What is the best tile cutter for cutting tiles?

Whether you are cutting porcelain, ceramic tiles or natural stone, there are two factors to consider before choosing which type of tile cutter to use. One is what type of tile you want to cut and how thick it is, and the other is what type of cut you want to achieve, i.e. a straight cut or a more complex cut. Depending on the answers to these questions, you can decide whether it is best to use an orbital cutter or a wet wheel cutter.

For example, if you intend to make mainly straight cuts on ceramics or porcelain to a certain thickness, then an orbital cutter would be ideal for you. Sometimes referred to as 'scribe and snap' cutters, these cutters 'break' the tiles along the scribe line by scribing the tile surface and then applying pressure on either side of the scribe line. The use of this method is not ideal for cutting natural stone. Due to the natural imperfections of the stone, it is not possible to obtain a very straight cut.

With the correct orbital cutter and the correct scribing wheel (some models are interchangeable) you can achieve a straight cut on a 20 mm thick porcelain tile. Most professional tilers will use an orbital cutter for most of their cuts as they can be set up and used quickly, while creating very little mess.

If you want to cut more complex shapes, such as cutting pieces around the edges of tiles, or cutting natural stone or very thick tiles, then an electric cutter would be a better choice. This consists of a diamond-coated blade that rotates at a very high speed. The blade is partially submerged in a water bath, which is used to cool the blade. As you push the tile into the blade, the blade cuts through the tile. Using this method you can cut a part of the tile and then rotate the tile to cut it at different angles. This allows you to create different cut shapes, such as rectangles. When used in combination with clamping jaws, you can even cut semi-circles from the tiles. This type of cutter is ideal for cutting natural stone of all thicknesses.

Professional tilers will use this cutter to cut around plinths or light switches. These can cause some mess due to the water involved, so take this into account when planning where to use your electric cutter. Electric cutters come in many different sizes, from simple DIY cutters to very large bench cutters capable of cutting the thickest natural stone or porcelain.

Care must be taken when using any type of tile cutter. Appropriate safety equipment must be worn at all times.