Best Stick Welders For Money Of 2024

by Peter | Last Updated: April 5, 2020

Do you want to finish your next DIY projects where metals are the main props? Or you want to repair the metal gate of your backyard on your own??

Well, no matter what’s your plan! But, if the metal is there as the main prop? Then, your job won’t get accomplished without one of the crucial tool known among DIYers. Yeah, you’ll need one of the best stick welders to help you out in your next plan.

But, to choose one of the best stick welders for money; you need to do ample of research as there are very less chance of you being familiar with all the plus and minus of this tool.

In Hurry? Checkout Our Top Pick Of Best Stick Welders.

Our Top Pick

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9.7/10 our score

Check Price At Amazon

Well, to reduce your headache; our team of experts have curated some of the top-rated and budget-friendly stick welders (AKA arc welders) for you.
Moreover, we’ve crafted an in-depth and detailed buyers guide to help you understand what you should look for before buying one of the best arc welders for your home use.

So, let’s start with our detailed reviews first and then we’ll present you with our buying guide for stick welders at the end of this article.
For now, you should take a quick look at this table to have a general overview of our product selection. Yeah, only promising tools got a chance to secure a place in our list, have a look.

Best Stick Welders For The Money

Rank	Product Name	Score
1	SUNGOLDPOWER ARC MMA 200A Welder DC Inverter Welder Check Price at Amazon	9. 7 Check Price
2	Everlast PowerARC 140 STi TIC/Stick Welder Check Price at Amazon	9. 5 Check Price
3	Zeny 160A AC DC Stick Welding Machine Check Price at Amazon	9. 1 Check Price
4	Forney Easy Weld 298 Arc Stick Welder Check Price at Amazon	8. 8 Check Price
5	Amico ARC-160D AC DC Inverter Stick Welder Check Price at Amazon	8. 6 Check Price
6	S7 200A Arc Welder Machine Check Price at Amazon	8. 2 Check Price
7	LINCOLN ELECTRIC CO K1170 Arc Welder Check Price at Amazon	8. 0 Check Price
8	WeldPro Digital 200GD Stick welder Check Price at Amazon	7 .7 Check Price
9	Hobart 500570 Stick Mate Stick Welder Check Price at Amazon	7. 4 Check Price

1. SUNGOLDPOWER ARC MMA 200A Welder DC Inverter Welder

Our Top Pick

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9.7/10 our score

Check Price At Amazon

Features

• Duty cycle of 60% which is fabulous for all level of professionals.
• Advanced IGBT tech for reducing recurring cost on power consumption.
• Smart and advanced control module for easy functioning.

One of the best stick welders is from a well-known brand Sungoldpower. 

Yeah, it’s the brand which is delivering highly durable and versatile products to mechanics and professionals since decades and that too at affordable pricing.

Well, the most pleasing thing about this DC stick welder is it’s a full bridge welding capabilities. Yeah, majority of welders on the market are half-bridge welders, and that impacts negatively on longevity and lifespan of this tremendous welding tool. Also, it features an advanced control module for improving performance and to suffice all your needs concerning welding.

Moreover, Sungoldpower MMA 200A welder is backed by IGBT technology, which provides higher inverter efficiency and helps in saving more than 85% electricity compared to other cheap welders. Also, it’s compact in sizing and still produces a smooth arc by pulling less electricity for operational functioning. 

According to our experts and majority of professionals, IGBT is one of the modern era techs that’s enough to help a tool secure a place in the list of some of the best inverter stick welders of the market. From requirement point of view, it welds tremendously smooth arc on a voltage range of 110V to 220V. Apart from that, it could weld a variety of metals, including low to medium carbon steel, alloy, and stainless steel.

From the safety aspect, it comes with all-around protection from over & under voltage, as well as over-current and overloading protection. Also, auto hot start and anti-stick technology help a lot when it comes to producing an adjustable arc for your welding needs.

Now, if we talk about in the box elements, then Sungoldpower Arc MMA 200A comes with the central unit, cable connectors, User manual, AC cable wire, 2-inch ground clamp, 8” electrode holder, a cable and an inner hexagon spanner. 

Yeah, it’s more than enough to suffice your needs and also shows brand’s sense of responsibility to provide their customers with everything that they expect from one of the best stick welders on the market.

To conclude, at a fair price which is comparatively very less than others, Sungoldpower delivers one of the top-rated AC DC inverter stick welders to their users. So, if that makes sense to you, then you could check its price and make your move accordingly.

2. Everlast PowerARC 140 STi TIC/Stick Welder

Value For Money Stick Welder For Beginners.

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9.5/10 our score

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Features

• Variable power input range between 120V to 240V.
• Not so impressive but ideal output range of DC 10A to 140A.
• IGBT tech to save some cost on power consumption.
• Automatic arc force controlling for smooth and well precise arc control.
• Auto heat start for creating stickless initial weld poodle with less spatter.

Ready for a bit pricey but everlasting and most reliable product in our curated list of best stick welders? Yeah, it’s one from the Everlast; which is known for the manufacturing of everlasting products for its customers.

Yeah, Everlast PowerARC is priced a bit higher compared to other models in our selected list. However, it’s well capable of delivering everything that you ideally expect from a welding machine. Well, more than enough power output is impressive enough to ensure that it could do any welding job you throw at it.

PowerARC 140 STi TIG/Stick welder is compatible for variable power option, and it’s operable within multiple power input options between 120V to 240V. Moreover, it’s a TIG capable welder machine that gives you safes, quicker and cleaner start every time. Yeah, every time.

Also, with an automatic hot start, it reduces the chances of even occasional sticking of the rod when you begin with your welding tasks. To add on to that, it also offers automatic arc force control which adjusts to arc length along with your ongoing welding task. 

Moreover, the mechanism of arc controlling along with power pulling and current-voltage balancing is unbeatable in Everlast PowerARC, to be honest. Yeah, it’s more of a scientifically designed unit by a very well qualified team of experts. Also, with an impressive duty cycle of 35%, it gives an exact and cost-effective performance to its users.

And yeah, if you’re thinking about its compatibility and compactness, then it weighs around 25lbs and requires very less storage space. Moreover, at given weight range, its portability ratings fulfil your needs.

Also, beneficial and user-centric accessories kit is provided along with this welding unit and in the box itself. So yeah, you’re not supposed to worry even a bit about anything for separate purchase.  All in all, it’s one of the best portable stick welders to start with if you have a bit open budget to invest in a worthwhile option.

3. Zeny 160A AC DC Stick Welding Machine

Best Stick Welder For Home Use

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9.1/10 our score

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Features

• Portable design making it one of the best portable arc welder for beginners and have best performance in this price segment.
• PWM Control system with IGBT power saving inverter tech helps in saving around 85% of power cost.
• 3-level protection with ETL certified unit and protection grade of IP21s
• Best rated heat dissipation system with supporting fan in its place.
• Produces robust thrust and deeply melted poodle with less splatter on board.

Well, up next in our list is one of the best budget stick welders on the market and from a well-known brand named Zeny.

Yeah, the brand Zeny is providing professional tools to users since decades and never fails at delivering pleasing performance at an affordable price range. Now, if we talk about this particular unit then with the exquisite look and smart design, this stick welder could deliver your expected performance with ease.

Moreover, it’s an AC DC arc welding machine that is backed by a step-down transformer which helps in delivering proper voltage and current. With a comfortable carrying handle, compact design and low weight, it will become the best portable arc welder in your tool rucksack.

Now, talking about technical requirements and ability; this one of the best AC DC stick welders requires 115-230V of input voltage at a frequency of 60Hz. Moreover, it provides output in the range of 20-160 amperage. Also, it’s an ETL certified unit and safe to utilize for your day to day welding needs regardless of your level of expertise in welding jobs.

Above all, a reduced duty cycle of 60% helps it in producing smooth arc, but for some users, we got issues of welds running colder even at its best settings. So that might be a downfall for you to cop up. If we talk about welds, then it could weld many materials including mild to stainless steel, alloys and other weld specific metal materials.

With an advanced IGBT technology, it could save around 85% of electricity while doing your welding job which is quite impressive and helps it in standing a chance to get listed among other best-rated inverter stick welders on the market. Moreover, it comes with 3 level damage protection from overload, overcurrent and overvoltage that gives you an all-around safe usage experience in many expert’s opinions.

Warranty terms are easy to understand though user manual isn’t so helpful and we recommend you to refer to some other sources for more information before making use of it.

4. Forney Easy Weld 298 Arc Stick Welder

Best Arc Welder For Home Use

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8.8/10 our score

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Features

• Inverter power system
• 120 volt input and 90 amp output
• Handles up to 1/8 inch rod
• Medium Duty Electrode Holder

Out of more than 30 stick welders that we checked, we liked Forney easy weld 298 for a few reasons. Yeah, there are many available on the market as we stated earlier but providing value for money to the users is one of the primary concern we kept in mind while selecting our editor’s choice.

Well, Forney Easy Weld 298 Arc Welder not just does its job precisely but it’s also available on the market at a fair price compared to other pricey models. Yeah, if you’re looking for something that could assist you in your household fixing and odd jobs with very little money to spend upfront, then this is one of the best budget stick welder made for you.

Forney Easy Weld 298 Arc welder provides high-quality welds at high temperature. Moreover, it’s completely portable and comes with an intuitive design that pleases you all the time.

If we talk about its portability then Forney 298 Arc Welder features a form factor of 12” X 10.5” X 5.5” and weighs around 9.6 lbs. Yeah, it weighs less than any routine vacuum cleaner you use every day in your home. Pretty compact and lightweight! Isn’t it?

For beginners, it’s one of the most recommended machines from professionals due to its ability to provide breezing welds to its users and lower pricing. Also, Forney the brand provides easy to digest manual, which is a remarkable job in our honest opinion. Yeah, it’s not like other manuals; as everything is being mentioned in it and you could learn to weld even if you’ve never tried it. Forney would do its job remarkably well but within light sections. Yeah, don’t expect it to be an advance level welder that could weld with lower temperature too.

Well, as stated it’s an entry-level welder, so it works well with higher temperature range, but with lower temperature range its performance drops off to an unexpected level. Moreover, you’ll get extra electrodes and ground clamps within the box which are high in quality and suffice the purpose.

So, all in all, for a small or light gauge welding Forney Easy Weld 298 is one of the best arc welders for home use. But, for large or heavy gauge welding we recommend you to take a look at our other selections.

5. Amico ARC-160D AC DC Inverter Stick Welder

Best Budget Inverter Stick Welder For Beginners

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8.6/10 our score

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Features

• Very nice weld pool with beautiful welding shape and precision arc.
• Combination of variety of technology on the board for safer and cost savvy user experience.
• Input voltage range between 115V to 230V making it usable across various place and not limited to only job sites having higher input range available.
• Power saving performance saving up to 90% cost on power consumption by Amico.

If you’re on a hunt for one of the best low budget 110V stick welders on the market, then Amico provides you with an unbeatable unit at the very affordable price range.

Featuring a dual voltage input function Amico ARC-160D becomes a versatile yet quality product among lobby of DIYers and professionals. Also, a sturdy and robust enough body build-up of Amico ARC-160D is just worth each penny you spend on it. Yeah, enough of protection from unexpected damps and fall offs are provided on the board, and it could stand high in front of toughest situations it comes across on Jobsite.

Amico ARC-160D is backed with IGBT inverter technology for reducing power consumption and also features a reduced duty cycle of up to 60% which makes it one of the best inverters stick welders for beginners as well as for professionals. Important to mention, its IGBT technology in combination with other scientific part placement it saves near to 90% of the cost of electricity. Quite Impressive! Isn’t it?

With top-notch technology in its place, Amico ARC-160D AC DC inverter stick welder offers you Stable weld arc with beautiful welding shape. Also, deep weld pool produced by this unit is something that’s not even replicable by some of the pricey models on the market.

This unit by Amico also comes with 3 level protection and is also certified by various certification authorities for electronic items. Now, if we talk about welding capabilities and compatibilities, then it could weld with different sort of acids as well as with primary electrodes that we find in routine welding jobs.

6. S7 200A Arc Welder Machine

Best Portable Stick Welders

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8.2/10 our score

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Features

• Lightweight and decent portability helping it securing place for one of the best ac dc portable stick welders.
• Reduced duty cycle of 80% provides more welding performance at lower power requirements.
• Pleasing and mind blowing amperage range starting from 20A up to 200A which is best for the price and makes it value for the money unit.

If Forney Easyweld isn’t your cup of tea just due to budget range, then don’t panic. Yeah, we have an excellent alternative for the same. Well, S7 provides a fabulous unit at even lesser pricing compared to Forney comfortable weld. Moreover, it also has some better features and capabilities if you compare it with Forney Easyweld. 

Let’s take a bit deeper look at S7 200A arc welder. You are packed with IGBT inverter device and unique yet very user-friendly control unit this one of the best 110V stick welders could do all your welding work with a minimal level of precision.

It’s an AC-DC welding unit requiring input voltage of 110-220V and more or less 15%. Moreover, for better performance we recommend you to operate it on input power capability of 5.8KW. Also, weighing just 12 pounds, this machine becomes one of the lightest and most portable arc welding machine for any novice level person.

From a technical and power-saving point of view, it comes with a reduced duty cycle of upto 80% and produces nice puddle and smooth arc for your welding purposes. With protection grade of IP21S and some of the most needed safety features like overheating protection, overload protection, over-voltage and over-current protection this unit becomes one of the best stick welders for the money in our opinion.

Also, the manufacturer provides three years of warranty terms; though very few people needed to generate a ticket for the same as a unit is quite reliable and durable, and there are very less chance of any issues.

However, we observed one downside as well that the user manual is provided along with this unit isn’t so impressive and lacks some of the essential information. So, you might require to take reference to some video tutorials on youtube if it’s going to be your first welding machine.

Also, as pricing isn’t so high, you should understand that this unit isn’t and advanced level professional welding machine. But yeah, still you could count on it as one of the best stick welder for beginners at this pricing and this level of precision in its arc production.

7. LINCOLN ELECTRIC CO K1170 Arc Welder

Best Arc Welder For Money

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8/10 our score

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Features

• Being a 60Hz Welder which is USA based AC frequency, its duty cycle is set to 20%.
• Less to none overheating risk associated due to scientific cycle period.
• Multiple amperage selector on board to operate within required range.
• Smooth and astonishing arc as a final output with this entry level portable stick welders.

Yeah, seventh on the list is from a well-known brand among DIYers and professional welders. It’s from Lincoln Electric. Before we begin with a further demonstration of this product, we’d like to mention that K1170 is one of the best AC stick welders in its class of home usable welding machines.

Lincoln Electric Co K1170 is built professionally and caters to a compact sizing, yet it provides very smooth and breezing AC arc. You want to weld steel, alloy, or any metal of your desire? Well, it can do your job very precisely.

Moreover, with provided and built-in power cable and additional tools along with an easy to understand user manual, it becomes straightforward to install the device for even novice welders. Also, operating off the AC arc welder is very convenient and provides the utmost comfort to its users. 

Above all, if we talk from the technical aspect, then Lincoln K1170 comes with a range of 40-225 amperage, and with AMP selector switch, it becomes astonishingly easy to set it on desired amperage range. Well, this feature allows it to produce a smooth and consistent arc every time.

As stated, it’s compatible with almost all kind of metallic materials, which is weldable by mild & stainless still, low hydrogen, and hard-facing electrodes. And yeah, for all wires of 5/32 inches, it can be welded using stick welders while for 3/16 mild steel, you could achieve smooth arc with 225 amp AC output. To add on that, you could weld any material of 16 gauge or more substantial than that using this Lincoln K1170 Arc welder.

Moreover, pricing of this one of the best portable stick welder is set very optimally, and it’s affordable for even an entry-level welder or DIYer. Also, it comes with three years part and labor warranty to let you experience it to its fullest.

8. WeldPro Digital 200GD Stick welder

Best AC DC Stick Welder For Welding Enthusiasts.

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7.7/10 our score

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Features

• Backed with digital microprocessor to ensure utmost precision and perfection in welding output.
• Easy start and stop feature with combination of multiple premium functions on board.
• VRD function for shock electrocution risk elimination.
• Recommended for thicker materials in variety of welding conditions.
• Best combination of latest technology on the board making it one of the best stick welder for all level welding professionals.

If you’re searching for a stick welder that could provide dense performance in its work and ready to invest on a bit higher-end, then we have this fantastic machine included in our list of best ac dc stick welders. Yeah, it’s from Weldpro, and the model we’re currently reviewing is Weldpro Digital 200GD AC DC Stick welder.

First of all, it’s an inverter stick welding machine that makes use of the IGBT circuit and provides cutting edge inverter performance that could save you a lot of money on power requirements. Moreover, it’s not just IGBT that’s present onboard, but it’s in combination with PWM tech, which further improvises the performance. As stated, it’s AC DC welder and does its job impressively as one of the best ac dc stick welders by providing you the convenience of switching between power options.

Weldpro Digital 200GD provides with best-rated performance, square surge output, an excellent range of reasonable control for alloy cleaning tasks, and resilient and precise arc force controlling. Well, these are advanced features and functions that are not available in our previously reviewed machines. So yeah, for better functionality and to leverage the power of modern era tech, you need to invest a bit higher.

Moreover, this unit by Weldpro features 2T-4T technology for easy and quick start functioning. Though foot pedal is not available in this unit, and according to our experts, it’s pretty old fashioned features that are also vulnerable from safety’s point of view.

Also, if you’re dealing with thicker materials, then this unit is a perfect choice for you as it could penetrate to a deeper level and could help you in providing the utmost perfection with a 10Hz AC pulse. Moreover, safety’s point of view, this stick welding unit by WeldPro, is backed by advanced VRD function that ensures the utmost protection.

Also, unlike other units in our list, it’s a bit heavy so portability could be a bit trickier if you’re looking for easy to maneuver machine for your day to day welding jobs.

From a technical aspect, it requires input voltage in the range of 110V-220V and provides output up to 200A. Moreover, the duty cycle is reduced to 40% at full ampere range. Additionally, upslope, downslope, start and end amps, pulse balancing, and AC balancing are some of the premium features that could be available in only comparatively more pricey options than this. Though, you get all of it in this unit, which is quite impressive, in our opinion.

9. Hobart 500570 Stick Mate Stick Welder

Best Stick Welder For Money

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7.4/10 our score

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Features

• Impressive performance at given price range segment.
• Could weld variety of materials with utmost perfection in smoothing and very good poodle.
• All required accessories are provided in the box.
• Infinite amperage controlling mechanism for precise amperage control with improvised heat dissipation and adjustable output.

Up next in our list of best stick welder is from a well-known and highly authentic brand Hobart. Yeah, they’re known for the quality they deliver with their products. Moreover, it’s quietly understandable that they’re providing five years warranty for their products, which demonstrates the manufacturer’s confidence in their quality.

Well, if we look at the Hobart stick mate 500570 models, then it too shows its durability and strengths for sure. Also, if you think that it’s not rated according to our words, then there’s a definite reason behind it. Yeah, it’s due to its pricing. Well yeah, it’s priced a bit higher compared to other welders we selected in our list of best stick welders.

But yeah, you should be assured about its weld quality too. As it’s offered at comparatively higher pricing, its level of precision and perfection in its arc can be experienced without any doubt. Moreover, it showcases a very compact design along with meager weight. For a few people, Hobart Stickmate might not be the right choice as it comes with a single level input requirement of 220/240V. Yeah, having multiple input range helps for the versatility of a product, but it just lacks that.

Moreover, it’s an AC DC welder that transforms output to DC and produces very smooth and to the marked arc with a minimal level of spatter. You could say, there’s no splash with best arc control in this best arc welder on the market.

From a technical point of view, Hobart Stickmate 500570 provides a current output range of up to 160 Amperage, which might not be as impressive at this price range as many low budget arc welders are providing range up to 200 or even 220 amperages. But, yeah, for quality of precision in its job, you could bet on it and can experience the best level of performance with this best ac dc stick welder by Hobart.

Frequently Asked Questions :- Best Stick Welders Reviews for 2020

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