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Plasma cutter buying guide for a 13 A garage

Updated: October 2026

You are in a UK garage with a 13 A socket, a compressor on the floor or still to buy, and a title that shouts 16 mm. That millimetre is almost never the everyday cut. This plasma cutter buying guide orders the four amazon.co.uk listings as clean cut, start type, air, then the socket. Prices and stars are from 19 October 2026. Peter F., the DIY & tools editor, did not lab-test these inverters. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you. The four-row table sits on the [plasma cutter comparison](/hub/cutting-tools/plasma-cutter).

You are in a UK garage with a 13 A socket, a compressor on the floor or still to buy, and a title that shouts 16 mm. That millimetre is almost never the everyday cut.

Our top picks

SPRIGHOLLY SPRIGHOLLY CUT50L plasma cutter

Best overall

SPRIGHOLLY SPRIGHOLLY CUT50L plasma cutter
10.0/10about £67.83
View offer
Reboot Reboot 45 A plasma cutter

Best value

Reboot Reboot 45 A plasma cutter
9.0/10about £103.67
View offer
SPRIGHOLLY SPRIGHOLLY CUT50 contact plasma cutter

Alternative

SPRIGHOLLY SPRIGHOLLY CUT50 contact plasma cutter
6.4/10about £99.73
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.Clean cut is the number that matters
  2. 2.Start type, torch and the socket
  3. 3.Air is not in the box
  4. 4.What this amazon.co.uk set actually costs

Clean cut is the number that matters

ESAB UK and R-Tech tell you to read the clean cut, not the largest millimetre in the title. Clean cut is a useful speed with a tidy underside. Severance is slower and rougher. The CUT50L prints 10 mm ideal and 16 mm maximum. The contact CUT50 says up to 10 mm clean and up to 16 mm max. The Reboot 45 A states 8–10 mm clean and 16 mm severance; the title also says 1/2 inch. The CUT60L PRO prints 10 mm clean and 16 mm severance. Reboot's five reviews are the only ones that describe 8–10 mm as a job. The CUT60L PRO's seven reviews split. Duty cycle is n/a. Do not import ESAB's 40–50 A band for 20–25 mm onto these four.

Start type, torch and the socket

Touch needs bare metal. Pilot, or non-touch, is for paint, rust and mesh. High frequency is not blowback. That split is on the plasma cutter pilot arc page. Only the CUT50 is contact / direct arc, and its title also says high frequency. The CUT50L is high-frequency non-contact. Reboot is non-touch. The CUT60L PRO title says non-touch and one bullet says contact. AG60 or AG-60 on 4 m is the non-touch SPRIGHOLLY torch. The contact CUT50 is a PT31. Reboot's part field says AG60. Consumables do not cross families: six of each in the contact box, two of each on the AG60 SPRIGHOLLY listings. No listing prints an input current. One CUT50L review says higher settings can exceed a 13 A plug. One CUT50 review tripped a 10 A breaker. A new 16 A or 32 A outlet is an electrician's job.
SPRIGHOLLY SPRIGHOLLY CUT50L plasma cutter

Testsieger

SPRIGHOLLY SPRIGHOLLY CUT50L plasma cutter
10.0/10about £67.83
View offer

Air is not in the box

None of the four includes a pump or a welding visor. CUT50L states 90 PSI, 60 L/min and an 8 mm inner hose. CUT50 and CUT60L PRO state 0.4 MPa, 60 L/min and an 8 mm hose or inlet. Reboot states a minimum of 6 bar / 90 PSI, regulator pre-installed. 0.4 MPa is 4 bar, not 6 bar. Do not average them. On the Reboot, an 8 L silent compressor managed short runs and a 50 L unit ran longer. Water in the airline ruins consumables. Pump and dryer sit on the plasma cutter compressor page. Claimed weight and item weight disagree. CUT50L is 3.75 kg claimed and 7.05 kg item. CUT50 is 3.8 kg and 6.75 kg. Reboot's size line is 7.2 kg against 4.5 kg. CUT60L PRO is 4.35 kg and 7.4 kg. Print both.

What this amazon.co.uk set actually costs

Shelf prices run from £67.83 to £159.99. The CUT50L is £67.83 with 5.0 from 2 reviews. The contact CUT50 is £99.73 with 3.2 from 3. Reboot is £103.67 with 4.5 from 5. The CUT60L PRO is £159.99 with 4.0 from 7. Two five-star ratings do not outrank five reviews that name a thickness. You are not buying a 400 V system or a cutter with its own compressor. Foster Industrial notes onboard compressors only on smaller-capacity machines. Plasma fume is a COSHH 2002 hazard. HSE says it has not been classed as carcinogenic and must still be controlled. WL15's PPE for fixed plant is a welding visor, flame-resistant overalls and gloves. None of that is in the carton.

Common questions

Should I buy the millimetre in the title or the clean-cut line?
Buy the clean or ideal line: 10 mm on the SPRIGHOLLY listings and 8–10 mm on the Reboot. The 16 mm figure is severance. ESAB UK and R-Tech treat it as slower work.
What start type do I need for painted or rusty steel?
A non-touch listing: the CUT50L, the Reboot, and the CUT60L PRO title. The contact CUT50 needs bare metal. None of these four prints blowback or non-HF.
Will a 50 A box run from a 13 A UK socket?
No input current is printed. One CUT50L review flags a 13 A plug at higher settings. One CUT50 review tripped a 10 A breaker. A 16 A or 32 A outlet is an electrician's job.
Do I still need a compressor?
Yes. None includes one. Printed flow is 60 L/min. Pressure is 90 PSI or 6 bar on two listings and 0.4 MPa, which is 4 bar, on the other two.
Are PT31 and AG60 consumables interchangeable?
No. The contact CUT50 is a PT31 with six of each. The CUT50L and CUT60L PRO are AG60 / AG-60 with two of each. Reboot's part field says AG60.
When is a 400 V or 32 A machine the next step?
When you need more than these 8–10 mm clean claims, a printed duty cycle, or the reviews already show a 13 A limit. R-Tech splits 13 A from 32 A and 415 V. Those machines are not these four.

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Sources

Public UK sources and the amazon.co.uk listings in this set, checked on 19 October 2026.

  1. HSE WL15: Welding fume (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  2. HSE: Cutting metals and similar fume (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  3. HSE: Noise (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  4. Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005, regulation 7 (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  5. Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016, regulation 35 (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  6. OPSS: Vevor plasma cutter CUT-40, 30 June 2023 (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  7. ESAB UK: Tips for buying a manual plasma cutter (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  8. R-Tech: Plasma cutting FAQs (retrieved 19 October 2026)