Best MIG welder under $500
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Are you looking for an excellent brand of MIG welder?
Surprisingly, you can get a suitable one that will be sold at not more than $500.
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This is because there are many excellent brands that offer a good product that has all the top features at a rate of $500.
There are many MIG welders that you can get for less than $500, which are a great choice for any type of MIG welding.
You can get one that is suitable for either commercial or even if you want to weld as a hobby at home.
Shopping for a suitable one for yourself does not have to be an uphill task.
You can always consult this article review and get one that fits your peculiar needs.
The best MIG welder under $500 or that you can get at this price range are shown below
1. Hobart Handler 140
NOTE: This welder was under $500 at the time of writing
[amazon box=”B009X43F38″]
This MIG welding machine offers excellent usability that you could get from a welding machine that would go for not more than $500.
It can comfortably weld both aluminum and stainless steel perfectly well. Its 140-amp rating enables you to work on thick metals.
It is a budget product that can be used even by professionals who would want to use their machine for commercial purposes. It features professional features like a solid aluminum wire welder feed drive.
The only major downside with this machine is that it can’t weld for more than 60 seconds at full power capacity.
Features
- Has a heavy-duty work lead clamp
- Has a miller regulator
- Light hence easily portable
- 20% duty cycle at 90 amps
- Easily one of the best MIG welders under $500 (if only just under!)
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Has a solid aluminum wire feed drive
- Has a genuine MIG or flux core
- The 120-volt power plugs almost anywhere you will need it to
- Has the capacity to weld heavy gauges of up to ¼ inch in thickness
Cons
- You would need to get a wrench to adjust the spool tension
2. Forney Easy Weld 140 FC-I
[amazon box=”B07HRN3LJV”]
This is a low-key brand of MIG welder on sale, that even though a rare one, is a great product that you should try for your welding activities.
The Forney is designed with inverter technology. It also maintains the flux core welding but leaves out the gas MIG ability. This means that this product is quite light than most on this list.
It features a live fan that is effective for cooling various parts when you are working with it. You will also find the 30% duty cycle at 90 amps quite a handy inclusion in its design.
Trying this budget MIG welder, you would realize what it holds potent when you compare it with others that are sold at a much higher rate. Its 140 amp can weld through the thick metal of heavy gauges quite well.
If you are using it for home welding, then this is a pick that you will not regret.
Features
- Can weld heavy gauges of metal that are thick
- Has a 20-amp to 15-amp adapter
- Designed with a 30% duty cycle at 90 amps
- Has a built-in live fan that enables better cooling capacity
Pros
- Is a light product at 19 pounds
- Wide capacity for adjustment on the voltage range and feed
- Holds 10-pound spools
- Has an 8-foot arc gun and work clamp
Cons
- Does not have the gas MIG capacity
3. Lincoln K2278-1
[amazon box=”B004HL01PW”]
This is the top welder to go for if you are looking for one that is ideal for beginners.
It is easy to use and guarantees that you can never go wrong while working with it. You also get to develop your skills while welding using this machine.
It comes along with a gun and cable assembly, has a work lead and a clamp together with a power cable.
This comes already assembled, and you will not be disadvantaged if you are a beginner and are not sure what goes where.
You can cover your face with a hand-held welding mask and a brush together with a chipping hammer. You also get a spool of flux core that comes with the whole package.
The only downside with this product is that the construction is not that enticing as most of the others in this list.
What you get from this product is the fact that you enjoy working with one that is simple and easy to use.
It is suitable if your welding works are not that demanding are you are just welding as a hobby; professionals will not get this product useful because of the simplicity.
Features
- Has a 35 to 88 amps output
- Welds steel of 1/8 inch
- Can be plugged into 115V and a 20 amp outlet
- The wire is electrically cold until you trigger it
Pros and Cons
Pros
- User friendly making it suitable for beginners
- Has a suitable 1-year warranty
- It is factory assembled
Cons
- The grounding clamp is not the best feature
4. SUNGOLDPOWER 200Amp
[amazon box=”B071RN46PH”]
This is one of the welders that you can get from this list that will strike you as being among the top performers.
This is even with its low price, which is quite affordable. You get to enjoy a number of features that are rarely included in these welders sold in this price range.
The good thing about this is that they can be used to work on any type of material and those of heavy gauges to.
It is rated up to 200 amps. You will need to get an aluminum spool gun and fit it before you start working with it. You will also enjoy the roller system that is designed to improve your working experience.
You will be able to enjoy the fact that it can weld through thick metal and work in a diverse manner.
This is because of its relatively high amperage rating. You can also get to work with a number of adjustments that would be ideal for your work.
The adjustments are included on the wire feeder and the amperage dial.
Features
- Has suitable adjustable features
- Doesn’t come with a gun
- Short leads
- High amperage
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Quality design
- High amp rating
- Numerous adjustable features
- Adequate warranty level
Cons
- Designed with short leads
- The user manual is not that comprehensive
5. Campbell Hausfeld 120V FLX140
[amazon box=”B003NLSMIA”]
It is not suitable for aluminum welding, and there are not many choices for adjustments within its amperage.
You also do not get the option to either set 220V or 240V. It is probably one of the most heavy-duty machines in the light range of welders.
It has a sturdy plastic and metal shell, and all the internal components are top-notch so you can have confidence it will last.
This is a hardy type of welding machine that can be used by a professional welder that does not want to spend a lot on their purchase. If you need a welder that can take a beating while performing strong welds up to 1/4-inch thick, this is a worthwhile option to consider.
Features
- Can’t weld aluminum
- It is a tough designed MIG welder
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Designed with medium quality
- Has a fairly long enough warranty
Cons
- Low amperage setting
- Few setting options
6. Longevity 140-Amp
[amazon box=”B0087RJKGS”]
This is a MIG Welder that would not miss in this list. This is because of its quality features that are just worth going for if you are on a tight budget.
It’s designed with the capacity of welding 3/8-inch steel, but it is overall and can work with many passes and is better for 1/4-inch sections or less.
It comes with a suitable range of amperage and wire feeding adjustment, which makes finding your ideal range easier than with other MIG welders in this list.
You will really enjoy working with this welder.
It is not the best quality of a welder that isn’t worth the price it comes at, compared to other welders like the others in this list.
The wire feed isn’t the greatest; it sometimes works well but is known for being a low-quality part of the machine that can cause people problems.
You will enjoy working with this brand of handy MIG welder if your type of work is not as demanding as the case for professional welders.
You also get to save more yet enjoy the features that many welders lack.
Overall, this welder is a great one for a 140-amp welder, but they make quality, which is not the best in this list, makes it less desirable than other online options.
Features
- Low-quality design
- Poor wire feed design
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Has a fairly medium amperage rating
- Has many setting adjustments you can work with
Cons
- Has fairly short leads
- Issues with the wire feed are rampant
- Low-quality design
What you should consider when buying a MIG welder under $500
You should consider some important factors that will make your shopping experience for the very best MIG welders under $500 a successful one.
These include:
Welding capacity
You should consider the volt rating of the gas MIG welders that you are going for.
Under $500, there are some which are designed with adequate welding power, and those are the ones that you should give much priority. This is probably the most significant factor that needs to be considered.
It would be wrong to get a quality MIG welder that has all the other features like a digital display and is sold at a lower price but has an inferior welding capability.
You will find that you have a difficult time completing projects that would have been handled more efficiently with a MIG welder with a better welding capacity.
Safety
Obviously, the last thing you want to deal with is an injury sustained from working with your new welder.
That is why you should consider the type of handling designed to provide the different types of weld.
This will be able to guarantee safety when you are using it and will protect you from getting harmed most of the time when you are working on a project.
There are also those that go out of their way design-wise to ensure that the user is protected when handling them.
You also want to make sure that any choice has some kind of thermal overload protection as a safety feature.
Technology integrated with the MIG welders
There are those MIG welders that are designed with advanced technology that improves their productivity. This ensures that the user gets the best out of these. That is why they are a favorite to go for.
For instance, you can decide to go for one that is designed with a digital display that would be suitable for making clear settings.
These type of welders are highly recommended for the welders that are just beginning to use them and do not know how to set them up.
Range of setting adjustments
As seen in the review above, the different brands analyzed come with a range of settings that you can adjust to suit your needs as a welder.
You should consider this so that you get to work with a MIG welder that provides you with the freedom needed when selecting a fitting one.
There are those that have a good number of adjustment settings and are the best to go for if you want to make clear what you want from your specific MIG welder.
The duty cycle
The duty cycle is used to refer to the rate in percentage of 10 minute-interval that the MIG welder can weld before needing to cool down.
For instance, if the duty cycle of a particular machine is rated at 10%, this means that you can weld at the amperage of 10% continuously for a period of one minute before the machine will need to be cooled down.
When the MIG welder is used in welding, it gets overheated with time, and after some time, it will be unable to work properly. It will need to cool down before it continues working.
This is a factor that needs to be considered, especially if you want to use the welding for commercial purposes that might be demanding. You do not want to break often, as this will slow you down.
Gas MIG Capacity
You can either go for gas MIG capability or flux-core capability.
The gas MIG capability will be used for working on aluminum and stainless steel. So depending on your type of work, you should be able to select one that suits your needs.
As seen above, the gas MIG capacity may be include but not for the flux-core-only design. You should look out for these specs on the MIG welder brands.
This will guarantee that you will not be disappointed with the MIG welder that you get for working with either at home or at your workshop.
Price
The price of the MIG welder is one factor that determines the quality of the features that you get from it.
This is because the price can be used to indicate the performance of a particular product. The ones that go for less than $500 would surprisingly be better performing than even those that are sold at a price of more than $1000.
Therefore, you should be keen not to pay too much for a product that does not offer much.
Performance, quality, and durability
For these types of MIG welders, you need to get a reliable one because you might just end up with one that will get damaged in less than a month.
This will be disappointing because you will incur more for repairs as well as getting a new one altogether. You should also be concerned with the overall performance of the MIG welder that you are looking at.
You can notice this by evaluating their user experience, which is seen in the several customer reviews that are usually uploaded online.
This will be ideal in selecting a suitable MIG welder for your work.
Warranty and terms of sale
You should also consider the warranty that comes with the machine that you are going for.
This is because these types of machines get damaged with time, and their repairs can be quite costly.
You can be covered and get a replacement from where you bought the specific time, and this will be stress-free for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the best MIG welder to buy?
The Hobart Handler 140 is the recommended MIG welder to go for if you are looking for a suitable one for general purposes that goes for less than $500. This is because its amp rate at 140 is suitable for working on fairly thin metal sheets, and the duty cycle is just amazing. It is also sold with a significant warranty that will have you covered. You are also guaranteed of its top performance and reliability all through the time you use it.
What is the best MIG welder for home use?
The LOTOS MIG140 is recommended as the best MIG welder you can go for if you want to weld at home. This is even arguably the best MIG welder for the money. This is because it has enough features that will be covered for hobby welding as this type of welding is not as demanding as in the professional welding situation.
What is a good cheap welder?
The LOTOS MIG140 MIG Welder is the best MIG welder to go for if you do not want to spend a lot, yet you want to work with a welder with quality features. This product has what most of the welders in this least have, the most important ones. The fact that it is sold at a significantly lower price makes it a favorite if you want to spend less yet enjoy the features of many that are highly priced.
How much does a good MIG welder cost?
A good MIG welder can go for as much $380.59. This would be a suitable MIG welder that does not come with most of the features that might be sold for more than $1000. It is guaranteed that you will be able to enjoy its capabilities and its performance for your type of welding works.
Bottom Line
When shopping for the best MIG welder under $500, you should consider the features that would dictate their performance.
This would help you settle on one that will be suitable for your type of work.
You will also enjoy its reliability and also the fact that it is able to last long all through its usage.
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