Bambu Lab R1 Laser and S1 Scanner: Where Things Stand
Bambu Lab is branching out past 3D printers. On September 22, 2026, it launched the R1, its first standalone laser cutter, and on October 12 it teased the S1, its first 3D scanner. Here is where both stand as of November 3, 2026, and who they make sense for.
The R1: A 55W CO2 Laser
The R1 is an enclosed 55W CO2 laser cutter and engraver with a 600 x 300 mm work area. Bambu’s earlier lasers were the 10W and 40W diode modules that go inside the H2 series printers. The R1 is a separate machine built only for lasering, and the CO2 tube is a big deal. A CO2 laser can cut clear acrylic and engrave glass, which a diode laser struggles with.
According to Bambu’s announcement, the R1 can cut up to 18 mm black walnut plywood and 20 mm acrylic in a single pass, and engrave at up to 1,000 mm/s. It cuts wood, acrylic, leather, paper, and fabric, and it engraves glass, stone, and coated metals. It uses a water-cooled glass tube, and it lines up its own mirrors in about one minute, which is usually a fiddly manual job on CO2 lasers. A BirdsEye camera sees the whole bed, a toolhead camera finds exactly what you are cutting, and a distance laser sets the focus for you. It runs in Bambu Suite on Windows and macOS, with the same Bambu account and MakerWorld you already use.
Out of the box it is a Class 1 laser, which means the beam stays fully enclosed in normal use. Just know that adding the Riser Base or Conveyor turns it into a Class 4 device, and then you need CO2 laser safety glasses. With the Conveyor, it takes material up to 3,000 mm long. Also plan for space. Tom’s Hardware lists it at 33.5 kg and 940 x 560 x 200 mm, says it takes two people to move, and notes you need to supply 1,500 ml of distilled water for the cooling system.
R1 Price and Shipping
The R1 costs $2,499 in the US with shipping included, and €2,499 in the EU. Bambu’s US store also lists the R1 Long Material Bundle for $3,289 and the R1 Long Material & Rotary Bundle for $3,499, which is sold out right now. A short focus lens comes in the box. The medium and long focus lenses, Rotary attachment, Vision Encoder, E1 Pro Air Purifier, and Auto Fire Extinguishing System are all sold separately.
Shipping has slipped. When pre-orders opened on September 22, Bambu said shipping would start in October. As of November 3, the US store still shows the R1 as a pre-order, with an estimated ship date of around November 6 for the R1 on its own and around November 20 for the Long Material Bundle.
Tom’s Hardware reviewed it and called it “a steal compared to other CO2 lasers of the same size and caliber.” Their main complaint was changing focus lenses for thicker material, which means removing and replacing six small screws.
The S1 Scanner
On October 12, Bambu teased the S1, a handheld 3D scanner, with the tagline “Easy in Hand. Pro in Every Scan.” Bambu says it is coming in November 2026, but it has not given a date, a price, or any specs.
Everything else comes from an FCC filing, not from Bambu. As Tom’s Hardware reported, the label lists a 60W input with no sign of a battery, which could mean the S1 has to be connected to a computer while you scan. That has led to guesses that it shares hardware with SCANOLOGY’s 3DeVOK MT Gen2, an $8,299 scanner with the same 60W rating, but nothing confirms it. Makers101 also points out that the March 2027 date going around online is just the end of the FCC confidentiality period, not a launch date. Treat any S1 price you see right now as a guess.
What This Means for People Who Print
For most of us, the R1 is not an impulse buy. At $2,499 it costs more than an H2C AMS Combo on sale ($1,899). If you already own an H2D or H2S with a laser module, you can already engrave and cut thin wood. The R1 makes sense if you sell laser cut or engraved products, need clear acrylic, or want a bigger bed and more power than the H2 modules give you. For example, it is a great way to make acrylic signs or display bases for your prints.
The S1 could matter to more of our readers. A scanner lets you copy a broken part, measure something for a custom fit, or turn a real object into a model you can print or post on MakerWorld. Whether it is worth it will come down to price, accuracy, and how scans get into Bambu Studio, and Bambu has not shared any of that yet.
All in all, the R1 looks like a strong first CO2 laser at a fair price, as long as you have the room and a real use for it, and the S1 is worth waiting on until Bambu posts a price. We will update this post when the S1 launches. If you are looking for a new printer instead, check out our post on the Bambu Lab H3C.
Last checked November 3, 2026. Sources: Bambu Lab’s R1 press release and US store page, Tom’s Hardware’s R1 review, Tom’s Hardware on the S1, and Makers101.