Best Mig Welder Under $1000 – Top Reviews & Buying Guide

Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW) is the most popular welding method at hand. Its subtypes Metal Inert Gas (MIG) Welding is the most well-known. That’s because MIG welding is quite easy to learn and needs almost no cleanup.

It also allows for a higher rate of productivity. Of course, that’s only if you have the right welder. we compile a list of best MIG welder under 1000 below.

After meticulously reviewing the most popular MIG welders available, we found that the Hobart Handler 190 is the ideal MIG welder for general use. It is, however, the most expensive, and you probably need to pay that much if you’re just starting out or using a welder for projects at home only.

That’s why we’ve included a number of different welders on this list. With these seven to choose from, you should have no problem finding the one that’s right for you.

1. Hobart Handler 190 230V Mig Welder – Top Pick for the Money

Nothing beats the Hobart 500554 Handler 190 when it comes to ease of use, power, and portability. Its stylish compactness is perfect for use by professionals as well as hobbyists. In fact, the brand name itself is synonymous with quality and style when it comes to welding.

You can surely tackle every type of welding job with the use of this powerhouse machine. You can use it for your exhaust systems, auto body panels, mower decks, tool carts, trailer frames and hitches, bow racks, metal sculpture, fences, farm equipment, and other DIY projects. It is also designed to weld flux core steel, mild steel, aluminum, and stainless steel.

The Hobart Handler 190 can weld 24-gauge up to 5/16″ steel in a single pass, and it operates at 230V power and is also operable at 115V by simply changing its plug. It is very easy to set up and quick to adjust for various thicknesses, materials, and wires.

Well-built and of great quality, this machine is fine-tuned for excellent welding. It is a spool-gun ready for welding aluminum, so it eliminates any feeding problem that comes with aluminum wire welding.

It also has a selector switch for spool gun or MIG gun operation. Moreover, it only takes a few minutes to set up the Hobart 190, and with its easy-to-follow manual, you can quickly and properly set it up.

The Handler 190 comes with a built-in gas valve, 10-ft work cable and clamp, dual gauge and gas hose, and MIG gun. It also comes with an 8-inch spool adapter, .030 contact tips, a sample spool of .030 flux-cored wire, and a manual and set-up guide.

It is equipped with short circuit protection, self-resetting thermal overload, and self-resetting motor protection. You can virtually do any type of welding with the Hobart Handler 190, making it our first choice when it comes to MIG welding.

2. Millermatic 141 MIG Welder – Best Mig Weld Machine

Although the design of the “Millermatic” has always been minimalistic, it doesn’t mean that it is less reliable. The brand name itself speaks voluminously of the quality and reliability of this model.

It packs a lot of power and is definitely a very useful tool to have. Moreover, it is very easy to operate and maneuver even for those who are just beginning to learn how to weld.

The Millermatic MIG welder comes with an auto-set feature that automatically sets the machine to its right parameters. When in manual mode, it affords fast flexibility when welding. It has a solid all-aluminum drive system with a robust wire drive with quick select. Its quick select drive roll makes it easy to set it up with its three grooves offering.

Its auto-set mode likewise offers a quick set up advantage, plus less spattering. It also helps safeguard your unit against any short circuit.

This unit can handle materials with a thickness of up 3/16″ with its 140 A maximum power output. So, if you are looking for a sleek design, packed with awesome power, you should look into the Millermatic welder.

3. Hobart Handler 140 115V Mig Welder – Top Choice for Beginners

Just like the Hobart Handler 190, the Hobart 500559 Handler 140 is designed for quality and durability. It is a top pick for its ease of use, power, and portability. It is also very compact and stylish and can be easily used by both professionals and hobbyists.

With this powerhouse machine, you can surely tackle every type of welding job. It is also designed to weld mild steel, flux core steel, stainless steel, and aluminum. 

The Hobart 140 is capable of welding 24-gauge up to ¼” mild steel and is recommended for MIG welding iron, copper, brass, magnesium, titanium, alloys, flux cored aluminum, cast iron, copper, titanium, magnesium.

It operates using 115V standard household current with an amperage output of 25-140. It also operates via the 5-postion voltage control selector and creates a very stable arc for all welding thicknesses.

It’s extremely versatile to use and is perfect for welders who work on household repairs, auto body, farm projects, or any yard project. Its spool of wire acts as the filler material. This type of feed head offers a quick-release roll level that enables you to have perfect control over the weld. Moreover, it doesn’t create slags.

As a veritable master tool, the Hobart 140 is our top pick as the top choice for beginners.

4. Lincoln Electric Handheld 120 VAC Mig Welder- Best for Home Use

When it comes to ease of use and portability, the Lincoln Electric Handheld MIG Welder is definitely one of your best choices, especially, if you are a beginning welder. Professionals also find its performance on par with the other primary MIG welder brands.

As a go-to option for tyros and amateurs, the Lincoln’s Power 189C provides a hassle-free and easy to handle machine with a 30% duty cycle. It also allows you to uniformly run the beads on any type of specimen.

Using this machine, you can readily set up for gas-free flux core welding or gas-shielded MIG welding for aluminum, steel, or stainless steel. It offers a 50-500 IPM wire-feed speed control. It also comes with a fully adjustable drive system that lessens wire crushing and tangles.

A brass-to-brass gun connection that allows for enhanced conductivity. With its cast aluminum body and rigid drive, you can easily align the wires.

The Lincoln MIG is very portable at 2 pounds net weight. It is also designed for handling heavy-duty commercial welding jobs. It can provide a maximum output of 180 amps and can be conveniently plugged into a 230V household outlet.

It is ideal for use in fabrication and automobile welding, as well as home projects. While perfectly good for professional work, it’s also the top choice for Home Use. 

5. LOTOS MIG175 Mig Welder – Top Choice for Aluminum

If you’re looking for a versatile welding machine, the Lotos MIG 175 should be your choice. It is characterized by a durable and solid case with advanced transformer technology and awesome wire-feed motor function. It is operable at 200V to 240V and has an automatic dual frequency.

It’s suitable for welding mild steel, stainless steel, aluminum, and other types of metals. It is easy to use and can be set up within ten minutes. In fact, we would quickly agree with those who say that this is one of the easiest units to assemble.

It is capable of welding aluminum with a spool gun, and its transformer technology has been proven to be very reliable and durable. It can handle industrial standard 4″ or 5″ wire spools. Incorporated within the system is a resettable overload protection system to make the unit last longer.

The Lotos MIG 175 thrives in welding stainless steel, mild steel, and aluminum plates with its power efficiency of 80%. Its performance is very stable, and its safety gauge is commendable.

If you’re looking for versatility and reliability, the Lotos MIG 175 should be in your top choices. It’s our pick for the top choice for aluminum.

6. Forney 309 140-Amp, 120-Volt MIG Welder

This easy-to-use and portable Forney MIG 140 is perfectly reliable when it comes to gas/no-gas welding. It is also a decent tool for industrial-level welding jobs. It is a highly compact and functional welding machine that is easy to handle.

Its awesome portability allows for more flexibility and increased productivity. Its key feature comes in the form of multiple voltage settings, which allows you to have perfect control over the amount of heat you’re using.

The high sparks it produces allow you to cut through a variety of materials. Because of this, it was necessary to integrate a cooling system into the machine.

The Forney MIG 140 can weld up to a ¼-inch workpiece. It also comes with a ready regulator and gas hose. It has a higher duty cycle as compared to its predecessor, and a quick-euro style disconnected torch. It also has a longer torch/gun with common consumables.

It comes with an HD cast aluminum feed/drive system with drive rolls and geared idler, plus a cable wrap and upgraded spooler. If you are looking for a topnotch welder on the lower end, this is definitely one to consider.

7. Everlast Power 140e Mig Welder – Under $400

The Everlast Power 140e is a uniquely-designed welder. It comes with an IGBT inverter design that sends high ampere output as compared to other transformer-based models. It also has better duty cycle.

This welder enables you to have a step-less control of both the voltage and the wire speed. In a way, this welding machine is a two-in-one machine that allows you to readily shift from Stick welding mode to MIG welding mode.

You’ll quickly notice that this model is equipped with many more than other welder options you’ll find in this price range. It has an adjustable burn back control that immediately sets the length of wire at every start. It also comes with standard drive rolls that can feed .023″ to .030″ wire diameter.

It is also designed to be used with both 4″ and the 8″ wire spools. We can confidently say that this one is a real powerhouse. Other welding machines feature a 140-amp MIG welder with 20% duty cycle and 90 amps. Everlast Power MIG, on the other hand, comes with a 25% duty cycle and a rated maximum output of 140 amps.

Moreover, it is lighter than similar models from other brands. Of course, one of its best features is that it’s very affordable.

Use these Best Welding Helmet with these Mig Welders.

MIG WELDER BUYING GUIDE

What to look for when buying the best MIG welder

This is the big question that is frequently asked and it requires a detailed answer. There are quite a number of models and the challenging bit is that they vary slightly from each other. This buying guide will help you examine what factors to look out for in your new MIG welder.

i. Nature of the Weld

This is simply the task that you intend to perform or what you will be welding. A hobbyist needs different capabilities from someone handling professional work. This is where the welding capability of the welder comes in to play in terms of thickness of the metal to be handled.

Simple repairs such as motorcycle repairs require a machine that can handle metals of between 1/16” to 1/8 “ in thickness while heavy-duty repairs may require a welder that can handle 3/16” to 1/4 “ thick metals.  All in all, the most important thing here is to determine what you need to use the MIG welder for.

ii. Power Supply

The next thing that you need to establish is the power needs of the machine. This is going to be determined by the nature of the weld and how often you intend to weld. Simple and thinner welds can comfortably run on 100 amps welder while thicker welds will require that you get a welder with an output of about 140 amps and above. In addition to this, you will need to establish minimum and maximum amps so that you don’t end up with less or too much power than you need.

iii. Feed Speed

The fire speed is the speed or the rate at which the wire is being fed from the welder to the gun. It is important to look into this factor because a slow feed makes the wire disappear the moment it touches the weld zone leading to uneven weld. Feeding the wire too fast, on the other hand, creates a situation where there is too much wire creating a lot of spatter. As such you should choose a welder with the right speed as it will provide satisfying results.

iv. Gas or Gasless

MIG welds needs to be protected from contaminants such as oxygen. The protection comes in two forms; shielding gas and flux-core wire. The former involves a gas (inert or semi-inert) which is produced from a gas cylinder that is used to displace oxygen. The latter on the other hand uses a compound that is within the wire to provide protection. Both have advantages and disadvantages but the good thing is that you can find a welder with both options.

Most people prefer welding with shielding gas as it simpler and it gives you a better view of the weld area. It also produces fewer spatters. On the downside, you cannot weld on windy environment plus you need to dig deeper in the pockets for the cost of gas.

Gasless welding, on the other hand, allows you to weld outdoors but it does not give you a clear view of the weld pool. There is also a lot of spatter and slag which might affect the quality of the weld unless it is brushed off properly.

v. Functionality and Controls

Another key consideration is the machine functionality. For example, you need to look out for responsiveness of the gun’s trigger, the ease of installation, and other important aspects such as the length of the cables. In addition to this, a good MIG welder should have controls systems that are well calibrated, easy to use and manipulate for consistency and quality results. How good machine look should be replicated on the ground.

vi. Safety Feature

The best MIG welder should feature some safety features the most important ones being;

Thermal overload protection:

Any welder can run the risk of overheating when it reaches certain temperatures. To protect it from this, the machine should feature an inbuilt thermal overload system which enables it to shut off automatically at the end of the duty cycle.

Inbuilt contactor:

The contactor promotes a safe working environment by keeping the wire cold and also automatically switches on the power supply only when the trigger is pulled.

vii. Availability of Accessories and Spares

The number accessories included with your welder vary from brand to brand but ideally, you should receive it with some items. They include;

• Gas cylinder for shielding gas
• Regulator
• Torch
• Welding helmet

However, there is no guarantee that manufacture will provide these items so you may be required to purchase them on your own. Over time, these items and the machine in general may wear out as such you may want to consider a welder with readily accessible spare parts.

Conclusion

We now believe that buying the best MIG welder should not be a daunting task if you will follow the guidelines provided herein. Knowing what to look for will save you a lot of time and ensure that your investment is channeled in the right direction.

Make sure to check on the specific MIG welder power settings, safety features, shielding, feed speed, controls and when all these is said and done, rest assured that you can never go wrong.