The Bishop Power Wand XLUMEN: A Tattoo Machine with Built-In Light
Lighting has traditionally existed around the tattoo machine: overhead lamps, floor lights and other external sources positioned to illuminate the working area. Bishop’s new Power Wand XLUMEN takes a different approach — it brings the light directly into the machine.
The Bishop Power Wand XLUMEN is an evolution of the Power Wand Advanced built around an integrated LED lighting system. Light is distributed through a diffuser in the grip, with four available settings: warm low, warm high, cool low and cool high. The machine uses a 37 mm grip, a German-made Faulhaber motor and dedicated 2300mAh XLUMEN Advanced batteries.
It is a relatively simple idea, but one that changes an element of tattoo equipment that has remained largely separate from the machine itself.
From Bishop to XLUMEN
Bishop Tattoo Supply was established in 2008 by tattoo artist and machine engineer Franco Vescovi. The California-based, tattoo-artist-owned company has since developed a range of rotary tattoo equipment, with the Power Wand becoming one of its best-known machine platforms.
With XLUMEN, Bishop has focused on visibility rather than simply introducing another variation of the existing machine. The new model integrates illumination into the Power Wand platform, making the light follow the artist’s hand and the machine itself.
It is also part of an interesting development in tattoo equipment. PULSE previously covered The Lantern, another tattoo machine built around localized illumination. The two systems approach the idea differently, but both point toward the same question: can the working light become part of the tattoo machine rather than something positioned around it?
Inside the XLUMEN: How a Tattoo Machine with Light Works
The lighting system is the defining feature of the Bishop XLUMEN.
Rather than placing an exposed light source near the cartridge, Bishop uses a specialized diffuser incorporated into the grip. The LEDs generate the light, while the diffuser distributes it toward the working area. According to Bishop, the system is designed to create more even illumination while reducing harsh shadows and glare.
The artist can choose between four modes — warm low, warm high, cool low and cool high — using a button positioned on top of the battery. This allows both the tone and intensity of the illumination to be changed directly from the machine.
Bishop does not currently publish Kelvin temperatures for the warm and cool settings, nor does it specify the output in lumens or lux. Those values therefore cannot be reliably stated.
The lighting system also explains one noticeable physical change. XLUMEN has a 37 mm grip, compared with the 31 mm grip of the original Power Wand. Bishop says the additional diameter accommodates the integrated lighting system.
Inside, the machine uses a German-made Faulhaber motor.
A Dedicated Battery System
XLUMEN comes with its own 2300mAh Advanced batteries, developed for the new system and its additional power requirements.
There is an important compatibility point for existing Power Wand users: Power Wand Advanced batteries and XLUMEN batteries are not interchangeable. Bishop attributes this to the XLUMEN’s increased power draw and differences in the diameter of the electrical contact points.
Bishop currently specifies the 2300mAh battery capacity but does not publish an official runtime for the XLUMEN. For that reason, claims about a specific number of working hours per charge should be treated cautiously unless Bishop provides an official figure.
What Comes in the Full Set?
The Bishop Power Wand XLUMEN Full Set includes the XLUMEN machine, two 2300mAh XLUMEN Advanced batteries, a Critical Snap Docking Station, charging cable and power adapter, plus a four-piece sample pack of XLUMEN disposable grips.
At the time of publication, Bishop’s U.S. store lists the Full Set at $1,299.99.
This is worth noting for artists already using the Power Wand ecosystem. XLUMEN is not simply a lighting accessory that can be attached to an existing Power Wand Advanced setup. Its illumination, grip and battery system are designed to work together as a dedicated platform.
XLUMEN Disposable Grips
Bishop also offers XLUMEN disposable grips separately.
These have a 40 mm diameter and incorporate the diffuser used to distribute light from the XLUMEN system. Bishop describes them as having a medical-grade textured rubber exterior, a high-strength plastic core and a non-slip surface.
The grips are individually blister packed, EO gas sterilized and compatible with most cartridge needle systems. They are designed specifically for the Power Wand XLUMEN rather than as universal Bishop grips.
A box contains 10 disposable grips and is currently listed by Bishop at $49.99.
A Different Approach to Light
What makes the Bishop Power Wand XLUMEN interesting is not simply that a tattoo machine now has an LED light. It is the way Bishop has integrated illumination into the machine’s architecture.
The grip acts as part of the lighting system. The batteries have been adapted to its additional power requirements. The machine itself has become wider to accommodate the new design. In other words, light was considered as part of the platform rather than added afterward.
There are compromises. Existing Power Wand Advanced batteries cannot be reused, the grip is larger, and the XLUMEN disposable grips belong to their own system. At $1,299.99 for the Full Set, it is also a significant equipment purchase.
And there are still questions that specifications alone cannot answer. Bishop does not currently publish battery runtime, measured light output or color-temperature figures. Longer-term experience from working artists will ultimately be more useful in determining how much integrated illumination changes everyday tattooing.
Still, XLUMEN adds another serious entry to a very small category of professional tattoo machines with built-in light.
After looking at The Lantern earlier, and now the Bishop Power Wand XLUMEN, one thing is becoming increasingly clear: lighting is beginning to move away from the edge of the workstation and closer to the machine itself.
Whether that becomes a broader direction for tattoo equipment remains to be seen. But Bishop has now put one of the industry's established machine platforms behind the idea.
Disclaimer: This article is an independent editorial publication by PULSE PMU and is not sponsored, commissioned, endorsed, or approved by Bishop Tattoo Supply. PULSE PMU has no commercial affiliation with Bishop Tattoo Supply in connection with this publication. Product information, specifications, availability, and prices referenced in this article are based on information publicly available from the manufacturer at the time of publication and may change without notice.
Product images shown in this article are sourced from the official Bishop Tattoo Supply website and are used solely for editorial, informational, and product-identification purposes. All rights to the images, product names, trademarks, logos, and other proprietary materials belong to their respective owners. PULSE PMU does not claim ownership of these materials. Their inclusion does not imply sponsorship, endorsement, partnership, or affiliation with Bishop Tattoo Supply.
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Publication date: September 11, 2026
By Sergey Yakovlev
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