Best MIG Welders: Top 8 of 2020 Reviewed

The best MIG welders are a pleasure to work with, not to mention a total time saver.

Perfect for multiple welding jobs, has dual voltage, or maybe changeable wire feed speed.

On the other hand, a poor-quality welder is a massive waste of money, because some of them can be quite expensive, and they could also pose a risk to your safety.

To help you separate the good from the bad – we’ve reviewed the Top 8 MIG Welders of 2021.

Buy with the confidence that you’re buying one of the best MIG welders on the market. Let’s jump straight into the reviews.

Top 8 Best Mig Welders

Hobart 190 MIG Welder – Best Overall

The Hobart Welder is just precisely what dreams are made of! Welding dreams, at least. It can weld mild steel, flux core aluminum, stainless steel and many more. It can weld up to 24-gauge up to 5″ steel in one pass!

By changing the plug, you can easily switch from 230v power to 115v. It is perfect for your everyday household welding needs if you have any, or for more challenging, professional jobs.

It comes spool-gun ready so that you can forget about the feeding problem. It also features a switch for spool-gun or MIG welding.

It also features a built-in gas valve and has many kinds of protection for the user: self-resetting thermal overload protection, self-resetting motor protection and short circuit protection, so you can rest assured when using it. You can use with 4 or 8 inch spools, using the solid aluminum wire drive.

This MIG welder not only that it has everything you need, but it is also super easy to use, and reading through the user guide will be like a walk in the park!

Here’s a list of the features:

• Very easy to use
• Can weld through anything
• The protection systems
• Easy switch between spool-gun or MIG
• 20 % duty cycle

Regarding this welder, we really think you should not care about the price if you are in need of the best MIG welder on the market, but if you care about your budget, and understandably so, let us tell you that this welder is very well priced for all it has to offer.

Finally, we are head over heels with this metal inert gas (MIG) welder, and if you are looking to start a new hobby, or need the best tool on the market for your job, then this one’s for you.

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Lincoln Electric MIG Welder – Premium Choice

This MIG Welder from Lincoln Electric is our premium choice. It is perfect for farm, fabrication, auto or home projects, but also heavy duty commercial welding jobs, providing an output of 180 amps. This means this tool is suitable for your hobby, but also for your professional work, having a fully adjustable drive system.

Can be easily carried around, as it has a weight of 2 pounds and can be easily plugged in into 230V outlets.

It features a brass-to-brass connection for enhanced conductivity and has a cast-aluminum body.

It can smoothly run through thin steel, aluminum or stainless steel sheets using the MIG system, but it can also weld through thicker metals, up to 3/16″ using the flux-core welding.

Our favourite features:

• Can be used for different metal thickness.
• Perfect for home but also for work.
• Very easy to carry around
• Ideal for MIG welding, but also flux core wire

If you are on a tight budget, this welder might be a little bit expensive, but if you are looking for quality, we highly suggest it.

Being lightweight, but extremely efficient, this Lincoln Electric MIG welder is a dream. In conclusion, we really like this MIG welder, but for some people, it can be a bit expensive, and we understand that that’s why it is our premium choice.

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Forney MIG Welder Great Value

The Forney Easy Weld 140 amp MIG welder is the light, weighing only 19 pounds, but also powerful welder you did not know you need. This MIG welder is able to weld through 1/2″ of mild steel at 180 amps. It is easy to use and is perfect for applications like maintenance, DIY, repairs but also for your hobby, so if you are a beginner, this tool is a must! The duty cycle is 30% at 90 amps and features dual voltage(120/230 input power and adapter). It has a protective metal case so that this thing can take a beating any day, but we suggest not getting into a fight with it!

The Forney Easy Weld has an integrated cable wrap and handle, so portability and storing it will not be an issue. It also features a lift start for TIG, so you will not need a foot pedal. The easy start technology which eliminates the frustration of electrode sticking.

Here’s a list of the features:

• Lightweight
• Easy start technology
• Perfect for your around the house tasks
• Well protected with the metal case

If you are on a tight budget, this MIG welder is just for you, as it is very well priced, even lower than we were expecting.

The Forney Easy Weld welder is just the welding machine for you if you are just starting out on welding, and are also looking to save up some cash.

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ESAB MIG Welder 

This MIG Welder will know everything about you. Actually not everything, that’s a bit exaggerated, but it will learn your welding style and techniques using its smart computer.

ESAB’s MIG welder is the perfect tool for the hobbyist welder or professionals alike.

It is a mainly MIG welder, but can also do processes like Flux-core, MMA and stick TIG.

With it’s large TFT display, the user will get a clear view of the weld parameters and settings, even from a distance. The menu also features a list of spare parts, but also the user manual, both in multiple languages.

It is a lightweight machine, that has a unibody steel construction which makes it reliable and durable. Regarding the warranty, it has a 3 year warranty.

Here is a list of our favourite features:

• The large display
• Can be used for more than MIG, like a flux core wire welder or even stick tick
• It is a lightweight MIG welder

This item can be quite expensive for the regular person. If you have saved up a little bit of money, and want to spend them on a high quality MIG welder, then choose this one.

Overall, this MIG welder is really good but can be pricey, even if you have saved up some money.

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Hobart 210 MIG Welder

This MIG welder from Hobart is the versatile tool you did not know you needed until now. It is the perfect tool for any work like house hold repairs, auto body, but also heavy duty works on farms.

It features a wide range of wiring speeds and of amperage settings, giving the user complete control over the tool. It accommodates 4 or 8 inch spools using the hub assembly.

The 10 feet long cable and work gun will make any job more effortless than ever.

The multi-voltage plug allows you to use this tool with a 230V or a 115V socket, making it possible to weld through steel up to 3/8in a single pass. It also gives the user wire feed speed control, ranging between 40 and 680 IPM.

We have picked some features for you:

• Suited for many types of jobs
• The long cable and gun make it very easy to use
• Can be used in multiple sockets
• Has an amperage range between 25 and 210
• Wire feed speed is adjustable

Regarding the price, this item can be a bit expensive, and we understand that you might not be convinced about it just because of the price, but believe us when we say that this MIG welder screams quality.

Concluding, this MIG welder can withstand many types of jobs and might be the perfect item for you if you decide to spend a few dollars more on it.

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SUNGOLDPOWER 200 MIG Welder

This machine is a multifunctional dream. It is a 110V/220V Dual voltage welder capable of MMA, MAG, Arc, MIG, flux-core, gas-less welding. It can weld through mild steel, stainless steel, cast iron and weld steel.

The 60% duty cycle will ensure the user a long time of welding, while the IGBT technology provides the user with some really useful features:

• Protection from over-heating using a fan protection
• Provides continuous adjustment in large scale on the welding current
• High quality welding
• Small splashing with excellent penetration

The standard connectors ensure the usage of other guns and clamps. This tool is perfect for a hobby, or for around the house repairs.

Our favourite features:

• Suitable for mig(with and without shielding gas) and flux core
• The protection system

If you are on a budget, this MIG welder might be cheap even for you. We think this is one of the most affordable MIG welders on the market, but the quality is high overall.

We really recommend this welding machine, although it might not be the best MIG welder, it will get its job done.

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HITBOX MIG Welder

This MIG welder is the perfect tool for you if you also need to do some tig welding. It can run for a very long time, before actually reaching the full potential of the duty cycle.

It comes together with a MIG gun, earth clamp, flux-cored wire and a portable plug, and it is also ready to use out of the box!

We think this MIG welder was created by designers, not by welders, as it looks so good, we would use it also as a decor, but do not let the excellent aspect of this tool fool you. It is a multi function DC inverter welder, which can be used with gas, but also gasless being able to cut through iron(gas) and carbon steel and stainless steel(gasless)

Being designed with care, the producer made this tool easy to carry, lightweight and small, so occupied space and carrying around won’t be an issue anymore.

Regarding the warranty, this MIG welder comes with a 1 year long one, and if you meet any problem, the producer will help you fix it, by calling their 24 hours online customer service.

Here’s a list of the features:

• Good design makes it lightweight and small
• Can be used with a tig gun
• Comes ready to be used

Regarding the price, this item is pretty cheap, but we can see why, as the list of features it offers is not that large

Concluding, we recommend this welding machine, but only if you are not looking for a heavy duty MIG welder, and are on a budget

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REBOOT MIG Welder

This MIG Welder from Reboot allows you to easily weld steel without gas, using flux-core, but can also be used with gas. It can weld through mild steel, stainless steel, aluminum and many other materials. It weighs only 5.2 kg, so carrying it around will be more comfortable than ever. It can only be used with a 220v

It has a maximum output of 150 amp so that it can weld up to 3/16″.

The manufacturer guarantees a 30 day money-back policy, but also a one year warranty.

We’ve picked some features:

• Very easy to carry
• Can weld multiple metals

This 220v MIG welder is very well priced, and it is also more powerful than the items in the same category.

Conclusion, if you need a basic, but good welder, this one is one of the best tools for that.

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Things to consider before buying

Know what you want

Know if you need a MIG welder that has a gas cylinder, is flux cored, or one can satisfy both. Flux core welding creates a layer of slag, so keep that in mind, even though it does not require a gas cylinder. However, most welders on the market are multi-function, meaning that they can do both flux core and also need a gas cylinder.

Know what you need

Do not buy a MIG welder, just because it’s from Miller Electric, or Lotos, or maybe Hobart (this is just an example, we are not trying to defame these manufacturers), instead please buy the right tool for the job you need. Do your research before buying. Maybe you need a flux core welder, or a MIG one, or better, one that handles MIG and flux core. Voltage and wire speed are also fundamental.

Voltage

Maybe the first important thing to look into when making your welding purchase is the voltage. Please read our description below, so you know exactly what tool to buy.

220v MIG Welders

These welders are the best tool for professionals, being able to weld through many “heavy duty” metals. These are just perfect for industrial site jobs, but you will need a 220 outlet.

110v MIG Welders

A 110v MIG welder is the best MIG welder for hobbyists, but they can limit your power, so welding thick metal might be challenging.

Duty Cycle

The duty cycle represents the amount of time you will be able to use the welder. For example, a 40% duty cycle will enable the user to use the welder for 4 minutes. Generally, MIG welders with higher output power have a smaller duty cycle. Some welders might come equipped with a fan, which helps them cooling them down easier.

Weight

If you plan on buying a tool which you want to carry around, then the weight will be a significant factor in your purchase, as some weigh more than others. If you only need one with which you will be working from your garage or work area, the weight could be down on your list when choosing what to buy. But if you are purchasing a portable welder, make sure it has a handle so carrying it around would be more comfortable, or if it doesn’t, you could also invest in a support that has wheels.

Cash

We know we have stated below that you should not care about the price in case of some welders, but we really suggest you give it a second thought if you are on a budget. Or maybe you could find a cheaper welder that does the same job as the expensive one you have put your eyes on. Pick really careful.

Equipment You Might Also Need

Torch

Most welders will come pre-equipped with a torch, but in case it doesn’t have one, considering also researching for the best one you would need. The versatility MIG welding provides the user makes the MIG torch suitable for all the positions on many metals. Choosing the perfect torch can favourably impact your work.

Welding Mask

Make sure that when you choose a mask, you select the best one, as protection is essential. When welding, the light can be very harmful to your eyes, so you must protect them at all costs. A good mask will not only protect your vision but also allow you to see your work through the sparks with ease.

Regulator

A regulator is a must buy in order to attach it to your gas cylinder. A regulator helps you maintain a positive flow of gas and prevent wastage. It also allows you to adjust the current depending on the metal you are currently working on. A classic welding regulator works by measuring the gas in the hose in cubic feet per hour(cfph), or litres per minute(lpm).

The most common types of regulators are:

• gaugeless
• single gauge
• dual gauge

Gas Cylinder

Another item you will need is a gas cylinder. Everyone’s favourite type of welding gas is Carbon Dioxide because it is cheaper than others. Other gases are a derivate of CO2 and Argon, which might be quite expensive, but the higher the price, the higher the quality of the weld.

Spool gun

A spool gun connects to the handle on the torch and gives the welder control over the metal’s movement speed. They can be quite useful when welding aluminum.

Some MIG welders come pre-equipped with a spool gun, but if you buy one that lacks one, and decide later that you need one, you must check if it is compatible with different spool guns from your manufacturer and purchase it separately.

Clothing

Clothing is also very important when welding. It would be best if you chose something that has long-sleeves, so you are protected from the heat and the flying sparks. We also suggest you picking something that is made out of leather, which will not stick to your skin.

Gauntlets

Protecting your hands is as important as the other items on our list. The flying sparks and heat can do severe damage to your hands, so buying the right pair of gauntlets is a must.

Safety

When purchasing a welder, you must make sure that it comes pre-equipped with several safety measures, as accidents might happen and they might put your life in danger. Some of these safety measures are overload protection and overheating protection.

Warranty

One important feature that is often overlooked is the warranty. When buying a new tool, consider the warranty, as some of them might malfunction, and you could quickly get it replaced.

Temperature Settings

Buying a welder that allows you to adjust the temperature at your own needs is vital, especially if you are a novice welder. You want to start with a tool which you can control. Usually, welders that allow temperature control will have a small knob which can be used, and also there are welders that come installed with cooling vents.

Speed Settings

As important as temperature control, we highly recommend buying a welder which allows to control the speed you are working at, especially, again, if you are a novice welder. Working at your own pace will not only allow you to do your job better, but also prevent accidents.