Plasma Cutters

I’ve had my plasma cutter for years and it was well worth the price paid it can cut 1/2” steel but I use it on 1/4” mostly it’s been used and borrowed a lot so it’s been reliable for me I purchased the plasma cutter in 2012 and it’s still working now 2026

I was hesitant at first to buy one of these and I finally pulled the trigger and I definitely do not regret it. I only do a little projects with my car or around the house like over the weekend. I had a burn barrel 3/8 steel. And it literally cuts like butter. I’ve used it on 220 and 110 honestly it’s amazing so far I have zero regret.

I purchased one of these almost a year ago, and did not get a chance to use it for almost 6 months. When I did use it I was blown away. Forever I have been using a torch or a grinder with a cutting wheel to get through plate and beams. I built a massive F350 bumper out of 8" x 3/8 channel and it took me almost a day to torch through all of my cuts back in 98. My new bumper was entirely cut in less than two hours. For straight line cuts I use a 1x2" hardwood board, and although it leaves burn marks it does not catch the wood on fire. Since that worked I started making jig cuts on wood for templates. The machine works so good that I am now thinking of getting a CNC machine for the plasma cutter. A simple word of caution: If you have an air compressor from one of the home supply stores it might not hold the PSI you need to cut for long periods. I went ahead and purchased a two stage 24.3 cfm 175 psi Campbell Hausfield upright that does the job. Ease of use, and best settings. I found the period of adjustment to be short, and I have two favorite settings. One for thick cut, and the other for everything else. I waited a long time to do the review because I was worried about the cost and the Chinese mfg reliability, this versus others that are said to be made in the US. First, the ones that profess to be made in the US I have come to find out are not. I went to two welding supply stores (US Welding and DJB Gas) in SLC UT for replacement tips and ceramic cones. No one had them, but both told me even their stuff is built outside of the US, and in one case not even assembled here. I know when I pull this unit out it will just work. Don't waste your money on a 110 v unit, even if that is all you have. The inverters are not powerful enough to cut consistently. For a while I had to run mine on my generator, and that was a challenge. Now I run mine on my Miller Bobcat 225 welder and it does not know it’s there as far as load goes.

UPDATED REVIEW 6/1/18 So I'm gonna do 2 reviews here. 1 on the merits of the machine and how well it works and one thats based off my own opinions and personal needs. Functional review: Pros:This thing does exactly what it says it will. It cuts 3/8ths efficiently haven't had to use it on anything thicker but other people have said it will, albeit with difficulty. I've done a few different art projects with it and i'm happy with it. This is a no frills machine but it works. Now then Cons: The consumables are EXPENSIVE to replace. When comparing them to more high end plasma cutters consumables they are down right cheesy and burn up pretty quick. Part of that is my fault since I shake and double arc but even when i'm not, they burn up quick Also the gun has started to give out after about 6 months of use, the trigger is breaking down and won't stop the air flow. *Edit* Apparently there are generic consumables for sale on Amazon now, I have not tried them but the extremely low cost should be worth investigating for anyone who is looking to purchase this thing. Personal needs/opinion based review: If you are a beginner or shake a bunch, I do not recommend purchasing this machine. Spend the extra 100$ and buy the version with the pilot arc so you can use guides and stand-offs. I'm going to end up having to do just that because I shake way too much to use this freehand (I double arc a lot)and considering how expensive the replacement consumables are, it's just not cost effective for me to keep using this machine. But since this doesn't have anything to do with the functionality of the machine and has everything to do with my personal issues, it doesn't need to be part of the actual grading of the machine. Just some thoughts of someone who's used it for a bit. Final thought: If you're no stranger to plasma cutting and need one on the cheap, I recommend. It's a great garage/weekend project machine BUT, this should be a beginner plasma cutter. It's more than enough if you use it every now and then but if you intend on doing art, a LOT of cutting, or something with some more versatility, then save up your cash and get a better brand or at least spend the extra 100$ and get the version with the pilot arc.

For the price this thing is working perfect. I am repairing a 55 Chevy that has a LOT of rusted body parts. After I read the instructions and some advise from the net of other Plasma cutter users, I am extremely happy with mine. My first test had bad results because I used an older air compressor that I hadn't drained the water from in some time. It really messed up the tip and blew a whole in the scrap I was cutting. Went back and read the instructions and it CLEARLY says to make sure the air into the unit is dry. Changed the tip and drained the compressor and it worked much better but not perfect. I read a couple of LOTOS manual on other cutters and determined I needed to set the air pressure at 66 PSI, I had been running about 15 psi. I didn't find any instructions on this unit that said what psi to use. I then changed air sources to my 60 gallon 220 volt air compressor and the cuts were great and relatively clean. This cutter is great at getting into spaces that a die grinder just won't reach. For my money and the type of work I am doing this is really a great tool.

This plasma cutter is an excellent value. Seems to cut great and for me operator skill is really the only thing holding it back. I've been using it on 1/4" steel but I can tell it is definitely capable of cutting much bigger stuff. I've only used it with 220v. If you want to make nice clean cuts you need to keep a really close arc. That seems to be the most important thing. Hold the torch too far away and it just makes a mess. Also, if you simply hold the torch handle parallel to the work surface and drag it toward you, the head of the torch will be at a perfect angle for blowing material out of the cut. The Lotos has a high-frequency arc starter which is a nice feature, but buyers should be aware HF is notorious for causing problems with electronics (nothing to do with the unit being cheap - high-end TIG welders have the same issues). I had lights blinking on the other side of my house when starting a cut - blinking even though they were switched off! Had to ground some of the metal in my garage to make the problem go away. There is no switch to disable the arc starter on the Lotos. Overall this is a great machine. It feels a little cheap with the trigger zip tied to the torch but it is very capable. Edit: Cranked the Lotos all the way up tonight and cut a plate of 1/2" steel with it. It was a little tricky but I was able to get a nice clean cut with not too much slag. Just need to hold the torch very steady and at a consistent angle. Don't get sloppy.

One time use tool! So heres the story in short. I ordered a unit, it came in, I hooked it all up and man it ran like a champ! Got my brackets cut and fabbed up, Probably 2 hours worth, shut the machine down and put it away. I was pretty impressed with it so I decided to order one for my pops bday present. It came in on friday, and sunday I took it over and we unboxed it and got it all set up. He has never used one before so I sat up a scrap piece of iron and proceeded to show him how easy it was, only about 2 minutes mind you. Shut the machine down and went inside to cool off some. Came back out, setup a piece of angle iron that he needed notched in a few spots, fired up machine, click and nothing would happen. Looked at the unit and protection light is on. Ran over unit for 2 hours trying to figure out what had happened to no avail so I did a internet search and tons of reports of this same thing happening. Crap, well we will cut it with mine and I will have to send your machine back. Get to my house, fire my machine up and sob mine does the exact same thing! With 2 units bought a few months apart only getting one use for over 300 bucks each is crap! I hear Lotos customer service is just as good as their machines so guess Ill be in for a fight to get ahold of them. I would definitely recommend this to an enemy!

Got it on 1/21/2026 it quit working 1/23/2026 it’s getting power and air but won’t strike and arc it just quit cutting.After talking to lotos customer service they immediately got another plasma cutter sent to plus some extra items with the cutter for my inconvenience they were very quick to resolve the issue I thank them and will buy from them again the new one should be here Friday February 6 and thanks again.

This unit works great for light duty farm projects if you don't need the daily use from a Hypotherm at 4-5X the price. Consumables are cheap. Pay attention that it does come with a twist lock plug. I was able to switch it over to a standard NEMA-6 welding plug within a few minutes as the factory plug is easily removable without cutting it.

Didn’t Work

Great product.. exceeded my expectations.. fast delivery, packaging 5 stars!!

I used this machine about 5 or 6 times and it won't even turn on anymore.