The Best Welder For Beginners
Welding looks very difficult and expensive but don't let those excuses stop you from trying it. Start with the easiest type of welding. There is no reason to spend thousands of dollars on a welding machine to learn the basics. We will go over the best welders you can buy as a beginner.
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Why Do You Want To Learn How To Weld?
I first learned how to weld when I was in high school and really wanted to build a go-kart but couldn't afford to buy a frame. After watching a few Youtube videos, I went over to Harbor Freight and bought the cheapest welder I could find.
It took quite some time to get the hang of it, but a month later, I welded up my first-ever project. To this day, I continue to weld only as a hobby in my garage. Buying that $200 welder opened up a world full of creative projects that I could now take on.
No matter what your reason is to start welding, getting the basics down first is key. Welding is a skill that can open up a whole world of opportunities, in either your career or in the world of DIY projects.
Welders can be really expensive, and they often seem very intimidating. Don't make a mistake and spend thousands of dollars on a welder if you're just starting out. Learning to work with shitty equipment is much better than working with the best. It will always pay off in the long run.
Things To Consider When Buying The Best Welder For Beginners
As a beginner, welding can be very intimidating but that's because you know nothing about welding. I will go over a few basic things to know before jumping into welding that way you can have a foundation of information to build on. I suggest doing plenty of research to have a solid understanding of welding before starting.
The Best Type Of Welding For Beginners
As a beginner welder, you need to learn the easiest type of welding there is. You can't just jump into the most difficult, so that is why most of the welders on our list are MIG and Flux Core welders. They are the easiest to learn on. The next easiest would be stick and using a TIG welder is the most difficult.
MIG welding might be a little more expensive compared to Flux Core welding due to the fact that you need shielding gas. Flux Core welding has the gas in the actual wire being used.
TIG/Stick welders are usually best for those who have the basics of welding down and have some actual experience in welding in general. Make sure you pay attention to what type of welder you're purchasing. A MIG/TIG/STICK welder all look almost identical. What makes them different is the process and specific parts used.
Here are the three types of welding processes: MIG, TIG, Flux Core, & Stick
Mig Welding:
- Easy to learn
- Decent weld quality
- Affordable
- Quick
- Steel, Stainless Steel, Aluminum
Flux Core Welding:
- Easiest to learn
- Okay weld quality (might get spatter)
- Affordable
- Quick
- Steel, Stainless Steel, Cast Iron
Tig Welding:
- Difficult to learn
- Highest quality weld
- Expensive
- Really slow welding process
- Steel, Stainless Steel, Aluminum, Copper, Brass, Chromly, Titanium, Magnesium
Stick Welding:
- Not too difficult to learn
- Poor quality welds
- Affordable
- Very quick
- Steel, Stainless Steel, Iron
Metal Thickness and Power
The type of metal you plan on welding will determine the power of the welder you purchase. The amps are what determine how much heat the welder can generate. The amps on the welder will give you an idea of how thick or thin the metal that you can weld has to be.
How many amps you decide to go with is determined by what kind of metal you will be working with the most. Always look for a welder that has a wide range of amps that way it is much more versatile.
Duty Cycle
The duty cycle in a welding machine means how long a welder can operate at a certain amperage before it needs to rest for a certain amount of time. This is to prevent your welder from overheating.
You will often see a percentage which is usually the percentage of a 10-minute period. This means that if your welder has a duty cycle of 20%, after two minutes of welding the machine needs to rest for 80% or eight minutes.
Where Will You Be Welding
The area you will be welding is important. Certain types of welding processes are affected by debris or dirty/rusty surfaces.
Tig, Mig, and flux core welding is best for indoor welding like inside a shop or a garage. You will be working on automotive projects or just building a frame of some sort.
Stick welding is best for those who will be doing more outdoor work like repairing a rusty metal gate or repairing an old trailer out on the farm.
Practice Makes Almost Perfect
The key thing when starting out is to practice and practice. The more you practice, the better you will get at it but no one will ever reach perfection.
Your first couple of welds will look like shit but that's okay. No one ever became a master of something without being the worst in the beginning.
As you start to get the hang of welding, you will be able to tackle many different projects. You might even discover a passion for welding that you didn't know you had and completely change your life. Good luck!
The Best Welders For Beginners To Buy
Flux core or MIG welders are best for beginners to learn on. These welders are best for a beginner welder who wants to dive into the world of welding. We chose these welders based on their reliability, durability, welding capabilities, and simplicity.
Titanium Easy Flux 125 Amp Welder
Why We Picked It
When starting out, you don't need to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars on a welder when you don't even know how to weld in the first place. This welder is perfect for you to start off with.
This was actually the first welder I bought, and I still own it to this day. I usually only use it when doing small repairs around the house. It is simple to operate, very portable, affordable, and produces some really good welds.
You will usually find the Titanium 125 at Harbor Freight for around 200 dollars. It is a Flux Core only welder. As a beginner or a hobbyist, it's not that big of a deal. Most of the time, this welder will be used for practice or doing small welding projects at home.
It is very affordable and has good build quality, making it durable. The machine itself is really lightweight and small compared to other similar welders. Great to transport and store if you have limited space.
Another cool thing about this machine is that you can adjust the voltage and the wire speed with two infinitely adjustable knobs. This is a great feature because, as a beginner, you will be able to fine-tune your welds as you go. Most affordable welding machines usually have the same knobs but with fixed values.
There are a few downsides when it comes to choosing this welding machine. The accessories it comes with are not the best out there, and you might need to upgrade them as you go, but it is something to expect from a low-priced welder. The warranty that it comes with is not the best, and like most Harbor Freight tools, you will need to pay extra for an extended warranty.
Specs:
Size: 16in x 9in x 20in
Weight: 15 lbs
Duty Cycle: 30%
DC or AC: DC
Input Power: 120v
Max Amps: 125
Lowest Amps: 30
Welder Type: Flux Core
Pros:
- Affordable
- Very lightweight
- Infinite tuning
- Durable
Cons:
- Flux Core only
- Warranty
- Low-quality accessories
- Can't weld aluminum
YESWELDER Digital MIG-205DS
Why We Picked It
The YESWELDER MIG-205DS is the best welder for beginners that are just starting out and want to practice other types of welding as well. This machine looks very complex, especially for beginners, but it is actually very user-friendly. I suggest watching some Youtube videos when setting up.
This small and very lightweight machine can MIG/FluxCore, lift TIG, and Stick weld. This is great because, for a great price, you are able to start off with standard Flux Core welds and then, down the road play around with some TIG welding as well.
My favorite thing about this welder is the synergetic settings. This lets you adjust one setting, and the other settings change with it for the best results. This is good for beginners because it takes out a lot of the guesswork when trying to find the right settings.
It is a dual-voltage machine that comes with a standard 110v plug and an adapter that plugs right into 220v. This lets you use it in areas or locations where you don't have access to 220v.
This welder does come with a variety of different accessories to get you started but they're not the highest quality out there, and will most likely need to upgrade some of them. You will need to get a regulator if using gas. There are a few more accessories that you need to buy separately if wanting to do some lift TIG welding.
Specs:
Size: 18in x 14in x 8in
Weight: 23lbs
Duty Cycle: 60%
DC or AC: DC
Input Power: 110v or 220v
Max Amps: 200 (MIG/FC)
Lowest Amps: 30 (MIG/FC)
Welder Type: MIG TIG Stick FC
Accessories: Gas hose, 10ft clamp and electrode holder, steel brush, MIG gun, 110v to 220v plug adapter
Pros:
- Affordable
- Very lightweight
- Infinite tuning
- Durable
Cons:
- Flux Core only
- Warranty
- Low-quality accessories
- Can't weld aluminum
Lincoln Electric Weld Pak 140 HD
Why We Picked It
Lincoln is one of the top brands in the world when it comes to welding. They have a reputation for selling great and durable welding machines. You can't go wrong with a brand that has sold millions of units and still sits at the top.
The machine is quite heavy, around 71 pounds, and that is without hauling around a gas tank. It has a 20% duty cycle, but as a beginner, you should be taking lots of breaks anyways. This might be an issue when you're past the beginner stage and will be taking on larger projects.
This machine is capable of both MIG and gasless Flux Core welding with an amperage range of 30 to 140. Excellent to work with thin aluminum or even some cast iron. It also features a wide range of speeds to choose from, which is great for those who are just starting out.
This FC and MIG welder for beginners is a little pricier compared to very similar welders offered by other brands, but you have the brand reputation and durability along with really high-quality accessories. This welding machine comes with everything you need to start welding right away (does not come with shielding gas for MIG welding).
Specs:
Size: 20in x 15in x 16in
Weight: 71lbs
Duty Cycle: 20%
DC or AC: DC
Input Power: 120v
Max Amps: 140
Lowest Amps: 30
Welder Type: Mig/Flux Core
Pros:
- Affordable
- Very lightweight
- Infinite tuning
- Durable
Cons:
- Flux Core only
- Warranty
- Low-quality accessories
- Can't weld aluminum
FAQ
What Type Of Welder Is Best For Home Use?
Any type of welder can be good for welding at home. You need to consider where you're going to be welding, how you will power it, and what kind of projects you plan on tackling. Once you know the answer to these questions, you can then decide what type of welding is best for your needs at home.
Is TIG Welding Good For Beginners?
TIG welding is the most difficult type of welding there is. You are in control of the arc length with a foot pedal, one hand will be supplying the rod, and the other hand will be aiming the electrode onto your surface.
It won't be easy for a beginner, but it is possible. Some people recommend starting with TIG because then everything else will be super easy. Others suggest starting with the basics and then slowly moving up toward TIG.
What Type Of Welder Should A Beginner Start With?
The best type of welder for a beginner to start out with is a MIG or Flux Core welder. They both are very simple and easy to start on. A Flux Core welder would be the cheapest and simplest machine to start with.
With a MIG welder, you will need a separate gas tank to supply the shielding gas, and with a Flux Core welder, you will only need the specific Flux Core wire. It has the shielding gas in the actual wire.
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