When it comes to shaping and welding metal, there is few better tools in the welder’s arsenal than the Mig welder.
This type of welder is one of the best for the larger, more intense projects that welders often have to deal with, especially if they are professionals (though Mig welders can still be a good option for those who do this as a hobby).
If you are an interested amateur looking for a good starting option or a veteran welder looking for the latest piece of equipment, then this article is for you.
We are going to be reviewing quite a few different Mig welders with the ultimate goal of finding the best one. If reading through all of our reviews doesn’t interest you and you just want a product recommendation, we will tell you straight up that the best Mig welder is the LOTOS MIG175 Mig Welder.
A Spotlight On Some of The Best Mig Welder 2020:
Tooliom 135A MIG Welder
The first product on this review list that we wanted to look at is the Tooliom 135A MIG Welder. This is a well-made welder overall, but the main reason why we choose this particular option to lead off our list is because it is a fairly basic welder in general.
So, we thought that it would be the best option since it is the perfection option for both beginners and those looking for a low-key welder that isn’t too pricey or complicated to use. There is something to be said about simplicity and this welder definitely has that.
We want to start off the review properly by saying that if you are looking for a low-cost welder, then this isn’t a bad option. At a price of close to $200, it may not seem all that cheap, but compared to some other good welders out there, it is definitely a much more budget-friendly option. Of course, you also have to consider the quality of the welder that you are getting for said price.
The quality of the Tooliom is fairly decent. It uses its 135 amps of power well and it is a fairly easy welder to use. It is very simple, can handle a wide variety of jobs, and it is easy to get it setup in your existing welding setup (assuming you have one). In other words, it is a pretty good welder for the price that you pay.
There are some obvious issues that do hold the Tooliom back somewhat. As you might expect, given that this is meant to be a slightly cheaper option, the welder isn’t quite as well-made as some of the other welders on this list that we will be reviewing going forward.
Likewise, as the product’s name makes clear, this is only a 135 amp Mig welder. Now, if you are new to this type of welders, you may not know exactly what that number means, but rest assured that as you continue through this review list you will see many welders that have a bit more power.
So, that is also something to consider before buying. At the same time, we do feel that it is a bit difficult to truly hold this against the Tooliom as it is intended to be a cheaper welder.
- Good balance of price and quality.
- Very affordable.
- Not complex or difficult to use.
- Decent power output given the cost.
- Not quite as powerful as some higher-end Mig welders.
- Not the most well-made or as high-end as some other options.
Hobart 500559 Handler Welder
Let’s say that you are a serious welder with a lot of experience under your belt and some serious projects that need doing, then you are going to want a really serious Mig welder to use right? Well, we have just the option for you, which is the Hobart 500559 Handler Welder.
This is a high-end welder that delivers extremely high-quality welding performance. While we wouldn’t go so far as to call it the best Mig welder, it is definitely one of the better ones out there and it is among the best options that we have reviewed on this list.
To give you a clear example of the quality of this welder, look no further than the fact that this welder is able to easily weld extremely strong metals, including stainless steel, aluminum, and regular steel. It is good for use on steel up to a quarter of an inch and up to 24 gauges. It also has an IPM of around 740 at its highest setting, which is good for heavy-duty welding.
Before moving on we should also talk about the versatility of this welder. The Hobart has 5 different welding settings, which is fairly decent and helps to make it a bit more versatile when it comes to what the welder is capable of doing. Of course, more options would be better, but 5 is fairly standard and nothing to complain about.
There are no real major issues that we can bring up regarding the Hobart’s welding performance. Overall, this is just a really well-made welder and it is difficult to find any flaws with it.
However, we will say that we do some take issue with the price of the welder. While those of you familiar with Mig welding know that you often have to pay quite a bit for high-quality welders of this type. Still, we have to acknowledge that the Hobart is one of the more expensive options that we have looked at so far.
- Relatively simple to use despite its quality.
- Able to achieve a no-load IPM of 740.
- 5 different options.
- Able to weld three different materials (steel, stainless steel, and aluminum).
- Can weld up to 24 gauge steel.
- One of the more expensive Mig welders on our list.
Weldpro Inverter Multi Process Welder
Following up on that last review on our best Mig welder list, we wanted to take a look at yet another really high-end welder. Since this review list is meant to appeal to all types of people, we felt that it only makes sense to include a few different high-quality options, so that very experienced, serious welders have some good options to pick from.
The specific welder that we want to take a look at in this particular review is an extremely pricey, but also exceptionally well-made welder in the form of the Weldpro Inverter Multi Process Welder.
Now, the very first thing that we need to talk about in this review is what is meant by the use of the word “multi process” in the name of the welder. See, this isn’t just a standard Mig welder in the same vein as the other welders that we have reviewed on this list.
Instead, it is capable of doing three different types of welding (Mig, Arc, and Tig). So, while this isn’t technically a Mig welder, we figure that it is still a good option for inclusion on this list.
Despite being a seemingly complex tool, the Weldpro is actually quite simple to use with a very intuitive display that lets you easily switch between the various modes. Each mode, including the Mig welding mode, is equally powerful. You are definitely going to be getting 200 amps of power when you use this tool.
Funny enough the only major issue with the Weldpro has to do with something that we just listed as a positive aspect, which is the fact that welder technically supports three different welding as we mentioned earlier.
However, if you are just looking for a pure Mig option, then obviously this is going to be a bit extra, and probably more than you need, so it is a bit of a downside. Another potential issue that we could see cropping up has to do with the price of the Weldpro, which is admittedly quite high; it is actually the most expensive entry that we have reviewed on this entire list.
- 200 amps of power.
- Easy, intuitive display.
- Three different welding modes.
- Extremely versatile.
- Extremely expensive (most expensive product on our list in fact).
- Those looking for a pure Mig welder might be a bit disappointed.
TACKLIFE Electric Mig Welder
We are going to shift gears quite significantly for this next review on our best Mig welder list.
The last two reviews have been of quite expensive welders, so we decided to change things up again by featuring another inexpensive option like the first one that we reviewed on this list. The welder that we ultimately settled on was the TACKLIFE Electric Mig Welder, which is a great, affordable option.
As is always the case whenever looking at a product that is specifically advertised as being inexpensive, the first thing that we want to talk about is the price of the welder. Again, while a price of $250 may not seem like something that you would call “cheap,” you have to consider the wider context. Welders are expensive and this is a fairly well-made one, so only paying that much is basically a steal.
In terms of power output, the TACKLIFE boasts a total output of around 140 amps. Is that the most powerful entry on this list? Is that a good power output from a Mig welder that only costs $250? Absolutely. 140 amps is enough power to reliably weld lots of different materials and fairly thick steals. This welder should end up being up to the task when it comes to most jobs.
- 140 amps of power.
- Decently priced.
- Overall basic Mig welder.
- Not able to compete with the pricier welders.
LOTOS MIG175 Mig Welder
For the final review on our best Mig welder list, we want to do a review of yet another good, top of the line welder in the form of the LOTOS MIG175 Mig Welder. In terms of overall performance, the LOTOS fits in the same category as the Hobart and Weldpro welders that you saw earlier. It does have some differences of note however, which is why it is being reviewed on this list.
We said in the introduction that this welder has some differences that set it apart, and you might be curious what those are. Well, in general, we would say that the LOTOS acts as sort of a middle of the road welder.
On the one hand, it isn’t quite as pricey as say the Weldpro, on the other hand, its performance is much closer to those sorts of high-end options than the cheaper ones that we have looked at.
Despite being a bit less powerful than some other products, the LOTOS makes full use of its 175 amp power supply, ensuring that you are always able to complete whatever job that you want to use the welder for. While it may not have over 200 amps of power like some other welders, we also imagine that 175 amps will end up being more than enough for most of the people actually reading this list.
There are two issues with the LOTOS that we want to mention. First off, as is the case with all these really high-powered welders, it is a bit pricey. However, as we stated earlier on in the review, it is ultimately a bit less expensive than other, similar high-end options (like the Weldpro and the Hobart) so the price isn’t too difficult to swallow. We should also reiterate that it is slightly less powerful than comparable welders (175 amps vs 200 amps), but it isn’t a major deal.
- Good power output.
- Nice balance of price and quality.
- A good middle of the road option.
- Straightforward to use.
- Like all high-end welders, this is quite expensive.
- A bit less powerful than say the Weldpro or Hobart.
Mig Welder Buying Guide
To follow-up the 5 product reviews that we did above, we decided that we should do a short informational component to go along with the product reviews. In this buying guide, you are going to learn all about Mig welders and what you should be looking for in a good welder.
We are going to warn you at the start of this guide that this is going to be heavily geared towards people who are new to welding and who are looking to buy their first welder. More experienced users may already know most or all of the information in this guide.
Explaining Mig Welding
Mig welding is simply one type of welding that exists. Mig stands for metal inert gas and it is one of the main types of welding (there are roughly speaking, three major types of welding).
The way that it works is very cool; essentially, an electrical arc is formed between the spool gun and the material being welded. The arc heats up so quickly that it essentially begins to heat up the material, making it capable of welding various types of materials. Originally, this type of welding was meant primarily for welding aluminum, but it was so effective that it can be used to weld steel as well.
Picking Out A Good Mig Welder
Now for the actual meat of this buying guide, which is explaining how to pick out a good Mig welder. This part should be useful for both advanced and beginner welders alike.
Amperage
Good Mig welders are capable of welding tough, thick materials like high gauge stainless steel. How does one tell if a welder that they are interested in has the necessary power output to weld these much tougher materials?
Well, there are a couple of methods one could use, but personally we think that the number one method is to just look at the amperage of the Mig welder. This is a very simple method because a higher amperage means more power. It is a rough guide, but it is one that works.
What Materials Can Be Welded
Something else that a consumer needs to ask is what type of materials is the welder actually capable of working with? Different Mig welders are going to be able to weld different types of materials.
Some welders are only equipped to handle certain types of material, such as thin steel, while others may be equipped to handle thicker steel, aluminum, etc. Ideally, you want to match the welder to the job. Failing that, you will want to invest in the highest quality welder that you can possibly afford at the time that you are buying.
Ease of Use
Finally, we would heavily encourage you to consider how easy a welder is to use before you buy it. While it can be tempting to disregard this on the basis that you will eventually learn to use said welder, that is a bad idea. You want to make your life a lot easier by just getting a welder that is simple to use and simple to get working.
Conclusion
If you still happen to have some questions about how you can buy the best Mig welder, we would heavily encourage you to go to our comment section and ask there.
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