Glowforge other portable or stationary power tools

7 reports to CPSC, the latest made Oct 23, 2023. A report isn’t a recall.

Watch it to hear when CPSC publishes new reports about it. CPSC’s own search

Watch and the shortlist are kept with a free account, on every device. Your watch list. CPSC’s own search is on saferproducts.gov.

At a glance

From SaferProducts.gov, released Oct 25, 2026.

7reports to CPSC
Oct 23, 2023the latest report was made
Aug 11, 2023the earliest
7with the company’s comments

Brand: Glowforge
Maker: Glowforge Inc.Makers, importers or sellers, as the reports name them
Product: Other portable or stationary power toolsCPSC’s product type: Other Portable or Stationary Power Tools (code 809), in Home Maintenance and Structures: Tools & Hardware

By month

7 reports from November 2022 to October 2023; the most in September 2023, 4.

The numbers, as a table

Reports to CPSC by the month each was made, newest first
Month	Reports
October 2023	1
September 2023	4
August 2023	2

How badly anyone was hurt

No one hurt 3 CPSC: Incident, No Injury
No incident, no one hurt 4 CPSC: No Incident, No Injury

As each report says it, in short words; CPSC’s own words are under each.

The reports, as CPSC published them

Reports people made to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. CPSC publishes each one after sending it to the company named, and doesn’t guarantee they’re accurate. A report isn’t a recall.

Each report is the words of the person who made it, as CPSC published them. The company’s comments, where CPSC published any, are set apart as the company’s own.

CPSC, SaferProducts.gov public database export. Released Oct 25, 2026. Updated daily.

No incident, no one hurt
Made Oct 23, 2023, sent to the company Nov 1, 2023, published by CPSC Nov 16, 2023

The product, in the report: Glowforge Plus Laser Printer

I was using my Glowforge machine as normal when the red wire shorted out and melted. I contacted Glowforge to let them know something was wrong and explained the details about what happened. Instead of troubleshooting to try and help me fix my machine, the representative of the company I was speaking to told me they do not have the capability to help me troubleshoot, but that I could send my machine back and pay them $1,500 for a refurbished machine. There was no way I was doing that, so I searched for help on [REDACTED]--turns out several others have also experienced the red wire issue and they had advice on how to fix it. I called my brother-in-law to see if he could help me fix the machine based on the suggestions given on [REDACTED] and he had it fixed in 20 minutes... it was NOT that difficult. The Glowforge representative could have easily walked me through the steps on what to do to fix it. Had I gone along with what the Glowforge representative had advised me to do (because there was apparently no other option), I would have sent my machine back, they would have spent 20 minutes fixing it and cleaning it, and then sold it to the next person with an “unfixable issue” for $1,500, and I would get someone else’s previously broken machine that they call “refurbished”. They just keep reselling people’s broken machines as “refurbished” machines instead of aiding consumers in solving their problems, which quite frankly, for me was a quick and easy fix. Whether this is out of laziness or trying to get more money out of people, I don’t know, but it is not right on Glowforge’s part. Glowforge did nothing to help me but instead tried to rob me of $1,500.
Moreover, I am now leery to use my machine because others have experienced electrical fires from the red wire shorting out. It is a major safety hazard. I have not used it since this incident and will now be switching to a CNC machine instead.

Model
Plus
Serial number
JHT-938-4
Bought from
From an individual
Bought
Oct 12, 2022, about then
Where
Edwardsburg, Michigan: Home/Apartment/Condominium
Who was involved
Age 50, Female
The reporter’s relation to them
Self
As this report names them
Brand Glowforge, made or sold by Glowforge Inc.
How badly, in CPSC’s words
No Incident, No Injury

The company’s comments, in its own words

(12/12/2023) Glowforge Inc.: Glowforge Inc. takes all customer concerns seriously, and we strive to maintain the highest standards of safety and satisfaction for our products.
Upon receiving the CPSC complaint, our team diligently conducted an investigation using the serial number provided. Our records indicate that the printer in question was purchased secondhand in November 2022 by the consumer after the printer had been out of warranty for more than a year (warranty ended in October 2021).
The consumer reached out to us in September 2023. Although the consumer describes that we did not engage in troubleshooting; this does not match the records we have on file of the interaction. We worked with the consumer to diagnose the issue, including having the consumer submit photos to us for our evaluation.
Our troubleshooting caused us to believe that remote repair was not viable for the issue. Thus, we offered the consumer the option to exchange the unit for a refurbished replacement for only the cost of a repair, which is a fraction of the cost of a new printer.
It’s important to note, all refurbished printers undergo rigorous quality checks before being shipped to customers. Furthermore, we want to assure that the allegations of “electrical fires” and “major safety hazard” are untrue. Even if the insulation were to somehow fail on the power line wire, our machines are fully enclosed and employ common grounding techniques to protect users from electrical faults, ensuring that no hazardous situation would exist.
We are pleased that the consumer now reports that the printer is repaired and operating again.
We continuously work on evaluating and improving our products and services. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

CPSC report 20231023-ED9D2-2147344486. Submitter: Consumer Search for it on SaferProducts.gov
No one hurt
Made Sep 17, 2023, sent to the company Jan 16, 2024, published by CPSC Jan 30, 2024

The product, in the report: Glowforge Plus

High voltage power line to laser developed a short circuit causing sparking in machine, and ultimately destroying the power supply Additional information: The power supply is 22KV - the high voltage line shorts out onto the frame after 2 years, grounding to the metal frame, if there is an improper ground the metal parts are energized At 22,000 KV which will kill a person. Is that Not dangerous??? I received a new machine from Glowforge, and they used a defective power supply and added a nylon sleeve (Not fiberglass) to it, the power supply of course shorted out, and luckily the nylon did not catch on fire.

Model
plus
Serial number
hwf-399-4
Bought from
https://glowforge.com/
Bought
Apr 1, 2022, about then
Where
Reidsville, Georgia: Home/Apartment/Condominium
Who was involved
Age 49, Female
The reporter’s relation to them
Self
As this report names them
Brand Glowforge, made or sold by Glowforge Inc.
How badly, in CPSC’s words
Incident, No Injury

The company’s comments, in its own words

(1/31/2024) Glowforge Inc.: Glowforge Inc. takes all customer concerns seriously, and we strive to maintain the highest standards of safety and satisfaction for our products.
Upon receiving the CPSC complaint, our team diligently conducted an investigation using the serial number provided. Our records indicate that the printer in question was a replacement printer and is not under warranty. Our records show that the printer printed successfully, and we do not have a record of any shorting or sparking. In any event, our analysis is that no hazardous situation was present, as our machines employ common grounding to protect users from electrical faults.
We continuously work on evaluating and improving our products and services. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

CPSC report 20230917-59858-2147345164. Submitter: Consumer Search for it on SaferProducts.gov
No one hurt
Made Sep 15, 2023, sent to the company Jan 9, 2024, published by CPSC Jan 25, 2024

The product, in the report: Glowforge Pro, cream color, 3.5’ x 2.5’ approximate size, I was just sent this refurbished laser from Glowforge 4 months ago.

Glowforge Pro rubbed through high voltage power wire to laser causing it to spark & short.

Model
Glowforge Pro
Serial number
CBY-977-4
Bought from
Glowforge.com
Bought
May 16, 2023, about then
Where
Joliet, Illinois: Home/Apartment/Condominium
Who was involved
Unspecified
The reporter’s relation to them
Self
As this report names them
Brand Glowforge, made or sold by Glowforge Inc.
How badly, in CPSC’s words
Incident, No Injury

The company’s comments, in its own words

(1/24/2024) Glowforge Inc.: Glowforge Inc. takes all customer concerns seriously, and we strive to maintain the highest standards of safety and satisfaction for our products.
Upon receiving the CPSC complaint, our team diligently conducted an investigation using the serial number provided. Our records indicate that the printer in question was a replacement printer and is not under warranty. Our records show that the printer printed successfully, and we do not have a record of any shorting or sparking. In any event, our analysis is that no hazardous situation was present, as our machines employ common grounding to protect users from electrical faults.
We continuously work on evaluating and improving our products and services. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

CPSC report 20230915-EB7CA-2147345181. Submitter: Consumer Search for it on SaferProducts.gov
No one hurt
Made Sep 11, 2023, sent to the company Sep 20, 2023, published by CPSC Oct 4, 2023

The product, in the report: Glowforge Pro laser

Glowforge sent me a refurbished machine in late 2021 that has mechanical issues that were previously fixed I had to purchase the refurbished after my original has a defect. On sept 9 I noticed extreme sparking in the machine, come to find out there is a very high voltage wire inside on that laser that side under the laser tube rubbing against the metal frame, causing a hole and short circut destroying the power supply. With this amount of high voltage, it could of killed someone in my home or started a fire. This company is scamming people by charging $1700 for a refurbished machine with the same design default which will happen again after one year. This is a manufacturer defect and this laser should be recalled immediately and the consumer should be compensated for it, this is deadly

Model
glowforge pro
Serial number
YQY-423-4
Bought from
GLOWFORGE.COM
Bought
Aug 31, 2021, about then
Where
shohola, Pennsylvania: Home/Apartment/Condominium
Who was involved
Unspecified
The reporter’s relation to them
Unspecified
As this report names them
Brand glowforge, made or sold by Glowforge Inc.
How badly, in CPSC’s words
Incident, No Injury

The company’s comments, in its own words

(10/13/2023) Glowforge Inc.: Glowforge Inc. takes all customer concerns seriously, and we strive to maintain the highest standards of safety and satisfaction for our products.
Upon receiving the CPSC complaint, our team diligently conducted an investigation using the serial number provided. Our records indicate that the printer in question was out of warranty when the customer contacted our Support team in September 2023. The customer described having seen a spark within the printer’s laser tube. Our analysis concluded that no hazardous situation was present and that a high voltage wire was not at issue. Our machines employ common grounding to protect users from electrical faults.
In order to prioritize customer satisfaction, we offered the customer a replacement printer at no cost, despite the printer at issue being out of warranty. After submitting this report to the CPSC, the customer accepted our offer. Accordingly, we sent a replacement to the customer, which was delivered on October 10.
We continuously work on evaluating and improving our products and services. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

CPSC report 20230911-C430F-2147345274. Submitter: Consumer Search for it on SaferProducts.gov
No incident, no one hurt
Made Sep 5, 2023, sent to the company Sep 21, 2023, published by CPSC Oct 5, 2023

The product, in the report: product: Glowforge Plus 3D Laser Printer (refurbished) color: white and grey dimensions: 38in x 22in x 8in

I own a refurbished Glowforge Plus laser printer, and this is the second time I’ve encountered this issue with it (the first time it happened I paid about 1200 dollars to have another machine sent to me, which had a different issue that needed replacing, and they sent me this machine). The laser was working fine and I was operating it as normal to engrave some wood (and it has been operating well since I got this replacement in April), then it suddenly stopped engraving but continued moving as if it was (it was still on and didn’t stop or power down because of this issue). Before I turned it off and unplugged it, I took a video of a small spark occurring inside the machine from one of the power source’s wires that runs underneath the laser tube. No injuries occurred either this time or the first time this happened, since after I took a video I immediately turned off and unplugged the machine.

Model
PLUS
Serial number
KQV-226-4
Bought from
www.glowforge.com
Bought
Apr 26, 2023
Where
Eureka, California: Home/Apartment/Condominium
Who was involved
Age 35, Unspecified
The reporter’s relation to them
Self
As this report names them
Brand Glowforge, made or sold by Glowforge Inc.
How badly, in CPSC’s words
No Incident, No Injury

The company’s comments, in its own words

(10/2/2023) Glowforge Inc.: Glowforge Inc. takes all customer concerns seriously, and we strive to maintain the highest standards of safety and satisfaction for our products.
Upon receiving the CPSC complaint, our team diligently conducted an investigation using the serial number provided. Our records indicate that the printer in question was out of warranty when the customer contacted our Support team in early September 2023. The customer shared a video with us, which depicted a small spark entirely contained within the printer’s laser tube. Our analysis concluded that no hazardous situation was present, as our machines employ common grounding to protect users from electrical faults.
In order to prioritize customer satisfaction, we offered the customer a replacement printer at no cost, despite the printer at issue being out of warranty. The customer accepted our offer, and as per our records, as of the date of this response, they have been successfully using the replacement printer without any issues.
We continuously work on evaluating and improving our products and services. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

CPSC report 20230903-4D3AA-2147345395. Submitter: Consumer Search for it on SaferProducts.gov
No incident, no one hurt
Made Aug 18, 2023, sent to the company Sep 6, 2023, published by CPSC Sep 20, 2023

The product, in the report: Glowforge pro laser cutting machine

I have a glowforge. I was using it. Cutting out a wood project. There is a high voltage red wire that is shorting out and burning a hole in the insulation. I tried to repair it my self because glowforge company wants over $1,700 to send a refurbished machine which will have the same issue in a year or so. The last time this happened to me I heard the wire sparking and saw a small flame coming from the newly burnt out hole in the wire. This is extremely dangerous, it can cause electrocution and fires.

Model
Glowforge pro
Serial number
Rhk-942-4
Bought from
Glowforge website
Bought
Aug 1, 2020, about then
Where
ELMONT, New York: Home/Apartment/Condominium
Who was involved
Age 47, Male
The reporter’s relation to them
Self
As this report names them
Brand Glowforge, made or sold by Glowforge Inc.
How badly, in CPSC’s words
No Incident, No Injury

The company’s comments, in its own words

(9/18/2023) Glowforge Inc.: After investigating the report and using the provided serial number, Glowforge Inc. has determined that the printer in question was more than two years out of warranty at the time of the alleged failure. In such cases, Glowforge offers customers the option to exchange their printer for a refurbished replacement at a fraction of the cost of a new printer. These refurbished printers undergo rigorous quality checks before being shipped to customers. Therefore, there is no factual basis for the reporter’s concern that the “same issue” would occur within a year.
Additionally, Glowforge has found no record of the record of this printer shorting, sparking, or causing a flame. Even if such events did occur, it is important to note that our machines are fully enclosed and designed with common grounding techniques to protect users from electrical faults. This ensures that no hazardous situation would exist.
We take all complaints seriously and strive to provide outstanding products and customer service.

CPSC report 20230818-0A2D9-2147345733. Submitter: Consumer Search for it on SaferProducts.gov
No incident, no one hurt
Made Aug 11, 2023, sent to the company Aug 29, 2023, published by CPSC Sep 13, 2023

The product, in the report: Glowforge Basic

I am one of hundreds to have this happen. I have a Glowforge basic that was purchased in Feb 2022. While using the machine on Aug 4th, 2023 the laser tube stopped firing in the middle of an engraving job. Being that I’m a member of a rather large social media support group for these machines, I knew just what to look for and I already know based off of the hundreds before me of how Glowforge is handling it. I have had to exchange or purchase several replacement machines in the past so I am well aware of their practices. They dont assume any responsibility and they want you to send it in and pay on the upwards of $1700 to get another one. The one you get also will be sent with this defect unless it’s a brand new one. The 20K high voltage red wire develops a hole in it causing it to arc and short out on metal in the machine and therefore it cuts power to the laser tube. I’ve heard of some cases of users being electrically shocked from this issue. Tons of cases are documented in our social media group. Glowforge needs to owe up to this dangerous issue and assist us better. Having to pay that huge amount of money to get another machine that will be sent with the same defect isn’t the answer. I love the machines and I’ve had 6 all together but the company needs to help their customers better than this. They need to send us all a new machine with the defected wire addressed .

Bought from
glowforge.com
Bought
Feb 2, 2022
Where
Walhalla, South Carolina: Home/Apartment/Condominium
Who was involved
Age 50, Unspecified
The reporter’s relation to them
Self
As this report names them
Brand Glowforge, made or sold by Glowforge Inc.
How badly, in CPSC’s words
No Incident, No Injury

The company’s comments, in its own words

(9/18/2023) Glowforge Inc.: Glowforge Inc. has thoroughly investigated the issue raised regarding Glowforge products. However, we were unable to verify any information about the machine or the specific social media support group mentioned in the report, as the reporter declined to disclose the product’s serial number or provide the name of the group.
Based on our records, we have found no evidence of any customer named [REDACTED] contacting Glowforge Support in 2023. Therefore, we cannot comment on this particular customer’s circumstances.
Regarding printer warranties, when a printer is out of warranty, Glowforge may offer customers the option to exchange their unit for a refurbished replacement for only the cost of a repair, which is a fraction of the cost of a new printer. These refurbished printers undergo rigorous quality checks before being shipped to customers. Therefore, there is no factual basis for the reporter’s fear that a refurbished printer would not operate properly.
Furthermore, we want to assure that the allegations of users being “electrically shocked” are untrue. Even if the insulation were to somehow fail on the power line wire, our machines are fully enclosed and employ common grounding techniques to protect users from electrical faults, ensuring that no hazardous situation would exist.
We take all complaints seriously and strive to provide outstanding products and customer service.

CPSC report 20230811-BB0C9-2147345861. Submitter: Consumer Search for it on SaferProducts.gov

CPSC’s disclaimer

Disclaimer: CPSC does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the contents of the Publicly Available Consumer Product Safety Information Database on SaferProducts.gov, particularly with respect to information submitted by people outside of CPSC.

Word for word, from the disclaimer in CPSC’s export.

Sources

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, SaferProducts.gov public database export.

Released Oct 25, 2026 and checked Oct 25, 2026. Updated daily. Public domain (U.S. Government work). CPSC asks to be credited, and that no endorsement be implied.

Reports of harm are from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), on SaferProducts.gov. CPSC does not endorse Hearth Record.

Glowforge other portable or stationary power tools

At a glance

By month

How badly anyone was hurt

The reports, as CPSC published them

CPSC’s disclaimer

Sources

How to read a record

Every fact names its source.

A number never stands alone.

What needs attention is marked.

The public record comes first.