iCrimp PEX Pipe Cutter for 3/8’’, 1/2’’, 3/4’’, 5/8’’, 1’’ PEX & PVC Pipes, Radial PEX Tubing Cutting Tool with Extra Blade

This cutter actually did a great job cutting the pex perpendicular to the tubing wall. I've used the plier looking cutters and they don't come close to cutting as well as this tool.

UPDATE 8-14-2023:I've gotten a lot more experience with this tool. I discovered that I was spinning the tool backwards. There is a direction indication on the tool. If you follow that direction indication, the blade doesn't seem to wonder. The tool is sharp enough to cut PEX cleanly. It's a great little tool and fits in my pocket.ORIGINAL REVIEW:I have a larger, more heavy duty tube cutter, but I thought I would get this. It looks small enough that you could carry it in your pocket. And the price was much lower than my bigger, heavy duty tube cutter.But, sometimes you get what you pay for.I read the other reviews claiming alignment issues and not being able to cut a straight line. I assumed those were because of user errors... and that someone with more skill (like me) could make it work correctly. I was wrong.The force of the jaws is such that the tube is held snugly. It doesn't feel like the tube or cutter wobble at all as you're cutting. But at the end of 1 rotation, the blade is about 1mm off. Unfortunately, the blade doesn't seem to be sharp enough to cut through PEX on the first pass -- you need at least 2 rotations. But on the 2nd rotation, the blade isn't following the path of the first rotation. After careful inspection, it appears that the blade is slightly askew. I tried loosening the retainer screw to see if that would help, but so far, it hasn't. It's possible that with a little more practice, I might be able to force the blade back to the original path, or reverse the rotation.Having said all that, I don't know that this is any less accurate than my larger, more heavy duty tube cutter. With that one, I do get a straight cut, but it's rarely a perfect 90 degrees.Also... it does come with a second blade hidden in the handle. But as far as I can tell, these aren't a standard blade, and I can't find anywhere that sells more replacement blades. After just a few cuts, the blade is already starting to dull. Maybe at this price, you're expected to buy a whole new tool after the two blades are dull.

I’m pretty protective over anything I have that cuts. I like my blades fresh and clean. One day I was told to grab the cutter and cut a length of PEX. The cutter blade was all nicked and broken, “It still cuts!” I was told. I probably could have made a cleaner cut just chewing the PEX. I vowed to get my own cutter.And here we are. This cutter is really a compact size and is made from a really nice, heavy and dense plastic. The spring is really strong and the blade is sharp. I don’t have a current project going so I tested the cutter on a short piece of PEX tubing. Of course it still takes some effort and pressure to cut through the tube. The resulting cut wasn’t perfectly lined up so I just nipped off the tiny extra piece where the cut didn’t meet. Even if the cut wasn’t perfectly straight (because the tubing scrap was short and hard to grip) it was a hundred times better than the cuts I’ve been making with jagged cutters that “still work”.

I have not upgraded my lawn irrigation system to PEX pipes, so I can’t speak to that, but I use two versions of PVC pipes. I use a flexible, black, ¾” PVC pipe to connect sprinkler heads throughout my lawn. The cutter did not come with instructions but once I figured out to let the blade do the work without applying any addition pressure the cutter created a very clean, square cut. So the cutter is well worth keeping around for just that.The other sort of PVC pipe I use is also ¾ but of the firm white variety. I use it to connect to the valve manifold. The tube cutter scored the pipe when I used it, but it never managed to penetrate the pipe no matter how often I turned the tool. It looked like the cutter was never able to score the pipe deeply enough to remain in the shallow groove it created the first time around so it tended wander and score a separate groove each time around.I realize the tool is labeled PEX Tube Cutter, but the description also says it will cut PVC Pipes up to 1”. The PVC pipe I tested falls within that description. The seller should more clearly state the limitations of the product. I’ll assume it works for a wider variety of PEX pipes, but for PVC I can’t recommend it without first testing it with the desired pipe. For now I’ll stick with my ratcheting pipe cutter. Yes, it occasionally delivers a slanted cut, but it works on every type of PVC pipe I’ve thrown at it.

Definitely did the job I needed it for. Very simple to use and replace the blade. If I ever need it again, I’ll definitely use this again. Cut very well

For me, anyway, I just had to keep patient - carefully rotating the cutter around the tubing and it would make a square, clean cut every time. The thicker the material, the more rotations it required. You don't have to press down, make adjustments as you keep turning, or anything. It has a spring loaded mechanism which keeps it "biting" in the material. You just need to pay attention to the arrow printed on the cutter and spin it in the right direction. Spin it around and around until the piece is cut. Worked great for me but I could see how you could have problems straying off your line if you aren't careful.Works great on vinyl tubing, high pressure PEX tubing, etc. It took me more rotations to cut material than what the product description says but I didn't care about that. A few more seconds was fine because it did a great job cutting each time.It does come with a single replacement blade which is stored in its handle, sitting behind a screw. Unscrew it and the replacement blade slides out. There is a screw on the main blade, remove it, replace, and put the screw back in and you're back in action. Quick and easy. I have no idea if getting additional replacement blades is possible, though.