5 Best Cheap MIG Welders

There are many reasons why you might be looking for a cheap MIG welder. One of the main reasons is that you want to be able to perform welds for household projects.

Being able to repair household appliances, furniture, and other things around the house with your own welder can save you a lot of time and money. Thus, making a MIG welder a fantastic investment for those with the know-how to be able to effectively weld your own belongings.

Cheap MIG Welder Comparison

lotos mig 140 best cheap mig welder
Lotos MIG 140
forney 125FC
Forney 125FC
longevity migweld 140
Longevity migweld 140
Forney Easy Weld 261

Forney Easy Weld 261

Lincoln Electric Handy Mig

lincoln electric handy mIG

110 volts

120 volts

110 volts

120 volts

115 volts

20% @ 90A  


125 amps

20% @ 90 A

30% @ 90 A

20% @ 70 A

MIG, Flux core

Flux core

MIG, Flux core

Flux core

MIG, Flux core

You might also be looking for a smaller MIG welder that is affordable to add to your professional shop. Though you probably get a lot of large, industrial jobs that require a lot of power, you might also get some smaller jobs that you only need a small machine for.

For this, a small MIG welder would do fine. It allows you to use a small machine to do small jobs instead of taking up a larger welder in your shop with more power so that it cannot be used for other jobs. If you’re looking for a value addition to your shop, a cheap MIG welder is the perfect choice.

The final reason that you might be looking for a cheap MIG welder is that you need something portable with lower power. If you travel to do small welding jobs or need to move around a lot with your MIG welder, getting a cheap affordable one is a great option because it provides the essentials without the huge investment of a larger machine.

Best cheap mig welder reviews

This list will help you identify some of the best cheap MIG welders on the market today and what their strengths and weaknesses are. In addition to these system, If you are trying to build up your capabilities you may also want to consider adding cheap plasma cutter to your garage. 

At the conclusion of this extensive analysis, you should be able to decide on a system that does what you need it to do and saves you a lot of money when compared to professional MIG welders. Follow along with our list to find the best cheap mig welder for your needs.

Lotos MIG 140 Welder

lotos mig 140

Though it is still very affordable when compared to a lot of MIG welders this machine is on the higher end of the affordable category. It is the highest-priced machine on our list, but it also provides great value. This MIG welder is a 140 amp welder that can weld your metal at an industrial level of quality and provide a high-performance experience at a price that is very affordable.

This machine is not super powerful, but the quality at which it performs makes it a viable option for both beginners/hobbyists and professional shops that need to make high-quality welds. In addition, it is spool gun capable which is great for welding aluminum. You just have to plug it in to your existing 110 volt wall outlet and the whole setup process takes only about 10 minutes.

Read more about the Lotos MIG 140.

Core Features

  • Aluminum wire feeder
  • Precise welds
  • 140 amp output
  • Includes MIG torch, ground clamp, gas hose, argon regulator

Key Specifications

  • Duty Cycle: 20% @ 90A
  • Input Voltage: 110 V
  • Aluminum welding: yes, 1/8"
  • Welding Capacity: 24 gauge
  • Amperage: 140 A
  • Weight: 54 lbs
  • Warranty: 1 year limited warranty + 30 days money back guarantee 

Lotos MIG 140

Pros
  • Lightweight and portable
  • Quick and easy set-up
  • Good for beginners
  • Also welds aluminum
Cons
  • Least affordable on our list


Forney 125FC MIG Welder

forney 125FC

The Forney 125FC  is a very basic welder with flux-core processes. Although it is frequently called a MIG welder, it does not come with the requirement of shielding gas like a regular MIG welder would. In other words you cannot add gas to the welder like you might be able to with other MIG welders. This is the most affordable welder on our list, and as such it has limited capabilities.

This welder is most suitable for beginners and those who want to do welding from home. If you are a beginner that wants to learn about MIG welding but have been too intimidated in the past to get a more advanced machine, this would be a great welder to start on.

The controls and specifications are easy to use and simple to learn. If you’re looking to build a firepit in your backyard or do other general household projects, this welder would serve you very well and reliably.

Core Features

  • Gasless flux core welding
  • Welds 24 gauge to ¼”
  • Accepts 2 lb & 10 lb spools

Key Specifications

  • Duty Cycle: 35%, 240v and 20% 120v
  • Input Voltage: 120 V
  • Input Phase: 1 phase
  • Cord length: 6’
  • Processes: flux core
  • Amperage: 125 A
  • Weight: 42 lbs
  • Warranty: 1 year limited warranty + 30 days money back guarantee


Forney 125FC

Pros
  • Very affordable
  • Suitable for household projects
  • Very simple to use
  • 1 year manufacturer warranty
Cons
  • Limited in power and versatility


Longevity MIG 140 Amp Welder

longevity migweld 140

longevity migweld 140

This is a very versatile MIG welder that is suitable for a range of applications in the home or the shop. Though this machine is pretty affordable, they provide a lot of value and can weld aluminum and other exotic metals using the optional spool gun. If simplicity is something you value in your MIG welder, this machine is a good option for you and is very easy to set up and use in just minutes. It uses a standard 110 volt wall connection and can accommodate up to an 11-pound spool.

Using this machine, you can produce quality welds at an affordable price both with the use of gas and without the use of gas. That makes it a valuable addition to either a home or a professional shop as a medium-power welding machine.

Core Features

  • Powerful welding capable of up to ⅜” mild steel welding
  • Easy to learn and operate
  • Torch is easily changeable

Key Specifications

  • Duty Cycle: 20% @ 90 A
  • Input Voltage: 110 V
  • Weld thickness: 24 ga. - 1/4 inch
  • Lead length: 16’
  • Process type: MIG, Flux core
  • Amperage:  25 -140 A
  • Weight: 54 lbs
  • Wire Feed Speed: 59-393 IPM
  • Warranty: 1-year warranty

longevity migweld 140

Pros
  • Produces quality welds
  • Easy to use for beginners
  • Great value for money
  • Can work just as well as industrial grade welders. As long as you take care of it
Cons
  • Might require some modifications for some applications

Forney Easy Weld 261

Forney Easy Weld 261

This easy welding machine uses flux core wire for an effective and quality weld. It would be a good machine for anyone who likes to do do-it-yourself repair on household items and appliances. You would also use this machine if you were a hobbyist that welds for fun and makes things from metal. This extremely lightweight machine doesn’t have the highest power out there, but it’s very portable and produces a good weld for the price.

As far as price goes, it’s one of the most affordable options on the market. As such, you should not expect it to be effective for anything beyond household needs, but you can still depend on it for basic repairs and welds. 

Even though this will only weld flux core. It does it really well and for the price, you can't be beat. Which is why we and customers on amazon have given this welder 5 stars.

Core Features

  • Metal case
  • Includes 8’ MIG gun
  • Portable and lightweight only 19 lbs !!!

Key Specifications

  • Duty Cycle: 30% @ 90 A
  • Input Voltage: 120 V
  • Weld thickness: 24 ga. - 1/4 inch
  • Ground clamp: 8’
  • Torch length: 8’
  • Process type: Flux core only
  • Amperage: 15-30 A
  • Weight: 19 lbs
  • Warranty: 1-year warranty

Forney Easy Weld 261

Pros
  • Portable
  • Decent power output for the size and price
  • Great value
  • Easy settings
Cons
  • Slow wire feed rate


lincoln electric handy mIG

Lincoln Electric Handy Mig

The K2185-1 Handy MIG is a compact option that is lightweight and is very suitable for home repair, general low-power welding, and any hobby projects that you might be working on. This is in the middle of the price range for affordable MIG welders, and would be a good 1st or 2nd MIG welder for someone who is interested in MIG welding or mastering their craft. It can weld a variety of thickness of steel and metals and includes a fair bit of functionality for the price.

For more advanced features, it offers an adjustable wire feed, allowing you to work at your own pace easily. There’s some extras included like a spool of self-shielded flux-cored wire and a chipping hammer and brush and the ability to weld gasless. Lincoln electric offer a great warranty on their products, you can get more information from their website.

Core Features

  • Made in the United States
  • Compact and portable design
  • Comes in multi-packs
  • Good for household projects

Key Specifications

  • Duty Cycle: 20% @ 70 A
  • Input Voltage: 115 V
  • Weld Thickness: 24 ga. – 1/8 in
  • Ground/Torch Lead: 18’
  • Process type: MIG, Flux core
  • Amperage: 35 - 88 A
  • Weight: 26 lbs
  • Warranty: 1-year warranty

Lincoln Electric Handy MIG

Pros
  • Lightweightsurfaces
  • Affordable
  • Good for small jobs
Cons
  • Obvious power limitations
  • Only useful for thin metal


Conclusion

When it comes to affordable welders, you have a lot of options. While everyone loves affordable options, the reality is that you should really be looking for value. If you are able to find a machine that serves the purposes that you need it to serve, then you will have found good value. For some people, it is enough to have a small lightweight machine that does household and garage projects.

To help you find the best cheap MIG welders that provide a lot of value, we’ve compiled this list of welders that are affordable. To save you the time, money, and effort of having to try several options, we pooled our collective hours of research and years of experience to deliver you a list of options that will work well for you if you are looking for the best cheap MIG welders to use around the house or in your small shop.

Now that you know everything there is to know about these options on the market, you should be able to make an educated decision on your next cheap MIG welder and get a welder that provides a lot of value.

Ronald Wilson
 

I’m Ronald, Specialist engaged in the manufacture of fabricated metal products. I’ve been involved in the fabrication industry since 1998. To continue my love in welding and to share my experience I've formed a research team and have created this website for our valuable customers.

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