RIDGID 31622 Model 150 Constant Swing Tubing Cutter, 1/8-inc

The Verdict

Let’s be blunt: most cheap tubing cutters are frustrating little devices that pinch, skip, and leave jagged edges. The RIDGID 31622 Model 150 is not that. It’s a $40-ish professional-grade tool that solves the biggest annoyance in tubing work — the constant re-tightening dance — with a genuinely clever mechanical design.

Here’s what you’re actually getting and whether it earns a spot in your bag.

What’s in the package

The box contains the cutter itself, a replacement cutting wheel stored in the handle, and a small hex wrench to swap that wheel when it eventually dulls. That’s it. No deburring tool, no case. The cutter is a compact unit measuring about 6 inches long and weighing roughly half a pound — light enough to live in a service pouch without dragging your belt down.

The frame is die-cast aluminum with a knurled knob that’s easy to grip even with oily hands. The cutting wheel is hardened steel, and the rollers are grooved to seat tubing firmly. As shown in the product image, the wheel sits at a slight angle relative to the rollers — that’s deliberate, and it’s what produces the clean, square cuts.

The constant swing difference

Here’s the headline feature: the “constant swing” mechanism. A conventional tubing cutter forces you to tighten the knob after every rotation because the screw advances incrementally. The Model 150 uses a spring-loaded eccentric cam instead. Once you set the wheel depth, it holds that pressure automatically through the full rotation. You spin, it cuts, you don’t touch the knob until the cut is done.

In practice, this is transformative. A full 1/2-inch copper cut takes about six rotations with zero adjustment. The cut stays clean and square because the wheel doesn’t back off mid-turn. This is a genuine quality-of-life improvement, not marketing fluff.

Real-world performance

The cutter handles 1/8-inch through 5/8-inch tubing — copper, aluminum, brass, and thin-wall steel. On soft copper, it produces a clean edge with minimal burr. On aluminum, it’s smooth with no galling. The wheel is sharp out of the box and stays sharp for hundreds of cuts, based on user reports.

Buyers consistently mention two things: speed and cleanliness. One reviewer wrote, “Cuts like a hot knife through butter. I did 40 copper cuts in under 10 minutes without touching the feed knob.” Another noted, “The cut is so clean I barely need to deburr.” That matches the 4.7-star average across 235 ratings — this is a tool that performs as advertised.

Where it falls short

The lack of a built-in deburring tool is the most common complaint. Many cutters in this class fold a small reamer blade into the body. This one doesn’t. You’ll need a separate deburring tool or a file for cleaning edges on refrigerant or supply lines — a minor annoyance, but a real one.

Also, the 5/8-inch capacity is a hard ceiling. If you work with 3/4-inch copper or larger, you’re looking at the RIDGID Model 103 or Model 152 instead. This is a precision tool for small-diameter work, not a general-purpose pipe cutter.

One more thing: the replacement wheel is a specific RIDGID part (31385). It’s easy to swap with the included wrench, but you can’t just grab any generic wheel at the hardware store.

Who should buy this

• HVAC and refrigeration techs who cut copper and aluminum line sets daily will get the most value. The constant swing mechanism saves real time over a full service day.
• Plumbers working on 1/2-inch supply lines will appreciate the clean cuts and reduced deburring time.
• DIYers and hobbyists doing brake lines, refrigeration projects, or copper crafts will find it a worthwhile upgrade over a $15 hardware-store cutter.
• Skip it if you only cut pipe occasionally — the price is justified by daily-use ergonomics, not occasional convenience.

FAQ

Q: Does this work on PEX or PVC? No. This is designed for soft metals only — copper, brass, aluminum, and thin-wall steel. For plastic tubing, you need a ratcheting cutter or a knife.

Q: How do I know when to replace the wheel? When cuts start leaving a raised burr on the outside edge or the wheel feels like it’s dragging, it’s time. The spare in the handle is a nice touch — you won’t get stranded mid-job.

Q: Is it worth paying more than a cheap cutter? If you cut tubing more than once a month, yes. The constant swing mechanism alone eliminates the most frustrating part of tubing work, and the replaceable wheel means you’re not throwing away the whole tool when it dulls.

The Verdict

Buy it if you do regular tubing work and hate fiddle-fingering a feed knob on every rotation. The RIDGID 31622 earns its price with a genuinely better cutting mechanism, clean results, and a replaceable wheel that extends its life well beyond budget cutters.

Skip it if you need to cut pipe over 5/8-inch, or if this is a once-a-year tool for a single project — a cheaper cutter will do in a pinch.

Rating: 4.6/5 — Penalized slightly for the missing deburring tool and the limited capacity, but this is the best small-diameter tubing cutter at this price point.

Where to Buy

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Last updated: 2026-08-06. Ratings and prices current as of review date. Verify on Amazon before purchasing.