5 Best Manual Tile Cutters 2022

Compared against the expensive wet tile saw, the manual tile cutters alternative is easier to operate and easier to achieve precision cuts without breaking the tile.

The best manual tile cutter is the QEP 10900Q 35-Inch Cutter, which will smoothly rip cut porcelain and ceramic tiles up to 35 inch and 24 inch diagonally.

Manual tile cutters may struggle to cut through all the materials that an electric saw will be able to but for tiles only, they are ideal. They are affordable, easily stored and transportable, provide good finishes from quick cuts and many more benefits.

Best Manual Tile Cutters

Tiling your kitchen or bathroom can be a daunting task but with the right tile cutter for the job, it is much easier than you would expect. The accuracy of a manual tile cutter ensures you are able to cut tiles to fit tight gaps fairly easily.

Depending upon the type of tiling you are planning will decide the manual tile cutter that you require. For large tiles, you will need a longer cutter and if the tile is fairly thick/tough, the wheel will need to strong enough to cleanly cut through it.

Manual tile cutters offer a range of advantages and investing in the correct one can improve the finish of you tiling with smooth edges. Below is a list of the best manual tile cutters that comes in a range of sizes and cutting wheels.

Manual Tile Cutter Buying Guide

Tile cutters are very important tools in the tile-making industry. They are the tools used in designing the shapes and sizes of the tiles to fit the conditions that are required by the clients. Every tile in perfect size and shape that you come across is made as the result of using a well-fitted tile cutter.

As years go by, the tile cutting machines keep advancing. The ones which were used in the past are becoming phased out by the current ones which are designed using the latest technologies. The latest tile cutters produced in the market today are more likely to be powered by electric power which enhances its performance.

It is good to note though that there is no perfect tile cutter. It just depends on how it is put into use. Therefore, your use and application of the cutting machine will influence your decision on the type you are to buy. There are three main types of tile cutters, these include:

Electric tile cutter (Bench-mounted)
Radial Tile Cutters
Manual Tile cutters

Before buying a tile, cutter there is various information that you should have in mind. This information will help you consider which type of tile cutter perfectly fit into what you desire. One should be able to know the working principle of the specific tile cutter and how it is put to practical use. One should put the following into consideration before making a final decision.

Tile Cutter Wheels

There are different types of wheels used in the designing of perfect scroll wheels for tile cutters. Some of the wheels are made of titanium carbide while some are made out of tungsten carbide. These are the two different types of wheel mainly put into use.

They have diameters which range as from 6-22 mm. This what dictates the size of the tile that is being produced by a particular group.

Dimensions of the Cutter

The length of this machine is what will determine its cutting capacity. Most of them have a period that ranges from about 20cm to over 120cm. They also have a narrower cutting width which makes the machine more stable. This helps to improve the cutting ability of the machine. These are fundamental things to look at to ensure you have the best cutter for the activity of tile cutting.

Rails and Separators

The rails used will have a lot of effect on the kind of cutter you will have. This is because the tracks are used to move the wheel in the cutter. The rails further enhance the robustness and cutting precision of the machine in place.

Some of the tile cutting machines have static spacers which are fixed and permanently in place while others have spacers which are mobile. The ones which have set separators are that way because they need no repositioning. They are already in their right positions. They require no repositioning after every passing of the wheel. However, in the 45 degree cuts, they are restricted due to lack of purchase. In a stable separator, the cutter has a lot of force which cuts through.

Types of Tile Cutters

With all the tile cutters available, there is no assurance that you will get a perfect cut which is in the condition that you desire most. This means that in a way there is no cutter which can be rated the best over the others. It just depends on the proficiency of the user and his/her understanding of the machine that he is using. Below are some of the types of tile cutters that you are able to buy.

Radial Tile Cutters

This type of tool is mainly used for large jobs. The machine is most preferred because of its versatility. It can perform a wide range of tasks. This makes it a perfect tool for anyone in need of a tile cutter machine. It is well efficient with large quantities of tiles. It moves against a guide with a water-cooled diamond disc which cuts across the tile while staying put in its position. It has an added advantage in that it can go up to a cutting length of 1500mm.

Rubi Tile Cutters

This type of tile cutter is operated by pushing the scoring wheel which has a long handle fixed with double metallic rails. This handle is used to drive the tool. The scoring wheel is purposefully placed to operate the breaking anvil effectively.

Sigma Tile Cutters

Sigma Tile Cutters are available in four main cutting styles. These are Pull the handle, Max Push Handle, Klick Klock (older push style being replaced by the Max Series), and Thin Panel Tile Cutters. We will begin with an overview of the Sigma Tile Cutters for standard porcelain tile.

Sigma Pull Handle Tile Cutters

This is one of the most common sigma tile cutters. The Sigma Pull handle tile cutters are the traditional configuration for Sigmas and are available in sizes from 14″ to 36″ styles. Larger format tile cutters are available in the Sigma Max Push style configuration, as push style cutters work better for larger format tile.

Sigma Tile Cutters (For standard Porcelain Tile)

Sigma Tile Cutters for standard format porcelain tile are available in sizes ranging between 14″ and 96″ mostly used for rip cuts. The 14″ to 61″ tile cutter sizes are the most common models at the moment in North America. The two main varieties of Sigma Tile Cutters on the market today are the Sigma Pull Handle Style & the new Sigma Max Push Handle style. Sigma tile cutters can be identified by a model number printed towards the tail end of the cutter on the opposite side of the measuring bar. This is the most proficient Sigma Tile Cutter in the market currently.

The Basic Tile cutters

The new range of Basic tile cutters is inspired by the modern concept of ‘basic ‘in the sense of simplicity and ease of use while still maintaining a high standard of quality.

A Basic tile cutter is a robust machine, easy to use but still incorporates the essential features expected of a manual standard tile cutter. It is built with a pull incision handle that has two neoprene “no scratch” splitting pads inserted on the underside, a square with a fixed nose adjustable protractor for angled cuts and a crossbar which is adjustable in two positions depending on the thickness of the tile you want to cut. It is available in four sizes for use in cutting all classic tile sizes – medium-large (33-43-53 and 63 cm). These tile cutters are also suitable for cutting all types of materials such as earthenware, porcelain, ceramic, single, kerlite and other thick tiles. This is a machine that will surely be appreciated in those growing countries, which have a first approach to the market, thanks to a good compromise combination of quality value for money

Sponge Machine

The market manifests the need for a lighter and more compact sponge machine than the “Rosina,” whose use is limited to big areas because of its big dimensions and heavyweight. The answer is the “Berta” sponge machine, suitable for use even in medium and small areas such as residential. Weight (38 Kg – 84 lbs), dimensions (65x55xh50 cm – 25”x22”x20”) as well as cost are reduced, but performances even increased in comparison with “Rosina.” Despite the numerous attempts to imitate it, “Berta” remains to this day the most effective, practical and reliable sponge machine available on the market.

Maintaining the Tile Cutters

Apart from just using our tile cutters, we are required to take good care of them so as to ensure that they serve us for a long time. This will also ensure that they are always in good shape for use.

The first guideline is to ensure that the tool is always clean. It is recommended to take a clean cloth with lubricating oil at the end of your workday. This simple action will help to keep your tool in good conditions for years. If needed you can check the manual tile cutters list.

Maintaining Electric Tile Saws

The same advice is recommended for the electric tile saw: to clean the tile cutter after each working day (even if it is not a wet saw). Your tool will thank you, and you will add some years to his shelf life. To do this, you can use a sponge or a simple wet cloth for your electric tile saws.

You may face a misalignment of your saw due to the movement or punches. You would notice this small issue when the cuts are not entirely straight. Don’t worry! There is a solution that takes less than a minute with the right tools!

If you are using a wet tile saw, it is recommended to change water tank from time to time. Having too dirty water would lead to poor refrigeration of the disc and damage of the cooling pump.