Oxy-fuel cutting kits are a great addition to your workshop. One piece of kit can give you the ability to cut steel, heat nuts and bolts, or braze copper pipe. These kits are all primary designed for oxy-acetylene, which is quicker at cutting than propane because they burn a lot hotter and is better suited for welding.
This guide goes through the best cutting torch kits on the market and explains the pros and cons of each with a full buyer’s guide below.
Contents
Best Cutting Torch Kit Comparison Chart
Below is a comparison chart of the best Cutting Torch Kits on the market.| Kit | Image | Cut | Max Cut | Weld | Max Weld | Hose | Rating | Price | More |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Victor Performer Best all-round |  | 1/2" | 6" | 1/4" | 1 1/4" | 12.5ft | 4.8/5 | $$ | Review |
| Victor Journeyman Best heavy duty |  | 1" | 8" | 1/2" | 3" | 20ft | 4.8/5 | $$$ | Review |
| Miller Toughcut |  | 5/8" | 6" | 1/8" | 3/8" | 20ft | 4.7/5 | $$ | Review |
| Harris Ironworker |  | 1" | 5" | 1/8" | 1/2" | 20ft | 4.7/5 | $$ | Review |
| Victor Medalist |  | 1/2" | 5" | 5/64" | 1 1/4" | 20ft | 4.6/5 | $$ | Review |
| Hobart Toughcut |  | 1/2" | 6" | 3/32" | 1 1/4" | 20ft | 4.6/5 | $$ | Review |
| ZENY Portable Best for the money |  | 1/2" | 6" | 3/16" | 1/2" | 15ft | 4.6/5 | $ | Review |
Top 7 Cutting Torch Kits
1. Victor Performer 540/510 EDGE 2.0
Best all-round
 |
|
(5.0 / 5)
(4.5 / 5)
(4.8 / 5)The performer is a great all round kit at an affordable price. Victor (owned by ESAB) are market leaders in cutting equipment and this kit includes all the equipment you need. It has a WH100FC handle that has built-in flashback arrestors and check valves, CA1350 cutting attachment, welding nozzle and heating nozzle and a 10 year torch warranty. It comes with a 12.5 foot T-rated flame and oil resistant hose and two 540/510 edge 2.0 regulators which are the best regulators you can buy and have lifetime warranty. There’s also some shade 5 goggles to protect your eyes from arc flash. Out the box you can cut up to 1/2″ and weld up to 1/4″. With different tips you can cut up to 6″ and weld up to 1 1/4″. As an all-round kit that gives you quality parts and ability to cut, weld, heat and braze, you can’t go wrong with this.
|
Specifications
|
Pros
Cons
|
2. Victor Journeyman EDGE 2.0 540/510 Kit
Best heavy-duty kit
 |
|
(4.0 / 5)|
Specifications
|
Pros
Cons
|
3. Miller/Smith Toughcut Acetylene Outfit CGA510
 |
|
(4.7 / 5)Smith (now owned by Miller) are also one of the top brands for cutting torch kits. This is a full kit to get you started, with cutting tip, heating tip and welding tip included. Out the box it cuts 5/8″ and cuts up to 6″ with optional tips. It welds up to 1/8″ up to 3/8″ with optional tips.
The torch and the regulators are covered by a three-year limited warranty. The regulators included are reliable Series 30™ regulators, a 30-15-510 acetylene regulator and a 30-100-540 oxygen regulator. The torch is quality kit but it doesn’t have built in flashback arrestors. Other features include some nice shade 5 glasses, a 20ft hose and a striker. The striker leaves a bit to be desired, but the kit as a whole is good quality with a very thorough operations manual. The cutting kit is available at a really good price, especially for a Miller product. It’s perfectly suited for a range of medium fabrication work including farm, repair, automotive and hobby work.
|
Specifications
|
Pros
Cons
|
4. Harris Ironworker 510 Oxy-Acetylene Torch Kit
 |
|
Harris, owned by Lincoln Electric, are another big-name brand in the world of oxy-fuel cutting equipment. This medium-duty kit cuts up to 1″ out the box and up to 5″ plate with optional tips. It welds 1/8″ out the box up 1/2″ with optional tips. The Model 801 510/540 regulators are have an amazing 7 year warranty, and all other components have a one-year warranty.
This isn’t a full kit because it doesn’t include a heating attachment, and it only includes one welding attachment, but it is well suited for cutting up to 1″. The insulated tool bag that’s included is a nice piece of kit and you also get a 20″ R grade hose, igniter and shade 5 safety glasses.
The kit doesn’t include flashback arrestors, it comes equipped with FlashGuard® Check Valves. It is a shame it doesn’t come with flashback arrestors as part of the kit because apart from this it is a quality piece of kit. The cutting attachments and torch handle are expertly crafted, making this a hard-to-beat kit for the money.
|
Specifications
|
Pros
Cons
|
5. Victor Medalist 250 540/510
 |
|
(4.6 / 5)The Victor Medalist 250 is another very popular, medium-duty Victor kit. It’s similar to the Performer, but there are a few key differences. Firstly, unlike the Performer, this does no include Edge 2.0 regulators. It contains G250 series, which are still good but not Edge 2.0 and have a 7-year warranty compared to a lifetime for the Edge2.0 . It also doesn’t include a heating attachment or built in flashback arrestors. It cuts 1/2″ out the box but only cuts up to 5″ with optional tips, so it’s slightly less heavy duty than most other torches which cut up to 6″.
A couple of reasons why you might like to pick this over the Performer are the 20 foot hose and the ergonomic handle design. The hose is RM, so it’s for acetylene only. The WH411-C 400 Series torch handle is a nice handle that’s comfortable to hold with a grip to stop you slipping. At a similar price to the Performer, it’s worth considering as an alternative.
|
Specifications
|
Pros
Cons
|
6. Hobart Toughcut 770502 Oxy-Acetylene Kit 540/510
 |
|
The Hobart Toughcut is a popular and competitively priced cutting kit. It matches similar medium-duty kits with 1/2″ cutting capability up to 6″, and welds 3/32″ up to 1 1/4″ with optional tips. The hose is a 20ft T type hose which can be used with acetylene or propane, although propane tips aren’t included. Its comes with CGA510 and CGA540 regulators which are OK but not up to the edge 2.0 standards.
It has a two-year limited warranty, which is a lot lower than Victor so you might be better going with a longer warranty. The torch handle is OK and is equipped with flashback arrestor/check valves and it also comes with some decent shade 5 welding goggles. Overall its a decent bit of kit, but you might be better spending a few extra bucks for a Victor to get higher quality and longer warranty.
|
Specifications
|
Pros
Cons
|
7. ZENY Portable Cutting Torch Kit
Best for the money
 |
|
This cutting torch kit by ZENY is the perfect kit for beginners looking to getting oxy-fuel cutting on a budget. This comes as a full cutting kit, with 3 welding nozzles (sizes 0, 2, and 4), rosebud heating tip (size No. 6) and a brass and steel UL- rated cutting torch attachment that cuts up to 1/2″, or 6″ with optional tips. It comes with your standard 510/540 regulators which seem decent quality, although there is no warranty on this product and other brands have long warranties in case they break. It all comes packed in a pretty handy case to help with storing and carrying. Overall, this is great kit if you’re on a tight budget but want to be able to try out a lot of different applications for your money.
|
Specifications
|
Pros
Cons
|
What to look for in a cutting torch kit
Torch Handle
You want your torch handle to be comfortable to hold and durable. One of the best features of a good handle is having built in flashback arrestors. Flashback arrestors are a safety device used to prevent a flashback flame from travelling back into the pipe. If it’s not included in the handle, flashback arrestors should be installed between the torch handle and regulator. Check valves are a similar piece of safety equipment used on torches to prevent backflow of gases into the hose.
Regulators
Regulators maintain a steady pressure in the cylinder and control the gas that is released. The two main types of regulator are single stage and two stage. Two-stage regulators are the more reliable option.
Regulators come in different sizes, and you will need them to be the right size to fit the gas tanks. Most cutting torch kits come with a CGA510 regulator for acetylene and CGA540 for oxygen. You will need the corresponding tank valves to match the regulators. Small B tanks for brazing and soldering will have CGA300 valves so will not fit most medium duty cutting torch kits.
Hose
The regulators and torch are connected by hoses. This will usually be a double hose with one green line for Oxygen and one red line to Acetylene. Hoses come in different lengths and thicknesses, make sure you have a long enough hose to reach across to your workbench from your secured gas cylinders. The hoses to look out for are grades R & RM, which are suitable for Acetylene only, and T grade, which is suitable for Acetylene and Propane.
Accessories
Look out for extras in your cutting torch kit that you will need to get started. Two of the key items are a good quality striker to initiate the flame, and some shade 5 glasses. You should always use goggles or a face shield to protect your eyes from the arc. Most kits now include a pair of shade 5 glasses.
Gas Tanks
Gas tanks can be included in your cutting torch kit, however note that these need to be dot certified in order to refill them. Most sets online that include gas tanks are plumbers B tanks, which aren’t compatible with most cutting torches.
Brand
The three top brands for cutting torch kits are Victor, Smith and Harris. Victor is now owned by ESAB, Harris is owned by Lincoln, and Smith is owned by Miller. They are all top manufactures of torches and have been recognised as this for many years.
Tips
The cutting torch tip you require is based on the thickness of the metal you want to cut. Below is a cutting tip reference chart from Victor, showing the tip sizes for each metal thickness. For example, for 1/32” you need a 000 tip.
Once you have the right cutting tip for your metal, you can use a cutting tip chart like the one below for the Victor Series 1 Type 101, to set the gas pressure.
See more cutting tip charts from victor
Acetylene or Propane
You will need to check if your kit is made for Acetylene or Propane. Kits will need a cutting tip, regulator and hose that are suitable for propane.
Acetylene is the preferred option if you’re looking to weld mild steel with the torch. Acetylene produces a flame around 300°C hotter which provides faster and cleaner cutting of metal.
Propane is a cheaper option that’s well suited for economical cutting of metal where you’re not looking to weld or braze.
Setting up Oxy-Acetylene kit
See the below video for tips on how to set up an Oxy-Acetylene kit.
