Top 8 Best MIG Welders Under $1000 You Should Own

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Welding Buddy Experts

April 17, 2021
Best Welder You Should Own

The best MIG welders under $1000 are perfect for residential and commercial use. Metal Insert Gas or MIG welders form an electric arc between the electrode and the metal workpiece- this joins melting metals. 

The best single-phase MIG welder should be able to handle the following materials without difficulty.

  • Aluminum
  • Stainless Steel
  • Copper
  • Magnesium 
  • Carbon Steel
  • Nickel

Having a MIG welder comes with some benefits: MIG welders are easy to master and can perform with minimum splatter, perfect for beginners. This type of welding machine might seem like a lightweight performer, but it's a valuable tool you should have at home. We've come up with a list of the top 8 welders you can find available online for under $1000 for your benefit. 

Hobart Handler 210 MVP MIG Welder

The Hobart Handler 210 MIG Welder is a versatile US-made wire feed welder. It features a dual voltage input of 120 and 220V. It makes it easier for users to use because they have more options. 

It is a Flux-Cored welder that is capable of welding 24-ga to ⅜ in steel in a single pass. It is ideal for beginners for its ease of use while also capable of handling professional applications. The machine’s greatest advantages are its power, simplicity, and versatility making it suitable for both beginners and professionals. 

The Hobart Handler 210 MIG welder camse with a 5/3/1 industrial warranty. It means that a five-year warranty is added for the stabilizer and transformer, three year for electronics, and one year warranty for the MIG gun. 

Pros: 

  • It has a maximum output of 210 amperes.
  • It is built with safety features.
  • It has 7 voltage settings.
  • It comes with a detailed user manual.
  • It works on both 120 and 220V.

Cons:

  • It is heavy at 79 lbs.
  • It comes with short cables.
  • It has a 30% duty cycle at 150 amperes.

Lotos MIG175 MIG Welder

For a welding machine to get the 2nd top spot among the whole selection of MIG machines under $1000 is quite an accomplishment, and the Lotos MIG175 totally deserves it. It doesn’t fall far behind the Hobart Handler 210MIG welder when it comes to duty cycle and amperage range. But it only runs just as nice as a bead under 175 amperes and is slightly cheaper.

It comes with a 1-year warranty as well as a 30-day money-back guarantee for security. If you want a longer warranty, you have the option to purchase it at a slightly higher price.

The package includes a free aluminum spool gun, which is a very good feature for many MIG welders. This is a welder we highly recommend to anyone wanting a MIG under the 200-amp range.

Pros:

  • It has a maximum output of 175 amperes.
  • It has a 30% duty cycle at 135 amperes. 
  • It comes with an aluminum spool gun. 
  • It has a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Cons:

  • It weighs 85 pounds.
  • It has a 220/240 voltage input.
  • It only comes with a 1-year warranty.

Forney Easy Weld 261 MIG Welder

Despite its lightweight design, this welder can handle heavy-duty tasks earning the third spot on our list. It doesn't have the highest amperage range; but, it has a better duty cycle than the matching Lincoln machine and runs a tidy bead.

It's priced extremely low for its quality. There's no question that this welder deserves being ranked best for your money with all that it offers. It's a pretty small machine but performs within the range of 140 amperes. 

However, this welder only comes with a 1-year warranty. This is a decent 140-amp welder if you're on a low budget.

Pros:

  • It has a maximum output of 140 amperes.
  • It has a 30% duty cycle at 90 amperes.
  • It only weighs 19 pounds.
  • It has an eight-foot lead. 
  • It has a dual voltage input of 110/120V and 220/240V.

Cons:

  • It comes with a 1-year warranty.

Weldpro Multi-Process TIG/ARC/Stick/MIG Welder

This welding machine is a great all-around unit. It offers TIG, MIG, and Stick welding capabilities, which is very handy. It has one of the highest duty cycle ratings priced under $1000. It comes with a 2T and 4T switch that allows automatic and manual wire feeding. It's perfect when you're working long runs or need a more relaxed hand position when you weld. 

It's very lightweight for its capacity and has leads with good length. Some reviews state that its MIG capability synergic settings are quite lacking, but easy to remedy with some minor adjustments. In spite of this setback, this machine is one of the best MIG welders under $1000.

Pros:

  • It has an output of 200 amperes.
  • It has a 30% duty cycle at 200 amperes.
  • It only weighs 30 pounds.
  • It has a dual voltage input of 110/120V and 220/240V.
  • It has 10’ to 13’ leads.
  • It comes with a 2-year warranty.
  • It has 2T and 4T switches.
  • It is a multi-purpose machine. 

Cons:

  • It has poor synergic settings.

Forney 318 190-Amp MIG Welding Machine

This welding machine lays a tidy bead and operates as a high-quality welder. Despite its affordability, its torch and leads are above reasonable quality, and the warranty surpasses the Forney 140-amp welder seen above. But, this machine's settings fall short with three modes for amperage and zero options for 110/120V input.

Forney has an outstanding reputation when it comes to welding machines, and if you need a welder with a higher amp setting, this is the one for you. However, it is much pricier than the Lotos MIG 175 welder, which is only 15 amperes less and includes a free aluminum spool gun. 

Pros:

  • It has a maximum output of 190 amperes.
  • It has a 25% duty cycle at 120 amperes. 
  • It has 10 to 15-inch leads.
  • It has 4 to 8-inch wire spools. 
  • It comes with a 3-year warranty.

Cons:

  • It’s a bit heavy weighing 74 pounds. 
  • It has limited amperage settings.
  • It only comes with a 220/240 voltage input.

Lincoln Electric K2697-1 Easy MIG Welder

Lincoln is a trustworthy brand that manufactures high-quality welders, and the K2697-1 Easy MIG welder is not an exception. This machine is ideal for hobbyists and beginners who want to master MIG welding.

This welding machine lays a tidy bead on light sections and is easy to set and use. It comes with a good gun and ground clamp with a higher-quality regulator than the standard ones most welders provide and a lengthy 3-year warranty for peace of mind when you make a purchase..

This welder made its way to our list because of its exceptional quality. But, due to its cost, the low duty cycle, and the range of materials it can handle, we'd recommend a lower-priced welder that offers more. 

Pros:

  • It has a maximum output of 140 amperes.
  • It comes with a 3-year warranty.
  • It comes with 10-inch leads.
  • It comes with 4 to 8-inch wire spools. 

Cons: 

  • It weighs 62 pounds.
  • It has a 20% duty cycle at 90 amperes.
  • It only has a 110/120 voltage input. 

Hitbox 200Amp MIG Welders

This welding machine comes at an affordable price and has up to 200 amperes worth of output. The Hitbox MIG Welder 200Amp Inverter is capable of TIG and stick welding, similar to the Weldpro 200 Amp Multi-Process Machine. 

However, it has a poor synergic function. This limits the option to adjust the wire feed rate, as it is predetermined by the specific amperage range.

This welder runs on a 40% duty cycle at 200 amperes. This is a bit high for a welder this size. This welder is of good quality, but has a lesser life expectancy. Overall, the Hitbox MIG Welder 200Amp Inverter is a good machine and will serve you well for a longer time if you use it on a smaller scale. It is also the best stick welder under $1000 you can find available online. 

Pros:

  • It has a maximum output of 200 amperes. 
  • It has a 40% duty cycle at 200 amperes.
  • It comes with 4 and 8-inch wire spools.
  • It is a multi-purpose machine.
  • It weighs 19.4 pounds.

Cons:

  • It has poor synergic settings.
  • It has 220/240V voltage input. 
  • It comes with a 1-year warranty.
  • It has a lower life expectancy when compared to other brands. 

Goplus 130 MIG-Welder

The Goplus MIG 130 Welder made it to our eight spot mainly because of its surprisingly affordable price. This machine is lightweight with a low-quality build that welds within its spectrum but has one of the smallest ranges available. 

This small machine can only handle one and two-pound spools, and you don't want to try running too many amperes for long, as its duty cycle is minimal. This welding machine only runs off a 110/120V input. This Goplus welder only weighs 35 pounds but has more weight than much gruntier welders. It doesn't come with a warranty, but you have the option to purchase the warranty separately.

There are several setbacks to this MIG welding machine. But, if you want to pay the minimum for a machine you can run some nice welds with, this is definitely the welder for you. Its leads are short; thus, this welder does the job and lays some quality welds on thinner sections. 

Pros:

  • It has a maximum output of 130 amperes.
  • It weighs 35 pounds.
  • It is the cheapest welder on the list.

Cons: 

  • It runs on a 20.4% duty cycle at 90 amperes.
  • It doesn't include a warranty.
  • It only has a 110/120 voltage input. 
  • It comes with 5 to 6-foot leads.
  • It only holds 4-inch wire spools.

Conclusion

A MIG welder is a handy tool you may want to purchase for minor home projects. You can find several quality MIG welders available online for under $1000, but not all of these MIG welding machines can serve you well. Many people commit the same mistake of buying a MIG welder that doesn’t suit their intended application. We hope that this list of best MIG welders under $1000 offers great help in your search.

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