A comfortable soft-grip handle ensures greater comfort when using the product for prolonged periods. Cement – Cement tiles have been around since the 19th century and are extremely versatile. Unfortunately, they’re not easy to lay and need to be resealed at least once a month. Using the cutter is simple: using a metal ruler to keep things straight, mark the tile with the scorer. Then insert the tile in the jaws of the cutter, aligning the scored mark with the centre of the tool, and squeeze to snap the tile in two. You might hear these types of cutters also referred to as ‘snappers’ for obvious reasons! Along with straight cuts, the cutter is capable of cutting diagonally as well as producing bevels (20mm maximum cutting capacity at a 90-degree bevel). It also has a 45-degree mitre guide for internal and external corner joints. The cutter has a foldable carry handle that’s probably most useful for smaller hands and a cleverly designed magnetic safety switch to prevent the machine accidentally turning on when you plug it into a power source. Health & Safety should be assessed on an individual basis. The advice given here should only be used as a guideline. It is the responsibility of the Employer and the Operators to ensure that they are competent and qualified to use the equipment and that they have taken the necessary safety precautions

Granite – This is another natural stone, though one that’s cheaper than marble. However, it’s also prone to staining and needs a penetrative sealant to protect it.We found that this cutter produced smoother cuts than any of the manual tile cutters. However, despite the claim that the water re-circulation system ensures a clean workstation, we found that the cutter did produce a fair amount of mess. We’d therefore recommend using it either outside or in an area that’s easy to sweep up.

This is one of the noisier tile cutters we’ve come across, but it does its job extremely well. Do make sure to keep water in the reservoir and clean the bed from time to time to ensure its smooth running. We found the instructions on the box extremely clear (probably the best of all the cutters we tested) and the cutter produced a clean cut repeatedly. However, it could benefit from slightly better-oiled runners, and it didn’t feel particularly substantial.

A few users have noted that the breaker bar can lightly mark tiles, so we would recommend using masking tape to protect the tile before cutting. You may also come across other types of tiles, including limestone, terracotta, travertine, quarry, slate and metal.