The 9 Best Cutting Torch Kits

For most home and farm shops, the Victor Medalist 250 hits the sweet spot: a medium-duty outfit from the company whose torch design most other makers copy. That pays off later, because Victor-type tips, seats and rebuild parts are stocked by nearly every welding supplier. The kit pairs two Victor regulators with a cutting attachment, welding and heating nozzles, hose and goggles. Flashback arrestors aren't on the parts list, so plan to add a pair at the regulators.

Flashback protection comes built in on the Victor Performer Edge 2.0. Its handle holds both flashback arrestors and check valves, which stop a flame burning back at the torch before it reaches the hoses. Victor rates this medium-duty outfit for thick steel with the right tip, enough for farm equipment, trailers and scrap. The trade-off is cost: it runs higher than a plain medium-duty kit, and the cylinders are extra.

Buyers who want a known name without a big bill should look at the Hobart 770502. The safety basics come in the box, with flashback arrestors and reverse-flow check valves, along with a forged brass handle and cutting attachment, two regulators, a spark lighter and a tank wrench. Hobart covers it under a two-year limited warranty. Fit and finish are decent rather than standout, which is the most common gripe.

Built to carry to the job, the Victor G150 J-P packs a light-duty torch, regulators, hose, goggles and a striker with a molded tote made to hold two small cylinders. Victor rates it for steel up to half an inch thick, which covers rusted bolts, brackets and light repairs. The cylinders are sold separately, though Victor also sells the tote with them. The oxygen side of the tote is a tight fit for some tanks.

Welders who cut every day tend to recommend the Victor Journeyman Edge 2.0, and trade-forum threads about torch kits often name it first. Victor rates it for steel plate thicker than most shops ever see, and its handle has flashback arrestors and check valves built in. Heavy-duty regulators come with it, and the big heating capacity helps with bending steel and freeing seized parts. It's a lot of money and a lot of torch for occasional hobby use.

Scrap yards and demolition work are where the Victor Medalist 350 fits: a heavy-duty outfit Victor rates for very thick plate with the right tip. It comes with heavy-duty regulators, a cutting attachment, cutting and welding tips, a tip cleaner and goggles. Check the fuel fitting before buying: this version fits a less common style of acetylene cylinder valve, so many buyers will need an adapter or the standard-fitting version instead.

Shops that already run Smith gear will feel at home with the Smith Tough Cut, sold under the Miller name. It pairs Smith's medium-duty handle and cutting attachment with two regulators and hose for acetylene, and Smith torches have a long record in farm and fabrication shops. The catch is the tips: Smith uses its own tip style, so the Victor-type tips sold almost everywhere won't fit, and spares can mean a trip to a welding supplier.

Harris, part of Lincoln Electric, built the Harris V-Series Ironworker around Victor-style parts, so common Victor-type cutting tips fit its attachment. The handle carries replaceable check valves, and the attachment mixes the gases inside its tube for a steady flame. The outfit comes with two regulators, a twin hose, goggles and a tip cleaner in a zip bag. Owner feedback is still thin, and check valves alone won't stop a flashback.

For a few cuts a year without spending much, the RX WELD RX250H bundles a Victor-style torch, cutting attachment, tips, two regulators, hose, goggles and tools in a hard plastic case. The fittings match standard U.S. oxygen and acetylene cylinders, and check valves come installed. No one independent has checked the maker's thick-plate claims, and check valves aren't flashback arrestors, so add those before the first light.