A pipe cutter comprises a rotary head having an axis of rotation, and a housing gear is coaxial with the rotary head such that the housing gear and rotary head have a common axis of rotation. A pipe slot extends into the rotary head and the housing gear, and a pipe cradle is provided in the pipe slot, and serves to receive a pipe. A cutting wheel is associated with the rotary head and a wheel biasing member urges the cutting wheel to extend into the pipe slot. A primary drive source is operatively connected to the housing gear by a gear system that rotates the housing gear and the rotary head about the common axis of rotation. Because the cutting wheel is biased to extend into the pipe slot and contacts a pipe placed therein, the cutting wheel revolves around the pipe and cuts into the pipe during rotation of the rotary head. The primary drive source may be manual or automated.