The Best PVC Pipe Cutters for 2024, Tested

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Make quick work of plumbing and irrigation projects with these top PVC pipe cutters.

Installing polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipe for plumbing, HVAC, or other projects requires making clean slices, and PVC pipe cutters serve just that purpose. These cutters are available in various types, from manual versions to fully electric cutters that do all the work with the push of a button. 

We researched more than 24 top-rated PVC pipe cutters, selected seven as our top picks, and tested four in our workshops. Our testing turned up a favorite—the Ridgid RC-1625 Plastic Pipe and Tubing Ratchet Cutter. While all the cutters we tested performed well, the Ridgid pipe cutter features a ratcheting action that greatly reduces the amount of elbow grease required to cut the pipes. 

Keep reading to learn about some of the most important factors to consider when shopping for this specialized tool and to discover how the following models earned their place in this guide of the best PVC pipe cutters for DIYers and pros.

1. BEST OVERALL: Ridgid RC-1625 Plastic Pipe and Tubing Ratchet Cutter
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2. BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK: Ezarc Heavy-Duty Pipe Cutter
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3. BEST ELECTRIC: Milwaukee M12 Plastic Pipe Shear
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4. BEST FOR PROS: Knipex 8½-Inch PVC Pipe Cutter
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5. BEST HANDSAW: Hautmec 11-Inch PVC/ABS Pipe Saw
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6. BEST FOR LARGE PIPES: Qwork Professional Pipe Cutter
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7. BEST HEAVY-DUTY: Husky 2-Inch Ratcheting PVC Cutter
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Our Top Picks

We hand tested the first four picks in this guide to see how well they performed on different PVC pipe sizes—and whether they would leave clean cuts without burrs requiring extra filing. Read on to find out more about some of the best PVC pipe cutters on the market today.

Best Overall

Ridgid RC-1625 Plastic Pipe and Tubing Ratchet Cutter

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Our Ratings: Ergonomics 4.5/5; Cut Quality 4.8/5; Performance 5/5; Value 4.3/5; 

Product Specs 

• Type: Ratcheting
• Cutting capacity: ⅛ inch to 1⅝ inches
• Blade material: Not provided

What We Like

• Grips double as a pipe-measuring scale
• Ratcheting mechanism reduces user fatigue
• Cuts PVC, CPVC, PP, PEX, PE, and more
• Includes X-CEL quick-change blade system

What We Don’t Like

• Limited cutting capacity
• Grips are not nonslip
• Blade material is not noted by the manufacturer

Cutting through PVC pipe doesn’t need to be difficult. We were pleasantly surprised at the clean cuts we could make with the Ridgid RC-1625 pipe cutter. Its ratcheting action allowed us to cut through pipes up to 1⅝ inches through several squeezes of the handles without having to open the jaws and recut.

Any decent PVC cutter can make clean cuts on pipes less than about ¾ inch in diameter, but when the pipes are 1 inch or more, a solid cutter with ratcheting action is the best option. We could make straight cuts in pipes ½ inch or less with just one squeeze of the handles. It took three squeezes to cut through a 1½-inch pipe. 

The Ridgid pipe cutter weighs 1 pound, so it feels substantial in hand, yet it isn’t so heavy as to cause hand fatigue. We made dozens of cuts in PVC and also tried cutting PEX and plastic pipe. This model excelled with all three materials. 

It doesn’t include a replacement blade, but they are available at Ridgid, Amazon, and other retailers. However, the manufacturer doesn’t indicate the material with which the blade is constructed. If we could choose one improvement to the Ridgid PVC cutter, it would be to add nonslip material to the grips. When working in a warm environment, the grips can feel slightly slippery. Overall, this stellar PVC cutter would be welcome in any DIYer’s or plumber’s tool box. 

Get the Ridgid PVC pipe cutter at The Home Depot, Amazon, or Toolup.com.

Best Bang for the Buck

Ezarc Heavy-Duty Pipe Cutter

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Our Ratings: Ergonomics 3.5/5; Cut Quality 4.5/5; Performance 4/5; Value 5/5; 

Product Specs 

• Type: Manual
• Cutting capacity: 3/16-inch to 2-inch outer diameter
• Blade material: Heat-treated alloy steel

What We Like

• Includes a second smaller pipe cutter
• Cuts PVC, stainless steel, aluminum, and copper
• Heat-treated blade 
• Textured knob for better grip

What We Don’t Like

• Can cause hand and muscle fatigue

If you don’t mind spinning a cutter around a pipe, you can make clean cuts in PVC pipes without spending a lot of money. We found the Ezarc pipe cutter easy to use—all we had to do was insert a pipe into the jaws and then turn the knob at the end of the handle to tighten the cutting wheel against the pipe. Then, we turned the cutter around the pipe as many times as needed to cut through the pipe. On average, it took 5 to 12 turns to cut through a pipe depending on the thickness of the PVC. We retightened the knob as we worked to increase the cutting pressure on the pipe. This model offers a pipe-cutting capacity ranging from 3/16 inch to 2 inches in diameter (outside diameter).

The Ezarc cutter is also designed to cut stainless steel, aluminum, and copper pipe, and we tested it on ½-inch copper pipe with good results. It made straight, clean cuts. 

A smaller cutter is included in the set, and it’s designed for use in tight spots where you can’t fit a larger tool. While we were able to make straight cuts with this smaller tool, it’s not as easy to adjust the blade tension as it is with the larger cutter. We had to manipulate a small knob with our fingers, and it was more challenging to turn this cutter around the pipes without a large handle for leverage. Still, the large and the small cutters both made straight cuts. If you’re looking for a PVC cutter for occasional use, this is a reliable set at an affordable price. 

Get the Ezarc PVC pipe cutter at Amazon, Walmart, or Ezarc.

Best Electric

Milwaukee M12 Plastic Pipe Shear

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Our Ratings: Ergonomics 5/5; Cut Quality 4.8/5; Performance 5/5; Value 3.5/5; 

Product Specs 

• Type: Electric
• Cutting capacity: Up to 2-inch schedule 80 PVC (2⅜ inches in diameter)
• Blade material: Stainless steel

What We Like

• Effortless operation to cut pipe in seconds
• Stainless steel blade
• Comfortable ergonomic grip
• Safety button prevents accidental cuts

What We Don’t Like

• Battery and charger are sold separately

If you have a lot of pipes to cut, check out the Milwaukee battery-powered pipe cutter. It uses battery power to make clean cuts in pipes up to 2⅜ inches in diameter without any physical effort from the user. 

This was a fun and easy cutter to test. All we had to do was press a safety button on the side of the cutter to open the jaws, insert the pipe, and then squeeze the trigger to start the cutting action. After we did it a few times, the process was intuitive. 

This cordless pipe cutter shears through PVC, CPVC, PEX, ABS, nonmetallic conduit, and rubber tubing, but it is not designed for use on copper or steel tubing. We tested it on ABS, PEX, and PVC, and it made straight, clean cuts on all three materials.

The Milwaukee tool is a pleasure to use; however, it comes at a premium price that doesn’t include the battery or a charger. It is worth the expense if you need to make hundreds of cuts, but if you only need to make a few cuts here and there, we’d recommend sticking with a hand-powered pipe cutter. 

Get the Milwaukee PVC pipe cutter at Amazon, The Home Depot, or Acme Tools.

Best for Pros

Knipex 8½-Inch PVC Pipe Cutter

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Our Ratings: Ergonomics 4.8/5; Cut Quality 5/5; Performance 5/5; Value 4/5; 

Product Specs 

• Type: Manual
• Cutting capacity: ½-inch to 1-inch standard, ¾ to 1⅜-inch corrugated
• Blade material: Oil-hardened steel

What We Like

• High-quality German construction
• Oil-hardened steel blades for precision
• Cuts PVC, composite, and corrugated pipes
• Professional-grade results

What We Don’t Like

• Not suitable for metal pipes
• Requires hand strength for frequent cuts

For plumbers or HVAC technicians who regularly install PVC or composite pipes, it’s hard to beat the Knipex 8½-inch pipe cutter. This high-quality German-made tool cuts PVC and other nonmetal pipes up to 1 inch in diameter. In addition, it features a second set of jaws that will cut flexible corrugated pipes up to 1⅜ inches in diameter. 

We like the oil-hardened steel blades on this pipe cutter. They made clean, precise cuts on our pipes without leaving any burrs that required filing. The blades are replaceable, but we got the impression they’ll last a long time.

The Knipex cutter for pipe excelled at cutting PVC pipes, and we located some multilayer composite (MLC) pipes for testing as well. These pipes are typically used in plumbing and heating systems and require clean cuts for precise connections. We did have to use extra squeezing power on the thicker PVC, which might cause some hand fatigue if we had to cut that type of pipe consistently, but the quality of the cuts is outstanding on both materials. 

This pipe cutter is more expensive than some of the other models we tested, but if making seamless, leak-free connections is crucial, it’s well worth the investment. 

Get the Knipex PVC pipe cutter at Lowe’s, ToolNut, or KCTool. 

More Great Options

While we didn’t test the following models, we selected them based on our extensive research. They meet and exceed our standards for quality and performance. If you’re still looking for a PVC pipe cutter after reading about the first four models, check out these options.

Best Handsaw

Hautmec 11-Inch PVC/ABS Pipe Saw

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Product Specs 

• Type: Handsaw
• Cutting capacity: Up to 8 inches
• Blade material: Carbon steel

What We Like

• Adjustable blade direction
• Double-cut, razor-tooth blades improve cutting efficiency
• Padded, ergonomic handle for enhanced user control
• Quick-release blade mechanism

What We Don’t Like

• Requires ample space for back-and-forth sawing motion

Pipe cutters with specially made jaws and cutting wheels are an excellent option for common pipe sizes, but we like this heavy-duty Hautmec pipe saw for cutting through unexpected pipe materials or large-diameter pipes. This handsaw can cut through PVC, CPVC, ABS, PPVC, CPVC, polypropylene-random (PP-R), PEX, PE, rubber tubing, PP, multilayer tubing, wood, and soft metals, such as nails. 

The Hautmec pipe saw has a carbon-steel blade with double-cut razor teeth to quickly work with soft materials. It is for use on pipes up to 8 inches in diameter and features a quick-release mechanism intended to adjust the blade’s position by up to 70 degrees up or down. However, the saw’s length makes it a poor option for working in tight spaces. 

When a standard pipe cutter is too small to cut the chosen pipe, we think this Hautmec saw is a great solution. But, as with any handsaw, take extra care to line it up and mark your pipe to ensure a straight cut. 

Get the Hautmec PVC pipe saw at Amazon.

Best for Large Pipes

Qwork Professional Pipe Cutter

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Product Specs 

• Type: Manual
• Cutting capacity: 1 inch to 3 inches
• Blade material: Steel

What We Like

• Long shank protects adjustment threads
• Oversize adjustment handle improves grip and control
• Suitable for large-diameter pipes
• Heavy-duty steel construction

What We Don’t Like

• Can cause hand and muscle fatigue

Dealing with large-diameter PVC pipes can be difficult without the right tools because most pipe cutters are limited by the cutting capacity of their jaws. Handsaws are the exception to this problem because they lack jaws, allowing the serrated blades to cut through pipes of any size. However, the serrated blade can create burrs and crude edges, so we would choose an alternative pipe-cutting tool, such as this Qwork manual PVC pipe cutter, whenever possible.

This pipe cutter is similar to our Best Bang for the Buck pick earlier in this guide. Still, this model is made to cut even larger pipes (up to 3 inches in diameter), making it handy for commercial plumbers, irrigation specialists, or wastewater treatment technicians. It would also be a time-saver for a user who builds projects or furniture from 3-inch PVC pipe.

We like the heavy-duty steel construction and high-quality steel blades on this Qwork pipe cutter. It is designed with a long shank and an oversize adjustment handle, so it’s easier to grip and turn. This should help keep the blade tight against the pipe as you rotate the cutter around the material. Just keep in mind that hand and muscle fatigue is an ever-present risk with manual pipe cutters. 

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