In accordance with the main criteria of efficiency for plasma metal cutting technologies - productivity, cutting quality and reliability of the equipment - the tasks of the study are set. They are in search of new design solutions to improve the efficiency of plasma cutting of metals. Since the main design factor is to ensure the gas-dynamic operation of the plasma torch, the main attention is paid to the search for new constructive ways of gas-dynamic stabilization of the plasma arc. Various methods of gas-vortex stabilization in plasma torches for metal cutting are investigated. Single- and double-flow plasma torches with different swirler designs were investigated. The influence of the angle of entry of the plasma-forming gas on the kinematic characteristics of the plasma jet is shown. The increase in the radial component of the velocity at the output from the swirler allows to increase the uniformity of the velocity distribution and the kinetic properties of the jet in the zone of influence on the cut metal, which in turn increases the quality and productivity of cutting. As a result of the use of the upgraded swirler, the maximum cutting speed increased by 25%. When cutting sheet metals it is advisable to use the technology of "narrow-jet plasma". This technology is based on the separation of the plasma-forming gas flow into two - plasma-forming and stabilizing - with separate gas supply to the nozzle unit for additional compression of the plasma arc at the outlet of the main nozzle of the plasma torch. At the result a jet of double-flow plasma torch has a higher kinetic properties (has a higher top speed) than a jet of the single-flow plasma torch, however, retains its properties over a short distance.