If you are looking for the best TIG welder, then this article is for you. It’s true that TIG or Tungsten Inert Gas welding is a special type of welding. This is because it enables enhanced control of the operation when compared to other welding types. Also, with TIG, both hobbyists and professionals can weld clearly. Therefore, no smoke nor spatter is created in the process. The only challenge is the fact that they should use their both hands while welding.
Another detail about this technique is the ability to weld different materials with varying thicknesses. This comes in very handy, especially if welding is something you do frequently. One of the common issues users face, though, is related to which TIG welder to get. The market is full of brands, offering affordable welders with useful features. Yet, some stand out before the rest.
We are here to show these to you. By presenting some details about them and showing you what to look for in the right welder, we hope we’ll help you with your decision. So, follow suit!
Best TIG Welder In The World – Reviews & Buying Guide
It’s a little hard to determine the top TIG welders out there. This is predominantly because what is helpful for some may not be helpful to others. Therefore, it’s important to find a middle ground and make compromises.
Luckily, there are certain companies that make an impact with the quality of their TIG welders. Some of them are Lincoln Electric, AHP Alpha, Everlast, and Hobart. They produce machines that are strong, durable, and incorporate many features. Firstly, they pay attention to weight. Many of their welders are made compact and portable. This way you can carry them everywhere. Seasonal workers will find great pleasure in this. Another thing is the IGBT technology. Most of the following welders have it. It’s connected to having power for a longer time. It’s accompanied by the amperage range, which is also very important.
Aside from this, the producers try to make their welders more versatile. What do we mean by this? Well, they try to make them adaptable to welding various types of materials. It’s true that one of the main materials that are supported is aluminum. But through a DC input, they try to enable steel and stainless steel, as well. And this is barely scratching the surface.
After thorough research, we gathered the best models we think will satisfy the needs of most customers. In the following sentences, we’ll dive deeper into their specifications, features, upsides, and downsides to give you the whole picture. Also, we’ll talk about what you should look for in a welder. For this purpose, there is a complete guide with all the details. If you’re ready, let’s go!
1. AHP AlphaTIG 200X
If you need to complete high-end tasks, this welder is for you. Unlike many others on the market, it can weld aluminum of ¼ inches together with mild steel of 3/8 inches. Thanks to its design, it can be utilized for a variety of jobs. Among them are TIG and stick welding. Not to mention that professionals and hobbyists can use it without any troubles. The fact that it offers a high performance both on 110 volts and 220 volts only contributes to this.
Moreover, this welder operates on IGBT technology. More precisely, this stands for an insulated-gate bipolar transistor. It’s basically a switch that electronically enables quick switching on and off and high welding efficiency. Therefore, the product has power for a longer time. This helps you weld longer.
For TIG welding and increased control, it features a foot pedal. This makes it easy to utilize the machine. In fact, many users state that this product is made to be user-friendly. And it’s simple to optimize. What’s more, it has a square wave inverter meant for welding aluminum, an option for pulse frequency as well as a flow meter regulator. In case, welders have trouble setting it up, there is a manual with clear guidelines.
However, you should know some downsides other users faced. One of the main ones is that your feet can slip on the foot pedal easily.
More specifications and features include:
- 3-year warranty
- Weight: 69 pounds
- Pulse frequency: 200 hertz
- AC frequency
- Pulse width modulation with inverter technology
- Balance: 30-70 percent 2T/4T
2. Lincoln TIG 225,208/230VAC
Many welders need a proper TIG welder for aluminum welding. It’s a common type of welding. And this product is great for this purpose. It’s a professional welder that offers a wide welding range. It provides from 5 to 230 amps range. When compared to the others in its class, this is really high.
Welders can choose to work either in AC or DC mode. And it provides a quick and stable start, which continues with efficient operation. When it comes to the duty cycle, at 90 amps, it has a great cycle of 100%. Another useful feature for welding aluminum is the auto-balance. It activates when you are in the AC mode. It’s responsible for optimizing and maintaining the penetration levels. And the pulse welding option accompanied by the polarity sector that goes three ways is easy to take advantage of.
For controlling how much heat enters the machine, there is a built-in TIG pulsar. Also, you’ll encounter a power cord together with a NEMA 6-50 plug. Lincoln Electric, the producer, provided all the necessary parts you need for welding in the box. So, welders get it with the complete gear. Additionally, some of them purchase a big Argon tank.
As a possible downside, we’ll mention the lack of enough penetration at times. Some users also complain that they had to spend more money on twist-mate cable and stick stinger. Apparently, they weren’t included in the package.
If you want to discover more features and specifications, here they are:
- Weight: 258 pounds
- Digital meter
- Input voltage: 208/230 VAC
- Phase: 1
- Supports stick welding, TIG and polarity
3. Everlast PowerARC 160STH
Everyone, regardless of their expertise and background, can use this welder. It’s so simple to work with that you can buy it and start welding at once. As a compact model, it unites many features. For starters, it allows welders to go from stick welding to TIG and vice versa.
Following the trends of the Everlast brand, its design is durable and high-quality. The company gives a 5-year warranty, too. So, this is proof of its long-lasting nature. And even though it’s relatively light to carry around, it is able to complete some demanding tasks. When the power is increased, it provides a higher percentage. Usually, it has a regular 35% at 160 amp.
With this welder you can do your work in various places. It’s portable, lightweight, and comes with a shoulder strap. Not to mention that it operates both on 120 and 220 volts. Therefore, you can turn it on everywhere with a power source. Connected to starting it, you can utilize either the foot pedal or a lift start. The latter simply includes taking the welder in your hands and lifting it away from where you’re welding.
If you are wondering about some downsides, users say that this product lacks an AC output. This means that you can weld just specific aluminum. Also, it’s not the most powerful one out there. Seasonal workers and professionals can find it hard to finish their jobs.
Some more specifications and features to consider are:
- Weight: 36.9 pounds
- Hot start
- Dual voltage: 110v/220v
- Inverter with IGBT technology
- DC output
4. Miller Syncrowave 250DX, 230/575VAC
This is a big and powerful machine that weighs 583 pounds. However, it’s worth the price when you look at all the features it incorporates. Firstly, it operates on squarewave technology. Miller Electric introduced it to improve TIG welding and make the process easier. It’s responsible for ensuring stability of the arcs while welding aluminum and eliminating erosion.
It’s accompanied by a syncro start. With it, users have the chance to pick between soft, standard, and hot start of the TIG welding. Also, its adaptive hot start offers nice strikes. It’s suitable for stick welding. To make sure the penetration is deep and the welding is smooth, the welder supports adjustments by the DIG control.
What’s really useful is its versatility. Moreover, this welder allows you to weld normal steel, stainless steel, and aluminum. That’s why it has an AC and DC output with balance control. Its industrial design is proven to be durable and compact. In fact, the producer gives a 3-year warranty to prove this.
Eventually, some possible cons are obviously the high price and big size. More precisely, here are some specifications:
- Phase: 1 input phase
- Input voltage ranges from 220v to 575v
- Weight: 583 pounds
- Duty cycle: 60%
- Height: 49 inches
- Width: 22-1/2 inches
- Depth: 25 inches
5. Everlast PowerTIG 250EX
The ability to be placed almost everywhere and used on different occasions makes this model very movable. That’s enabled thanks to its weight, too, as it’s pretty light.
When users experience the 5-amp start, they’ll see how suitable it is. And by that we mean both for AC as well as DC functions. The manufacturer made the start circuit better and high-frequency. Thus, maintaining it is much easier and less complex. That provides plenty of room for adjust ability and versatility.
Also, the brand’s efforts for less heat input are evident. Still, users get optimal performance without any burning or similar unwanted occurrences. Another plus is the completely digitalized display for modifying the amps.
Besides for TIG, this welder can be used for Stick welding, too. Its special control system aims to lessen the amount of spatter. At the same time, it aims towards the peak quality of the arcs. Control is heightened with the foot pedal as well as pre and post-flow system. Thanks to the latter, users get heightened security from gas.
A thing that can be improved, according to many reviewers, is working with thicker metals. As it is, this model may not be the perfect choice for that. Furthermore, the welding of steel on low amps may be a problem for some.
Let’s take a closer look at a couple of important specifications and aspects to consider:
- Amperage: from 5 to 250 amps
- Weight: 65 pounds
- Duty cycle: 60% at 250 amps
- Width: 9 inches
- Height: 24 inches
- Length: 17 inches
- Input of volts: 240V
- Color: green
- Warranty: 5 years
6. Hobart 500551 EZ-TIG 165i
This is definitely one of the easiest TIG welders to operate on the market. It has an AC/DC input for multiple welding tasks. Furthermore, you can weld aluminum, stainless steel, steel, and chromoly without any issues. And the knob control contributes to its quick performance. Basically, all users should do to start welding is connect it to a power source, pick a material, and set the thickness range. This is due to the simple user-friendly interface.
More precisely, it requires the power of 230 VAC. As for its welding performance, it ranges from 22 gauge to 3/16 inches. The infinite control of amperage allows a wider range of operations. Also, it incorporates foot control. To reduce the debris and dust in the machine, there is a fan-on-demand. It’s called this because it turns on when it’s required and not all the time.
What really stands out is its portability and light weight. It weighs only 50 pounds. Because of this you can carry it with you everywhere. Not to forget, you shouldn’t worry about overheating. This model has an automatic shutdown in case of high temperature.
Aside from this, users reported some troubles with penetration in aluminum, especially if the material is thicker.
Here are some more specifications and details:
- 5/3/1 warranty
- Mode: AC/DC
- Gas regulator
- Foot control
- Weight: 50 pounds
- Duty cycle: 20%
- Amperage range: 10-165 amps
- Input voltage: 230 volts
- Material thickness: maximum 3/16 inches
7. Longevity Tigweld 200D
When producing this welder, Longevity thought of both hobbyists and professionals. Therefore, it incorporated some features that benefit everyone. This model is versatile and easy to be set for various welding tasks. This includes aluminum welding.
Thanks to the adapter plug, the one that’s doing the welding can simply go from 220 volts to 110 volts and vice versa. Moreover, the machine can generate as much as 200 amps on DC and AC TIG welding and 195 amps on stick welding. Even though this is a smaller unit that’s lightweight, it has high efficiency. The IGBT inverter technology makes this happen.
Also, there is a high-frequency start with a foot pedal for increased control and enhanced performance. Related to this, details like pre-flow, post flow, and cleanse option are included. The great control and settings keep the machine safe from possible faults.
If you’re interested in industrial applications, the unit covers them nicely. It has a duty cycle of 60%, which is sufficient. And it makes it last longer so the welders can perform more demanding jobs. What’s more, the moment the limit of the cycle is reached, the high temperature protection is activated. It turns off the device so that it can be cooled down.
A slight issue for some reviewers was that their models didn’t come with a regulator. Anyway, the following are a few specifications to consider:
- Duty cycle: 60% at 200 amps
- High-frequency start
- Weight: 66 pounds
- Voltage input: 110/220V
- Dimensions: 15 x 7 x 13 inches
- Color: black
8. Forney 324
Even by the name, any user can deduct that this machine is pretty versatile. That’s because it’s meant for numerous welding procedures. Apart from TIG welding, it can be used for MIG as well as Stick welding.
Having said that, the overall design is pretty sleek and attractive. The cast is purely metal or aluminum, to be exact. Due to that, it represents one of the most durable and long-lasting welders on the market.
And it’s very user-friendly. Further proving that, the switch for changing has just 3 positions. Users also get digital readouts, which is a rare feature to find in typical welders. They can check multiple parameters in the chart for settings, too. The power settings are easily adjusted to fit your current needs. Other functions like the amperage and such can be additionally tweaked. What’s more, the smart capabilities are a plus. Thanks to it, users can monitor their data and inputs, reduce splattering, and enhancing the quality performance.
The welder is lightweight which makes it compact and moveable. It’s another reason why people can use it for a plethora of versatile welding tasks both indoors and outdoors.
In a few reviews, some of the users said they don’t like that the power can be lost when the options are set on the high mode.
Next, we’ll observe some of the most notable specifications and features of this Forney model:
- Dimensions: 20.2 x 10.2 x 16 inches
- Thickness range: maximum of 3/16 inches
- Gas hose and regulator included
- Weight: 50 pounds
- Long torch as well as gun
- Voltage: 115V or 220V
- Supports both synergic and standard MIG
9. Miller Electric Diversion 180 120-240VAC
Professionals as well as amateurs will have a pleasant experience with this welder. First of all, it’s very easy to use. The design, itself, shows the user what to do and which actions to take next. It should be switched on at the beginning. After that, the specifications of the particular material are adjusted. And the welder is fully operational.
The features that are mostly used are there for an effective welding job performance. That makes it increasingly versatile. So, it can be used for anything from construction and manufacturing to aerospace, shipbuilding and everything in between.
The machine supports both AC and DC power sources. And it’s a great plus that no distinct adaptors are needed for that. The input voltage is 120-240V.
Portability is another strong asset. The design is sleek and movable due to the firm handles placed on the side. The overall weight as well as the size help in this direction, too. It weighs no more than fifty pounds. So, users can operate with it at home, in their workshop as well as outside or in the street.
As a drawback, a few customers complain about the pretty loud fans.
Among other notable specifications and aspects, users can find:
- Duty cycle: 35%
- Weight: 50 pounds
- Based on an inverter
- Power source: AC/DC
- User-friendly design and interface
- Dual frequency: 50/60 Hz
- Foot control
- Fan-On-Demand function
10. Lotos TIG200
For beginners who want a taste of quality and a good price for value ratio, Lotos’s TIG welder surely delivers great results. As we mentioned, it’s quite affordable. At the same time, that doesn’t stop it from offering a plethora of options. However, it’s a bit basic. And the fact that it doesn’t have a pencil torch may be a slight minus for some.
These options may be enough even more experienced welders. Logically, it’s a great find for enthusiasts who work on lighter projects or at home. Also, it’s a fine machine for first-time welders.
The square-wave inverter takes care of consistent performance. The welder works with all of the metals out there. Moreover, it has a dual voltage and frequency system, running on AC/DC. The start is a high-frequency one. There is also a foot pedal for monitoring the heat. It should be stated that the duty cycle is pretty impressive. Especially, that’s the case with tasks that require lower amperage. That means that the job is done swifter and more efficient.
Some reviewers mention that accumulating dust may intervene in the overall performance. Another con that frequently comes up is the elementary features. But after all, it’s super useful for hobbyists and those without much experience.
The following are some of the highlight features and specifications of the model:
- Weight: 58 pounds
- Material: aluminum
- Power source: AC/DC
- Foot pedal
- Warranty: 1 year
- Voltage: dual (110/220V)
- Dual frequency: 50/60 Hz
- Welding types: TIG and Stick
- Welding capacity: 3/8 inches
- Power efficiency: 80 percent
Buying Guide
Duty Cycle
The duty cycle is one of the top three factors to consider when buying a TIG welder. And this term is quite specific for welders of this type. But no worries as we’ll explain it for all those who haven’t heard of it. In fact, duty cycle refers to the period of continuous welding in ten minutes. Most commonly, it means how many minutes out of ten minutes can the welder work without heating up and breaking down. It’s only natural that after those minutes elapse, the welder should cool off.
You’ll find that it’s measured in percent. So, for example, if it’s ten percent, then the welder will approximately have a peak performance of just one minute. Then it should cool down to start working with it again.
To illustrate, the TIG welders that are meant for light usage and for enthusiasts often have three types of duty cycles. They range from a low cycle of around twenty percent to medium and end with a high cycle. The high cycle is no more than eighty percent.
The trick is that you have to do all the calculations by yourself in your head based on the amps as well as the given percentage. But it’s worth to mention that brans and researches are changing this formula to suit the customers’ needs.
Price
As with most products, the price of TIG welders varies from one brand to the next. It largely depends on the whole equipment, what type of work it’s meant for, the manufacturer, and other factors. It’s safe to say that the price range can be from a couple of thousand dollars or below to tens of thousands. Naturally, anything north of a thousand is made for professionals in the field and industries. On the other hand, welders below this mark can be easily used by enthusiasts as well as beginners.
Cooling
Usually, you’ll find two types of cooling systems when it comes to TIG welders. One is air-cooled welders whereas the other one is water-cooled models. For simple and mundane welding jobs, the air-cooled one can perform just fine. Welders don’t often experience issues.
However, in some situations, it would be a lot easier if you have a water-cooled model. For one, the heat is much more bearable and it isn’t as extreme. Plus, these models can be used for working in hard-to-reach spots. That’s enabled thanks to the littler head that the welders with a water cooling system have.
Movability
This factor should bother the ones who work outside or with a power source that can be moved. On the contrary, if you want your welder static and in one place, this doesn’t play a big difference.
Smaller models weigh no more than fifty pounds. You’ll definitely find some that weigh even less than that. These welders are very good for transportation. They’re also capable of performing a huge variety of tasks. Even the smaller jobs that don’t essentially need long duty cycles don’t present a challenge. Just for comparison, the weight of the bigger welders can go to a hundred pounds.
For example, there are some instances like construction, welding a sign on a street or a pipeline. In these situations, it’s wise to get yourself either inverters or TIG welders that run thanks to an engine.
As the name points out, welders that work with an engine don’t require a power source to do a particular job. The other options – the inventers – actually convert the power supply. It’s worth noting that their weight is around ten pounds.
Easy-to-Use Controls
If the controls aren’t easy-to-use and simple, individuals may hit them and ruin everything. That’s why it’s advisable to check and double-check if they’re easily put back into position. You’ll see that how they react is up to your personal taste and not a must-have capability for all. Although this is a minor factor, for some it can mean a lot. They didn’t say in vain that the devil is in the small things.
Additional Options
If you want to be properly equipped for any kind of welding task, don’t hesitate to look for some extra features. For instance, stick and plasma cutting options. Cutting the metal will be done much quicker. Plus, the range and diversity of the project will increase.
In Conclusion
When users purchase a TIG welder, they usually listen to their needs and budget. However, sometimes the price doesn’t mean too much. A more expensive welder can have less features you require. On the other hand, the cheaper ones can have those. So, you should always go for the right one for you and your work. To determine this, you should first understand for what exactly you need the welder. Not all tasks and job can be completed with a certain welder. To assist you in your decision, in the previous text we elaborated the top models of TIG welders. Also, we presented a detailed guide with the key features to consider before you decide which welder to buy.
In general, what users look for is portability, compactness, efficiency, wide power range as well as user-friendly interface. The easier it is for them to set up the welder and start welding, the more inclined they are to buy it. If you’re one of them, consider getting a welder that’s simple to configure. Moreover, don’t settle for a small power range. This has proven to bother customers. It’s because it limits the places where they can turn the machine on.
At the end of the day, your opinion is the one that matters now. We hope we contributed to it with this guide. Good luck and tell us which TIG welder you chose!