Metal Inert Gas (MIG) welding is often regarded as the welding type that is the easiest to learn, thus making it the ideal entry point into the world of welding. Here, we will take a look at the 5 highest-rated MIG welders under $1000.
Comparison Table
Welder | Hobart 500559 Handler 140 MIG Welder 115V | Weldpro 200 Amp Inverter Multi Process Welder | Hobart – 500553 Handler 210 MVP MIG Welder,Small | YESWELDER MIG-250 PRO Aluminum MIG Welder | Hobart 500554 Handler 190 MIG Welder |
| Manufacturer | Hobart | W Weldpro | Hobart | YESWELDER | Hobart |
| Item Weight | 57 lbs | 30.4 lbs | 79 lbs | 32.9 lbs | 68 lbs |
| Dimensions | 19 x 11 x 13 inches | 17.72 x 8.66 x 14.96 inches | 24 x 18.6 x 13.2 inches | 20 x 16.5 x 11.5 inches | 12.3 x 10.6 x 19.5 inches |
| Material | Steel, Stainless Steel and Aluminum | Metal | Metal | Metal | Metal |
| Power Source | Corded-electric | Corded | Corded | Corded | Corded |
| Voltage | 115 V | 230 V | 110/115/120 V – 220/230/240 V | 220 V | 230 V |
| Amperage | 25-140 A | 40-200A | Max 210A | 250A | 25-190A |
| Duty Cycle | 20% duty cycle @ 90 Amps | 30% duty cycle at 200 Amps | 20% duty cycle at 90A (115 V),30% duty cyle at 150A (230V) | 60% duty cycle at 250A | 30% duty cycle at 130 amps |
| Batteries Required? | No | No | No | No | No |
| Batteries Included? | No | No | No | No | No |
Things to Consider Before Buying a MIG Welder
Your Needs
Certain MIG Welder Models may be better suited to other tasks different from the jobs you have in mind. It is imperative that you know the average thicknesses of the materials you will work with often as that should play a role in the welder model you pick.
Budget and Cost
It goes without saying that buying your tools should be an investment, but that does not mean you have to buy the most expensive one.
While MIG Welding may be a little bit costlier than other types of welding (like stick welding), determining your budget and figuring out what you need from your MIG welder will help you find one that is neither too costly nor excessive.
Input Power Voltage and Amperage
It is important to make sure that your MIG welder can adequately provide power for the tasks that you undertake.
Regarding amperage, it may be wise to pick a model that has just a bit more power than you might think you need. For small, DIY, or amatuer jobs, a model with a smaller voltage, around 110V-115V, would be well suited for you, as you can use your household socket to power it.
For larger jobs and working with thicker metals, perhaps in industrial settings, a model with a higher voltage, somewhere around 220V, may be more suitable for you, as they are significantly more powerful than 110V welders.
Duty Cycle
The duty cycle of a MIG welder refers to the amount of time it can be used continuously without overheating. 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.
It is important to note that at higher amperages, the duty cycle of a welder decreases, and at lower amperages, the duty cycle increases.
Portability
Size, weight, and the dimensions of the MIG welder directly affect the portability of the product. If you plan on moving around or making small repairs, a lighter, more compact welder may be better suited for you.
However, if you plan to keep it in a personal workshop where you do not have to move it around very often, or if you expect to undertake large, industrial jobs, a model that is heavier must be the one you pick.
Do note that size often correlates with power, a larger MIG welder will always be more powerful than a smaller, lighter one.
Best MIG Welders Under $1000
Hobart 500559 Handler 140 MIG Welder 115V
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
- Includes: 10ft HR-100 MIG gun, 10ft work cable with clamp, Power Cord, Dual-gauge regulator with gas hose, .030 in. contact tips, Quick Select drive roll, Sample spool of flux-cored wire and Material thickness gauge
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.
Weldpro 200 Amp Inverter Multi Process Welder
Features:
- 3 year warranty
- Capable of true lift TIG welding (without foot pedal), stick welding, and aluminum welding with the optional spool gun.
- Welding Amperage Ranges: 230V: MIG: 40-200A; MMA: 40-200A; TIG: 15-200A115V: MIG:40-120A; MMA:40-120A; TIG: 15-120A;
- 30% at 200 Amp rated duty cycle.
- MIG welding wire diameter: .023 .030 .035
- Welding thickness: 19ga- 0.197 in;
- TIG tungsten needle diameter: 0.063 0.094,
- welding thickness: 25ga- 1/4 in;
- MMA electrode Dia: 0.063-0.157 acid electrode, alkaline electrode,
- welding thickness: 14ga-0.315in
- 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.
Pros:
- Very User Friendly
- Offers a wide variety of choices to fine-tune for any job
- Versatile product, 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 user has finished
Hobart – 500553 Handler 210 MVP MIG Welder,Small
- Includes: One Hobart – 500553 Handler 210 MVP MIG Welder, One 10 ft. (3m) H100S4-10 gun, One 10 ft. (3m) work cable with clamp, Built-in gas solenoid value and dual-gauge regulator with gas hose
- Welder Dimensions: 10.62” W x 19.5” L x 12.37” H |
- Welder weight: 79 lbs.
- Input Voltage: 110/115/120 V – 220/230/240 V
- Material Thickness: 1/4” – 3/8”
- Sized to be portable
- Can weld 3/8 in. mild steel
- Keeps wire electrically “cold” until trigger is pulled, keeping you safe.
- Allows you to fine control the output parameters for improved arc performance.
Pros:
- Easy to change spool gun
- Welds aluminum well
- 120V/240V feature works well and is easy to change
Cons:
- Instances of the wire feed deteriorating or being defective.
- May not have longevity depending on usage.
YESWELDER MIG-250 PRO Aluminum MIG Welder
- Multi-functions: MIG synergistic setting & MIG manual setting
- Gasless Flux wire MIG Welds, stick welds, and Lift TIG welds.
- Dynamic control-set arc control to crisp or soft depending on your preference and application. (TIG torch needs purchasing separately, WP-17V-35)
- Synergic MIG -provides communication between the power source, feeder, and gun.
- Easy work with new welders or users.
- Gasless Flux MIG welds -release hard moving of gas cylinder, release the low efficiency of stick welds, and work with gasless flux wire perfectly
- Various Welding Wire Suitable for all kinds of welding requirements .023”/.030”/.035” solid/SS wire, .023”/.030”/.035” flux core wire for MIG manual setting; only .035” available in MIG synergistic setting .035”/.045” aluminum wire.
Pros:
- Great customer service
- User Friendly
Cons:
- Though unspecified, some wire rolls may not fit the unit.
- Poor Owner’s manual
- May not be hardy enough for professional use
Hobart 500554 Handler 190 MIG Welder
- Includes: 10 ft. HR-100 gun | 10 ft. work cable with clamp | .030” contact tips | Power cord with plug | Welding guide and material thickness gauge | Owner’s manual with installation, operation and maintenance guidelines
- Input voltage: 230V 60Hz | Amp range – 25-190 amps | Duty cycle – 30% at 130 amps | Mild Steel thickness range – 24 ga. 5-/16” | Spool radio diameter inner/outer – .62”/1.95” | Max spool capacity – 11 lbs. | Power cord length – 6 ft.
- 7 voltage selections, enhanced magnetics and infinite wire feed speed control offers easier fine control of the output parameters for improved arc performance with less spatter
- Less of your time consumed in setup by offering three grooves – two for different size solid wire and a third for flux-cored wire
- Protects power transformer from thermal overload to provide you maximum reliability
Pros:
- Easy to use
- High quality materials; very well built
Cons:
- Some attachments may not be very satisfactory according to personal preference.
Conclusion
To wrap up, the selection featured the highest rated and most reviewed products online, meaning, they may already be the best of the bunch.
It is clear, however, that Hobart products dominate the list, taking 3 out of 5 slots. That may be saying something about the quality of their welders.
For lighter tasks, the Hobart 500559 Handler 140 MIG Welder 115V may be best suited for you, while there may be issues with the delivery of some of their products (as reported by some customers), the customer service is good enough that it makes up for it.
For heavier, more demanding jobs, the Weldpro 200 Amp Inverter Multi Process Welder may be the welder for you. With a maximum amperage of 200A, a voltage of 230V, and a 30% duty cycle at 200A, it is definitely more capable for heavy jobs than the Hobart 500559.
All that said, the other MIG welders are not to be slept on and they should definitely be considered as well.
MIG Welder FAQs
📌 Which is the Ideal Gas to use for MIG welding?
A 75% CO2/25% Argon mixture is readily available in supply shops and it works far better than a 100% CO2 gas shield.
📌 What are the advantages of MIG welding?
MIG welding has a lot of advantages: it can be used on a wide variety of common metals; it’s easy to learn; it’s a strong and durable weld.
📌 What do I need to weld Aluminum?
For MIG welding aluminum, you will need a specialized spool gun that will feed aluminum wire directly into your torch, preventing jams from occurring
📌 What are the disadvantages?
When welding outdoors, or when welding much thicker material, MIG welding may not perform as well as stick welding or flux core welding. Regarding precision, it may be inferior to TIG welding as well.
📌 What safety gear do I need for MIG welding?
The bare minimum for PPE would be a tinted pair of welding helmets and leather welding gloves. However, your safety can be further assured by wearing a leather welding jacket and leather shoes.
