After a multitude of delays, Glowforge finally began shipping their machines domestically back in the middle of 2017. Since receiving theirs, Norm and Jeremy from Tested have been putting them through their paces, and now they're ready to share their thoughts.
In this review they outline the pros and cons of this machine. Overall, they find it simple to set up and use, making it perfect for someone who isn't the most technically savvy. The combination of the drag and drop interface and the camera trace function make it pretty foolproof, and the case design is outstanding.
With all of that said, there are still some pretty glaring issues: Since you control the Glowforge with a web app, it means that you have to be online to use it. There are issues with the camera alignment the further you get from the centre of the work bed. There can be inconsistencies in their Proofgrade materials, meaning that their standard settings don't always cut all the way through the material. The cuttable area is actually smaller than advertised, leaving you with extra waste. One of the biggest is that they are yet to ship any filtration systems, leaving people to figure out how to safely vent fumes externally.
There are many pros and cons to buying a Glowforge, this review is a pretty good start if you are trying to decide if it is right for you. Head over to Tested on Youtube, where they put out awesome content daily for all of your Maker needs (and beyond!)