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 this lotus plasma cutter to replace my previous lotus that I had for 15 years. When I received the plasma cutter I had to re wire the plug for 50 amp. When I started cutting, the high temp indicator would come on and I would have to turn the machine off and on to reset it. This was a huge pain. I called the customer service number and explained the problem. They immediately sent me a replacement and paid for me to return the faulty machine. The new machine works great. It was kind of a headache, but they made it right and I greatly appreciate it.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Obviously not for the professional. I bought this a while ago and finally getting to write the review. So far so good. I’ve used it quite a few times and had to buy replacement tips. I need to buy the standoffs, I think that would help me get a straighter cut. But for gouging material, this is awesome. I don’t use the torch often so I have to get use to it every time. This was much easier to use. Cleaned out what I needed to remove and made the work much faster. Value for the price is awesome. For the home hobbyist/occasional user this is fantastic!

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.