5 Best Cheap MIG Welder Reviews with Buying Guide
MIG welder is one of the most popular types of welding machines. This amazing machine could be expensive based on different factors. The good news is, now you can find some cheap options too. The price, however, doesn’t affect the performance very much when it is about non-industrial usages. Particularly for small to mid-range welding projects don’t require a heavier machine.
Finding the best cheap MIG welder is quite challenging for anyone. It demands some research before selecting a product. Because the only price of the product won’t tell you how it will perform in projects. Rather you have to check the facts that are related to the capability of the machine.
Our Top 5 Cheap MIG Welder Reviews
Finding good cheap MIG welder from an extensive collection was really challenging. But a dedicated team has researched for you. Here are the top 5 product recommendations by the team.
#1. LOTOS MIG175 Mig welder
If you have a mid-range budget and looking for something powerful as well as effective, this LOTOS MIG175 175AMP MIG is recommended. Read the LOTOS mig175 review and find details.
While most of the cheap MIG welder machines are suitable for only small tasks for beginners, this item could handle some professional projects. The package includes all the essentials needed for professional meta works. You, however, may not like the bulky design. This weighs 81 lbs. and kind of difficult to transport easily.
Unlike some cheap MIG welding machines, this one comes with a spool gun. Which means it is ready to use. Start your project just after receiving this. The gun is perfect for aluminum welding which can handle welding as much as 3/16″ or thinner aluminum plate. Rated as 75-amp MIG welder which ensures higher voltage output for faster works.
It is worth investing in this product because of its durability. All the parts are made from top-grade materials and the essential equipment is also good for longevity.
#2. Eastwood MIG 135 - Best value mig welder
When you are looking for the best affordable MIG welder, you could pick this item from Eastwood. It is a budget-friendly option that allows performing small to medium projects conveniently.
It features a portable design with lightweight that allows carrying the welder whether you want. Despite a low price, this unit features a good power capacity with a standard 120V household current. For the home hobbyist or small project, handling is easy with the Eastwood MIG 135 Welder 12011. It is applicable for mild and stainless steel as thin as 24 gauge. When using solid core wire, it can weld up to 3/16″ and 1/4″ with flux core wire.
It features a Tweco-Style Torch for your convenience. The ground cable and clamp are included with the machine that you don’t need additional cost. Compatible with #20172 spool gun which is efficient welding of aluminum. The user-friendly control panel allows anyone to operate the machine in the right way.
#3. SUNGOLDPOWER 200Amp MIG MAG ARC MMA Stick DC Welder
Cheap products are used to be less powerful which are suitable for only some particular works. But some products are doing great with versatility. The SUNGOLDPOWER 200Amp MIG welder is such a product that allows doing multiple works with the same welder.
This is not common for products in this price range. IGBT technology has made it possible. It is easy to start ARC welding with this unit. Unlike most of the cheap welder machines, this one comes with lightweight design. Carrying to different places won’t be an issue.
A dual voltage system helps to run the machine wherever you want. To protect the welder from overheating, it features a fan-cooling system. With an easy control panel, anyone who knows a welder machine can operate it. The solid and flux-cored range is 0.03~ 0.039 in (0.8~1.0mm) which is enough to handle different types of projects. It perfectly suits for 1kg and 5kg wire spool. Considering all the features, this is the best inexpensive MIG welder for versatility.
#4. Lincoln Electric K2185-1 Handy MIG Welder
It is no need to say that when we want the cheapest MIG welder, we will miss some features. But good thing is, some brands like Lincoln Electric are proving the concept wrong. Their K2185-1 is a good MIG welder which is great for individual workers. Featuring a lightweight design, this is one of the best cheap MIG welders to transport easily. It weighs only 26 pounds which you can even carry with one of your hands. However, the weight doesn’t affect the performance of the machine.
If your old welder machine has some errors and looking for something good as a replacement, choose this. With minimal spatter on light sections, this machine provides maximum output with a good duty cycle. Even the user can adjust the wire feed speed. Get the essential equipment with the welder and it is ready to use with the spool gun. The raw materials used in the construction are good enough to ensure the product’s longevity.
#5. Forney Easy Weld 261 - Best 140 amp mig welder
Looking for the best MIG welder for beginners?
If yes, check this item which comes at an affordable price. People who like to do welding works as a hobby would like this item a lot. This is a beginner level product with a user-friendly control panel. It could be the first welder of someone who just going to start. Once you own this product, you can transport the whole unit wherever you want. Weighs only 19 lbs. which is carriable with one hand.
Despite a low price, this machine is powerful enough to deal with different types of metals. With the full power, it can provide 140 AMP output. The package includes all essentials such as MIG gun, ground clamp, integrated handle, torch wrap, and more. Anti-spatter spray with the welder makes it easy to keep the spatter at a minimal level. Besides a good power capacity, it features an all-metal case for extreme durability.
How to Pick the Best Cheap MIG Welder? (Buying Guide)
Choosing the best MIG welder with a tight budget is a tough job. You can, however, find your desired product if you consider some essential facts. Here are the things that needed to be considered during the selection process –
Welders that come at low prices are expected to be portable and compact. Because most of the time this kind of product used by beginners or hobbyists. Buying a bulky one won’t be a good idea. So, check the weight of the MIG welder before you finalize it. Especially when you have the plan to transport the welder to different sites, it needs to be carriable and lightweight. Check the dimension of the machine to have an idea if you can carry it within a tight area. The welder might come with some essential tools, check their weight too for flawless transport.
It doesn’t mean that cheap products will have less power. Sort out the products properly and there is a good chance of getting a better product with a tight budget. To sort an extensive list, the duty cycle should be the main fact. It is measured in 10 minutes cycle. The duty cycle lets the user know how much time will the machine take to go for a rest period. For instance, if your selected product has a 50% duty cycle, it means you can continue welding up to 5 minutes before it goes for the rest mode. If you want fast operation and better performance, focus on the duty cycle.
Longevity of a welder is related to so many things. If you think just to have a durable welder is enough for longevity, you are wrong. To keep the welder safe and performable, it needed to be safe from overheating. Only a few products have a dedicated cooling system for the welder. A welder that has thermal overload heat protection will serve for a long time. The system protects the machine from overheating when it is functioning. The mechanism of thermal overheat is simple. When you are operating the welder for a long time, this system automatically restarts the whole unit when it is producing too much heat.
Here we are talking about only cheap MIG welders. So, capacity won’t be the same as the industrial welder. Still, it is important to consider what you can do with your new welder and what you couldn’t. To have a better idea of the capacity, check how thick metal the welder can handle. Check the maximum output and the range of thickness for different metals.
Tools are precious to complete a project on time. But it shows some errors, it becomes a nightmare. If you want to repair it, needed some expert knowledge. The same is true for welders. Before ordering a new MIG welder, check for the maintenance and repairing system. Make sure maintenance is easy and you can do it yourself.
How Does MIG Welder Work?
Both MIG and TIG welder works fine, but MIG welder has more advantages than tig welder. Though welding by these welders uses an electric arc, the processes are very different. If anyone accidentally choose the wrong one, it will give him real pain.
Both of these welders use the electric arc, but the real difference is how they use the arc. MIG welding uses the feed wire, which moves through the electric gun constantly to build the spark and then melts it to form a weld. On the other hand, TIG welding will use longer rods to fuse the metals together. MIG welders can be used on different types of metals at greater depth, and it is very cost-effective also. The MIG is designed in such a way that the gun will run for a longer period continuously.
The tank of the MIG welder is loaded with Metal Inert Gas, and the gas recipe actually differs. The interesting fact about this is – the gas won’t react with the metal or cause destruction to the metal structure. In addition, the MIG welder has different heat management settings, and thus, it is possible to get a deeper weld with better penetration.
FAQ's About Best Budget Mig Welder
Well, nowadays you can even have a welder with only a hundred bucks. But the fact is, too many cheap products are worthless. You should keep your budget at least more than $200 to have a fair deal. Other than that, you may have to spend some additional budget for essential equipment. So, whatever your need is, be ready to spend at around $300 to do most of your projects.
MIG welding requires a particular combination of gases. Because it needs to produce high heat to weld the metal. You will have to use carbon dioxide and argon gas combination. For instance, when you are welding steel, you can use 98% argon and 2% carbon dioxide combination.
Well, local stores might have both good and bad products and you never know. But when buying from online, you have to freedom to check unlimited products. At the same time, you can check after purchased reviews, average rating, total description, and more. So, buying online is convenient.
MIG welding is the process where you will have to use two-part of metals and melt them with the welder to joining them. Different popular world-famous products are made in this way. For instance, cars’ bodies are made in the MIG welding process with an industrial-grade MIG welder.
Final Verdict
Finding the best cheap mig welder is a challenging job. But the above list gives you relief from the pain of doing your own research. Each of the items in the list has great quality and better feedback from customers.
You should, however, choose the welder according to your preference. If you want the machine for versatile works, LOTOS MIG175 175AMP Mig Welder would be the best one.
Again, if your budget is a big concern for you, go for the Forney Easy Weld 261. However, the capacity won’t be good as other products on the list.
