I got my cutmaster 38 off craigslist in nearly new condition for $600. Eastwood has some deals but I have no idea what their quality is like. Just like welders, stick with a name brand because you need consumables and oddball ones are hard to find. That being said I've used mine for everything from sheet metal to 1/4 in plate and it cuts like a dream if you set it right. The only thing it hates is aluminum. The down side is you need a compressor to run it. I've seen some units with a built in compressor, but again I have no experience with them. Good luck!