Over the last couple of years, Milwaukee has been hitting the market hard with new hand tools. They started their line with universal tools such as screwdrivers and tapes measures and now they have begun to be more industry specific such as plumbing. Which brings me to today’s topic. So let’s check out the Milwaukee Pipe Cutter Review.
Milwaukee Pipe Cutter Review Overview
Currently, Milwaukee offers two different Ratcheting pipe cutters.
- 1-5/8″ Model 48-22-4210
- 2-3/8″ Model 48-22-4215
The Milwaukee Pipe cutters are designed to cut PVC, CPVC, PEX, Rubber Hose and ABS.
Milwaukee Pipe Cutter Review Features
The body and handle of the cutters are made of metal which means they can take the daily abuse of a tough job. There is also an integrated lanyard hole.
When not in use there is a metal lock that will keep the cutters together and protect your blade.
The blade is constructed of a stainless steel which means you will get a longer life and more durable cutting edge. These cutters are designed for straight cuts that pierce the pipe and don’t crush it when making a cut.
Milwaukee didn’t cut any corners. They designed these cutters to be used and abused. The ratcheting system is all metal on metal, no plastic here.
Milwaukee Pipe Cutter Review Performance
The ratcheting pipe cutters are awesome. High quality and very easy to use. We cut a bunch of old pipes just to get a feel for them and each time they performed like a champ.
It was comfortable to grip the cutters and didn’t stretch out my hands where it would be hard to move the ratchet to the next location. So it has excellent leverage each time I pull the handles together.
As you can see, the final cut leaves a nice, clean edge. When you get done cutting you don’t have to worry about smoothing anything out. Almost factory perfect.
Milwaukee Pipe Cutter Review Value
If you are looking to buy the 1-5/8″ expect to pay about $60 and for the 2-3/8″ you will pay around $100. Yes, there are less expensive cutters on the market but they are also cheaper in quality. Ridgid has some nice cutters available which are rock solid and have heard great things about. The price is less than the Milwaukee but I will leave that up to you.
If you are a plumber and using these all day, it’s a no-brainer. They are high quality, built to last and will make your day much easier. So in the end, it’s a great investment. For the guy doing a little work with pipe, you might want to take a look at the Ridgid and save yourself a couple of dollars.
Milwaukee Pipe Cutter Final Thoughts
Overall this is a nice addition to Milwaukee’s hand tool line up. The cutters are solid and not only make cutting PVC easy, but they leave a clean cut. The ratcheting system is rock solid and I love how you can open and close the jaws with one hand.
I seem to have a terrible time with pipe cutters. A ratcheting set I have makes the cut easy, but I end up with a non-perpendicular cut because the support opposite the blade moves along the pipe after the blade has dug in (making the blade no longer perpendicular to the pipe). A non-ratcheting set I have has a wider support that doesn’t move (resulting in a perpendicular cut), but the leverage isn’t there. How wide is the support opposite the blade, measured perpendicular to the blade?
Sorry… for my overuse of perpendicular. 🙂
Good question and thanks for your feedback. I don’t have them anymore. I have a buddy who is a plumber and I gave them to him. When i see him next, I will try to take pictures and find out.