So you want to start getting into welding, but you don’t know how to pick out the best MIG welder in the market?
Well, you’ve come to the right place!
In this article, we will discuss some of the things you need to look out for when shopping for a beginner arc welder.
We will also talk about some of the best MIG welders available to hobbyists and amateurs such as yourself.
And lastly, we will also talk about a few interesting things about MIG welders that might not be common knowledge.
Let’s get right into it!
What to Look for in a MIG Welder
What you may need from a welding machine will dictate the specs of the machine you will end up buying. That said, unless you’re in the business of crafting metal pieces, you probably won’t need a heavy-duty welder.
Budget
First things first: what’s your budget? There are plenty of cheap welding machines in the market, but if you want to get the best unit for your needs, avoid these.
Cheaper welding units usually have weaker output, and this may negatively affect the quality of your weld. Depending on the type and thickness of the material you’re trying to weld, this output may not be enough to complete the job well, or in a timely manner.
Power In / Power Out
The cheaper units usually have a lower voltage or amperage. A unit whose input is at most 120V can only maximize a 120V circuit. That limits its output capacity.
Units with this kind of power output can weld thinner sheets of metal since you won’t need as much sustained heat to melt the material. If you’re working with metal sheets that are thinner than 1/8 of an inch thick, then these units will work for your needs.
But if you’re working with materials that are thicker than that gauge, or have a higher melting point than steel alloy, then you may need to look at beefier models for the best MIG welder in the market.
Anything thicker than 11-gauge metal, which is around 0.1196 inches thick might not be welded properly with a 120V machine. The same goes for when you want to weld two different types of material together.
Speaking of material, you may want to take into consideration the types of metals you will be welding regularly. If you’re welding together something with aluminum, there’s a chance that you’ll need a different type of filler metal. Aluminum filler is difficult to work with, however; the regular feeding mechanism of a standard welding machine tends to ribbonize this material.
This is why spool guns exist. Spool guns are an additional mechanism that feeds sensitive materials like aluminum fillers in a manner that doesn’t make the material difficult to work with. And if you’re planning on welding materials made of these metals, a spool gun is an additional expense that you may want to consider.
How Often Will You Use It?
If you’re a hobbyist, then you’ll probably use a welding machine around once every quarter, tops. This means you won’t be welding big items, and you’ll just be doing this in your workshop or in your garage.
If this is the case, then the best MIG welder for you is one with an average duty cycle. Think of this as the amount of time a welding machine can operate before it overheats and shuts down.
But if you’re working on a lot of things, and you need to be able to move from one project to the other, then a machine with a better duty cycle might be more suitable for you.
Portability
And while we’re on the subject of moving: being able to move your welding machine around easily is great.
But there is a caveat: sometimes, welding machines can be lighter in weight because the parts aren’t designed to last for heavy-duty use. Gauge just how much usage you’ll be getting from your welding machine before you make that purchase.
Top 4 Best MIG Welders
Here we’ve put together a few of the best MIG welders we’ve found in the market. We will discuss each one in terms of the criteria we’ve discussed in the previous section so that you can understand what makes each unit worth noting, and why.
| Model | Budget | Power | Duty Cycle | Weight |
| Forney Easy Weld 261 | $$$ | 120V input 140A output | 30% | 19lbs |
| Tooliom 135A MIG Welder | $$ | 120V input 135A output | 60% | 17.11lbs |
| NewPosition MIG/MAG/MMA 3-in-1 Welder | $$ | 110V input 120A output | 40% | 21lbs |
| YESWELDER Digital MIG-205DS | $$$$ | 110V-220V input 160A-180A output | 100% | 33lbs |
Forney Easy Weld 261
Budget: At around $240, this unit is a bit on the cheap side. Forney also offers free returns, so that’s something to consider.
Power: 120-volt input and 140-amp output. This is fairly standard as far as entry-level welding machines go, and if you’re buying one to try and learn, this isn’t too shabby.
Duty Cycle: This machine comes with a 30% duty cycle, so this means in every ten minutes, you can spend three minutes running the machine at full output, and spend the next seven minutes cooling down. You won’t be welding anything in record time with this, but it’ll get the job done.
Portability: At 19lbs, it’s on the lighter side of the spectrum. There are eight feet of hose and ground clamping to take into consideration, so that might add on a little bit of weight, but overall this is one of the more portable units.
Bonus: The Forney Easy Weld 261 uses flux core wire, which means you won’t need to worry about having a gas cylinder to protect your weld from oxidation.
Tooliom 135A MIG Welder
Budget: The Tooliom 135A retails at just under $190. This is a little bit on the cheap side, which is surprising based on the specs found on this machine.
Power: This is still a 120V welding machine. The max output is a little bit muted at 135A, which means that you’ll probably be welding materials for a much longer time with this. You probably won’t be working with anything thicker than 1/8 of an inch though.
Duty Cycle: The Tooliom 135A may not be much in terms of output, but what it can dish out, it can do so at extended periods of time. The product has a duty cycle of 60%, which means you can continuously weld materials at 135A for six minutes, with a cooldown of four minutes.
Portability: This is a little bit on the lighter side. Tooliom’s welding machine tips the scales at 17.11lbs and is only a little bit bigger than a standard toolbox. It’s pretty portable, despite the generous amounts of hose and tubing it comes with.
Bonus: Did we mention that there are ten feet of tubing for the electrode and ground clamp? And the settings let you fine-tune and monitor the machine’s output with ease. You won’t be welding iron clamps, but what you can weld, you will get done.
NewPosition MIG/MAG/MMA 3-in-1 Welder
Budget: At around $180, this is by far the cheapest MIG welder in this review. The price is offset by the fact that it doesn’t come with a wire, and that it can’t work as much as the Tooliom 135A.
Power: This is still a 110V welding machine, but it can bring up its output to around 120A. That’s still not enough to efficiently weld metals thicker than 1/8-inch, but it might be good enough for training with thinner strips of material.
Duty cycle: Again, this unit underperforms when compared to the Tooliom. However, it’s still more efficient than the Forney, since it advertises a 40% duty cycle. This means four minutes of work and six minutes of cooldown, which might be sufficient for the material beginners will be welding together.
Portability: This welding unit is still fairly small. It weighs in at 21lbs, which is heavier than the other items we’ve reviewed, but the dimensions make it relatively easy to carry around.
Bonus: It is capable of using flux core, so you won’t always need a gas cylinder with you when you weld. NewPosition also provides up to two years’ worth of warranty, which is pretty great.
YESWELDER Digital MIG-205DS
Budget: This is the most expensive MIG welder on this list. The Yeswelder Digital MIG retails at just under $450. This machine isn’t for the casual hobbyist or beginner, however. So carefully consider your needs before purchasing this.
Power: This is the only unit that can utilize both 110 and 220V currents, which gives it that much more in terms of power output. At 110V, the Yeswelder can pump out 160A of energy, while at 220V it can go up to 180A.
Duty cycle: The Yeswelder’s max duty cycle is at 60% for 200A – which can only be used when you use it as an MMA welder. You can probably use it for longer as a MIG welder since it boasts 100% duty cycle at 154A.
Portability: This is by far the heaviest unit on the list at 33lbs. It’s still fairly portable, but using it with a cart would probably make your life easier.
Bonus: The fact that this unit can go up to nearly 200A as a MIG welder makes it noteworthy. This welding machine will last any hobbyist for a good long while. Plenty of positive reviews from hobbyists and beginners also makes this unit great if you’re in the market for a beginner’s welding machine with decent output and a good build.
Conclusion
Depending on what your needs are, there is a MIG welder just for you. It’s best if you do a little window shopping first so that you have a better idea of what’s in the market, and also so that you can settle on a budget that’s comfortable for you.
Just remember that some of the most important factors to look out for are what voltage a welding machine uses, and how much power it is capable of releasing continuously; a good duty cycle if you plan on using the welding machine often; and the portability of the machine.
Check out some of the items we reviewed to start with and work your way to your ideal machine from there. Happy hunting!
