Rob Steven
Are you starting out and looking for a MIG welder for your project? If so, you have come to the right place. In this blog post, we will search for the best MIG welder for beginners. We will also provide a buyer’s guide to help you choose the right welder for your needs. So, whether you are a beginner or an experienced welder, read on for the top MIG welders on the market today.
Our recommendation
After analyzing various reviews and ratings, our team has extracted a list of the best MIG welders for beginners. All these welders in the list are tried by me in my professional welder career. To save your time let me tell you, we have selected Hobart Handler 140 as the best MIG welder for beginners.
If you’re someone who just needs a MIG welder as a hobby, you need some lightweight and easy-to-setup Machine. However, if you’re also looking forward to a hint of primary professional performance, you will find those options in our picks below as well.
Top 8 Best MIG Welder for Beginners
Best MIG welder for beginners
Hobart Handler 140 MIG Welder
Input: 115V
Duty Cycle: 20% @ 90A
Process: MIG, FCAW
Special Features: Can weld 24 gauges & Self-reset thermal overloading feature
The Hobart lines of manufacturers are known for producing quality welding machines. So if you are an entry-level worker, The Hobart Handler 140 is the perfect Machine that can give you a headstart in the welding world. This is our top pick for beginners.
What makes it even more suitable for beginners is its small size. So if you are a houseworker or a hobbyist, you won’t have trouble managing it. Once you purchase this Handler, you can forget to upgrade it as it is also suited for heavy works that you would do later on.
It is a good entry MIG welder because of the ease it gives in setup and work when you use it. The Welder also has an advanced safety feature to keep you out of harm. Such as its contractor that holds the wire cool when it’s not in use.
Build quality
The Design of the Hobart Handler makes it suited for beginners and hobbyists. It has a small compact body which makes it easy to carry around. Don’t let the size fool you, as the Hobart Handler is a mighty machine.
Features
The Welder can operate on a low house voltage of 115V. Also, it has a reasonably high output of 140A which means your welding will always be quality. Plus, with a duty cycle of 20 percent at 90A, you can use this Machine for everyday welding and learning experiences.
Welding capabilities
Through the Hobart Handler, you can easily weld steel, stainless steel, and aluminum. With the addition of flux core, you can also weld material that is hard and thick. The Handler is also suitable for constructions and repairs as it has a welding capacity up to ¼ in thickness of a material.
What are customers saying?
“It’s a good 115 unit ,I found that it welds better at higher amperages, I do not like the wire feed knob as there is no definite stop for speed adjustments ,the slightest Bounce will change your settings”
— customer quote
MIG welder for beginners – Start pick
VIVOHOME MIG Welder
Input Power: 115V
Duty Cycle: 50-120A
Welding Process: MIG, FLUX CORE
Special Features: Automatic Wire Feeding & Adjustable Welding Speed
The VIVOHOME 130 MIG is our top pick for people looking for a lightweight, budget, and easy-to-use Machine. Whether you’re a homeowner or an introductory level professional, the amperage of 120A suits all.
This “no-reaction welder” prevents oxidation and is thus very durable. You can use without care light gauge steel and repair minor faults at home! We certainly classify this one as the perfect beginner-level MIG welder to learn with.
The product includes various accessories for homeowners or DIY makers. With a grounding clamp, welding helmet, and welding gun, be ready to become a perfect MIG welding expert!
Also Check Best MIG Welder Full Guide
Build quality & design
VIVOHOME is known for portability and flexible use. With two welding techniques so easy to switch around, you will never lose confidence. The design is exceptionally decent and compact.
In short, you can easily carry this one around and share it with other mates if needed!
Features
The handle is very comfortable and offers a perfect hand grip. Wire feeding is also super-easy, with room for alteration in feeding speed too.
This Machine is accurately and powerfully built to prevent any uncertainties or danger from a primary user. With four levels of current flow settings, you can adjust the speed and set this Machine to your requirements.
What are customers saying?
“This thing works great. It welds as nice as any flux welder. The flimsy little mask that comes with it is just fine for someone spectating to use.”
— customer quote
MIG welder for beginners – Entry level
ETOSHA MIG 140 Welder
Input Power: 110v
Duty Cycle: 25 % @ 140A
Welding Process: MIG Welding
Special Features: Synergistic adjustment & High 140 A output
Etosha MIG welder is an excellent and affordable welder which is easy to operate. Especially if you are a beginner looking to learn to weld, then Etosha can be your right companion for the job.
The Machine provides reliable and consistent performance at all times. Making it a perfect welding machine for small-scale house works and garages. The reason for its consistent performance is its IGBT technology.
Safety features
The reason this Machine is perfect for newcomers is that it is danger-free. With an excellent cooling system, the Machine would never cause harm to you. Furthermore, it comes with all necessary additional pieces of equipment that are needed for welding.
Build quality & design
The construction of the Etosha MIG welder consists of a stainless steel lightweight body. With an internal cooling system to prevent any damage from being done. The Welder provides a stable performance as an IGBT inverter powers it.
Features
Moreover, it has an electric choke control that prevents any spattering and provides better penetration qualities for the weld. Including its 140A output, your Machine would produce quality welds on materials such as stainless steel and mild steel.
The Machine runs on stable house power outlets and needs a minimum of 110V only. Plus, with its synergistic adjustment feature, it would consume only the required voltage and feeder speed. It has an easy setup arc which makes the life of a beginner easy.
What are customers saying?
“Really good for the price. Cords are a little short. The instructions are not that good. But easy set up. And works really good.”
— customer quote
MIG welder for beginners – Ultimate Beginners Choice
LOTOS MIG140 MIG Welder
Input Power: 110V
Duty Cycle: 20 % at 90A
Welding Process: MIG Welding & FCAW
Special Features: 2t/4t switch & Thermal overload protection
The Lotos MIG140 is a perfect option if you are a beginner who wants to learn and practice welding. The Machine can be operated by simple and easy means, and you can set it up very quickly.
Features
The Control Panel offers a great deal of comfort for newcomers. What makes it a very user-friendly machine is its control panel. Through the panel, you can turn the power. Moreover, you can also set the voltage and wiring speed according to your need.
Build quality & design
Although the Lotos 140 has a comparatively large built, you can still carry it pretty easily by using a cart. Plus, the Welder comes with all the necessary accessories that are needed for welding that makes it a brilliant MIG welder to learn with.
You May Also Like Best MIG Welder For Aluminum
The Lotos MIG140 has features that make it a perfect welder to be used for small-scale projects. The Machine runs on a low 115V power input that makes it very economical. You can use the Welder through almost any power outlet at the workplace.
Welding capabilities
With MIG Lotos, you can weld steel, stainless steel, and even aluminum. With a power output of 140A, you can weld material with a thickness of 24 gauge to ¼ inches. The duty cycle it provides is best for everyday work which is 20% at 90A.
Safety features
It is suitable for beginners due to the safety measure and ease of control it has. It has a digital panel through which you can set wire speed and voltage. Also, it has thermal overload protection, which keeps the Machine danger-free at all times.
What are customers saying?
“It’s a good little machine. I’m still putting it through its paces, but I managed to get full fusion on 1/4″ steel (single pass, 0.035 flux core) with some determination and mild settings adjustments.”
— customer quote
MIG welder for beginners – Simple and to the point
SIMDER MIG Welder
Input Power: 220v
Duty Cycle: 35 % @ 120A
Welding Process: MIG,FLUX,TIG
Special Features: Dual Voltage & Multi-purpose Welder
Not matter if you are a less skilled worker or a beginner! Using the MIG welder flux wouldn’t be a complex task to do. With such easy and simple controls, you can perform and practice all you want. The MIG welder flux is especially beginners and DIY artists,
This Machine has features that make welding smoother and better as an experience. Features such as fan cooling, built-in radiator, and highspeed silent large fans make work free of harm and trouble.
Features
Learning to weld was never this easier. The Machine has such extraordinary power capabilities that you can use it for some more significant projects. Not only is it small but it also really light, which makes it easy to carry around.
The MIG welder is a small and lightweight machine, which is ideal for beginners or DIY creators to get a hang. You can use it for more significant welding projects as well as housework. With a power input that varies from 110V to 210V, you are looking at a power-packed pick.
And with the wire speed control feature, you can adjust the speed according to your requirement and weld smoothly. Materials like stainless steel, iron, and carbon steel can easily be welded using the MIG Welder Flux Core.
Output
It has a power output of 120A which is more than enough for consistent small-scale welding. Furthermore, it has a reasonable duty cycle of 35% at 120A. With features like a built-in radiator and high-speed fan, your work would be danger-free.
What are customers saying?
“This is just what I needed to do my muffler work, works great. The cables are shorter than I would have wanted however I’m happy with the built quality.”
— customer quote
MIG welder for beginners – Best to Learn With
RILAND MIG Welder 110v
Input Power: 110V
Duty Cycle: 25% @ 80A
Welding Process: MIG, FLUX CORE
Special Features: Gasless welding & Comes with accessories
The Riland MIG welder is a very know welding machine amongst DIY creators. The reason for this is the ease of operation that it provides you with. The Riland MIG welder is a fully automatic machine that gives comfort in control, so you weld perfectly.
What makes it a perfect MIG welder to learn with is the freedom it provides for you to pull off perfect welds. You get infinite voltage and control over wire-speed so your welds can be clean.
Furthermore, it weighs around 11lbs. You can carry this Machine almost anywhere you want to. And with it comes all of the essential accessories that are needed to weld. The Machine is highly preferred if you are a beginner that is looking to practice welding.
Build quality & design
The Machine has very lightweight. Weighing around 11 lbs makes it so easy to carry around. It is perfect for DIY creators and beginners. The Machine runs on an input of 110 Volts only, so you don’t have to worry about any power outage ever.
Features & output
With a relatively good output of 120A, you can weld metal that is as thin as 22 gauges and metal thick as ¼ inch. Metals like steel, mild steel, and aluminum won’t be a big task for you to weld through your Riland MIG welder.
It also provides a duty cycle of 100% at 90A. That is pretty huge for a house worker who welds daily. Apart from MIG welding, you can also practice flux core through this one. With a cooling fan and overload thermal protector, you shouldn’t worry about danger while you weld.
What are customers saying?
“Small but mighty! For a beginner, this is just a perfect welding machine. Easy, simple and lightweight machine. Everything listed in the description is precisely true.”
— customer quote
MIG welder for beginners – Great Choice for Beginners
TOOLIOM 135A
Input Power: 120V
Duty Cycle: 60 % @ 135A
Welding Process: MIG, MMA, FLUX, TIG
Special Features: A smart digital display & It has a significant whitespace
The Toolbox 135A is perfect for metals and materials that are used on an everyday basis. That makes it a great MIG welder to learn from. You can weld primary metals such as doors, sheets and make your skill even better. It is suitable for homeowners.
Features
The Welder is equipped with a brilliant digital display which is pretty good for newcomers as operating it becomes simple. Moreover, the Machine is multi-functional, meaning you can switch your welding methods to deliver the perfect welding outputs.
Also Check Best 110v MIG Welder
With such a low price, the long-lasting power options this machine offers blows my mind. There is no way one would want to miss out on such a perfect welding machine.
Technical specs
The Machine is powered by a standard input of 120V, making it useable at almost any place, whether it is your home or your workplace. Furthermore, it weighs only 17 lbs, making it handy to carry around.
A flux core powers it, so you can easily weld thicker and deeper metals. And with an output of 130A, your welds would only be quality and perfect. Your work will always be smooth and stable as it is powered by IGBT inverter technology.
Welding capabilities
Metal such as steel, stainless steel, and iron can easily be used in welding through this machine. Availability of various welding methods such as FCAW, MIG, TIG, you can choose the best possible method for the best possible weld for your experience.
What are customers saying?
“Looks like a toy but preforms surprisingly well.”
— customer quote
MIG Welder for Beginners Questions
Can You Weld With a MIG Welder Without Gas?
The use of gas is merely to protect the process, and it’s undoubtedly not compulsory. There are a few welders even in our picks where you can weld without gas. These include LOTOS and Hobart.
The “self-shield welding” method is an excellent alternative for shield gas welding that uses flux wire.
Is Stick Welding Easier Than MIG?
For a beginner, MIG welding is a better option to start with. Indeed some installation level steps like wire size and nozzle adjustments are harder with MIG. But, there are some complexities of welding that one can learn better with MIG rather than Stick welding.
Do You Push Or Pull a MIG Welder?
One can drag when welding with a flux or stick wire. However, talking specifically of MIG welding, you have to push the wire. In Flux of Stick methods, the rode also has to be dragged or pulled.
It is better if you check the manual and user guide before opting for any specific MIG welder. Going through detailed instructions is never a bad idea after all!
How Long Does It Take To Learn MIG Welding?
Welding isn’t a theory. And it’s practical to work and hands-on practice. Thus, it can take quite a while for people who have never seen a welder or been exposed to workhouses. Once you get used to the environment, it’s much more manageable.
It is also crucial that you choose an excellent entry-level MIG welder that suits your work. Usually, training takes typically two years to 2.5 years for most.
Can I Teach Myself To MIG Weld?
Teaching yourself to MIG weld can be a bit dangerous but fun too. If you’re a DIY enthusiast or hobbyist, choose a welder that suits your needs. This is because you don’t then need too much input power and duty cycle.
The internet and various product buying guides will make your way clear in this matter. However, still, try to have an experienced and knowledgeable person around you at first to avoid anything silly! However, don’t be afraid of learning any type of welding.
What Type Of Welder Is Best For a Beginner?
The best MIG welder to learn with is one that has easy setup options. An LCD is preferable so that you can set the parameters with ease. Along with that, you need maximum portability, and it should be easy to move around.
Among our top seven picks, we recommend the Hobart or RILAND to choose as a newbie. These have great features like easy wire feeding, portability, and handles to ensure you can easily pick.
Rob Steven
I'm Rob Steven with more than 10+ years of experience in the welding field, I have done my welding degree from Central Louisiana Technical Community College, it was always fun and passion for me going into welding. Now being a passionate welder I also blog about welding.
[…] Also Check Best MIG Welder For Beginners […]