Best MIG Welders For Home Use – Reviews & Buying Guide 2022

With the increasing demand for DIYers, the best MIG welders for home use have become difficult. The MIG welders come in a high price tag, so finding an economical one for home use is a real game. As there is huge competition in the market, you may get confused about your selection. 

We have put together the top MIG welders for home use to narrow down your research. All of these welders are high in demand, portable, affordable, and yet efficient. Also, we will discuss the types of MIG welders, so let’s get started:

TOP PICKS

★★★★★

Forney Easy Weld 140 FCi

• Weight: 19 pounds
• Dimensions: 16.7 x 12 x 8.1 inches
• Power Source: 120 volt

Check Price

 

★★★★★

MILLER ELECTRIC MIG Welder

• Weight: 49 pounds
• Diemensions: 23.8 x 15.2 x 16.2 inches
• Dual voltage: 110-240 V

Check Price

 

★★★★★

Hobart 500559 Handler 140

• Dimensions: 19 x 11 x 13 inches
• Weight: 57 pounds
• Input voltage: 110/115/120V

Check Price

 

Best MIG Welders For Home Use

IMAGE	PRODUCT	DETAILS	PRICE
Best Overall	Forney Easy Weld 140 FCi	Weight: 19 pounds Dimensions: 16.7 x 12 x 8.1 inches Power Source: AC Machine Type: Welder	CHECK PRICE
BEST PROFESSIONAL	MILLER ELECTRIC MIG Welder	Dimensions: 19 x 11 x 13 inches Weight: 57 pounds Input voltage: 110/115/120V Capacity: 24 gauge up to ¼”	CHECK PRICE
USER-FRIENDLY	Hobart 500559 Handler 140	Weight: 49 pounds Diemensions: 23.8 x 15.2 x 16.2 inches Dual voltage: 110-240 V Capacity: Mild steel	CHECK PRICE
Durable Welder	Everlast Powermig 200 MIG Welder	Dimensions: 16 x 7.5 x 15 inches Weight: 35 pounds Input voltage: 120/240 V Output: 200 Amps	CHECK PRICE

Types of MIG Welders:

There are three types of MIG welders that are in use industry or small scale DIY use. These MIG welders are of the following types.

• General-purpose MIG Welder:

These MIG welders are general standard MIG welders that are highly suitable for mild steel and aluminum welding. These welders are wire feed welders that are easily used for DIYers, home use, and small industrial work. Hobart 500559 Handler 140 MIG is an example of general-purpose MIG generators. 

• Multi-Purpose MIG Welders:

As the name shows, these multipurpose welders are versatile and capable of offering three welding processes. These welding procedures include MIG welding, TIG welding, and ARC welding. These multipurpose welders are expensive and quite appealing for professional welders. Because of the high price, only professionals use these multipurpose welders. 

• Flux-cored FCi or Gasless Welders:

Although they come in the category of MIG welders practically, they are wire feed welders. As these welders don’t require any gas, the flux-cored welding wires provide the shielding properties by themselves. Forney Easy Weld 140 FC is an example of flux-cored FCi welders. You can use these welders either for on-site welding or outdoor welding projects as the wind can help in ventilation, and they don’t need gas for functioning.

You can also check:

• Best MIG Welders Under 220 Volts
• Best Mig welder under 500$
• Industrial Mig welder reviews

1. Forney Easy Weld 140 FCi

Forney Easy Weld 261 is one of the best MIG welders, famous for its easy use, portability, and 140Amp power. You can easily weld upto1/4 inch mild steel with the help of this welding machine. As it has infinite voltage with high wire feed speed, you can weld the metals perfectly. It is lightweight at 19 pounds only, the best option for repair work, site, or any maintenance job. Whether you are a fabricator or a hobbyist, its rugged body will never let you down in any of your projects. 

As the welder is based on flux core technology, it gives light power as compared to traditional transformers. Being flux-cored and light power, these welders don’t provide a complete clean shielding during the welding. Further, the 140 Amp power is enough to create a complete welding pool off hot metal and weld up to ¼ inch thickness. But this is not for aluminum welding, and you need to buy a separate MIG welding machine. 

Another satisfying aspect of this MIG welder is its duty rating of 30% at 90 amps, quite wonderful in an inexpensive option. Last but not least, the MIG welder comes with a built-in metal case that can accommodate up to two-wire rolls of 2 and 10 lbs. Another benefit of this MIG welder is its integrated cable wrap, which helps the welder work efficiently. 

2. MILLER ELECTRIC MIG Welder

MILLERMATIC is another best MIG welder which is highly suitable for professionals. Working at dual voltages enables it to work either for DIYers or industrial workers. It is popular for its top-class components with high-quality welding results. Although these Millar machines are expensive and come with a high price tag, having one of them can increase your productivity in the workshop. It gives the highest cycle time of 40 % at 150 amps while working on 240 V, but for household use of 110 V, it gives a duty cycle of 20 % at 115 amps. 

When we talk about the thickness, it is pretty versatile as it gives ⅛” thickness at 115 amps. While working on dual voltage, it gives an output power of 30 to 230 Amps, quite wonderful for medium size applications. You can easily weld either mild steel or stainless steel with this welder, and it works exceptionally for all general-purpose welding applications. 

Furthermore, the MIG welder uses gasless welding or MIG welding mechanism with solid wire. Another amazing feature of MILLERMATIC is its quick select drive roll with three dedicated drive rolls for one gas and two solid wires. Lastly, the welder comes with thermal overload protection and an on-demand fan that reduces noise and power consumption when required.

3. Hobart 500559 Handler 140 MIG Welder

Hobart is the top brand in the industry of welding and cutting machines. This American-based company has been restyling the manufacturing industry since 1917. Hobart 500559 is one of the exceptional MIG welders Hobart offers. This MIG welder is best suited for home use, DIYers, small industrial workers, and enthusiastic craftsman. This MIG welder works on the principle of flux core welding and can work for auto body repair work maintenance work other than domestic use. It not only welds steel and stainless steel but is also capable of welding aluminum. 

Moreover, having a five-position voltage selector provides a smooth and stable arc to the weld zone for all thicknesses. In addition to that, the Hobart 500559 gives a duty cycle of 20% @ 90 Amps while working in the welding range of 25-140 Amps. 

The welder is so versatile that you can either use it as a flux-cored wire welder or as a MIG welder. For indoor work, solid wire welding with gas gives proper weldability along with a smooth finish and protection. But if you want to work outdoor, gasless flux wire welding is a great choice. 

Last but not least, the welder has a rugged body with a portable design that is light in weight and easy to carry. The package includes 10 feet work cable with clamp, contact tips, dual gauge regulator with gas hose, quick select drive roll, sample spool of flux-cored wire, and gauge to measure the thickness. 

4. Everlast Powermig 200 MIG Welder

Everlast is an inverter technology MIG welder that weighs the lightest among all the MIG welders. Having a weight of 35 pounds makes it highly capable of working in any narrow space with high portability. The welder is a multipurpose welder and performs MIG welding, TIG welding, and flux-cored welding with high efficiency. The dual voltage welder works on either 120 or 240 volts, facilitating home use and industrial power of 240 Volts. You get an output of 200 Amps, and it can weld ⅜” steel, mild steel, and stainless steel. AS the MIG welder is based on IGBT technology, the arc gives a low spatter performance which is efficient and energy saver. 

If you use the MIG gun, it can also weld aluminum. In addition to that, the welder works on Pre flow and post-flow features that help to achieve high-quality welds while reducing the porosity. Also, the burn-back feature maintains the length of the wire every time you strike the arc. Last but not least, the Everlast MIG welder includes Eurostyle quick connector, a spare consumable kit, with many other accessories. 

Buying Guide 

Before buying a MIG welder, a few considerations must be taken care of. These important factors can help you narrow down your research and bring the best MIG welder for home use within your requirements. 

• Input Volts

This is the input power that your MIG welder uses in the form of volts. Most welders come with either dual voltage or 120V for home use. Dual voltage welders run on 120V and 240 Volts, respectively. 

For a thumb of rule, a single voltage welder of 120 Volts can provide you up to 140 Amps that is sufficient to weld ⅜” steel. Dual voltage MIG welders can provide up to 200 Amps when running them on 240 Volts. 

• Output Amperage

You also need to know at what input, what output power you can achieve?

Also greater the output, the higher the efficiency will be. For example, if you want to weld thicker metal sections, you need to have a powerful MIG welder that can generate more energy to weld thick materials. According to experts, to weld every 1 mm, you need 30 amps of power. 

• Duty Cycle:

The duty cycle is the amount of time a machine can work in a pass of ten minutes. For example, the welders having a duty cycle of 30% can continuously work for 3 minutes before they stop and cool themselves for the next seven minutes. So for DIYers or home use MIG welders, a 30% duty cycle is more than enough. 

• The capacity of Welding wire

As the MIG welders can be used for home use or small industrial work and on-site work, you must have enough capacity for welding wire spools. Usually, a MIG welder with 10 pounds of 8-inch wire spool is enough for on-site work. A spool of 1.5 pounds for 4 inches is fine if you want a MIG welder for home use. 

Conclusion:

After reading these reviews of the best MIG welders for home use, you can narrow down your research to choose one according to your suitability. During welding, another important thing is to take safety measures like putting on goggles, masks, helmets, gloves, and boots. Before choosing any of the MIG welders, remember the applications and your requirements in the first place. 

To summarize, we recommend MILLER ELECTRIC MIG Welder for anyone who wants a MIG welder for home use and professional purposes. It is sturdy, strong, and rugged to bear any environmental conditions to maximize its benefits. For high-end users and versatile applications, a multipurpose MIG welder like Hobart 500559 Handler 140 MIG Welder will be a wise choice for high-end welders. 

FAQ 

• What kind of welders do hobbyists use?

MIG welders are the best welders for beginners as they are based on an electrode system that feeds the wire at a pre-decided speed. You can easily handle the gun and weld the unit as a beginner without needing much expertise. 

• Which is better, MIG or flux?

Both welders have their own capabilities with the superiority of the flux welding as they can better handle thicker sections for high-quality welds. 

• Is stick welding stronger than MIG?

Stick welding is stronger than MIG welding because of its high power use and strong penetration.