They are absolutely no joke. For the small uncovered diode laser cutters, I'd recommend setting it up & running it remotely. If you use a laptop with a webcam

They are absolutely no joke. For the small uncovered diode laser cutters, I'd recommend setting it up & running it remotely. If you use a laptop with a webcam & some remote desktop software, you can operate one safely it from a different room. There are many covered desktop ones that I think are a bit safer though. Ventilation is also a big concern.