Are you looking for a good MIG welder that is easy to use, works fine for basic tasks, and doesn’t cost too much? If so, you have come to the right place. Right now, we want to help you find the best MIG welder for beginners that your money can buy. Let’s take a look at 5 nice beginner MIG welders.
Best MIG Welder for Beginners Reviews
Hobart 500554 Handler 190 MIG Welder
The Hobart 500554 Handler 190 MIG Welder is a great option for beginners, as it is versatile, easy to use, and affordable. This model is ideal for welding metals such as mild steel, flux core steel, aluminum, and stainless steel. Remember that this welder can be used as a MIG and flux core welder.
In terms of welding capabilities, this unit features enough power to weld 24-gauge steel up to 5/16-inch in a single pass. The Hobart 500554 Handler 190 MIG Welder features an input level of 230 volts, and a maximum output of 190 amps, with the range being 25 to 190 amps, so you can get the perfect arc for welding materials of various thicknesses.
In terms of the duty cycle, when operating at 130 amps, it is 30%, which is pretty good considering the price of the Hobart 500554 Handler 190 MIG Welder. Keep in mind that the maximum spool capacity is 11 pounds. Speaking of the weight, as far as welders go, this model is not too heavy, plus it’s quite compact, thus allowing for a good deal of portability.
It’s an ideal welder for use around the house, for auto body repairs, heavier applications such as farm equipment welding, and other such basic purposes. For the reasonable price, it’s a great model for beginners to consider.
Pros
- MIG and flux core
- Decent duty cycle
- Adjustable amperage for precise welds
- Works with many materials
- Compact and portable
- Easy to use
- Great price
Cons
The wire feed system could use some improvements
Lincoln Electric Powermig 210 Mig Welder
Just like the previous model, the Lincoln Electric Powermig 210 Mig Welder is designed with even more portability in mind. This unit weighs around 40 pounds, making it one of the lighter welders, and its dimensions are quite compact. This makes this welder highly portable and convenient for being on the go.
What also stands out about the Lincoln Electric Powermig 210 Mig Welder is that it can handle dual power inputs including 120 and 230 volts, which means that you can plug it into most common power sources.
The output range, when plugged into a 120V power source, and when running at 100 amps, has a duty cycle of 40%, and when plugged into a 230V source, when running at 200 amps, the duty cycle is 25%, which is not fantastic, but not bad either.
The Lincoln Electric Powermig 210 Mig Welder has a decent wire feed speed range, as it ranges from 50 to 500 inches per minute. Keep in mind that in terms of the wire range, when using cored wire, the range is .035 – .045 inches, and when using solid wire, the range is .025-.035 inches.
Perhaps one of the most impressive features is how the Lincoln Electric Powermig 210 Mig Welder is so versatile that it can perform MIG, flux core, DC stick, and DC TIG welding.
Pros
- MIG, Stick, TIG, and flux core
- Dual power input
- Fairly good duty cycle
- Wide wire feed speed range
- Good wire size capabilities
- Good price
- Very user friendly
Cons
- Some issues with the wire feed jamming
- Control board is not that durable
Lincoln Electric K2185-1 Handy MIG Welder
Here we have a very simple unit that was designed for very basic welding, the Lincoln Electric K2185-1 Handy MIG Welder and it is great for beginners. First, this welder allows for 115-volt power input. In terms of the output range, admittedly, this is not the most powerful unit out there.
The range is 35 to 88 amps and speaking of the amps when running at 70 amps, the duty cycle is 20%. This is fine for basic welding purposes when you have time to spare, but to be fair, a 20% duty cycle does leave you with a lot of downtime.
In terms of the wire feed speed range, the Lincoln Electric K2185-1 Handy MIG Welder can go up to 300 inches per minute. Once again, this is fine for basic purposes when you have the luxury of time, although it may be a little too slow for professional purposes.
What is nice about the Lincoln Electric K2185-1 Handy MIG Welder is that it can perform both MIG and flux core welding, and it can weld up to 1/8 inches of mild steel. The other thing that stands out is that it comes in a very small package and weighs just 46 pounds, thus making it quite lightweight and highly portable.
Pros
- Lightweight and portable
- Very user friendly
- MIG and Flux core
- Fairly versatile
- Good safety features
Cons
- Relatively slow wire feed IPM
- Duty cycle could be better
LOTOS MIG140 MIG Wire Welder
The LOTOS MIG140 MIG Wire Welder is another great MIG welder for beginners. First off, in terms of power input, you can connect this model to a 110V or 120V power outlet, which is pretty standard. In terms of the output, the maximum output of this unit is 140 amps, which is powerful enough for most smaller jobs.
When it comes to the duty cycle, when the LOTOS MIG140 MIG Wire Welder is operating at 90 amps, the duty cycle is 20%. This is admittedly not great, although, for the price, there is not much to complain about.
The LOTOS MIG140 MIG Wire Welder features an aluminum wire feeder that is both durable and stable, and it can be adjusted to run at up to 500 inches per minute. What is cool is that this model comes with a switch that can be activated to allow you to let go of the trigger for long welds.
What is also nice is that the LOTOS MIG140 MIG Wire Welder allows for both MIG and flux core welding, and it can handle various materials including stainless steel, mild steel, and aluminum, among a few others. For mild and stainless steel, the maximum is 24-gauge-3/16 inches. The wire range for solid steel is. 025″-.030″, and for flux core it is .030″-.035″.
Pros
- Very simple to use
- Flux core and MIG
- 2T/4T switch
- Good wire feeder
- Fairly compact and lightweight
- Works well for various materials
- Easy to adjust wire speed and welding voltage
Cons
- Not ideal for thick materials
- Lack of penetration
Super Deal PRO Commercial MIG 130 Welder
If you need a simple, basic, and affordable welder, the Super Deal PRO Commercial MIG 130 Welder is another good option. This is by far the most affordable MIG welder on the list today, due in part to its size and the fact that it features a limited power level, as well as limited features. However, if you are performing light welding jobs and you are a beginner, this super-affordable welder should be more than enough to get the job done.
In terms of the input, the Super Deal PRO Commercial MIG 130 Welder works with standard 110 volts of power. In terms of output, the range is between 50 and 120 amps, which is OK for basic use. When it comes to amps, the duty cycle is 35% when running at 60 amps and just 10% when running on 105 amps. Once again, this is OK for basic use, but may not be best for heavy-duty purposes.
When it comes to weldable wires, for steel and carbon steel, the Super Deal PRO Commercial MIG 130 Welder can handle 0.023” to 0.035”, and for flux core wiring, it can handle 0.030” to 0.035”. The other feature you might like is how the metal welding tip does not allow slag to build up, and it also allows for maximum conductivity.
Pros
- Great price
- Small and portable
- Ideal for smaller jobs
- Automatic wire feed
- Metal gun tip for increased functionality
- Nice control panel
Cons
- Duty cycle could be better
- Limited durability
Conclusion
We have looked at 5 of the best MIG welders for beginners. Something important for you to remember is that these are affordable and basic beginner models, which is the reason none of them seem very advanced, but they are well priced and more than ideal for basic and beginner use.
