Best welder for $1,000 or less

Date 10-08-2019 14:48

I think the ESAB Rebel is a nice mult-process extremely compact unit. It's a bit more than your budget..approximately $17-1800. I purchased a 200 amp TIG machine with high frequency from Eastwood for $799 on sale a few years back. I wouldn't recommend that machine unless you can take really good care of the cheap plastic connectors and fittings. Plus you don't get a stinger to stick weld or connections for wire welding.

By jwright650 (*****)

Date 10-08-2019 14:53

Well, here is a smaller machine with considerably less amperage, but might fit your budget better for garage work.
https://www.weldingsuppliesfromioc.com/esab-fabricator-141i-multi-process-welding-system-tig-torch-and-foot-control-w1003141

By Angels N Agony Date 10-08-2019 15:16

Thanks I’ll look into it

Side note: do you think multi process welders are worse than single purpose?

By jwright650 (*****)

Date 10-08-2019 15:44

They have come a long ways in the past few years.

By Lawrence (*****)

Date 10-08-2019 17:30

These guys have some interesting and affordable multi-process units

https://www.everlastgenerators.com/catalog-multiprocess-migtigstick

Much depends on what you want to do.

Everlast is the only unit I know of that can come in under $5k with AC/DC GTAW, GMAW/P (spray transfer capable) and SMAW all in a single power supply.

They have less expensive units that can do GMAW and DC GTAW as well.

I have an Everlast GTAW/SMAW/Plasma unit that I bought last year for my Garage with 250Amp or 110 power and am very happy with it so far...…… My real desire was to have Asymmetric AC for aluminum and this thing works about as well as a Dynasty for less than a third of the price.

There are a few Euro brands that sell fairly similar Multi-process stuff

I really like this one for a Multi-process unit that can weld sheetmetal to unlimited thickness with all processes
https://www.everlastgenerators.com/product/mig/power-mts-252-sti-tig-package

By jwright650 (*****)

Date 10-09-2019 00:39

I thought about the Everlast machines but I don't have any personal experience with them. I think Gerald (Pipewelder1999)has an Everlast, and I've seen Jody on Weldingtipsandtricks.com review them.

By Lawrence (*****)

Date 10-09-2019 11:20

Yeah.. Jody helped me make the decision.

These new multi-process inverters are forcing the big 3 to get into that market and lower some prices.

The technology to do it has been around for a good while... But why sell one machine that can do everything when you can sell two or three ?

I've even read some favorable reviews from some folks who have tried to use them in an industrial setting rather than garage stuff. But the warranty and technical support just can't match the big American players, so it's still a bit of a finger cross.

Bottom line is for me that I'm doing stuff I couldn't afford to do without the less expensive import.

By Northweldor (***)

Date 10-10-2019 12:40

To elaborate a little further on the technical support,you might notice that no Everlast manual that I have seen includes a complete circuit diagram. This means that, for the life of the machine you are tied to a company that has , when I last checked, just 2 authorized repair facilities in the US. and, unless you live close to either one, under the "Warranty", you have to pay shipping and insurance costs to either one. The "Warranty" is void if anyone else opens the case. Also, the "repair or replace" decision, (and any other decision!), is made entirely at the other end the shipping route, with no recourse if you disagree. Since even inverters are not light=weight, S&I costs can often approach the cost of the machine. Another replacement may also be "out of stock", and you may have to wait months for one to arrive on a slow boat that has to wait until a container for a supplier fills, and ... etc.

Esab, for example, has dealer stores and repair facilities, in almost every major city in the US, as well as a world-wide support network, and a warranty that will (and, has, for me) pay for shipping both ways for a defect, This is worth a few hundred extra dollars to me. And almost all the majors include a circuit diagram in their manuals, so that your machine still has life after the warranty expires.

By CAM Date 10-14-2019 12:29

Forney also makes very cheap welders, and while they are very limited on the settings you get with them, they still run an arc for <$500
I played around with their combined SMAW/GTAW and GMAW machines at school and while they feel cheap they can weld up most garage use projects.

By 2006strat (***)

Date 11-12-2019 04:30

Eastwood Tig 200 110/220.
AC for tig Alum comes. With everything.

Find you a old Lincoln AC/DC 225 for stick.

Keep separate, if one process goes down you will have a back up. I have tested with the old cracker boxes.

By oklahoma Date 12-02-2019 14:30

If you can stretch your budget to $1500 you'll notice the difference as you can get the Lincoln PowerMIG 210 which is top quality or the Everlast 251si which has more power. If you really can't find the budget - then the Everlast 211si is a good choice at the higher end and the Weldpro 200A is a budget option. Hope that helps! Source: http://www.kingsofwelding.com/buyers-guides/best-multi-process-welder-reviews/