Welding equipment is a frequently used tool. Whether for the repair of cars or in construction – with the right welding equipment, your project will also be a success.
We will show you which welder is optimal for beginners so that you can achieve very good results in welding right away.
Our guide introduces you to the most diverse types of welding equipment.
How to choose welder machines for beginners
If you want to permanently join metallic materials together, a welding machine is just the thing. The industrial worker knows more than twenty different welding methods. The craftsman and ambitious hobby welder usually have to choose between three main techniques.
While autogenous welding is gradually fading into the background, gas-shielded welding (MIG/MAG as well as TIG) is becoming more and more attractive. Electrode welding (E-welding) is also widespread among do-it-yourselfer. Ultimately, as is so often the case, it is the workpiece that decides which welder you need to reach for.
Manual electric welding, arc welding – many names, one way to weld
Simple electrode welding is particularly popular in the private sector. The corresponding devices dispense with expensive and difficult-to-transport shielding gas. Electrode welders are particularly compact and therefore easy to use. An arc is created between the consumable electrode and the workpiece, and its heat melts the material at the welding point. This is why welding with an electrode welder is also called arc welding. When the electrode burns off, gases are released that protect the welding point from the ambient air and thus from oxidation. After cooling, the so-called slag remains on the actual weld seam, which you must tap off with a slag hammer.
However, among the electrode welders, there are also particularly effective inverter welders, whose efficiency is significantly better. They compensate for currency fluctuations. They allow better control of highly dynamic welding processes, and most of them also have additional comfort functions.
Advantages | Disadvantages |
Is suitable for unalloyed steel | Electrode welding should only be carried out in rooms with sufficient ventilation |
E-welding can be done outdoors | The electrode must be guided by hand; no automatic feeding possible |
The welded workpieces cool down slowly and can therefore distort less | Do not inhale the vapors that are produced |
There is a suitable electrode for every material thickness | You cannot join alloyed steels with it |
The coating of the electrode contains additives (e.g. gases) that protect the welding area | |
No wire roll and no gas are required |
What shielding gas welding equipment is available?
With shielding, the gas welder can be worked more persistently. Changing electrodes during work is no longer necessary with this method. To do this, you need to insert a coil of wire, which is then automatically fed by means of a motor through the handle. At the same time, the shielding gas mixture also flows through the handle onto the welding spot with pinpoint accuracy. Here, too, the gas protects the welding point from oxidation.
The corresponding gas cylinders can be borrowed from specialist dealers or DIY stores using the deposit system. The shielding gas is non-toxic and there is less smoke than with electrode welding. With so-called flux-cored wire welders, there is no need for gas bottles, as no additional gas needs to be supplied here – it is contained in the wire. Shielding gas welders are more expensive to purchase than simple electric hand welders.
Metal Inert Gas (MIG) equipment | Metal active gas welders (MAG) |
Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG) Welding Equipment
|
for aluminum/aluminum alloys [non-ferrous metals]. | For pipe, structural and boiler steel | suitable for alloyed steel or light metals |
welding with inert gases e.g. pure argon or helium | welding with active gas mixtures such as carbon dioxide and argon; helium with oxygen or oxygen and argon | are also called TIG or GTAW welders |
the gases protect the weld without being involved in the formation of the weld seam | the gases can influence the weld seam | as inert gas mostly argon is used |
faster welding, because the wire is fed automatically | faster welding, because the wire is fed automatically | the tungsten electrode is fed by hand; does not melt during welding |
not as precise welds as with TIG welding | weld seams as with MIG welding | slow welding, but clean and precise welding seams |
possible only when there is no wind | can only be used outdoors to a limited extent | can be used in wind-protected areas, as gases are easily blown away outside |
with direct current (DC): welding of alloyed/unalloyed steel possible | ||
alternating current (AC): welding of light metals and aluminum possible |
What are the welding techniques?
When welding, you can basically distinguish between two techniques, because welding is possible with both pressure and heat. Therefore, a differentiation is made between the following welding techniques:
- Press welding
- Fusion joint welding
The latter involves working with temperatures of several 1,000 degrees Celsius, which can only be achieved by the arc of an electric welder. These heat-operated welders are often smaller and less expensive. In addition, they are easier to transport because they are so easy to handle. Fusion joint welding is therefore the most commonly used method and is also very popular among professionals.
Machine For Beginning Welders - The Best Choice
LOTOS DC Stick/Arc Welder
4,9 Rating

Quality TIG welding on aluminum, stainless, or steel and precise welding of thinner-gauge materials; power efficiency: 80%. Package includes power supply, TIG torch, MMA/stick clamp, foot pedal, argon regulator, 220v/110v converter pigtail. Ground clamp, consumable set, instruction manual, etc.
Important aspects when buying machine for beginning welders
Buyer’s guide for the machines for beginning welders
This review and guide provide information on the best machine for beginning welders you can find.
There are quite a few manufacturers of machines for beginning welders on the market, and the prices vary greatly. From a pure price point of view, the type of machine for beginning welders can be priced from $100 to $800.
Machine for beginning welders for the money
Related posts about hand tools and repairs:
All our reviews are based exclusively on expert judgments or practical experience with most of the machine for beginning welders we have tested. We strive to make our guide as independent and as detailed as possible.
Best Flux Core Welder for Beginners
Forney Easy Welder

- Portable welder.
- Up to 140 Amp output.
- 8′ MIG gun, 8′ ground clamp, Integrated handle with torch wrap, and a 20A-15A adapter.
4,8 Rating
Easy to use
FC-I MIG machine uses 0.30, flux core wire. It has infinite voltage and wire feed speed control, so you can dial in the perfect weld! Perfect entry-level welder. Up to 140 Amp output that allows you to weld mild steel up to 1/4 in a plate.
Best Multi-Process Welder for Beginners
Weldpro Multi Process Welder

- Dual digital display.
- VRD high temp and overload protection with indication.
- User adjustable inductance settings.
4,9 Rating
Intuitive synergetically designed welding machine
3-in-1 multi-process dual-voltage synergic welder is designed for for hardware, decoration, car modification, equipment and factory maintenance. The igbt inverter technology provides high power in a light, compact unit ( 30 lbs). This units are capable of performing mig, lift tig and stick welding equally well at maximum 200 amp output.
Best Stick Welder for Beginners
SIMDER Stick Welder

- Dual Voltage.
- Fits below 4.0 mm welding rods.
- For welding all kinds of iron and ferrous metals.
4,8 Rating
Portable and lightweight
Powered from Dual Voltage 110V&220V plug. SIMDER’s welding machine is equipped with an IGBT Inverter, it can improve the efficiency of electricity consumption and has the characteristics of high efficiency, energy-saving, and environmental protection. A portable and lightweight arc welding machine is ideal for those that are learning to weld or those that want to make small repairs around the house.
Best TIG Welder for Beginners
AHP Tig/Stick Welder

- Advanced Inverter Technology.
- Quality TIG welding on aluminum, stainless, or steel and precise welding of thinner-gauge materials.
- The unit features HF start tig and includes a foot pedal.
4,8 Rating
Pro-level features in an economically minded package
Alpha TIG is an excellent choice for the beginner or the professional fabricator. All new rapid set functions can set the machine by simply choosing the size of tungsten and thickness of material for both AC and DC TIG welding. Stick welding can be chosen by the type of rod and size and the correct amps will automatically be set.
What should I look for when buying a welder machine?
- High welding current (specified in A): The thicker the material, the more power is required.
- Welding temperature should be easily adjustable.
- A high-frequency ignition is comfortable and more gentle for the electrode.
- The higher the duty cycle of a welder, the longer you can work with it before it has to cool down (given in percent).
This is what we expect from a welder for beginners
The welder should be easy to connect. After purchase, not much know-how should be needed to make it ready for use. It is best if the welder for beginners can be put into operation at a normal socket with a 16 A fuse.
Just before welding, the settings of the given parameters should not be too complicated. An easy-to-understand instruction manual, with small assistance, would be advantageous here.
Furthermore, a simple ignition is very important. The ignition process must be without much difficulty and effort in a welder for beginners, otherwise, you can sometimes be quite long in the ignition of the arc. This is very annoying and reduces the fun of welding.
Handling and operation during welding should also be easy so that you can guide the weld seam optimally and no horror seam comes out in the end. Easy handling also enables acceptable results even during the initial attempts.
Finally, the most important thing: A welding machine for beginners should be very easy to learn and allow a good start so that you can celebrate some success even after the first attempts.
Otherwise, welding can very quickly end in frustration and, in the worst case, you leave it alone. With small successes, you gain new motivation and dare to tackle larger welding tasks. All in all, you’ll make faster progress that way.
Welding safety
Attention: You should know this! Welding is a dangerous job if you don’t take the necessary safety precautions. You are exposed to the following hazards when welding:
- Very high heat
- Noise
- Flying sparks
- High UV radiation
- Extreme brightness
- Fumes
It is important that you adequately protect yourself during the welding process and acquire professional equipment. This includes leather gloves, which provide sufficient protection from flying sparks and intense heat. To protect the body, you should also tie a leather apron. Special welding helmets provide sufficient protection from sparks, heat, and especially from extreme brightness. The helmets are equipped with a certain vision window that protects your eyes from injury.
In addition, you should put on hearing protection when working. To escape the effects of fumes, your workplace should be adequately ventilated. When TIG welding, you should prefer the welding helmet with the darkened protective glass visor over the welding shield. With most TIG welders, you need both hands to operate them anyway, which makes holding a shield impossible.
Make sure that your workplace is tidy. Tripping hazards can result in serious accidents and flying sparks can easily cause fires.

Machines For Beginning Welders Price:
Under $200
- Forney Easy Welder
Under $300
- SIMDER Stick Welder
Under $600
- LOTOS DC Stick/Arc Welder
Under $800
- AHP Tig/Stick Welder
- Weldpro Multi Process Welder