My experience is similiar to Hoggy. I have a Hypertherm that is rated to cut 5/8". Yes, I have used it for several projects, but no, it is not the end-all perfect cutting tool.
First of all, unless you strap it into a CNC machine and build a cutting table, the human hand (at least mine) cuts squiggly as heck. With some guide like a pattern cut from jigsaw or straight edge, it looks OK. But it is not as clean as a bandsaw, cutting wheel, or chop saw. I wish I had used the money for a really nice band saw.
Are there times the plasma comes in handy? Sure, but it is not the end-all cutting machine you might think. Just my .02 worth.
