Best MIG Welder for Money + Detailed Reviews [2021]

Best Premium - Hobart Ironman 230

Key Specifications

• ½-inch Welding Capacity
• 230V Input Voltage
• 60% Duty Cycle @ 175A
• 12-tap Voltage Settings

The Hobart Ironman 230 is a powerful MIG welder that would suit hardcore DIY-ers and professional metalworkers best.

It can penetrate and join plates up to a half-inch in thickness, which is far greater than most home welding projects call for.

At 175A output, this unit has a fantastic 60% duty cycle to enhance productivity in your shop.

The Ironman 230 also has a voltage dial with 12 tap settings. This gives users the freedom to work as quickly or as slowly as they need while preventing spatter.

This brief video is packed with all of the info you need to know about the Ironman 230: 

Based on its performance ratings, the Ironman 230 is clearly a hard-hitting MIG welder for medium and large-sized projects. Whether you need this much power in a MIG welder is entirely up to you.

Best Budget - Forney Easy Weld 140FC-i

Key Specifications

• ¼-inch Welding Capacity
• 120V Input Voltage
• 30% Duty Cycle @ 90A
• Multi-Process unit

One of the most inexpensive MIG welders from a name brand is the Forney Easy Weld 140 FC-i. Don’t’ let its inexpensive price tag fool you; this unit doesn’t just MIG weld, but it can also convert into a TIG and stick welder.

A 3-in-1 machine takes up less cart space while also offering the benefits of multiple tools.

The 140 FC-i can penetrate quarter-inch mild steel with each pass of the welding gun. We suggest first-time welders invest in flux-cored wire to get this machine going since it doesn’t come with a gas regulator.

Forney’s YouTube channel has an interesting video that showcases the 140 FC-I’s welding abilities:

At such an inexpensive cost, the Forney Easy Weld 140 FC-i is the best starter MIG welder for homeowners, and also serves as a great tool for welding at your clients’ homes.

Hobart Handler MIG 140

Key Specifications

• ¼-inch Welding Capacity
• 115V Input Voltage
• 20% Duty Cycle @ 90A
• Wire Feed Tracking

The Hobart Handler 140 is a top-selling MIG welder for several reasons, including its decent power output and user-friendliness.

The Handler 140 can weld up to quarter-inch mild steel while drawing power from a standard 115V wall outlet.

The Handler 140 comes with an infinite wire speed dial to let you feed as much or as little welding wire as you’re comfortable using. It also helps in controlling spatter, producing better, cleaner beads with experience.

Hobart’s YouTube page has a very descriptive video on how to set up the Handler 140:

Upon arrival at your front door, the Hobart Handler 140 is nearly ready to roll. It’s a super-user-friendly MIG welder for light-duty projects, and its 115V compatibility makes it usable anywhere at any time.

Hobart Handler 210 MVP

Key Specifications

• 3/8-inch Welding Capacity
• 115V/230V Input Voltage
• 30% Duty Cycle @ 150A
• Infinite Control Parameters

The Handler 210 MVP is a versatile, deep-penetrating MIG welder that will find purpose at home or at the job site.

It uses 115V or 230V power, and at peak performance, it can join mild steel as thick as 3/8 of an inch with a single sweep of the gun.

Everything you need to get started is available in the box. It has a 230V adapter that connects to the prewired 115V plug, as well as the consumables to help you begin welding immediately.

Setting the unit up can be cumbersome, but after that, it’s smooth welding beads from then on.

Here’s a video by Hobart explaining the Handler 210 in more detail:

If you need a welder for basic home repairs or one to take with you to various job sites, the Handler 210 MVP covers everything and more.

Forney Easy Weld 140 MP

Key Specifications

• ¼-inch Welding Capacity
• 110V Input Voltage
• 30% Duty Cycle @ 90A
• Multi-Process Unit

The Forney Easy Weld 140 MP is one of the most budget-friendly MIG welders you’ll ever find, although its price does reflect its limited capabilities.

At 140A, it can weld quarter-inch mild steel sheets easily and efficiently, while drawing power from a standard 110V receptacle.

However, the 140 MP is no one-trick pony. It can also be TIG weld intricate beads onto thinner sheets of metal, as well as stick weld pieces of metal outdoors.

To use the TIG welding function, make sure to pick up the appropriate TIG gun with your purchase.

This video by Forney will tell you everything you need to know about the inexpensive-but-durable 140 MP:

For its price, the compact 140 MP by Forney is an excellent MIG welder for those looking to start on their welding journey. Its capabilities are somewhat limited, but for DIY jobs at home, this is a comfortable fit.

Lincoln PRO-MIG 180

Key Specifications

• 3/16-inch Welding Capacity
• 208V/230V Input Voltage
• 30% Duty Cycle @ 130A
• Diamond Core Technology

The Lincoln PRO-MIG 180 has the ability to weld up to 3/16-inch sheet metal and plates. Its advanced wire-feeding system is prewired to help operators weld a wide assortment of metals, including aluminum.

This kit does not include a spool gun, so make sure you pick one up at the checkout line.

The PRO-MIG 180 comes with Diamond Core Technology that produces a more forgiving arc. This will help novice welders get accustomed to MIG welding by creating tighter, cleaner beads, even when working out of position.

This Lincoln MIG welder draws power from either a 208V or 230V receptacle. Before choosing this model, make sure your home or place of business has a dedicated outlet for this welder.

The PRO-MIG 180 is a long-lasting MIG welder made for light and medium welding jobs. There’s a lot a person can get done with this welder in their workshop.

Everlast PowerMIG 200

Key Specifications

• 5/16-inch Welding Capacity
• 110V/220V Input Voltage
• 35% Duty Cycle @ 200A
• Multi-Process Welder

The PowerMIG 200 is a dual-voltage machine that works on either 110V or 220V outlets, making it usable at home or in commercial workshops.

At its max power output, the PowerMIG 200 can weld up to 5/16 of an inch of mild steel sheets or plates while keeping a 35% duty cycle.

You might not need this much power, especially if you’re just doing touch-ups on lawnmowers, but it’s nice to know that your MIG welder can do much more.

The PowerMIG 180 is also a 3-in1 MIG welder that operates as a TIG and stick welder. With inverter technology, this device is safe to take with you to obscure locations while plugged into a portable generator.

The PowerMIG 200 is one of Everlast’s most prized MIG welders for several reasons. It’s clearly a powerful unit, but its portability and multi-functionality truly make it pop.

Best 110V MIG Welder for Money

Which MIG welder do you choose if you plan on doing light-work welding at home? We suggest taking a look at our best overall 110V MIG welder: the Goplus MIG 130.

Below, you’ll find the Goplus’ key specifications—

• ¼-inch Welding Capacity
• 4-Step Voltage Settings
• 10% Duty Cycle @ 105A
• Uses Flux-Cored Wire

The Goplus MIG 130 is a fancy little MIG welder that not only delivers a punch (quarter-inch welding per sweep) but is cheap to boot.

It won’t deliver the same welding experience as 220V machines, but for simply DIY welding at home, this is more than enough.

It uses a 10-setting current knob to help users achieve the cleanest of welds. Without synergic wire feed adjustability, you’re free to choose the feed rate and voltage to your exact specifications.

When working with thin or thicker sheets, you have full control over how the end results look.

The Goplus 130 is a great entry-level 110V MIG welder, though it does offer quite a bit of power for medium-scale projects.

Best 220V MIG Welder for Money

If you’re looking for more power, a 220V MIG welder such as the YESWELDER MIG-205DS is your safest option.

You can find the MIG-205DS’ key specifications below—

• ¾-inch Welding Capacity
• Synergic/4-Step Voltage Settings
• 60% Duty Cycle @ 200A
• 4-in-1 Multi-Functional Welder

Although the YESWELDER name doesn’t have much weight to it, their MIG-205DS stands out as one of the best 220V-compatible MIG welders on the market. It’s a dual-voltage machine, so if you certainly can use it at home as well.

The MIG-205DS delivers high-powered penetration through mild steel sheets and plates up to ¾ of an inch in thickness.

Best of all, it keeps a 60% duty cycle at its max 200A output, resulting in enhanced productivity in the workshop.

This is a 4-in-1 model that MIG, TIG, stick, and flux-core welds. However, you’ll need to pick up a TIG gun and flux-cored wires before making use of this bonus feature.

We suggest giving this company a shot if you have yet to place your loyalty in one of the more popular brands. With ¾-inch welding power and 4-in1 welding action, you won’t be disappointed.