If you need a nice little MIG welder that can perform plenty of jobs with ease, then you have come to the right place. Today we want to review one of the highest rated MIG welders out there, specifically at this price point, which is not high at all.
LINCOLN ELECTRIC CO K2698-1 MIG Welder
Today we are here to take a closer look at the LINCOLN ELECTRIC CO K2698-1 MIG Welder. This model is a fan favorite, particularly from this brand, and it’s because this welder has plenty of features, great functionality, it’s easy to use, and affordable too.
Who is this Product for?
The LINCOLN ELECTRIC CO K2698-1 MIG Welder is designed for anybody who wants to perform MIG or flux core welding. It’s a really beginner friendly model that is easy to use, quite versatile, and doesn’t cost much either.
What’s Included?
When you purchase this specific MIG welder, there are quite a few things that come included, and they are all listed below.
- Magnum 100L gun with a 10 foot cable assembly
- Brass gun connecter with a 4-pin MS-Type connection
- 0.025 inch and .035 inch contact tips
- Gasless nozzle
- Gas nozzle for metal inert gas welding
- Spindle adapter (8 inch)
- Harris 3000290 Gas Regulator with a 52 inch hose
- SuperArc® L-56® premium MIG wire (sample)
- Innershield® NR®-211-MP flux-cored wire (sample)
- Work clamp
- 10 foot cable
- Instructional welding video.
Overview of Features
The LINCOLN ELECTRIC CO K2698-1 MIG Welder does have quite a few notable features. First off, this is quite the unique model, as it allows for power inputs of 208 volts and 230 volts. This means that you should be able to plug it into most outlets without much issue.
When it comes to the power output of the LINCOLN ELECTRIC CO K2698-1 MIG Welder, when running on 230 volts at 130 amps, and when running on 208 volts at 130 amps, the duty cycle is 30%. A 30% duty cycle means that you can use this unit for 3 out of 10 minutes. In other words, it needs 7 minutes of rest for every 3 minutes of use. This is not too bad considering the reasonable price at which this MIG welder comes in at. It’s more than we would usually expect from a welder that comes in at this price.
What is also convenient is that the LINCOLN ELECTRIC CO K2698-1 MIG Welder comes complete with an automatic wire spool feed. The wire spool speed can be adjusted to go anywhere from 50 to 500 inches per minute. This is actually pretty good, and no, it may not be the fastest welder in the world, but it can hold its own, and it does allow for some pretty speedy welding.
What can also be adjusted here is the output of the arc, which is convenient because it allows for a great degree of versatility in terms of material thickness that can be worked with, and with precision too. This thing can handle some pretty thick materials, and even better, the LINCOLN ELECTRIC CO K2698-1 MIG Welder features very minimal spatter.
Let’s keep in mind that in terms of wire size, in terms of solid wire, the LINCOLN ELECTRIC CO K2698-1 MIG Welder can handle diameters between 0.025 to 0.035 inches. If you are using cored wire, it can handle diameters ranging from 0.030 to 0.045 inches. This is also quite good, and definitely nothing to complaint about. There is also a numeric wire drive indicator included here, something that helps optimize the power range for various wire sizes.
Speaking of cored wired, the fact here is that the LINCOLN ELECTRIC CO K2698-1 MIG Welder can also perform flux core welding, not just MIG welding. This is very convenient because it allows you to work with all sorts of metals including carbon steel, stainless steel, aluminum, magnesium, copper, nickel, silicon bronze, and other alloys too.
Even better is how the drive system of the LINCOLN ELECTRIC CO K2698-1 MIG Welder is fully adjustable, and this means that the wire should never get caught up or tangled.
Tutorial
Here we have included a nifty tutorial video to get you started with this MIG welder.
Pros
- Portable
- Beginner friendly
- Adjustable input/output
- Decent duty cycle for the price
- Affordable
- Adjustable wire feed speed
- High conductivity gun connecter
Cons
- Wire feed speed could be faster
- Not ideal for heavier duty purposes
Alternatives
In case you want something that is of a higher quality and even more functional than the welder reviewed here today, we would recommend checking out the Miller Electric Millermatic 211.
Conclusion
All in all, for the decent price that the LINCOLN ELECTRIC CO K2698-1 MIG Welder comes in at, we think that it is a great machine. Sure, it might have a couple of drawbacks, but definitely no deal breakers.
