Best Portable Mig Welder – Guide and Review

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Updated: 04/10/2021

Portable MIG welders are extremely useful around the house as a hobby for some amateurs, or even around a small workshop. Our rundown of the best MIG welder machines provides a means for you to choose which suits your needs.

All on this list are easy to use, a fair price and are designed to provide fantastic welds

Using Portable welders means that you can carry it to places where you need to bend into an unholy shape to access some obscure part that needs welding, (we all have to break our backs from time to time!).

In a Rush? This is our Best Portable MIG Welder Choice

Lotos MIG175

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ModelBest ForBuy Here
Lotos MIG140 (update: MIG175)
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Best in class[amazon fields=”B00QMXEIMK” value=”button”]
Lincoln Electric K2185-1 Handy MIG Welder
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Simple DIY jobs[amazon fields=”B000QFNZ74″ value=”button”]
90 Amp 120v Wire Feed Portable MIG Welder​
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Price[amazon fields=”B000OODNBK” value=”button”]
SUNGOLDPOWER ARC MMA 200A
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Quality to price ratio[amazon fields=”B01MRNGTHC” value=”button”]
C.M.T Pitbull Ultra-Portable 100-Amp (update: S SIMDER)
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Beginners (cheap and cheerful)[amazon fields=”B08PHKS4D8″ value=”button”]

There will be times when a repair job can’t be done at the garage or a shop. For instance, repairing a massive John Deere tractor may require you to travel to the field. 

It is during these scenarios when having the best portable MIG welder comes in handy.

That’s why many welders prefer to work with portable MIG welding or one that can be brought to the field when the work requires it. 

A portable MIG welder comes with a handle, so you can transport it from one place to another. Of course, it is also a lot lighter compared to other MIG welders.

Having a portable MIG welder isn’t just about being able to bring the unit out of the garage. There are instances when a small welder can work best, like connecting stainless steel reinforcing bars in a free-stall barn. 

With a small welder, it would be easier to move from joint to joint than moving a 200-pound welder and you can often carry around other useful tools with you.

Our Best Portable MIG Welding Machine Reviews

Lincoln Electric K2185-1 Handy Mobile MIG Welder

[amazon box=”B000QFNZ74″]

The Lincoln Electric is a compact, lightweight, high-quality, and mobile MIG welder that’s perfect for your home projects and portable MIG welding.

It is also a very lightweight MIG welder machine, checking in at just 49 pounds.

It plugs into a 115-volt wall socket and would let you weld metals up to 1/8 inch thick. Included in the package are gas nozzle wire plus gun assembly, gas hose and regulator work clamp and cable, and tactile hand shields with plate and lens.

There’s also AC electricity and fan cooling to prevent overheating of this Lincoln Electric unit. Plus it is very maneuverable that you can take it outside the workshop.

Just don’t expect this MIG welder to work well for heavy-duty projects. Apart from that disadvantage, there’s really nothing you can complain about this unit as it is quite easy to use.

Check out our in-depth review here or Shop on Amazon

90 Amp 120V Wire Feed Portable MIG Welder

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This 90 amp wire feed MIG welder is a versatile, easy-to-use, and portable unit. You can make good use of it for your home, garage, and DIY projects.

It runs off of a standard electrical plug that you typically find in any home. And it comes with everything you need to start welding—welding mask, ground clamp, gun, welding hammer, carry handle, and brush.

Safety is assured as this unit has an overheat shutoff feature. Simply put the unit automatically shuts down when the duty cycle is exceeded. It comes with a one-year warranty.

Just be careful when carrying the unit as there are reports that the handle isn’t the sturdiest and therefore may not be the best for portable MIG welding, (when compared to the other in this buying guide).

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Lotos MIG115 MIG Wire Welder

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Weighing 54 pounds, this isn’t the lightest on this list. But its handle is sturdy enough that you should not worry about it breaking and the unit falling on your feet.

In our opinion, this is possibly the best MIG welder for home use on this welding unit list that adheres to our specifications. It creates quality welds and is perfect for a beginner welder as it is easy to use.

It also doesn’t take up a lot of space in the shop or garage, with dimensions of 16×14.5 x 9.6 inches.

It can be used for welding a variety of materials, like stainless steel and mild steel. You can also weld aluminum provided you have a spool gun, which is sold separately. 

The package includes ground clamp cable, gas regulator hose, MIG torch, welding mask, and wire.

While it has its strengths, this portable MIG wire welder also has its weaknesses. A common complaint is that its torch trigger has the tendency to stop functioning.

And while it has a one-year warranty from the manufacturer, it covers only the body of the machine. It won’t cover any other parts like the torch hose.

However, with that said, it is a high-quality value welder.

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SUNGOLDPOWER ARC MMA 200A Welder Dual 110V 220V IGBT Hot Start Welding Machine

[amazon box=”B01MRNGTHC”]

This is the lightest on this list, weighing just 26 pounds. Not only is it lightweight but its casing is well made and heavy-duty. It’s a great welding machine for small to medium-sized repair jobs.

The unit is also very user-friendly, with its interface easy to understand and use. There’s an on/off button upfront. On top of it is the voltage meter window.

Be cautioned though that it doesn’t have a plug, so you will have to do it yourself. Most users however say they were able to do so in less than five minutes.

This is the very definition of an easy-to-use, portable MIG welding machine!

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Pitbull Ultra-Portable 100-Amp Electric Arc Welder

[amazon box=”B000V663G8″]

This is another easy-to-use lightweight MIG welder, weighing only 28 pounds. It has a thick handle on top, so you can move it easily or place it in a vehicle.

Voltage is at 110 volts, thus you can plug it in most wall outlets. Amperage control ranges from 45 to 100 amps, and it can weld up to ¼ inch of mild steel.

The price is very enticing too, as it is one of the cheapest on the list. You will have to bear with the unit itself, as it doesn’t feel solid at all.

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How to Choose the Best Portable MIG Welder for Home or Workshop Use

You should also keep in mind the following factors in selecting a portable MIG welding machine:

Weight

Most MIG welders are heavy, with the average weight at around 80 pounds. The best portable MIG welders are often less than 50 pounds in weight.

Sure, carrying a 50-pound unit would still be a task but the portable units come with an easy-grip handle so you can easily bring them from one place to another.

Although a portable unit can be carried around with relative ease, a cart makes things a lot easier, particularly in transport and storage.

Input Power Rating

If you’re intent on using the MIG welder for small-scale projects such as joining thin sheets of aluminum of iron, a basic unit that has can be adjusted to 115 to 140 volts should suffice.

But if you’re looking for industry-level tasks wherein thick materials have to be connected, then you will need a powerful welder that is rated 220 volts.

A safer choice would be a machine that is dual voltage. This means it can weld on both 110 volts and 220 volts. This type of MIG welder can let you take on small and industrial-scale projects without changing wall outlets.

Duty Cycle

Duty cycle is the amount of time that the welder can operate out of a 10-minute period.

To better illustrate this, say unit A can deliver 300 amps of output at a 60 percent duty cycle. This means that the unit can weld consistently at 300 amps for six minutes.

But it must be cooled down in the remaining four minutes to avoid overheating.

Usually, MIG welders for light industrial projects have a 20 percent duty cycle at 230 amps or lower. For more demanding industrial projects, you will need a unit with a 40 to 60 percent duty cycle.

Amperage

The rule of thumb has always been, less amperage for thin metals and more amperage for thicker metals. Thus you should have at least an idea of the materials that you intend to weld before buying a portable MIG welder for under $500.

For instance, if you are to weld stainless steel that is a quarter of an inch thick, you would need 180 amps in a single pass. Of course, you can always make multiple passes to weld thicker materials but that would also mean more time waiting especially if your machine has a low duty cycle.

Other Factors to Consider

  • Ease of use: choose MIG welders that are ready to operate right of out the box. Having a user-friendly operator interface also works, wherein you only need to power up, select material, and thickness range before welding.
  • Overheating protection: overheating can make even the most robust MIG welder useless in no time. Thus you should buy one with thermal overload protection to protect your investment.
  • Customer support: buy a welder from a brand with good customer support and one where you can readily get replacement parts whenever you need them.
  • Accessories: if you plan to weld aluminum, the MIG welder should have a spool gun accessory for a smooth welding experience.

How to Choose the Best Portable MIG Welder

You can go online and realize that there are plenty of portable MIG welding machines available on the market.

With many of the manufacturers using high-dollar marketing jargon aimed at those who aren’t professional welders, it can really get confusing to pick just one.

I hope my rundown of the best portable MIG welding machines has given you a decent overview of what is out there in the market right now.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is portable MIG welding?

Essentially, portable MIG welding is the same as normal MIG welding, but the machines are smaller in size and weight. They often have to carry handles as well as simpler interfaces.

Do I need a cart if I have a portable MIG welder?

The short answer is not really. However, a cart can be an essential part of welding, especially if it has lots of storage space for tools and hoses, etc.

Portable MIG welding gas…what do I use?

You can use the same gas as you would for a larger MIG welder. The difference is the amount. You can check out our MIG welding gas guide for more information.

Are portable MIG welders cheaper than larger models?

By and large, yes they are. However, that doesn’t mean that larger models have to break the bank.

What is the best portable MIG welder?

The Lotos MIG140 140 Amp MIG Wire Welder is a quality portable machine at a great price.

Final Verdict

With the many portable MIG welders available in the market, no one can blame you if it will take you a long time to pick just one unit.

But remember that in choosing a MIG welder, you just don’t look at the weight and the handle of the unit. You also have to know the input power, amperage, and duty cycle of the welder. You also need to consider other factors like ease of use and overheating protection of the unit. Accessories, too, can affect your buying decision.

It also helps if you read user reviews prior to buying a portable MIG welding machine. By doing so, you will have an idea of what to expect from the machine. These are the things you need to take into consideration when choosing the best portable MIG welder.

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