It was not very long ago that plasma cutters were too expensive to buy for your own fun and entertainment. These days you can find a plasma cutter that will do nearly any of your workshop cutting for around $1,000. Of course, the more money you spend on your plasma cutter then better the unit will be.

The Firepower 12 amp plasma cutter, which comes with its own air compressor (compressed air is used to create the plasma for cutting) will run you $998.75 as of the writing of this article. This unit will cut through an eight of inch thick steel at a rate of nine inches per minute. You will not break any records at that rate, but it is still pretty good.

If you want to spend a little more coin you can pocket a Lincoln Electric Welders Century 25 Amp Plasma Cutter for $1,350.00. This plasma cutter was designed for auto body repairs and its arc is fully earthed so that high frequency harmonics that can damage car electronics are filtered out. Remember, plasma cutters are not the gentlest machines in the world. They have a tough job to do and they are not afraid to let you know that they are doing it. Plasma cutters can create sounds waves to the tune of 120dB; by comparison, the engine of the 747 at liftoff is 140-160dB. Need I say ear protection is required?

If you want more control over the plasma jet you might be interested in the Century 25 amp plasma cutter. The built in air compressor has a regulator that lets you control the size of the plasma jet. What good is this for you? Well, by adjusting the intensity of the plasma jet you can optimize the cutting edge for the thickness of metal you are cutting. This unit can cut up to three sixteenth of an inch milled steel at an adequate rate. That is nothing to shake a stick at.

Moving up to the higher-end complex and powerful plasma cutters we arrive at the Miller Auto Arc 4500 Plasma Cutter. Of course, you have to figure out which one best fits your needs before you buy. After reading through the above hopefully you have a better feel for the types of plasma cutters and how they can be tuned to work for you.