How to cut PVC the easy way with this innovative tool, yet another addition to the Milwaukee M12 battery system. It is clear they are really going after the Plumbers, Electricians and other tradesman with their compact 12 volt tools and this is another perfect example. The M12 2470-21 ($199) is designed specifically for cutting PVC & PEX tubing and really isn’t made for much else, unless you wanted to remove an extra finger or two. If you are a plumber, install sprinklers or work with PVC a lot this could be a very handy tool. Currently the most popular alternative would be a manual ratcheting PVC cutter like the Ridgid RC-2375 ($87) which can get tiring if you are using it all day.
The cutter itself puts out 1,900 in-lbs torque which is plenty to get through 2” PVC in about 3 seconds. The 12 volt lithium battery is rated to make over 200 cuts per charge. Using the tool is very simple, hold down the safety and pull the variable speed trigger. Once the cut is made there is a separate quick release trigger, not sure why there is a reverse option on the cutter as the quick release works much better. The blade is very easy to change and the wrench for removing it is conveniently stored on the tool, another nice feature. Checkout this Photo Album for more images.
Will a tool like this be successful? The market for a PVC cutter is much smaller than for a handy tool like the M12 Hackzall and it will depend on if plumbers will adopt it. It is in a similar boat to the M12 Copper Cutter ($219) which seemed like a great idea but hasn’t seen a big shift away from the tried & true manual copper cutters like the Ridgid 118 ($28). However the manual copper cutters are significantly cheaper and can cut almost as quick with little effort. The price gap for the PVC cutters (manual vs M12) is much smaller, the 2470-20 (bare tool) is only $129 and the manual PVC cutters require much more effort. Hopefully the new Milwaukee 2470-21 will find lots of success among professional.
