Best Cheap Welders

BEST CHOICE

Forney Easy Weld 298

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PREMIUM PICK

CMT Pitbull

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BEST VALUE

Forney Easy Weld 299

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Beginners in welding shouldn’t spend too much money on expensive equipment before they improve their skills.

Some excellent cheap welders can help you to master the techniques and complete simple projects.

Besides, a cheap price tag doesn’t mean poor quality.

Very often, inexpensive welders come with limited power and limited features, but the quality is there.

This article will help you to pick the best inexpensive welder that provides inconsistent results every time you use it.

Check the list and find your top picks!

Highest Rated Best Cheap Welders (by Customer Reviews)

	Forney Easy Weld 298	See prices on Amazon.com
	CMT Pitbull	See prices on Amazon.com
	Forney Easy Weld 299	See prices on Amazon.com
	Super Deal	See prices on Amazon.com
	Chicago Pneumatic	See prices on Amazon.com

• 1Forney Easy Weld 298
• 2CMT Pitbull
• 3Forney Easy Weld 299
• 4Super Deal
• 5Chicago Pneumatic

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The Forney Easy Weld, model 298 is one of the best welders on the market.

It is an arc welding machine suitable for TIG welding that allows you to improve your skills and complete a variety of home repairs and small projects.

The welder delivers 90-amp output, which ensures a superb starter arc welder.

The Forney welder is easy to use and plugs into a 120V standard household outlet.

Moreover, the welder weighs only 14 pounds.

Michael's Take

This Forney Easy welder ensures stable performance for many years to come.

The price tag, the versatility, the quality – everything is top-notch!

>> Click here to see pricing, ratings, and reviews on Amazon.com <<

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The CMT Pitbull welder is a powerful, 100-amp arc welder.

It connects to the standard 110V AC household outlet, which makes it simple to use almost anywhere.

The welder isn’t suitable for complex problems, but it delivers superb results with light to medium welding tasks.

You can use it for light home repairs, small tasks on vehicles, and similar.

Michael's Take

If you are looking for a cheap welder, look no more.

This CMT Pitbull will be great for beginners and, surprisingly, can last long.

>> Click here to see pricing, ratings, and reviews on Amazon.com <<

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The Forney Easy Weld, model 299, doesn’t offer a lot of frills.

It is an affordable MIG welder, suitable for flux-cored welding.

Therefore, you don’t have to worry about shielding gas with this one, which makes it perfect for beginners.

You can weld materials from 24-gauge on up to 1/4-inch, and handle a variety of small jobs.
The welder can handle from 2-pound and 10-pound spools and delivers 125 amps of consistent power.

Michael's Take

You can get used to this welder in only half an hour!

It allows you to weld in a fun and correct way and performs a variety of repairs.

>> Click here to see pricing, ratings, and reviews on Amazon.com <<

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Buying an indie-brand welder is either hit or miss.

This little welder by Super Deal delivers great value for the money and really is one of the best writing its price range.

It isn’t the most powerful welder on the market, but it can accomplish a variety of tasks that require MIG flux core welding discipline.

The welder has a modest 10% duty cycle at 105 amps, and a 35% cycle at 60 amps.

The maximum power is 130 amps, but you need to be a little patient.

Michael's Take

The Super Deal welder works perfectly as a portable, light-task welder.

You will learn how to use it in no time!

>> Click here to see pricing, ratings, and reviews on Amazon.com <<

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The Chicago Electric welder is a lightweight, portable welder, suitable for flux-core welding.

The welder has moderate power of 90 amps and a single-phase input.

However, the welder still delivers consistent power and great results when it comes to lighter tasks of mild steel welding.

Moreover, it features variable speed wire control and thermal overload protection.

Michael's Take

This Chicago Electric welder is reliable and your perfect companion for small house repairs.

You can use it for exhaust pipes and always expect excellent results.

>> Click here to see pricing, ratings, and reviews on Amazon.com <<

Best Cheap Welders Buying Guide

Before we move on to the best tips on how to pick the best cheap welder, let’s talk about maximizing the potential of your welder.

Even the cheapest welders out there can help you complete a variety of tasks.

The following are the key points that you should be aware of when buying an inexpensive welder.

Welding Discipline

If you are a beginner in welding, you should be aware of the benefits of all disciplines.

For example, if you plan to weld steel or aluminum alloys, you can choose a MIG welder.

These welders are suitable for a variety of materials, including thicker metal plates.

On the other hand, stick welding is even better for thicker materials, especially cast iron.

The best discipline for thinner metals and exotics is TIG welding.

Therefore, the best way to get the maximum out of your welder is to buy an appropriate welder for your future tasks.

Power

If you are a first-time buyer, you need to get familiar with the input and output power ratings.

Some welders may require alternating current, direct current, or can work on both AC/DC current.

Usually, inexpensive welders have 100-150 amps output.

Therefore, they might not be suitable for thick materials.

Another thing to consider is the duty cycle.

In simple words, the duty cycle tells you how many minutes the welder can weld in ten minutes without the need to cool down.

Welder Status

When buying online, you might get across cheaper welders that are actually refurbished products.

Those are the products that someone else bought and returned for some reason.

If the brand certifies the quality or potential repairs, you can get a refurbished welder.

If not, you should stick with the new products.

Sometimes, you can get a more expensive welder at a more affordable price tag.

Also, if you buy a refurbished welder, you can track the performance of the welder.

Besides, refurbished welders come with a warranty too.

However, cheaper, refurbished welders usually have a shorter lifespan than brand new welders.

If you don’t want to risk with the refurbished welder, you can find a cheap new welder, suitable for lighter tasks that can help you accomplish a lot.

The best way to get the whole picture of the product you are interested in is to check several product reviews.

How to Pick the Best Inexpensive Welder

It is hard to find one device that is suitable for all welding tasks.

Disciplines, power, and quality determine the price tag.

The safe way to make sure you are getting the best one for you is to determine your needs, define your budget, and narrow the choice down to several products.

For example, if you need a welder for basic joining tasks, you can get a cheap MIG welder.

It is also a welding discipline that is easiest to learn and a versatile one.

You can work with thick plates on multiple passes and weld the most common materials.

A cheap welder will help you complete numerous, lighter tasks.

On the other hand, if precision is what you need, a TIG welder is suitable for you.

TIG welder is precise when welding thin materials and producing x-ray quality welds.

Stick welding is simple, so there are some excellent units in this category that you can get for less money.

The majority of materials can be welded with a stick welder, and it is a discipline suitable for beginners, too.

Repair Work and Inexpensive Welders

Those who will have to perform light repairs on aluminum, steel, or stainless steel, including materials that are thick up to 3/16-inch, need a 130-amp welder.

A duty cycle of 20-30% will be enough as well.

More complex tasks or fabrication jobs require a more powerful welder.

If that is the case with you, please consider getting a welder with a minimum of 200 amps and a duty cycle of 40%.

Also, you might have to put more money to get a welder for heavier jobs.

Additionally, whichever welder you choose, make sure it can produce a consistent root pass.

If the first pass isn’t good, the welder cannot perform what you need it to do, even in subsequent efforts.

Therefore, don’t choose the cheapest welder out there.

Instead, choose the cheapest welder that is successful in performing the tasks you need.

Cheap Welders – Price Range

The majority of cheap welders for lighter tasks come with a price tag of around $100.

These welders usually have limited power.

On the good side, they can work on the standard household outlet and complete smaller repair works.

You can get MIG or Stick welder in the price category.

Conclusion

You don’t have to invest too much money into the welder if you only need to perform small repair works around the house.

There are some excellent models on the market, and before you buy any of them, make sure to check the reviews.

Get the welder that matches your needs and enjoy learning new things and improving your skills in all welding disciplines.