MIG welders are one of the most popular choices for home use.
They’re easy to use and set up, simple to maintain, and offer consistent weld quality.
Here, we take a look at the 5 best MIG welders designed with home use in mind.
MIG Welders for Home Use Comparison Table
Welder | Forney Easy Weld 261, 140 FC-i Welder | Hobart 500559 Handler 140 MIG Welder | VIVOHOME MIG Welder 130 Automatic Feed Welding Machine | MIG155GSV 155 AMP INVERTER MIG/STICK ARC WELDER | Weldpro 200 Amp Inverter Multi Process Welder |
| Manufacturer | FORNEY INDUSTRIES INC | Hobart | VIVOHOME | W Weldpro | W Weldpro |
| Item Weight | 19 lbs | 57 lbs | 34.6 lbs | 21.2 lbs | 30.4 lbs |
| Dimensions | 16.7 x 12 x 8.1 inches | 19 x 11 x 13 inches | 13.4 x 7.2 x 11.5 inches | 14.96 x 13.58 x 6.69 inches | 17.72 x 8.66 x 14.96 inches |
| Material | Metal | Steel, Stainless Steel and Aluminum | Stainless Steel | Metal | Metal |
| Power Source | AC | Corded-electric | Ac/dc | Corded | Corded |
| Voltage | 120V | 115 V | 110V/230V | 115V/230±15% | 230 V |
| Amperage | Up to 140 A | 25-140 A | 50-120 A | 30 to 155 A | 40-200A |
| Duty Cycle | 30% Duty Cycle at 90A | 20% duty cycle at 90 Amps | 15% duty cycle at 105 | N/A | 30% duty cycle at 200 Amps |
| Batteries Required? | No | No | No | No | No |
| Batteries Included? | No | No | No | No | No |
MIG Welder for Home Use
MIG welding is perfect for beginners and welders at home because it is often found to be easier to learn compared to other types of welding.
It is also cleaner and more versatile in its welds compared to stick welding.
Things to Consider Before Buying a Welder for Home Use
Voltage at Home
American households generally use a supply voltage of 120V at home. While several MIG welders run on 120V, some may also run on 220V. Depending on the model you plan on getting, and the tasks you have in mind, you may need to get a 220V converter.
Usage
It may be wise to assess the tasks you have in mind and figure out the general thickness of the materials that you will work with often. Metal thickness is important in picking out your welder’s type, model, and capabilities.
Price and Budget
Figuring out how often you plan on using the welder and the materials you will work with will give you an idea of how much money you might have to set aside to acquire the welder best suited for you.
It is important to keep in mind that your MIG welder, like all other tools, should be thought of as an investment, and that the most expensive product does not necessarily mean it is the best product for you.
Duty Cycle
The duty cycle of a MIG welder refers to the amount of time it can be used continuously without overheating. For example, A 40% Duty Cycle means that out of ten minutes, the welder has a continuous running time of 4 minutes before it overheats and needs 6 minutes to cool down.
Amperage
The amperage of a product directly affects the heat it can produce. Products with a higher amperage are more powerful than products with low amperage.
It is important to note, however, that at higher amperages the duty cycle of a welder decreases, and at lower amperages, the duty cycle increases.
Best MIG Welders for Home Use
Forney Easy Weld 261, 140 FC-i Welder
Features:
- Gasless Mig Welding
- EASY TO USE-140 FC-I MIG machine uses 0.30, flux core wire.
- It has infinite voltage and wire feed speed control. Good for entry-level welders
- POWERFUL- Up to 140 Amp output that allows you to weld mild steel up to 1/4 in plate
- PORTABLE WELDER- Lightweight 19 lbs.
- RUGGED- All metal case. Can handle 2 and 10-pound rolls of wire
- 12-month warranty
The Forney Easy Weld 261, 140 FC-i Welder has a myriad of features that really allow it to stand out.
The MIG welder has an infinite voltage and wire feed speed control, allowing you to fine-tune your settings to how exactly you want them.
With an all-metal case and weighing at only 19 lbs, this welder is great for carrying around, should you feel the need to.
Running at 120V, this MIG welder can be plugged in just about any household outlet, making it perfect for use at home without a power converter.
With an amperage of up to 140A, this MIG welder can melt up to ¼ inches of mild steel, and with a duty cycle of 30% at 90A, it is more than capable to do common tasks.
Pros:
- Great for beginners and entry-level hobbyists.
- Works with standard 120V outlets
Cons:
- Wire feed sometimes fails
- Instructions may not be clear.
Hobart 500559 Handler 140 MIG Welder
Features:
- 5-position voltage control selector
- Welds 24 gauge up to 1/4 in mild steel;
- Weldable Materials: Steel, Stainless Steel, and Aluminum
- Welding Processes: MIG(GMAW), Flux Cored(FCAW)
- Voltage: 115V
- Wire Feed Speed Range: 40-700 IPM, 50-740 IPM at no load
- Welding Amperage Range: 25-140 A; 20% duty cycle @ 90 Amps, 19V
Hobart is known for its great quality products and awesome customer service.
The Hobart 500559 Handler 140 MIG Welder’s 5-position voltage control selector adds a smooth, stable arc at all welding thicknesses.
At 57 lbs, this MIG welder is notably heavier than other models on the list, but that does not necessarily make it a bad choice for your home shop.
Running at 115V, the Hobart 500559 Handler 140 MIG Welder can be plugged in just about any household outlet, making it perfect for home use.
With an amperage of up to 140A, this MIG welder can melt up to ¼ inches of mild steel, it does, however, only have a duty cycle of 20% at 90A.
Pros:
- High-quality materials
- Great for minor repairs and small at-home jobs
- Amazing customer service
Cons:
- No definite stops for wire feed knob, making speed adjustment very sensitive.
- Limited adjustments for heat
- Some products sent are defective.
VIVOHOME MIG Welder 130 Automatic Feed Welding Machine
Features:
- No Reaction Welder: good for hobby projects on light gauge steel
- Particularly suitable for mild steel and stainless steel; Creates a professional finish in welding, auto bodywork, and many other thin steel welding processes
- Adjustable Welding Speed – 4 levels of current flow settings and 10 welding speeds for the variable feed control.
- Portable Design – Lightweight and compact design.
The VIVOHOME MIG Welder 130 Automatic Feed Welding Machine is created with the best quality materials, with a stainless steel case and durable black finish, it is designed to resist rust and corrosion.
This model is specially designed to weld both mild and stainless steel, it can also weld aluminum very well.
This model features 4 levels of current flow settings and 10 welding speeds for the variable feed control, allowing you to fine-tune your settings to exactly how you need them for the job.
Running at 110V and 230V, the VIVOHOME MIG Welder 130 Automatic Feed Welding Machine can be plugged in both 120V and 220V outlets, allowing you to switch up to higher power when you can and need to.
With an amperage of up to 50-120 A, this MIG welder packs quite a punch, it does, however, only have a duty cycle of 15% at 105A making it have a shorter continuous run time than other models in this list.
Pros:
- Designed particularly for mild steel, stainless steel, and aluminum.
- 4 levels of current flow settings and 10 welding speed settings.
- Lightweight and compact.
Cons:
- Inadequate owner’s manual
- May not have the best customer service
MIG155GSV 155 AMP INVERTER MIG/STICK ARC WELDER
Features:
- Compactly designed with portability in mind.
- Feeds wire at 78 in. to 396 in. per minute and has infinitely adjustable wire speed and heat settings.
The model features an advanced compact IGBT inverter design with automatic overheat and over-current welding protection.
The MIG155GSV 155 AMP INVERTER MIG/STICK ARC WELDER also features infinitely adjustable wire speed and heat settings.
The welder runs on both 115V and 230V, meaning that when there is an available 220V outlet, you have the choice of increasing your welder’s power.
With an amperage range of 30 to 155 A, the MIG welder can comfortably weld 1/4 in. mild steel with proper preparation.
Pros:
- Amazing customer support
- Features advanced overheat and overcurrent protection
- Capable of heavy-duty welding
Cons:
- Wire feed housing may be wonky
- Some MIG gun parts are proprietary to the machine and cannot be replaced by store-bought products.
Weldpro 200 Amp Inverter Multi Process Welder
Features:
- Dual digital display easy to read and set amperage and wire-speed for repeatable welds every time.
- VRD high temp and overload protection with indication.
- User-adjustable inductance settings.
- Capable of true lift TIG welding (without foot pedal), stick welding, and aluminum welding with the optional spool gun.
The Weldpro 200 Amp Inverter Multi-Process Welder is incredibly powerful and is probably the most capable out of all welding models.
Running at 230 V, this needs a dedicated 220V outlet that may not be usually found at the standard household.
The welder has an amperage range of 40-200A and a 30% duty cycle at 200 Amps. This is definitely a beast of a tool and is incredibly powerful, especially when compared to the other welders on this list.
Pros:
- Very user friendly
- Offers a wide variety of choices to fine-tune for any job
- A versatile product that can do MIG/TIG/Stick Welding
Cons:
- vague instruction manual
- Wire-speed is only adjustable in small increments
- Has instances of running wire 5-10 secs after the user has finished
Conclusion
At home, versatility is key. You may want something that you can take around, without sacrificing too much power and capability.
For true home/casual use, the best MIG welder for you may be the Forney Easy Weld 261, 140 FC-i Welder. With a voltage of 120V, an amperage of up to 140A, and a 30% duty cycle at 90A, this can comfortably weld up to ¼ inches of mild steel, more than enough for most home-shop uses.
If you want something that is a little more versatile in its electrical requirements and output, the MIG155GSV 155 AMP INVERTER MIG/STICK ARC WELDER is perfect for you. You can switch up the voltage from 115V to 230V depending on the available outlet and on your needs.
The true workhorse in this list, however, would be the Weldpro 200 Amp Inverter Multi-Process Welder. Running on 230V, with an amperage of up to 200A and a 30% duty cycle at 200 Amp, this MIG welder is as powerful as they get. Given its strength, however, it will require a dedicated 220V outlet. But if you plan to keep it in a fixed place in the shop, this MIG welder is more than capable of whatever projects you’ll need to be done, big or small.
To wrap up, the list features the highest-rated and most reviewed products online, so it may be important to keep in mind that even though we have shown a preferred item, all the other MIG welders still ought to be considered.
Home Welding FAQs
📌 Is a 100% carbon gas shield the most convenient gas to utilize?
A 75% CO2/25% Argon mixture is much more readily available in supply shops and when you are welding mild steel with solid core wire, it’s far better than a 100% CO2 gas shield.
📌 How Does shielding gas affect the quality of my welding?
Shielding gas gives the welding job a flatter bead profile, less splatter, and greater weld penetration.
📌 How much gas do I need?
For starters, around 20 cubic feet of gas would generally suffice per hour of gas for shielding. When welding relatively thin materials, you may have to turn the gas down a bit, and when welding with thicker materials and higher settings, you may have to turn it up.
📌 What do I need to weld Stainless Steel?
You may weld stainless steel like you would mild steel, but you will lose corrosion resistance with the wrong gas and wire. When welding stainless steel, a mix of Carbon, Argon, and Helium would be the best shielding gas for the job. Note that using any gas with more than 2% Oxygen will cause the weld to inevitably rust in the future.
You may weld stainless steel like you would mild steel, but you will lose corrosion resistance with the wrong gas and wire. When welding stainless steel, a mix of Carbon, Argon, and Helium would be the best shielding gas for the job. Note that using any gas with more than 2% Oxygen will cause the weld to inevitably rust in the future.
