3mm plywood cleanly in a few passes and engrave everything organic. Prioritize, in order: real optical wattage (not marketing watts), included or cheap air assist, and a frame that fits a rotary later.

Skip anything that will not state its optical output plainly, and budget $60–100 of the total for extraction and masking tape. Our under-$800 diode rankings track which machines in this bracket hold up in owner reports.