I've worked two places with desktop sized laser etchers, and both were by Epilog. I would highly recommend them. Currently we have two of these
FiberMark S2 laser for metal marking and part identification from Epilog Laser I believe.
When we're working at capacity, We etch probably hundreds of tooling ID tags a week, pneumatic/electric line labels, machine labels. We cut cardboard, leather, vinyl, and probably more, with it. They work pretty great, I think. Reliable. Most of the guys use Excel templates we set up for known-size objects like tags and labels. I've used Autocad to take a DXF/DWG of the part, put my text and whatever on it, and then "print" from that. At my last job I did Boeing drill jigs with bushing code sizes, markings, and part numbers etched onto parts. It can be quite accurate and easy to use, I find. I used it for serializing hundreds of heat exchanger parts, too.
Their work tables are 12x24 so it'd suit you well, I'd think.
I don't know what other bells and whistles I'd care to have, that it might lack. I've only used the Epilog machines, really.
Edit to add: **They make rotaries for truly engraving cylindrical surfaces. Otherwise you can adjust your focus depth, and print as if it were flat. Depending on how broad the radius is, it may work. The laser has focus for a somewhat-forgiving variation in thickness. You can etch it once, lower your Z-height, etch it again, repeat until it works its way down the curve.