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Do you love working with metal sheets regularly and planning to buy your own MIG welder?
Then a 120v MIG welder is the best option for you. A powerful 220v welder needs a 220v power supply which is not easily available in most homes, so buying a 120v welder is a great choice for a beginner like you.
Now choosing the best 120v welder for yourself among the thousand models that are available in the market is a little bit tough for you. We are here to help you narrow down the search to a few best products.
We have prepared the below list after doing lots of research and analysis. We will guide you with all the positive as well as negative aspects of each welder so that you can choose the best for yourself.
[table id=15 /]1. ARKSEN MIG-130- The Editor’s 120v Welder
If you are looking for one of the best MIG welding machines for your home use and for repairing jobs, ARKSEN MIG-130 Gas Less Welder is going to fit your expectations. Although it is not suitable for a professional job, it is a great choice for beginners as this welder runs at115-volt power which is easily available almost at home. It is also gasless, so you don’t have to worry about the hazards that happened from the uncontrolled gas movement.
Let’s look at some key features of ARKSEN MIG-130 Gas Less Welder:
Compact and Portable:
The weight of ARKSEN MIG-130 is very less and comes with an easy portable handle. You can easily carry this wherever you want, according to your project requirement. It is also small and thus has a compact design, which ensures the easy translation and storage of this machine.
Durable:
This welder is highly durable as its body is made up of heavy-duty stainless steel and coated with durable yellow paints. This ensures a long-lasting life for your welder.
Adjustable welding speed:
This welder also features a rotary knob which is used to adjust wire feeding speed up to 10 levels of your choice. This feature of The ARKSEN MIG-130 makes your work easy, as you can set the speed of the wire speed according to your welding requirement.
Prevent oxidation:
When you are welding using an ARKSEN MIG-130 welder, it does not require any gas as it uses flux-core electrode wires during welding with automatic release of Inert Gas and thus, it prevents the oxidation of your welded part and gives you a clean result after welding.
Overheating Protection:
ARKSEN MIG-130 is also inbuilt with a cooling fan which prevents the machine from getting overheated. It also features two air vents that help the heat release and thus protects you from any kind of danger.
Wide Applications:
ARKSEN welding machine has a wide range of applications. With the help of this, you can weld normal thin steel and iron, aluminum. It is a perfect choice for home DIY and general repairing work. The automatic releasing of the inert gas of this welder gives a secure welding result for a long time, thermal safety protection.
Duty Cycle:
The duty cycle of ARKSEN MIG-130 is 10% at 105 amps and 35% at 60 amps, which means that you can run this welder for 3.5 minutes with a break of 6.5 minutes.
Other Accessories included:
This welder comes along with the welding gun with full-on/ off safety control, a welding mask, a brush for easy welding, a hammer, tip, and triangle ground cord.
- Compact, portable and durable
- Adjustable welding speed
- Wide range of applications
- On & off safety control
- Thermal safety protection
- Unable to do gas welding
- Lack of clear instructions in manual
- Less penetration hence not suitable for heavy industrial job
2. Best 110v Welder: AlphaTIG 200X AC DC Tig/Stick
If you are looking for an all-rounder welder that can weld from fine sheets to thick metals, then AHP AlphaTIG 200X 200 Amp IGBT Tig Welder is the best option for you. You can weld any kind of metal using this welder including Aluminium.
The only negative aspect you can find in this welder is that the foot pedal of this is not comfortable to use, and the earth clamp is not made up of high-quality. But despite these drawbacks, this welder is a high-performing TIG welder at such a low price.
Some of the key features of AHP AlphaTIG 200X 200 Amp are:
Advanced Inverter Technology:
AHP AlphaTIG 200 is inbuilt with one of the most important features of Advanced Inverter Technology with Pulse Width Modulation (PWM). As we know the inverter is an electronic device that transforms DC power into AC power and also controls input voltage, output voltage, and frequency. The IGBT inverter technology of this welder uses high power to convert the working frequency of 60 to high frequency like 30KHz or higher and due to this feature of this welder, you can weld a wide range of metals with accuracy and smoothly.
High Performance:
This welder gives you superior performance for your welding needs. Using AHP AlphaTIG 200 welder, you can weldfrom1/4″ aluminum at 40-80-amp power supply up to 3/8″ thick metal at 200 amp, which is the superb performance of any welder. You can also use this welder at 110V or 220V power supply, which makes this welder versatile.
Multipurpose Uses:
This is also one of the best features of this machine which will attract you to buy it. As we know that most of the machines that are available in the market to weld thicker metals are not suitable to weld thinner metals but this AHP AlphaTIG 200 welder can perform both tasks for you very well. It can weld thinner gauge metals from ¼ inch aluminum to ¾ inch steel like a specialist and using it you can also able to weld 6013 and 7018 with great power or strength.
Stick welding:
AHP AlphaTIG 200 welder has also an option of stick welding, which will allow you to experience a wide range of welding opportunities. Due to this feature of this welder, it makes it possible for you to weld in an unfavorable condition like in windy weather, welding pipes in the open air, as well as where you need rapid welding.
Respectable Output:
This welder also gives you a wide range of amperage of 10-150A in 110v and 10-200A in 220v in single-phase power supply. In this case, if you are using Stick or MMA welding, you will get an amperage range of 30-145amp in 110v and 30-195 amp in 220v. UsingAHP AlphaTIG 200, you can get a perfect result in a wide variety of sticky and non-sticky metals.
Portable and Flexible:
The weight of this AlphaTIG 200 is about 38 pounds, so you can carry it anywhere without much effort. If you are doing a project which requires frequent movement of this welder, it is not going to very tough for you to move from one site to another.
User Friendly:
If you are a beginner and looking for welder a simple welder that does not require much knowledge to use, AlphaTIG 200 welder is going to be a great choice for you. After unboxing, you can use it very easily as all the switches and buttons are labeled so nicely that you will able to know straight away after looking at them, for what purpose it is meant. It also comes with a user manual that can guide properly how to get the best result from this product.
HF start TIG and foot pedal:
To get a better result and for safety reasons, control over the machine is an essential part. Fortunately, AlphaTIG 200 is inbuilt with a comfortable foot pedal control which will allow you to use this welder with both hands. Hence, it will help you to get a precise result without worrying much. HF start TIG besides foot pedal make this welder more appropriate to operate and control.
Other features:
It also comes with programmable features like the pre and post flow control and starts and end cycles. It has also a 2T/4T torch trigger control panel which switches help you to choose between two touches (2T) or four touches (4T) operation. But be careful, as the foot pedal works only in the 2T model.
- User friendly, portable and compact
- Advanced Inverter Technology is available
- Versatile machine
- Supports dual voltage of 110V and220V
- High-frequency TIG Start
- Respectable Output
- Value for money as features three years warranty
- Beginners may get confused after seeing lots of switches and buttons
- The foot pedal sometimes gets stiff.
3. Top 120v Stick Welder for Beginners: Stick Welder, Thunderbolt Series, 10-1/2 H
Miller Electric Thunderbolt Series, 10-1/2 H stick is a very good choice for beginners as well as for professional welders. It is a great option for those who are looking for Maintenance and Repair work, light fabrications, farms, ranches, shop jobs. Although it is not a good choice for welding heavy-duty metals, it has many other special features like Dual Voltage supporting, its portability, Hot Start technology which may attract you to buy it.
Some Key aspect of Miller Electric Stick Welder, Thunderbolt Series, 10-1/2 H are:
Portable:
The weight of Stick Welder, Thunderbolt Series, 10-1/2 H is only 15 pounds, which means it is so lightweight that you can carry this welder easily to the workplace and start welding.
Supports Dual Voltage:
This welder supports a dual voltage power supply. You can change the power supply from between 120 v and 220 v using Multi-Voltage Plug Adapters.
Hot Start technology:
This is also one of the key features of Thunderbolt 10-1/2 H. This technology gives you an easy, quick, and reliable arc start of your welder.
Respectable Output:
This welder has an output range of 20 to 160 amp at 120v and 20-160 amp at 240v. It is capable of welding mild sticks up to 1/16-1/8 inch at 120v and 1/16-5/32 inch at 220v. This a DC stick with 1-Phase input power and the maximum open circuit is 85v.
Wide Applications:
The Thunderbolt 10-1/2 H series has a wide range of applications like Maintenance and Repair work, light fabrications, farms, ranches, shop jobs, Shipbuilding, and much more.
Duty Cycle:
The duty cycle of the Thunderbolt 210 series is 20% at 210 amp, which means you can run this machine for 2 min at 210 amp current continuously and after that, it needs a break time of 8 min.
Accessories Included:
• Electrode cable-4 nos.
• 10 ft. high heavy-duty electrode holder-1 no.
• 10 ft. the high electric cable works along with clamp-1 no.
• 6.5 ft long power cable-1 no.
• MVP plugs for 120V and 240V power supply- 1 no.
• Cable pouch- 1 no.
- Highly Portable
- Wide range of applications’
- Supports Dual Voltage
- Respectable Output
- Hot Start technology
- Not suitable for heavy-duty welding
- The length of the power cord is small
4. Best 120v Miller Welder: Miller Electric MIG/Flux Core
The Miller Electric 907612 Welder is an improved and superior version of the welder Miller Millermatic 211 series. This is a welder that is invented to fulfill the welding requirements of both the beginners as well as the professionals.
As a professional welder, you can use this welding machine for a lot of purposes like MIG, TIG welding, spooling, and much more. You can also use this Miller MIG flux core welder for light to the medium thickness of metals, and it also works great with solid and flux wire, as well as with aluminum wire.
Some important features of Miller Electric 907612 Welder are:
Compact and Portable:
The weight of this welder is only 64.1 pounds, so it is very portable and if you are working as a professional welder you can carry it along with you to the client location and start welding without any trouble. A handle is also provided at the upper part of the welder which makes it easier for you to carry it.
Durable:
The outer shell of this welder is made up of high-quality stainless steel which is resistant to all the moisture in the air and thus you can use this welder for a long time.
Powerful:
The 120v Miller Welder is truly a powerful welding machine as it allows you to weld 24 gauge up to 3/16inch steel and stainless steel. This welder also allows you to perform the welding of aluminum from 14 gauge to 18 gauge and extent a full 3/16inch with flux-cored.
Duty cycle:
The duty cycle of this welder is 20% at 90A and 60% at 40A, which means that you can weld for 2 minutes at 90A and after that, the unit requires a cooling downtime of 8 minutes.
Thermal Overload Protection:
The welder also features a cooling fan that automatically gets on when you are using the welder for a longer period or if you have selected the maximum voltage and power output level. So, this reduces the possibility of overheating the machine and thus your welder will be safe.
Current Adjustment Setting available:
This welder comes with an adjustment range from 10A to 200A, so you can alter it according to your welding requirement. You can able to set the diameter of the wire comfortably that you want to melt in order to expand the accuracy of the welding.
110v/220v Power supply needed:
The Miller Electric Flux core welder can be connected to the power input of 110 Volts as well as 220 Volts. As these power supplies are common in most houses, so you don’t need to arrange an extra source of power to operate it.
Auto spool:
This is one of the important features of this welder that makes it different from the other. Using this auto spool feature, auto sets the diameter of the wire as well as other settings and thus this reduces your concern of changing the switch and setting every time.
- Compact, Portable and durable
- Comes with Auto spool feature
- User Friendly
- Works with the power supply of 110V/220V which is standard in most homes
- Powerful enough to weld steel, stainless steel as well aluminum
- Gives Smooth and spatter-free clean result
- Not suitable for heavy-duty metals.
- The length of the power cord is small.
- The power input is not compatible with generators.
5. Best Budget 120v Welder: Chicago Electric Mig 100 Flux Wire Welder
If you are new to welding and looking for some budget-friendly MIG welder, Chicago Electric Welder 90 Amp is a good choice for you. Although it is not powerful enough to weld heavy metals and doesn’t give splatter-free results as any other MIG welders. However, at such an affordable price it is a great choice for beginners to enhance their skills.
It runs at a 120 V power supply, which is easily available at most homes and it is also gasless so, you don’t need to put a gas cylinder in your home.
Some of the key features of Chicago Electric Welder 90 Amp are:
User Friendly:
Chicago Electric 90A flux-core welder is very easy to use. So, if you are just a beginner and don’t have any previous welding experience, it will be an excellent choice. This can also be used by professionals because of its effortless operation and quality.
Low Input Power Needed:
Chicago Electric Welder 90 Amp requires 120 Volt input power to run which is a standard household electricity supply and found in most of the houses. Thus, you don’t need to arrange some extra source of power to run this welder.
Variable Speed Wire Control:
This welder is inbuilt with the Variable Speed Wire Control system, so you can adjust the speed of this welder according to your need which ensures an excellent result.
Thermal Overload Protection:
This is also an excellent feature of the Chicago Electric Welder 90 Amp. Because of this feature, your welding machine will automatically get shut off when overheated and will restart by itself after getting cool down. This ensures the safety of your welder for the long term.
Portable and Compact:
The weight of this welding machine is only 35.6 pounds, which means it’s highly portable. You can easily carry this welder along with you according to your requirements.
Suitable for Light Jobs:
Chicago Electric Welder 90 Amp is suitable for kind of light projects as well as repair and fabrication work. This welder is perfect for learners. This unit can weld mild steel and low alloy steel but not suitable for welding stainless steel and aluminum.
- Easy to use and operate
- Requires low power supply of 120V
- Variable wire speed control available
- Thermal overload protection available
- Portable and durable
- Doesn’t require any gas
- Not capable of welding heavy-duty metals
- Does not give splatter-free result
120v welder vs 240v
120v welder can weld thinner metals like mild steels and has less output amperage but 220v stick machine has a much greater available amperage, i.e., you can use larger diameter rods as well as can weld thicker materials. 240v welder has also a higher duty cycle than 120v welder.
Best 120V welder: Buying Guide
If you are not yet able to decide which 120v welder is to buy for yourself, then please go through our buying guide given below that will help you with the features to look upon before choosing the best 120v welder.
The Voltage Output:
If you are looking for a welder to weld thicker metals or for large projects, then you must opt for a welder with a higher voltage output. But in case you are looking for a welder for a small project and for doing a repair and maintenance job then you can go with a smaller voltage welder.
Duty Cycle:
This is also one of the important factors that you must consider before buying a 120v welder. The duty cycle defines the period for which you can continuously use your welding machine to weld and the period for which it needs rest to start welding again.
For example, if the duty cycle of the Welder is 20% at 110 Amp, it means that the welder can be used continuously for 2 minutes at 110 amp and after that, it needs8 minutes of rest time.
Portability (Weight and Size):
If you are looking to buy an a120v welder that you carry to your work site easily, the welder should be compact and portable which means its size and weight should be reasonable, so that you can carry it easily along with you anywhere you want.
Thermal Overload Protection:
This feature of the welder determines its durability. Thermal Overload Protection plays a very important role in preventing the overheating of a welding machine. The welder which is inbuilt with thermal overload protection automatically gets shut off as soon as it starts getting overheated and restarts itself after it gets cool down. As a result of this, your welding machine will keep on working perfectly without any trouble.
The welders having this feature are higher in cost than the others, but if you can afford to pay more I must recommend you to go for it.
Brand:
This is also an important factor to decide whether you want to buy some reputed brand welder or want to go with some less-known company to take risks.
Before deciding this, just keep in mind that you are not going to invest in any welder every day. A renowned brand gives you great after-sales service, trust, warranty, and other extra services, this means you don’t need to pay the extra amount for repairing your welder when it faces any technical issue. So, avoid common brands as may offer as a welder at low cost but can’t provide customer satisfaction ability and transparency.
Wire-Feed Speed:
If you are a beginner, go for a welder that allows you to vary the wire-feed speed or one with a slower feed speed. If the wire feed is faster that means you have to act very fast to feed the wires and it makes precision very difficult.
Safety Concerns:
Before opting for a welder just check its safety features. Make sure that the welding machine that you are going to buy can guarantee you enough safety to keep away any unwanted accidents.
FAQ’s
Q: What is special in 120v welders?
Ans: The most important feature of the 120v welder is that it runs on a 120v power supply which is the standard power supply in most houses thus you don’t need any extra source to power it.
Sean Coby is a welder par excellence and well respected among the welding community in Woodbridge, VA. He prides himself to be the fabricator and mechanic in the automotive/ diesel industry for the past more than eight years now. As the chief editor of his https://weldinginfocenter.com, he shares his experience to be safe during welding and to take proactive steps for becoming a successful welder like him.