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Are you looking for the best welder for beginners? Look no further, as we’ve got you covered! 

Welding can be a fun hobby and a promising career for those who’d love to make money. However, to a beginner, it can seem challenging, particularly if you don’t know the type of welding that best suits you and the right equipment for your use cases. 

But welding doesn’t need to be complicated. 

With the right tools, you can perfect it like a pro. But what tools should I use? And what welding technique is ideal for beginners? We’ll cover all these questions in this post. But first, a quick crash course of what to consider when getting into welding. 

Be sure to check out what we think are the best mig welders  and TIG welders currently on the market

	👑 BEST OVERALL	🛠️ BEST FOR HOME USER	🛋️ FOR LARGE SPACES
	HONE Stick Welder 110V	YESWELDER Stick Welder 125Amp	YESWELDER Digital MIG-205DS Welder

VOLTAGE 👩‍🔬	110V	110/220V	110/220V
MAX SIZE 📏	up to 500 ft.	up to 1000 ft.	2624.67 feet diameter (800m diameter)
WEIGHT ⚖️	5.8 lbs	10 lbs	36 lbs
PROS 👍	Simple to set up and use and lightweight	Great price for an easy to use lightweight stick welder	Versatile TIG and stick welder
CONS 👎	Might be too small for big jobs	No 220V input	Heavier option than the other two
PRICE 💵	$76.99	Price not available	$359.99

Things to Consider When Buying a Welder for Beginners

What do you think your first welder will look like? There are many machines to consider, and the industry is constantly developing new ways to enhance your skills as a welder. Since this is probably your first time buying a welder, the experience can be overwhelming, especially if you know nothing about welding. Here are a few questions to help you find the best welder for beginners and easily navigate the industry. 

1. What Do You Plan to Use Your Welder For?

Different kinds of welders are on the market today, but the most popular ones are MIG machines, TIG machines, and stick welding machines. Each welding technique has its advantages and disadvantages.  MIG welding is the easiest to learn and can be used on thin and thick metals. It creates extremely clean welds on aluminum, steel, and stainless steel. For beginners, we recommend MIG welders, but you should start with stick welders before proceeding to MIG.  TIG welding is the most versatile type but is also the most difficult to learn. This welding technique is commonly used to fuse thin and non-ferrous materials like copper, lead, nickel, or aluminum. TIG welding is great for precision control, hence best suited for professional welders. 

You must weigh the strengths and weaknesses of each welding technique and consider the projects you’ll be working on frequently. A MIG welder is an excellent option if you plan to use your welder for light DIY projects, and it is our primary recommendation for beginners.

2. What Kinds of Metals Will You Be Working on Frequently?

Regardless of the type of welder you plan to buy, it’s essential to have a machine that can work on various materials.  Some welding machines don’t work on aluminum. Others work on select metals. It’s essential to have this info to avoid disappointments later on. In most cases, you can find this info on the manufacturer’s website or the product’s page on Amazon.  However, note that truly versatile machines tend to be bulkier and more equipped than others. They may also come at a heftier price tag. 

3. How are Its Controls Displayed?

Some machines come with a digital display where you can adjust different parameters and control your weld. Others take a more traditional approach and make use of control knobs.  While this is a personal preference, welders equipped with digital displays are considered more advanced and efficient. Also, note that these units will be more expensive than their “analog” counterparts.  Starting out, you must go for a welding machine with an in-depth guide and parameters to help you navigate the machine’s settings. 

4. How Much Power Does the Machine Need?

Different machines have different amperage ratings, so checking the power requirement for the machine you intend to buy is important.  Check your home or workshop’s capacity beforehand to know what to look for. Also, choose a welder you can plug into a regular socket. The higher the amperage, the thicker the metal you’ll be able to weld. You can find the amp ratings on the product’s spec label. 

5. How Well Can You Transport the Machine?

Some welding machines are lightweight, weighing less than 10 pounds. Others are bulky, weighing over 80 pounds. If you’re a mobile welder or plan to use the machine outdoors frequently, choose a portable unit.  Due to size and weight limitations, a portable welder may not be as versatile as the bigger units. Portable units might also not contain as many features as their larger counterparts. 

6. What Duty Cycle Should Your Welder Have?

The duty cycle is another critical factor when buying a welding machine. Generally, a welder’s duty cycle will depend on its power output and the welding process used. Lower-end welders usually have a duty cycle between 15 – 20%, whereas more powerful machines (ideal for professional work) can go up to 80%.

7. Should I Start with MIG or TIG?

MIG and TIG welding are both reliable and efficient welding techniques. But which one is easier? Or rather, which one should you start with? MIG welding is generally faster and easier for anyone to learn, making it ideal for beginners. TIG welding, on the other hand, is more complex to learn and the preferred method for professionals. TIG welding, however, is the best option for precision control and produces very clean welds. 

We’ve rounded up the top 3 welders for beginners, taking price, features, and ease of use into account, analyzing the latest customer sentiment data, and getting recommendations from our community of metallurgists.

Let’s dive in!

1. Best Stick Welder for Beginners: HONE Stick Welder 110V

If you’re looking for a versatile welder for beginners, the HONE Stick Welder is an excellent choice. HONE is a reputable brand in the welding equipment space with over 20 years of experience in the industry. 

When it comes to the best welder for beginners, the first place to start is checking out whether the machine is easy to use, and the HONE Stick welder doesn’t disappoint in this department. 

This unit has a digital display where you can see the current and adjust various welding parameters. It also has what the company calls Smart Hot Start and Arc Force, designed to make it more beginner-friendly. 

The HONE Stick Welder comes loaded with various features that give it an edge over the competition. This 110/220v welder features digital IGBT inverter technology that provides smoother welding and deeper penetration, making it ideal for metals of different sizes. 

Moreover, it can weld ferrous metals, including cast iron, stainless steel, mild steel, carbon steel, and more. And at only 5.8 pounds, the HONE Stick Welder is portable enough to be used outdoors. 

Key Features

• Easy to use
• Lightweight and portable
• Built-in automatic anti-stick for over-current protection
• Digital IGBT technology for smoother welds

What We Liked

• Can weld a wide variety of metals
• Extremely lightweight
• Simple to set up and use
• Exceptionally priced

What Could be Improved

• Some customers complained of the unit being too small

2. YESWELDER Stick Welder 125Amp

YESWELDER is a highly reputable brand in the welding equipment niche, with over 15 years of experience producing high-end welders. 

The YESWELDER Stick Welder 125Amp is ideal for beginners and features adjustable power ranging from 20 – 125 amps. The versatility you get with this unit is remarkable. Whether you want to weld steel, aluminum steel, or other metals, the YESWELDER Stick will handle them all.

While it’s suited for thin workpieces, this machine offers a slew of convenient features beginners would find useful. For instance, it has an Automatic Hot Start feature that boosts the current upon starting the machine and provides quick, easy, and reliable arc starts. There’s also a safety feature that provides overload and over-current protection.

And if you love to weld outdoors, you’ll love this unit’s compact and lightweight nature, weighing a mere 10 pounds. 

Key Features

• Overload and over-current protection
• Can work on a wide range of materials
• Portable, weighing only 10 pounds
• Easy to use

What We Liked

• Easy to set up and use
• Advanced protection features
• Extremely lightweight
• Competitively priced

What Could Be Improved

• Some customers have complained that the construction quality could be better
• No 220V input

3. YESWELDER Digital MIG-205DS Welder

The YESWELDER MIG-205DS is one of the most versatile welders for beginners you’ll find on the market today. With dual LCD screens, an IGBT inverter, and automatic voltage switching, the MIG-205DS is ideal for both hobbyists and professionals. 

Very few welders are designed for beginners, and the 205DS is one of them. The machine uses inverter technology for maximum output and is capable of performing TIG and stick welding. It runs on 110V and is equipped with an inverter that can push the power to 220v. 

The beauty of the MIG-205DS is in the control system. The unit has dual LCD screens that let users adjust settings and parameters to suit their welding needs. Moreover, switching to TIG or stick is easy and can be done with a single click. 

You’ll love the synergic control that lets you easily adjust the current range or material thickness. Once set, the system automatically changes the voltage range and the wire feeding speed. 

Key Features

• Dual voltage
• Synergic MIG controls
• Full metal wire feeder
• Safety protection from over-current

What We Liked

• Automatic voltage switching
• Can perform TIG and stick welding
• Exceptionally priced

Wrapping Up

That’s it! Our list of the best welders for beginners! 

We hope this guide will help you make a more informed decision when buying a welding machine for the first time. Feel free to comment and share! 

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