We have reviewed a lot of different plasma cutters, but still to this day we see a ton of new brands we have never heard of hitting the market. Most of these off-brand plasma cutters are based on the CUT50, CUT50D or CUT50DP platforms that are very common among cheap plasma cutters. Let’s take a look at a variety of these machines and breakdown whether or not they are a good value.
If you’re just starting your search for a plasma cutter be sure to check out our plasma cutter buying guide here. In general, if you’re looking for a plasma cutter under $1000 we recommend the PrimeWeld CUT60, PrimeWeld CUT50D and the Lotos LTP5000D.
View On Amazon.com
What We Like
- Very cheap! Coming in at just over $200
- Cuts 1/2″ mild steel pretty well at a slow pace with a straight edge.
- Interface is straight forward and easy to use.
What We Don’t Like
- Does not comes with a plug. You will need to purchase your own, which are usually $20-$30.
- The welding helmet it comes with is garbage. Seriously just throw it away.
- The torch is activated via a small button near your thumb. This is hard to press with welding gloves on and can add more fatigue compared to torches with larger trigger style buttons on the bottom of the torch.
Overall
If you want to spend the absolute bare minimum on a plasma cutter than this is a good value. A lot of these cheaper machines are all the same platforms with slightly different components so you might as well get the cheapest one you can find. If you really plan to use your plasma cutter a lot, we recommend you spend a few hundred more and get a LOTOS LTP5000D or PrimeWeld CUT50DP.
View On Amazon.com
What We Like
- Very cheap coming in at less than $300
- 50 amps of power
- Dual voltage with the included pigtail power adapter
What We Don’t Like
- No Pilot-Arc (we expect this at this price, but still something we don’t like)
- The included welding helmet is a piece of junk
- No listed warranty information
Overall
This machine is not bad for the price and would work great for any hobbyist looking for a cheap plasma cutter that does not have pilot-arc. We like this machine comes wired from the factory with a plug and includes the pigtail adapter needed to switch between 110V and 220V easily.
With that being said, the lack of warranty information is concerning and you can only expect to be covered by Amazon’s return policy if you have an issue with your machine. For just a few bucks more you can get the Primeweld CUT50D (Amazon.com) and be covered by a full 3 year warranty with USA customer support. We think this is a far better option as the piece of mind is worth the extra money.
View On Amazon.com
What We Like
- Dual voltage
- Includes power plug from the factory with 220V to 110V pigtail adapter
What We Don’t Like
- No Pilot-Arc
- Torch activation button is on the top of the torch which we have always disliked. It’s hard to use with welding gloves.
- Warranty is only 1 year
Overall
This machine is a bit more expensive than the best selling Primeweld CUT50D (Amazon.com) and we find that it really doesn’t offer anything in return for its higher price. In fact, the Amico only has a 1 year warranty while the Primeweld Cut50D has a 3 year warranty. With that alone we think the Primeweld is a better purchase as the performance between the two machine is nearly identicle.
On top of that, we also dislike the Amico torch as the button is located on top of the plasma torch. We have always found this uncomfortable to use with welding gloves on and much prefer a large button on the bottom of the torch. Overall the Primeweld is a better machine for the price.