Should a beginner start with a diode or a CO2?

Start from the products you want to sell, not the technology. Wood signs, coasters, leather, tumbler-adjacent goods: a 20–40W diode does all of it at a fraction of the cost and footprint. Clear acrylic products, glassware, or real production volume: the CO2 class earns its price.

The honest beginner trap is buying a CO2 for capability you never use — or a 5W diode for a product line it can never cut. Match the class to the catalog, then buy once.