Top 5 Best Cheap Welder Reviews & Buying Guide

As you are looking for the best cheap welder for your projects, we hope our reviews and buying guide will help you find the best-suited one. The welding machine is essential for tinkering at home as well as metal works.

It must be strong, durable and powerful to deliver a flawless and fast result. Of course, it is important to find the most suited to the needs.

When carrying out any welding work, the MIG welders offer us an interesting option with which to perform all kinds of welding work with a process where it is not necessary to use gas to obtain quality results.

Something that simplifies the welding process, given that the size of the welder is reduced, just as it is not necessary to go loading with cylinders and other elements.

By the way, this welding system is compatible with almost any metal. It is only necessary to choose the electrodes appropriate to the type of metal and the size of the soldier. You can read “Which metals can be welded and why?”

Top 05 Best Cheap Welder Reviews

1. 160 Amp Digital Display LCD Stick ARC Welder IGBT DC Inverter 115 & 230V Welding Red

Amico Power Digital Display IGBT ARC Welding Machine, DC Inverter Stick ARC 160 Amp 115V and 230V Dual Voltage, Complete package, Ready to use! The LCD screen, very convenient! Function: Adopts IGBT module technology, Dual AC 115V.

Some features that I got from the package are given below:

• The input current of 115V / 230V / 60Hz at nominal output 20 Amp.
• Working cycle of 160 Amp / 23V / 60% / ETL, the entire machine tested in the USA. UU
• 300 Amp electrode holder and 10 ft. Cable / 500 Amp work clamp and 10 ft. Cable
• Start ARC easily, ARC weld stable, deep weld pool, and beautiful weld shape.
• Overvoltage protection, Low voltage protection, Overcurrent protection, Overload protection.

Here some technical details I have to discuss for better understanding are;

• Color: Red
• Brand: Amico Power Product
• Dimensions: 0.43 x 0.2 x 0.3 meters.
• The weight of the article: 7.26 Kilograms.
• Shipping weight: 7.26 Kilograms.
• Model number: ARC160D

Now let’s discuss the pros of the product:

• This ARC 160D Welder is capable of using 3.25mm electrodes. The characteristics of the transistor bridge achieve a direct current rectifier where it combines high speed and precise regulation with the continuity of high welding current producing superior results, with common electrode rods as well as more specialized ones.
• This 160 amp machine works with a rod up to 3.25mm, do not be fooled by other sellers who claim to operate at 320 amp and they are only able to use rods up to 3.25mm! (Always check the characteristics of other products).
• This ARC 160D welding machine features a true inverter IGBT technology with instant start, deep penetration and a weld with a clean and quality finish.
• The powerful and lightweight inverter welding machine Spark MMA-120 offers manual arc welding and transistor IGBT 120Amp, is the essential machine for a skilled welder.
• The claim that all products tested in the USA, Small size, light weight, energy saving and have no noise.

Now the bad things about these products are:

• The output current is not defined though I found it working perfectly still not sure about how deep it can wield.
• Finally, I have little doubt about their power consumption and I have some doubt about their design though they used IGBT still, there is some problem like the switching frequency of insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) is not as high as that of a power MOSFET. And it cannot block high reverse voltages. So Machine can be damaged if excessive voltage occurs for some fault.

As we are talking about best cheap arc welder, you can use it at home or at work, it is light enough to take it anywhere, offering quality welding at all times.

2. MIG Series Gas-Less Flux Core Wire Welder Welding Machine Automatic Feed Unit DIY (MIG-130)

Voltage: 115 V / 60 Hz Single Phase Welding Current:50-120 AMP Duty Cycle: 10% at 105 AMP 35% at 60 AMP Max open voltage: 37V Wire Capacity: 0.030″ or 0.035″ Variable Feed Speed Control Torch With Full On / Off Safety Control Automatic Thermal Safety Protection

It is another good welding machine with nominal price range it will give you the ultimate comfort and satisfaction when you will use this. But when I bring this machine to my home I found some excellent as well as some bad things but before going details I want to describe some more thing about this machine.

This welding machine integrates comfortable grip, easy operation, and high precision.

It also uses waveform control technology with an adjustable inductor, so that the inductance can be adjusted according to different welding requirements. This helps to ensure soft electric arc, increased fusion depth, reduced spatter, as well as good welding performance.

The best thing I will share with you the safety issue. You can really depend on their safety plan.

Now let’s discuss the pros and cons of the machine:

Pros:

• Safety issue: It has a detailed plan and safety issue that will secure you when you will use it. Even you can be safe during welding.
• It is single phase welding current and takes only 50-120 AMP Current which really consumes only 1.2-1.5 KW so economically it is very friendly.
• It has Thermal safety protection which will ensure y7our safety if the heat increases and automatically stop when reach it’s out of range temperature.
• The most important Feature that can allure people is Variable Feed speed. This will give you a range of your choice of welding.
• Finally, it is eco-friendly and you can be used it year after year just doing some service and it will give you the same service just like when you first used it.

Cons:

• It is a little heavy to handle and price little high then competitive price.
• It consumes some more watts after some months use and Color can be faded away.
• Finally, it increases high temperature which actually consumes some power and it causes extra running cost.

Before wrapping up I really can say that it is a very user-friendly welding machine and you don’t need to be an expert for using it. That’s all with our second best cheap MIG welder review.

3. Forney easy weld reviews 120-Volt, 90-Amp

100ST Stick Welder features an innovative, inverter power system that is lightweight and simple to use ensuring hassle-free operation and top performance results. The perfect starter arc welder machine delivers a 120V input and 90A output plus is TIG capable, sold separately.

Efficiently designed to handle up to 1/8” electrode and welds 16 gauges up to 5/16”. Great for done automotive applications and projects around the home.

Some features which I can share with you:

• Stick welder / Lift arc TIG capable
• Welds 16 gauge up to 5/16″
• Portable
• Handles up to 1/8″ electrode
• 120-volt input, 90 AMP output

Now the most important feature which actually makes me blown away is low power consumption. It takes 120 volts as an Input and provided 90 Amp output which can really give a good temperature for your welding purposes.  It is metal made but lightweight which can be easily handled.

But I must share some user experience using this Welding machine and collecting their personal reviews I come to some decision and which is discussed below.

Pros:

• It has used an innovative inverter power system which they named 100ST it really consume less power and give you the best feedback with nominal price.
• It is very lightweight so anyone can handle this without facing any hassle. Some reviews were like that “It’s so lightweight even mu 10 years boy can handle this”.
• It is very easy to start so anyone can start it and use to mend their little work on an automobile or their dormitory. As it is not so expensive so anyone can keep it in their home to save money and time.
• Very eco-friendly as I told you before it consumes very little power so power loss is very few and it will provide the same service year after years.
• It is efficiently designed for handling easily and   1/8” electrode and welds 16 gauge up to 5/16” so that you can easily handle this with spending very little effort.

Cons:

• It is lightweight so if it drops from your hand then some parts and transistor can be affected which can dead your machine.
• It cost a little more so if you are thrifty then you can avoid this machine.
• Some user complained that it cannot perform after using some years so I think you need to perform some servicing so that you can get similar result year after year.

Though there are some issues are found still I can bet that it will be your best cheap tig welder choice because it is hassle-free to use and very light weighted so that you can carry it anywhere you want.

4. Amico power welder reviews

The Power use IGBT technique and fast recovery diodes as the main electronic components It is supplemented by a specially developed main PCB board, What’s more its perfect dynamic protection features ensure that it is safe and reliable.

when using It is ideal for using low carbon steel stainless steel with all kinds of welding rod Convenient quick connection for the output makes it quick safe simple and stable Features, lightweight and portable.

Voltage Input means you can plug into any common power supply Included, Ground Clamp, Electrode, Electrode Holder. Brush Hammer Specifications. Mode CC. Polarity DC. Output Range 120V 20115 Amps DC Max OCV 56. Rated Output 120V 298A60. Input Power 120160. Input Current 298A. Dimension 47 H x 9 W x 163 L. Weight 12 lbs.

It is one of the best cheap stick welding machines that I reviewed in recent years. Using IGBT diode gives it great durability as Igbt hardly break down on reverse voltage.

Now let’s see more features that the company offers you:

• Lightweight and portable
• Voltage Input means you can plug into any common power supply Included:
• Ground Clamp
• Electrode
• Electrode Holder

I used this product around a month and I find some good findings which I gonna share with you. But before that, I must tell the best things it attracts me is their built up quality. Using good diodes and excellent PCB board gives it durability as well as lightweight.

Now let’s discuss more these products:

Pros:

• It is lightweight and portable so you can carry it anywhere you want, most importantly you can put it in your garage or in your SUV even in your pet house.
• IGBT that has fast recovery voltage will ensure you long time productivity and durability.
• It is very convenient on low carbon steel and any other lead pipe so you can use its commercial purpose too.
• It has a great plugin system that gives you an opportunity to plug anywhere you want. Even you can use it where no 3 phase system available Included. Ground Clamp. Electrode. Electrode Holder. Brush Hammer.
• It has great power saving quality that gives you a tension free using facility even if you use a long time.
• It is safe and easy to handle and you can use it every welding purposes.

Cons:

• The thermal protection is not cleared so I cannot much know about the thermal protection.
• The output current is not defined though I found it working perfectly still not sure about how deep it can wield.
• Finally, I have little doubt about their power consumption and I have some doubt about their design though they used IGBT still, there is some problem like The switching frequency of insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) is not as high as that of a power MOSFET. And it cannot block high reverse voltages. So Machine can be damaged if excessive voltage occurs for some fault.

After considering all the issue I can recommend this product but still, there is some safety issue you have to keep mind.

5. Pitbull ultra portable welder reviews – 110V

Pitbull Ultra-Portable 100-Amp Electric Arc Welder – 110V which is equipped with unique electronic reactor circuit that can precisely control the short-circuiting transfer and mixed transfer resulted in better performance than other machines. Compared with silicon controlled welding machine and tapped welding, these products offer the following advantages: stable wire feed rate, portable, energy-saving, electromagnetic noise free.

This product spatters less; enjoy easier arc starting, deep welding pool, high duty cycle. C.M.T Pitbull Ultra-Portable 100-Amp is an excellent choice for you at home, at work, or to take with you for jobs in the field. C.M.T Pitbull stands behind its quality welders with a full two-year warranty. Quality you can trust and count on for years to come.

This is the description that the company provided and after reviewing their item more features like:

• Metal / 100%
• Imported
• 100 Amp 110 VAC Arc Welder
• Arc Welder
• 100 Amp Arc Welder
• Welder

But when I really reviewed their item I find some good things but mostly negative things. Though it is very cheap and the lightweight machine still I will not suggest you buy this cause some issue which really disturbed me.

Now the Bad things I must share first

• Firstly it is really lightweight and the material is not cleared perfectly so will it give good service or not is not cleared.
• The company claimed that it will give an output of 100 AMP but they didn’t clear which Diodes they used as we know that some diode break at a high voltage which can damage the product.
• It has not any thermal protection cause nothing is written on the specification so I cannot trust them.
• It is metal made but which metal they used is not cleared which really dubious and cannot give any guarantee for long time use.

Now it is the time to discuss something good about this product

• It is a very lower price of around $85 which is very economical and anyone can buy it for their
• Repairing purposes.
• As it gives around 100 Amp output which is really good to weld on steel and lead pipes and it can be used easily on repairment purposes.
• Its power consumption is really surprising and you can easily use this at any plug cause it uses a single phase system.

So it is your decision that will you pay $$ for buying uncertain products or you will avoid this product.

Finding the best budget welder and how we wrote this review?

The choice of cheap welder device depends on several important criteria. The operating rate is the first to be determined. This point is often expressed in amperes, but also in percentage over a period of 10 minutes for a given temperature.

Preferably, it is necessary to opt for a station having between 40 to 130 A. with this power, the device would be able to grill electrodes from 1.5 to 3.2 mm. Among these specificities to know, there is also the type of metal to be welded, in addition to its thickness.

Each type of device works more efficiently on some metals than others. Add to these criteria, it is also necessary to think about including the various optional functions which will be of great use to you during the realization of the work. Before embarking on a comparison of MIG welding machines, some details are to be taken into account.

Some models have for example the “hot start” which guarantees easy startup and booting. There is also the “Arc Force” which is a function providing a better stabilization of the quality of the arc. With the “Antistick”, you can reduce the damage to the electrodes.

Also, remember to check if the device has pulsed welding to improve penetration. In this case, filler metal is generally used on the support to be welded. This makes welding easier, especially for thin sheets. In the majority of cases, machines with extra functions are used by professionals, because of the great diversity of worked metals.

In addition, each of these criteria is to be studied carefully to find the position that offers the best value for money on the market.

How To Choose The Cheap Welder machine For You:

The above-mentioned products that we reviewed are unique from different criteria. Some products are really good and economic but some are a high-quality product. So the only user can set their budget and work criteria to choose any of them.

But before concluding my statement I can say that all the products maintain a minimum standard quality. If you want to do welding businesses then set your own idea and take the best product which can give you the best output.

From the first one which is Amico Power is good but it has some shortcomings and the shortcomings are using IGBT which can be damaged some time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5cywGjXlZc

The second Item is MIG Series but it is quite expensive and a little bit heavy so if you thinking some lightweight products then you should avoid this product but still I will suggest it cause it has many features that are enough to compete with other products. Especially the economic power consumption and good output.

Now the third Products from the Forney Easy Weld Company which is the really lightweight that can substitute your idea if you are thinking to take the second one.

It is not only lightweight as well as it has a good output around 100 amp so don’t worry while welding your steel made things.

Now if we give our look the fourth items which is Amico Power MMA-115A IGBT made that also has the same problem but still it is giving you the best portability facility with a minimum price. It has some cons like uncleared thermal protection but still not big issues arrived for this.

So if you want any good items with a tight budget then it will be your best stick welder choice.

Finally, the products I am going to describe is  Pitbull Ultra-Portable which ultra-thin very easy to use budget friendly but the main problem is security cause very little things are written about it. Though the user gives 3.6 ratings which are a little bad you have to think also the budget and price. But considering the rating and security this machine can be your best cheap AC DC tig welder.

In Conclusion:

So you have a bunch of opportunities to choose the best cheap welders. Which Item you will buy. But before buying any item you must study what you actually need and what purposes you will use it. But still, I will suggest if you have children then avoid Heavy machine.

And if you have a Voltage problem and a frequent fault occurs in you are then avoid welding machine that is made from IGBT. If you are really conscious about your budget then please avoid expensive products. And finally, if you have the concern of safety then avoids the product which has no thermal protection.

Want to know about how to weld ? read this article “A beginner guide on how to weld “