Yeswelder CUT-65DS Review – Is It Worth It?

The YesWelder CUT-65DS is the lowest priced 65A plasma cutter, but it still includes multiple useful features. This inverter-based plasma cutter offers unbelievable value and works well in hobbyists and some metal fabrication shops.

Not surprisingly, there is a lot to say about this machine. Fortunately for you, this article covers the specs, pros, cons, and how it fares against competing models. Let’s jump into it!

Review Summary

Technical Specifications

Rating Overview

• Performance: 4/5
  The YesWelder CUT-65DS outputs a relatively stable plasma arc. The arc can sometimes cut out as it transfers from the nozzle to the metal piece, requiring you to redo the cut again. But, many inexpensive plasma cutters do the same. Additionally, it makes solid cuts but is not as clean as high-end brands. For example, it can’t rival Hypertherm’s cutters.
• Power: 5/5
  The 65A at 60% duty cycle and 45A at 100% duty cycle can handle high-volume, thick metal cutting. This output makes the 65-DS one of the most powerful inverter-based plasma cutters, especially at this price.
• Features: 5/5
  Yeswelder packed this plasma cutter with blowback start, pilot arc, 2T/4T, and multiple other settings. You won’t find these at this price elsewhere. This is a very feature-rich plasma cutter, like most YesWelder machines.
• Portability: 5/5
  Weighting next to nothing, this is an incredibly portable plasma cutter. But the scant weight does raise some durability concerns. That makes me ask, why isn’t there more “meat” inside the unit?
• Price: 5/5
  As the least expensive 65A plasma cutter loaded with professional features, the YesWelder CUT-65DS easily ranks as the best bargain. 
• Manufacturer support: 5/5
  YesWelder has become one of the popular brands for home hobbyists and light metal fabricators, partially due to their customer support. Their customer support is happy to help, and the provided 1-year warranty aligns with the price of the CUT-65DS.

Overall Verdict: 4.5/5
The YesWelder CUT-65DS offers the best value for the price. Many similar brands like Primeweld, Titanium, or Weldpro are more expensive, making YesWelder the best choice for hobbyists, beginners, or light fabricators on a budget.

Where to buy:
The Yeswelder MP200 is sold on Amazon, however, you will usually find it cheaper on their own website with a current deal they are running, or, with a coupon like “WELDGURU10” which I found online.

What To Know Before Buying The Yeswelder CUT-65DS

Since this is a budget unit designed for hobbyists and less demanding professionals, we can’t ask for more at this price. However, to set realistic expectations, let’s discuss some YesWelder’s shortcomings.

Cutting Thick Metal Leaves Dross Residue

Cutting anything above 3/8 in. thick leaves some dross. The thicker you cut, the more residue there’ll be. Anything above 1/2 in. thick makes the edge look as if you “melted away” the metal, leaving a significant amount of dross that needs to be removed with the angle grinder.

However, YesWelder does a slightly better job at such high thicknesses than other budget brands like Lotos or Primeweld. Of course, YesWelder can’t compare to Hypertherm Powermax 65. That’s understandable since Hypertherm is the cream of the crop and costs six times more than YesWelder. But, it’s something to keep in mind if cutting thick pieces is central to your work.

Minor Arc Issues

To add to the previous point, cutting thick metal produces a less stable arc. This is often the case with inexpensive plasma cutters, and it may be a dealbreaker if you plan on cutting thick metal often. 

The arc may randomly extinguish itself, leaving the air running as you cut. The best way to handle this is to simply press the torch button again and proceed with your cut. You shouldn’t move the torch away because once you restart the arc, you may not continue precisely where you left off, impairing your edge quality. So, as long as you know how to handle it when this happens, everything should work fine.

Again, this is not uncommon with cheaper machines. Cutting thick metal may suffocate the arc, especially if you move fast. Be mindful of the sparks’ direction underneath the metal. If the sparks are flying towards you as you push the torch away from you, you are moving too fast and should slow down. The sparks should ideally fly directly underneath the arc.

Unit Quality

YesWelder has “cut” down the build quality of this plasma cutter. It has the same quality as their cheaper CUT-45DS and CUT-55DS units. But the CUT-65DS has more power than the 45DS and 55DS, more features, and a higher price. 

However, some people may feel that at above $500, an increase in build quality is in order. That’s not possible without a price increase. Or at least, that’s what the market tells us since there aren’t any better cutters at this price. So, keep in mind that YesWelder provides more power and features at the expense of build quality.

The machine feels cheap and too light. When you tap on its metal body, it echoes, raising the question of its durability. Still, there haven’t been many complaints about the CUT-65DS, and the provided accessories are on par with more expensive cutters. It’s just the unit itself that’s lagging in build quality.

How the Yeswelder CUT-65DS Stacks Up

Looking at the rest of the market, the CUT-65DS stands out as the best bargain. Lotos, Weldpro, Primeweld, and Titanium don’t offer the same price-to-value ratio. The WeldPro is more expensive but offers essentially the same quality. Lotos provides lower quality cuts, does not have a 60-65A model with a blowback arc start, and costs more.

Many DIY hobbyists often regard the Titanium 45A plasma cutter as the “budget” choice. So, it’s best to compare YesWelder with this competitor even if Titanium’s cutter is double the price.

The two crucial areas where Titanium takes the lead are cut and build quality. It makes slightly cleaner cuts and has a significantly better build quality. The metal housing is sturdy, and the plastics have an exceptional finish. The unit simply feels premium.

However, many people aren’t buying a cutter for its looks, and Titanium’s pathetic 90-day warranty pales compared to YesWelder’s 1-year warranty. Harbor Freight does offer a paid 2-year warranty, but the Titanium cutter is already 200% more expensive than YesWelder.

Additionally, YesWelder offers 20 amps more power and a significantly longer duty cycle. Plus, Titanium has a non-removable air filter at the back of the unit, which is an accident waiting to happen. YesWelder has a removable filter like pretty much every other plasma cutter. 

The YesWelder CUT-65DS has longer leads and a plasma torch on par with Titanium’s, so there isn’t a drop in quality there. Titanium lacks many features, while YesWelder has numerous useful functions to make your work convenient and achieve better results.

Overall, YesWelder makes a better value compared to Titanium and other brands. But, the Titanium takes the lead as the “budget” plasma cutter with the best build quality.

Best Features of the Yeswelder CUT-65DS

Before we move on to the pros, and there is much to like, we should point out a significant difference. YesWelder manufactures and sells its equipment direct to the consumer. So, by engaging with customers directly, they can offer a lower price than many competing brands while stuffing their products with so many functions.

And that leads us to the long list of great features in this plasma cutter. We will discuss the most significant to keep things brief.

Blowback Arc Start

Modern plasma cutters use either a High-Frequency (“HF”) arc start like Titanium or the blowback start like the CUT-65DS. A blowback start is preferable because it doesn’t interfere with sensitive electronics in the vicinity. HF start can create interference or damage to nearby electronics.

The HF start uses a particular generator inside the unit. On pressing the torch trigger, a relay switch routes an HF surge to the nozzle. The electrode in the torch head arcs with the nozzle and forms the pilot arc. After approaching the torch tip to the metal with the activated pilot arc, an arc transfers from the nozzle to the workpiece. This is a brief explanation, but let’s not get too technical. But it is essential to know that an HF surge creates electromagnetic radiation, impacting any nearby electronics, like computers and pacemakers.

The mechanical or blowback start doesn’t use an HF generator or the relay switch. Instead, the electrode and the nozzle are always charged, but the circuit is shorted out. The nozzle and electrode are physically touching, which prevents an arc. However, when you press the trigger, the electrode is moved backward, breaking the short circuit and activating an arc between the electrode and the nozzle body.

So, the main benefit of a blowback start is no HF voltage is involved, eliminating electromagnetic radiation problems. This allows you to use the plasma cutter in the vicinity of sensitive electronics like laptops, smartphones, CNC machines, and medical devices. 

Cut Quality

While we noted that the CUT-65DS leaves dross when cutting above 3/8 in., cutting thinner metal leaves a beautiful edge. You’ll forget about using an angle grinder when cutting anything below 3/8 in. since this machine cuts fast and easy.

But this Yeswelder machine even handles the thick metal well if you are willing to grind out the dross. Cutting 5/8 in. metal with an angle grinder would strain and diminish the lifespan of the average grinder. So, even if the cuts with the 65DS take some post-cut clean-up, it’s still better to use a plasma cutter with some minor clean-up with a grinder.

Immense Power

Couple 65A of power with a 60% duty cycle, and you can cut fast and long. Even if you don’t plan on cutting thick pieces, a 65A output is desirable. That’s because you can use higher amperage to cut thinner metal and increase the cutting speed. Just be careful to avoid melting the edge too much or warping the metal.

The most commendable aspect of the CUT-65DS is its power output using a 120V input. In a home setting, 45A can handle almost all cutting jobs. So, you don’t need a 220V outlet, which many homeowners don’t have. So, if you are a hobbyist and a 220V outlet is unavailable, this cutter outputs meaningful power for you at 110V.

Compare this to Titanium’s 20A output at 120V input. It’s incredible how much value YesWelder packs into a hobbyist-grade unit.

Useful Functions

The CUT-65DS includes various features to make your work faster and easier. For example, the 2T/4T mode lets you cut with or without keeping the torch trigger depressed. This is especially handy considering that this cutter has a 100% duty cycle at 45A, allowing you to cut indefinitely without getting hand fatigue when using the 4T mode.

After extinguishing the arc, the post-cutting airflow lets you modify how long you wish the air to flow. Depending on the workload, you may want this set higher to extend your consumables life.

The gas check mode outputs air without starting the arc. This lets you check if everything is installed correctly before cutting. The wire mesh mode improves the arc quality when cutting extruded material, and many plasma cutters don’t have this feature.

We are particularly impressed with the ability to modify the pilot arc amperage. This is similar to the “starting amps” setting on advanced TIG welders. While the TIG welding process and plasma cutting are nothing alike, having the ability to modify the pilot arc amperage helps if the arc is not hot enough for you to start cutting.

What’s Included

• YesWelder CUT-65DS
• IPT40 Cutting torch, 13-feet
• Ground clamp, 10-feet
• Air hose
• Air filter
• 110V/220V adapter

Final Verdict

Since no other brand provides the same output, duty cycle, and features at this price, the YesWelder CUT-65DS is a unique, absolute bargain.

Its build quality satisfies hobbyists and light fabrication needs, but don’t push it too hard. The build quality may not be appropriate in a professional environment.