Welding technology has come a long way from what it used to be, producing more compact, efficient, and powerful machines.
With welding, several processes exist and each one has its strengths and weaknesses. MIG has proven to be a crowd favorite among these processes in terms of accessibility, speed, and simplicity.
Because of its versatility, MIG welding is often the go-to welding process used both by professionals and amateurs alike. It can weld a variety of metals, alloys and works exceptionally well with the higher gauge or thicker metals.
This popularity led to an influx of MIG welders flooding today’s markets, and while this is generally good, it does present some challenges. Having too many choices can lead consumers to make bad purchase decisions, and this is where we come in.
Below we will be doing a deep dive into what things need to be considered when purchasing a heavy-duty professional welder. After putting ourselves in your shoes as the buyer, we came up with a list of five of the best professional MIG welders you can purchase today. For your convenience, let us start with this nice comparison chart detailing their stats.
Professional MIG welder comparison chart
| Brand | Model | Welding Process Type | Output AMP | Duty Cycle | Input Voltage | Weight | Dimensions |
| Hobart | Handler 210 MVP | MIG | 210A | 20%@90A/115V30% @150A/230V | Dual-voltage (115V and 230V) | 79 lbs | 24 x 18.6 x 13.2 inches |
| Yeswelder | MIG PRO 250 | MIG/TIG/Flux Core | 250A | 60%@250A | 220V | 32.9 lbs | 20 x 16.5 x 11.5 inches |
| SUNGOLDPOWER | MIG 200 | MIG/Flux Core | 200A | 60%@200A | Dual-voltage (115V and 230V) | 33 lbs | 19.6 x 9.4 x 14.9 inches |
| W Weldpro | MIG200GDsv | MIG/TIG | 200A | 30%@200A100%@110A – 220V | Dual-voltage (115V and 230V) | 30.4 lbs | 17.72 x 8.66 x 14.96 inches |
| TOOLIOM | TL-200M | MIG/TIG/ Flux Core/Arc | 200A | 60%@200A 100%155A | Dual-voltage (115V and 230V) | 31.9 lbs | 20.5 x 15.6 x 12.6 inches |
Your need-to-know when choosing a professional-grade MIG welder
The words professional-grade should not be used lightly, especially when talking about welders. These machines need to put up with a lot of abuse when used professionally. As such, some factors strictly need to be taken into consideration if you want your welder to last a long time.
We listed them down below and you can use these as some form of checklist to help you narrow down your selection and zero in on the welder that suits your needs.
Amperage
If you are going to do heavy-duty welding that involves thicker gauge metals, the amperage will play a huge role. Any metal upwards of 14 ga, or 2mm will need upwards of 110A to be able to make any decent and safe welds. This means that you need to get welders with output amperage that are within this range.
Wire-feed settings
Wire-feed settings need to coincide with your amperage settings as well. Usually, there is an included guide printed at the side of the welder or included in the instruction manual. There are also resources for this online and we are going to link an amp vs. wire-speed calculator here. With this in mind, look for those with adjustable wire speed options as well as multiple increment amp settings.
Input power
Professional MIG welders will encounter more than just average metal thicknesses, and with that said, the input power should be in the range of 240V.
This is generally what residential and small shops are wired with. Anything higher would already be in the range of 3-phase industrial power sources, and that would be overkill.
For our purpose, go for the welder that works with 110V up to 240V. Most products available would be dual voltage anyway and it means it will work with both standards.
Duty cycle
This is how long you can continuously weld without pause before the welder stops to prevent overheating. The higher the duty cycle, the more time you will have in between welds.
Take as an example a MIG welder with a duty cycle of 40% @ 200A. This means that the welder will function for four minutes at that power output. After four minutes, it will need to cool down before you can weld for another four minutes, and so on.
If you tweak the output at a lower one, it lengthens the duty cycle. So here, it is best to look for those welders that have the highest duty cycle.
The 5 best professional MIG welders
As promised, this is the list of the welders that we think check all of the above when it comes to what makes a good quality MIG welder. These welders are all professional-grade, but they do suit the amateur just as well.
HOBART Handler 210 MVP
Stand out features:
- Welds 24ga. metal with a ⅜ thickness in one pass with 210A power output
- Equipped with an MVP (multi-voltage plug) that makes it easy to plug in diff locations
- Thermal overload and advanced electronic circuity protection
- Switches voltages automatically to the input power
- Comes with 7 voltage taps with 230V and 4 voltage taps with 115V perfect for fine-tuning
At 79 lbs and double the weight of almost every welder that is similarly capable, this can be a pain to move around. The weight is for good reason though, because it uses the reliable transformer technology that is considerably heavy.
With the weight out of the way, the Handler 210 makes up for this by having one of the easiest control panels to use. It is not just the panel but this thing sets up in minutes. Hobart also included a handy settings chart on the welder itself, which is heaven-sent for amateurs.
The 210A power output welds ⅜ steel in one pass and are plenty enough for most shops and home garage fabrication. You can also dial in and fine-tune wire speed settings and voltage for those clean welds.
Pros:
- Great for both amateurs and professionals alike
- Comprehensive and well-written user manual
- The durable all-metal wire feed mechanism
- The 5/3/1 warranty that comes with the purchase
- Have the option to attach an optional spool gun for aluminum welding use
Cons:
- While it has a small footprint it is heavy to move around at 79 lbs
- Not suitable for thicker aluminum work
YESWELDER MIG PRO 250
Stand out features:
- Automatically set voltage and wire speed settings when you change amp or thickness
- Multi-process welder adds value in a single package
- Equipped with IGBT inverter technology
- Tweakable synergistic settings
- High-quality MIG torch included with 250A rating
One thing that the YESWELDER MIG PRO 250 has is power and it can weld up to ½ “ of metal in one pass. Combining this with a duty cycle of 60% @ 250A makes this welder a worthy contender for your money.
This welder is equipped with a synergistic setting as well as a manual setup. Synergistic means that when you set one parameter, the others follow suit to match that setting. This is unheard of in this price range.
The synergistic approach makes this ideal for both the novice welder and the professional alike. Moreover, the fantastic build quality ensures that this device will survive a garage or shop environment for years to come.
Pros:
- Equipped with a TEFLON liner for aluminum welding
- 250A power output packs enough power to weld a ½ “ metal in one pass
- Affordably priced multi-process welder
- 60% duty cycle rating allows for longer continuous welds
- Easily and safely do wire changes with its cold wire feed button
Cons:
- Only runs on 220V
- Power switch placement at the rear is inconvenient
SUNGOLDPOWER MIG200
Stand out features:
- Multi-process welder in one small package
- Can weld aluminum with the optional spool gun
- Easily adjust the welding voltage
- Multi-material capabilities (metal, stainless steel, and aluminum
- Dual voltage and can work on 110 and 220V
The MIG 200 from SUNGOLDPOWER is among the best-priced welders out there that can hold its own against higher-priced machines. This is an amazing welder for both the newbie and the professional due to its portability and size at just 33 lbs.
This is a multi-function welder powered by IGBT inverter technology and also has the capability to weld aluminum with the optional spool gun. It also has a variety of safety features including arc force overload, over-voltage, under-voltage, and overload protection.
The machine also has a multiple increment adjustment on wire feed speed and current, allowing you to perfectly fine-tune your welds. The package comes complete with everything you need to start welding, even a mask that is a nice surprise.
Pros:
- Equipped with a TEFLON liner for aluminum welding
- Uses reliable and good quality transformer technology
- Ideal for outdoor repairs, automotive and farm equipment
- Well-built chassis, no gaps, and all panels fit perfectly
- IGBT inverter technology makes it power efficient
Cons:
- The power switch is at the back instead of the front
- The outer jacket for the torch is a bit flimsy
W WELDPRO MIG200GDsv
Stand out features:
- The dual digital display makes it easy to adjust wire speed and current
- Equipped with VRD high temperature and overload protection
- A duty cycle of 30% at max amp which is 200A
- Easily switch between its multiple welding processes
- Compact and portable size at just 30 lbs
The MIG200GDsv is already among the best when it comes to pricing, and it only gets better when you start using the machine. It is a multi-welding process machine as well as multi-material giving you great value for your money.
The package will come with everything you need to start welding which makes this a great choice for both beginners and professionals alike. Its power output, especially for MIG can be adjusted from 40-200A making it possible to weld both thinner and thicker metal gauges.
This machine’s duty cycle is enough to let you weld for 3 minutes continuously before letting it cool down with is 30% duty cycle @200A. This is more than enough for home repair work, projects, and even shop duty.
Pros:
- Is equipped with inductance adjustment
- Welds aluminum with the optional spool gun
- Large and easy-to-read dual digital display
- Comes with a three-year warranty
- An ERGOPLUS 15 10 feet MIG torch is included
Cons:
- The spool gun is not included in the package
- The front panel seems a bit loose
TOOLIOM TL-200M
Stand out features:
- Synergistic setting as well as manual setup
- Multi-process welder
- Can micro-adjust voltage
- Touch and knob controls combination allows for fine-tuning weld settings
- Has automatic overload and thermal protection
The TL-200M is a very capable machine, especially when considered how much it costs. For starters, this can be set up for 2T and 4T modes and is something that is commonly found on higher-priced machines.
Equipped with IGBT inverter technology, this comes in a very small and lightweight footprint, which made it easy to haul around during home repair, or lugging it around the shop. The inverter also made its arc super stable.
This is also a dual voltage machine capable of getting power from both 110 and 220V sockets. It can be adjusted to weld thinner metals and can weld up to ¼” thickness in just one pass. This is a decent machine overall at this price point.
Pros:
- 2T/4T operation capable
- Portable and lightweight machine at just 20lbs
- Can weld up to ¼” in a single pass
- Stable arc allows for laying down clean beads
- Great MIG gun included
Cons:
- The synergistic setting is software controlled only
- Ground clamp seems flimsy
Conclusion
Purchasing a machine such as a welder should never involve guesswork. The purchase should be approached as clinical as possible, and we hope that in some way the guide and the list we provided brings you that much closer to the MIG welder that you need. Remember that the highest possible outlet you can have at home would be @ 220V so make sure this is considered in your selection.
MIG Welding FAQs
📌 How thick can a MIG welder weld?
Most MIG welders in the 110/220V range can weld up to ⅜” in a single pass but it can vary from machine to machine. A good rule of thumb for MIG welders is that they should be able to weld .001 thickness of metal for every amp the welder has. The welder will usually have information on its manual or panels, and it is a good idea to look at reviews as well online.
📌 What amp welder do I need?
This goes hand in hand with the thickness of the metal you will be welding. This means that to be on the safe side, get that welder with the highest amperage possible for a 220V input power, which should be about 250A. This should be enough for most projects unless you will be welding aircraft or ship parts – which is on a whole new level.
📌 Is MIG welding for beginners?
MIG welding is relatively easy to learn especially when you look at other forms of welding such as TIG. However, whatever the welding process, you will still need to learn basic welding fundamentals. For a total beginner, it could take a few days to learn the basics and maybe the same time for MIG welding specifically.
