Laminate flooring is becoming the most popular flooring type due to its durability, price, and ease of installation. The main problem with installation occurs when cutting the laminate planks. There are many laminate flooring cutters in the market, but how do you decide which one is the best?
Have you ever cut laminate flooring planks with a mitter saw? It works great except for the fact that it creates A LOT of dust. Dust that is very unhealthy for anyone nearby.
The solution to this problem is to use a specially-made laminate flooring cutter. These work like scissors or guillotine, where the laminate is cut by manual force on the lever. The best part is it creates almost no dust and can be operated safely inside the house.
Below are the best laminate floor cutters for your next flooring project:
- 1. Norske Tools Laminate Flooring and Siding Cutter - Widest Planks (Highly Recommended)
- 2. Norske Tools Laminate Flooring and Siding Cutter (Best For Up To 9" Planks)
- 3. MantisTol 13'' Laminate Flooring & Siding Cutter
- 4. Roberts 10-94 Multi-Floor Cutter
- 5. Marshalltown Lightweight Flooring Shear
- 6. Bullet Tools 13" EZ Shear Marksman Laminate Flooring Cutter
- 7. Roberts 10-35 Laminate Cutter
- 8. EAB Tool Exchange-a-Blade
- 9. Bullet Tools 9 inch EZ Shear Sharpshooter
- 10. Norske Tools 13 inch
Norske Tools Laminate Flooring and Siding Cutter NMAP001
We tested Norske Tools’ NMAP001 while we were replacing vinyls in a house scheduled for renovation. The Norske Tools NMAP001 was effortless to move around, thanks to its 13-pound weight (although we had to place a rag under so we could just nudge it with our feet.) Maybe it was the aluminum components that made this easier to move around. I read somewhere in the spec sheet that the blade is manufactured from high speed tool steel, but it didn’t say if it was the molybdenum steels or the cobalt ones. Regardless of the material, the NMAP001 works excellent as a laminate floor cutter.
There was also spare Alside wall siding lying around that we ordered for the backdoor patio.. We were going over our choices on whether to install it since the exterior looked rustic and we wanted to preserve it. The vinyls had different colors and we liked them both so we went ahead and tested NMAP0001’s siding cutter skills. To make my life easier, I just decided to test the sharpness first and see if the blade would chip or break. Good thing it was made with HSS, else, the blade would have broken on the first few hundred cuts. Cutting the planks didn’t make too much noise and there was no dust coming off on every cut.
We tried fitting 12” width planks and there was still about 1” of room left. It works perfectly fine in cutting engineered flooring and siding planks, but we got curious if it could cut hardwood flooring. The result was disappointing – it wouldn’t go through clean so we didn’t continue for fear it might damage the cutting edge. Also, some parts of this tool are made with aluminum so I don’t have to worry about the rust when I keep or give it away. Sometimes, I do put oil on the blade to keep it from rusting. I don’t rely too much on the innate properties of the metal.
Measuring was easy, too. People like me prefer metric over imperial. It also has a zero to 45 degree indicator for miter cuts, ideal for sidings or floorings that need to have their ends cut running diagonally. The handle was also ergonomic. The handle wasn’t made of foam though, but the texture provided grip on the otherwise slippery, plastic.
Norske Tools Laminate Flooring and Siding Cutter KORR KMAP001
Sometimes we get requests for floorboard installations. Young professionals who stay in small apartments want to get the detail on the vinyl flooring so a 9” cutter like the KMAP001 is what we usually use. It’s NMAP001’s little brother (or sister) and performs just as well. The KMAP001 weighs almost close to NMAP001 at just 12.5 lbs. The cutting part of the KMAP001 is made with high speed tool steel and the other components (i.e the handle) are made from aluminum. The weight difference may just be from the length difference of the cutting edge.
Moving this laminate plank cutter was no problem, and we could carry it by hand if we wanted to. Since we do much of the work on the floor, we employed the same technique of just sliding it around using a cloth or rag underneath. We also bought Norske Tools neoprene knee straps because let’s admit it, flooring installation is a back and knee killer. We’re waiting when they’d actually include this as a freebie on the package.
Cutting the planks was easy. Norske Tools used high speed tool steel for the blade and when we pushed down on the lever, it almost felt like slicing through thick cardboard. Almost. The handle was long enough so we only needed to apply the least amount of pressure without tiring our arms to slice the planks. We had to rest a few times throughout the session.
The KMAP001 also has the same 0 to 45 degree aligner for miter cuts. We placed the planks on the surface, adjusted it to the desired angle and brought the blade down. The KMAP001 can also cut through engineered wood, and it doesn’t leave bits and pieces, which is quite common for a dull laminate flooring cutter. Every slicing action we do on the cutter is quiet and we actually find it nice and meditative.
MantisTol 13'' Laminate Flooring & Siding Cutter MC-330
CutTool Ltd.’s MantisTol laminate cutter tool does not disappoint when it comes to slicing through vinyl tiles and engineered wood. We tried this ourselves and the results are excellent. The MantisTol is heavier than the Norske Tool listed here on the article – it weighs 18.7 pounds. It wasn’t too heavy because we were able to carry it from room to room. People with slightly lighter builds may have to secretly wish for the MantisTol to have wheels. We can relate to this when we get really tired from cutting tiles all day.
This laminate flooring cutter is made with a variety of materials – the blade is made of tungsten-infused steel, aluminum for the handle, and ABS plastic for the grip. It has a similar blade length of 13” which should be enough width for most planks or other kinds of flooring and siding material. The blade thickness is 4mm and should withstand chipping or breaking during cutting sessions. The lever wasn’t too thick either as we were able to grip it properly with one hand.
We thought we’d give the platform on this cutting tool a stability and stress test so we jumped on it. I weigh around 140 lbs and I think the MC330 withstood the stomping I gave it. As for its performance, we placed some engineered wood on the platform and with a little push, the flooring planks got cut cleanly.
We also did some tests on other material like wood parquet (which should have a structure entirely different from engineered wood), and fiber-cement. As for the FRC, we did have to exert a little more pressure because of the natural hardness it possesses. We didn’t want the blade to chip so we had to be a little more careful.
Softer materials like wood don’t have debris when they’re cut, meaning the tungsten steel should stay sharp for long. We did try the whetstone the MC330 came with. We had to wear scratch-resistant gloves to avoid cutting our fingers in the process of sharpening the blade. In case we’re too busy with our vinyl flooring and siding installation business, MantisTol already includes an extra blade. This should make cutting floorings and sidings faster.
Roberts 10-94 Multi-Floor Cutter, 13-inch, Silver
With its brand name printed across the blade rack in red imposing letters, it was hard for us to miss the Roberts 10-94 laminate flooring cutter. At almost 33 pounds, its heaviness gives stability to the whole tool and helps make cutting easier.
We used it to cut rubber tiles, as a siding cutter and for vinyl floorings. It was dustless and quiet but when it came to parquets and engineered wood, we were worried the strain we were putting on the handle may cause it to break. This never happened, and it’s most likely the reinforced base attached to the handle where it extends from. And yes, the handle is extendable.
The platform is sturdy despite being made of plastic, and most of the components are made of aluminum, including the horizontal extrusions beneath the platform. We let one of our fun-sized staff stand on the platform and it didn’t crush under her weight. We thought she’d be happy she didn’t weigh that much, but she got mad for being made a test subject. (lol)
When it comes to cutting, it can cut most types of laminate flooring and other types of sidings. We haven’t had a chance to test it on FRC as we ran out of stock. We use FRC as the last testing material because most flooring cutters fail after 20 or 30 cuts on this tough tile.
It cut easily through 10mm to 16mm thick floorings, with us exerting more effort on the 16mm. We still couldn’t get over the fact that the handle won’t break due to the reinforced base but we preferred being cautious as we didn’t want to lose tools.
The Roberts 10-94 has a replaceable blade and we switched it out as soon as we noticed that it wasn’t cutting the 12mm’s as fast as it used to. Once we’ve swapped the blade out, we eagerly swung the guide for angled 45 and 30 degree cuts. It performed just as well as if it were straight cuts.
Since most of the components were made from aluminum, we didn’t have to worry about covering it with plastic before disassembly and storage. We just let it stand in the corner until we get the FRC’s to test the blade.
Marshalltown Lightweight Flooring Shear
We believe Marshalltown when they say it’s about professional quality tools for all. As proof, we’re going to tell you our experience using the Marshalltown Lightweight Flooring Shear. The shorter name for this flooring shear is Marshalltown LWFS13. When we first got the package for testing, we had to IKEA the pieces together with a few screws here and there, but it was rewarding at the end.
It’s an all-grey-slash-matte-silver laminate plank cutter with an overall weight of 15.60 pounds which is somewhere in the middle of Norske Tool’s and MantisTol’s laminate floor and siding cutters. In terms of portability, the cutout in the platform acts as a handle.
We tested it and it’s good for carrying it over short distances, but the thinness of the platform digs deep on the fingers when we carry it from one building to another. I appreciate the fact that they also focused on the bearings as these usually fall out when they’re used for a long time. The metal bearings are jacketed and should endure repeated use.
We tried using the LWFS13’s movable fence to get 45 degree miter cuts and it’s very convenient compared to Norske’s indicator lines. The handle also had a rubberized grip and should prevent slippage when pressing down the lever. There’s no need for fancy textures because the rubber grip provides enough friction to avoid accidents or cutting mishaps.
The Marshalltown laminate flooring cutter can slice through an ideal 10mm thick engineered wood, but I’ve tried going for the 12mm thick vinyl planks and it still works. The weight provided by the handle is nice on the hand, and doesn’t lock into place so there’s no big sudden movements when the blade gets on the other side of the laminates and vinyls. We also checked if wood-based planks would leave dust or wood chips but it slices cleanly and quietly.
Bullet Tools 13" EZ Shear Marksman Laminate Flooring Cutter
This laminate cutter tool from Gunntech Manufacturing Inc./Bullet Tools is probably one of the best I have ever seen so far. With an over-all black theme, it looks modern yet functional. What we first noticed is that the EZ Shear Marksman has higher ground clearance. We think this is a good design choice because it helps people spend less time kneeling on the floor.
It’s just 17 pounds even though we could definitely feel steel everywhere on this tool. It also has a cutout on the platform that I can only think of as a make-shift handle for conveniently carrying it around. I like how the platform is black so it would help contrast wood or other planks but it could be a problem if the vinyl floorings or sidings are also black.
The EZ Shear Marksman shines when it comes to the built in measurements. Sure, other laminate flooring cutters have rulers too but I actually like how the ruler extends until the end of the platform. It’s longer than the built-in fence that I use for the miter cuts. I can also adjust the fence to 45 degrees.
The handle on the EZ Shear Marksman has a square style handle. I’m not sure if the shape of the handle affects the amount of effort I need to cut planks but it’s easy to push down with the help of the rubberized grip.
When it comes to the cutting part, it’s generally quiet. It doesn’t have any motor parts that rely on electricity (and to mention, all of the other flooring and siding cutters here are manual). The blade cuts any material easily. I tested it on a couple of siding vinyls that were just acclimating inside the client’s room. There’s no dust or debris falling out on every cut, so I think Bullet tools did put in effort in making this laminate cutter.
ROBERTS - 13058 10-35 Laminate Cutter
I was looking for a siding cutter that could accommodate planks 8” wide. Good thing Roberts and QEP made a handy tool for this type of scenario. The Roberts 13058 10-35 is showy in a red paint, and it’s hard to miss. My eyes were instantly drawn to this tool. Among the lines of black and grey vinyl flooring and siding cutters, this stood out.
We bought it immediately and checked the build materials. All of the components are made of high-stress steel with the exception of the plastic(?) or rubber covering at the end of the handle. My hands sweat a lot in humid environments and are extremely dry in cold seasons so I have to thank the ridges on the rubber handle.
Most of the laminate floor cutters I’ve used in my previous projects have straight blades. The Roberts make itself unique due to the curved blade it uses to slice through planks. The 10 mm thick vinyls we use as test subjects were easily cut. I had no problems fitting the 8” wide planks into the space provided. The only issue I have with this is it doesn’t have the platform other vinyl plank shearing tools have. The good thing is the Roberts come with free support to prop the end of the planks.
I was worried this type of setup would cause me problems but I can only thank the geniuses who made Roberts when I found out the planks don’t move as much. With the help of physics, the curved blade doesn’t put too much stress all at one on the section of the plank being cut. We were expecting that the vinyls would be outbalanced but it didn’t. That and the narrow space the plank fits into makes sure it’s more stable than it looks like.
EAB Tool Exchange-a-Blade 2100005
I’ve used quite a lot of laminate plank cutters to see which ones are the best ones to buy. The EAB Tool Exchange-a-Blade looks like it’s the same with other plank cutters but I noticed that there’s something different with this tool. It was the base.
The very first thing I consider when looking for plank cutters is its ability to cut various materials. It should have no problem slicing or cutting engineered wood, vinyl sidings and floorings, and even solid wood. The EAB laminate flooring cutter can cut planks with a thickness of up to 15 mm. We had a client before who wanted to have fiber cement sidings installed and everybody I’ve worked in the vinyl installation industry knows how tough these can be.
This is where the EAB Tool shines. When we use run-of-the-mill plank cutters, we have to exert a significant amount of pressure to cut through fiber reinforced cement. The blade gets dull over the course of a hundred tiles so we have to use a whetstone. There are times we’d encounter the other end of the plank rising so we’d have to hold it down.
Most of us aren’t really on the lighter weight, so there are also unfortunate occasions that the base of these cutters get deformed. With EAB, that isn’t a problem since it has a wider and circular base that distributes the pressure evenly.
EAB also has the standard gauge that allows for miter cuts and can be adjusted up to 45 degrees. When we were trying to make 30 degree ends for the planks, the cuts were clean and didn’t have too much residue falling off. When the blade gets dull, I use the whetstone provided to resharpen it. Sometimes I feel that it’s too much of a hassle so I use the free replacement blade EAB included. The manufacturers are usually kind enough to respond to customer requests, so maybe if we factor in the fact that I work in the vinyl installation industry, they’d give free replacement blades. Hopefully.
Bullet Tools 9 inch EZ Shear Sharpshooter
We have another one of Bullet Tools beautiful laminate cutter tools. This is a smaller version of the 13 inch siding and flooring cutter by the same manufacturer. When we first bought this it came in a box and we honestly thought we had to assemble the whole thing. We needed to cut planks asap and the 9” EZ shear gave a ready solution when we took it out of the packaging.
It features the same modern all black-and-silver color palette the 13” inch EZ Shear had. The signature rectangular handle was still there, with the rubberized handle providing excellent grip capability for wet or slippery environments.
There’s a major difference with the platform though – the ruler on this laminate floor cutter is short but contrasts well. It takes advantage of its white color that stands out against the black platform. Also, we noticed the prominent Bullet Tools logo on the middle of the platform.
We think the reason why this has a shorter ruler and fence is because of the cutout in the bottom part of the platform. We tried carrying the 17-pound laminate cutter. It was easy to transport but for extended carrying we always used thick gloves so it doesn’t leave marks on our hands.
We tried the cutting ability of the EZ Shear and just like it’s 13” version, it does its job perfectly. We regret though that this tool does not offer angled cuts. We tried getting creative with it – it wasn’t’ exactly 45 degrees but it was a good try to slice the ends of the planks diagonally.
The feet were on the smaller side too, but since the center of gravity on this tool is spread across the platform, we doubt if it will flip even if the pressing force applied on the lever was jackhammer level.
Norske Tools NMAP006 13 inch
Not to be confused with the NMAP001, the NMAP006 is a 13 inch laminate flooring cutter and is an upgrade over the former. We’ve talked about other flooring and siding cutters being unstable, like how we assumed the Roberts lack of platform could be a disadvantage.
Norske Tools listened to the requests of people like me who work with flooring and siding panels. Stability is a big deal when we’re cutting a lot of planks so the NMAP006 comes with a clamp to make sure tough materials like FRC (fiber reinforced cement) and hardy wood don’t move when it’s being cut.
We hope Norske Tools does make a curved blade like the Roberts but we’d have to wait for it in the future. The NMAP006 also has a few tricks up its sleeve. If Bullet Tools prided itself with the ample length of the ruler and fence, Norske Tools NMAP006 platform is extendable! We were actually amazed at how convenient this was for planks that are longer than the cutting tools themselves.
We tried cutting 45” planks and the clamp helped stabilize it, although we had to step on some sections of the plank just to make sure the stress is applied equally. We feared that the plank might break unevenly but the NMAP006’s blade was sharp enough to localize all the pressure on the section where it would make the cut.
As expected from Bullet Tools, the cuts were uniform and smooth. The amount of debris and dust were minimal when we used this for 2 hours cutting engineered wood. We only had to use the right amount of pressure cutting through the planks, and the cylindrical handle made sure it was comfortable for the hands every time we brought the lever down. The plastic/rubber material on the handle also provides additional grip.