Top 6 Best 110V MIG Welder: Reviews, Side by Side Comparison & Comprehensive Buyer’s Guide

No wild guess! You might be a learner or enthusiast looking for a MIG welder on a budget or a skilled professional wishing to add a new unit to the existing collection of welding appliances in your workshop. In fact, these are the circumstances a 110V welder has a great appeal.

In this article, I’ll talk about 110V MIG welders at length and bring the truth about six different products, so you can figure out the best 110V MIG welder for your job.

First up, I’ll provide you the key information and then my original review of each product. Finally, I’ll help you to learn the fundamentals of choosing the right MIG welder.

Best 110V MIG Welders: 6 Models Compared

This section presents a large table with specific data to show why I’ve ranked the MIG welders in such a way. You can use it as a quick guide.

Features and Specs	Hobart 140	Lincoln K2185-1	LOTOS MIG140	Forney 261	Super Deal MIG 130	Hobart 210 MVP
Input Voltage	115 V	115 V	110 V to 115 V	120 V	110 V	115 V, 230 V
Output Range (Rated)	90 A, 18.5 V @ 20%	70 A, 17 V @ 20%	90 A, 18 V @ 20%	90 A @ 30%	105 A @ 10%, 60 A @ 35%	90 A, 19 V @ 20%; 150 A, 23 V @ 30%
Amps @ Rated Output	20	20	20	20	20	20 (115 V), 24 (230 V)
Current Output Range	25 A to 140 A	35 A to 88 A	140 A	140 A	50 A to 120 A	25 A to 140 A, 25 A to 210 A
OCV	28 (115 V)	29	N/A	N/A	37	28 (115 V), 34 (230 V)
WFS	40 to 700 ipm, 50 to 740 ipm	0 to 300 ipm	N/A	N/A	N/A	40 to 680 ipm, 60 to 770 ipm
Weight & Dimensions	57 lbs./ 26 kilograms, 315 X 270 X 495 mm	46.9 lbs./ 20.9 kilograms, 325 X 224 X 457 mm	54 lbs./ 24.5 kilograms, 367 X 244 X 408 mm	19 lbs./ 8.6 kilograms, 305 X 206 X 425 mm	34.39 lbs./ 15.6 kilograms, 290 X 180 X 339 mm	79 lbs./35.8 kilograms, 315 X 270 X 495 mm
Warranty	5 Years	1 Year	1 Year	1 Year	1 Year	5 Years

Top 6 Best 110V MIG Welders Reviewed

1. Hobart Handler 140 – Best Overall 110 Volt MIG Welder

This Hobart Handler 140 is as good as any mig welder in terms of CSA compliance. The number of included accessories and the weight being 26-kg or 57-lbs. don’t make the model any different from the others reviewed in the following sections. Then, why do I consider it as the best 110V MIG welder of all the more affordable options?

Build, Ease of Use, and Safety

I’ll start with the wire drive. It uses aluminum alloy (industrial) cast that makes the drive system electrically and thermally conductive and resistant to corrosion.

The drive roll has three groves arranged inside it to accept solid wires and flux core wire. The Quick Select feature allows you to choose the grooves fast.

Five settings are available for output voltage control. You can fine-tune the arc as required without losing stability while handling metals of different thicknesses.

You can switch between two polarity settings such as DCEP and DCEN with the former for solid wire and the latter for flux-cored wire/gasless MIG welding.

The sloped control panel won’t give you a hard time as you need to access its interface and set the parameters for your job. A built-in relay and self-resetting mechanism handle the thermal overload management. There is a solenoid valve inside the gas regulator to distribute shielding gases as needed.

Power and Performance

If your home circuitry is 115/120 V, 20 A, which is common, you have no worries. Its current output is available from 25 amps and goes up to 140 amps with the maximum OCV being 28 V.

The duty cycle has been rated to be 20% at 90 A, 18.5 V. You can maximize the duty cycle up to 100%, but the output current should be 40 Amps. Don’t try and switch the operating voltage after starting to weld.

Material Thickness and Wire Size

Needless to say, I found this model to be the most efficient of all others here when it comes to welding with a variety of metals and thickness ranges.

Metal	Wire Type	Wire Diameter	Gas	Weld Thickness
Mild Steel	Solid	.024″, .030″, .035″	75% + 25% (Argon + CO2)	24 Gauge to 1/4″
	Solid	.024″, .030″, .035″	100% (CO2)	24 Gauge to 1/4″
	Flux Core	.030″, .035″	Not Required	18 Gauge to 1/4″
Stainless Steel	Steel	.024″, .030″	90% + 7.5% + 2.5% (Helium + Argon + CO2)	18, 16, and 10 Gauge
		.024″, .030″	98% + 2% (Argon + CO2)
Aluminum	4043 Aluminum	.030″	100% (Argon)	16 and 12 Gauge
	5356 Aluminum

Applications and Warranty

This welder is ideal for any fabrication, farm, household, or repair project that requires light-duty performance. With the right skill set, you can work on metal art or sculptures too.

One of the best things about Hobart is its warranty, 5 and 3 years with conditions. 3-year coverage is applicable to the controls, drive systems, and switches. You’ll get one year for components like MIG guns, spool guns, and the Flowgauge regulators.

Additional Read:

• Hobart Handler 140 Vs Lincoln 140
• Hobart Handler 140 Review

2. Lincoln Electric K2185-1 Handy MIG Welder [Best Value for Money]

With the package opened, you’ll see all the essential tools and accessories for MIG welding such as the cable assembly, welding gun, work clamp, work cable, gas regulator, nozzle, hose, solid and flux core wires, and contact tips. Included in it are a hand shield with lens and filter plate, brush, or chipping hammer.

Build, Ease of Use, and Safety

A simple 115 V, 20 A power outlet is all you need to get started with this welding machine. It is compact but not necessarily the best one in terms of portability. I’ve seen lighter units.

If precise control means something to you, you’ll surely love to use the four different voltage settings. Adding to your convenience, the continuous and adjustable wire feed speed makes the welding job easier.

The cold contactor works as a safety component to keep the welding wire cold (electrically) until you press the gun trigger. There is a cooling fan to help enhance the machine’s life expectancy.

Power and Performance

The unit requires 115/1/60 in input power and the output is 70 A/ 17 V/ 20% which includes rated output current, voltage, and duty cycle respectively. You can easily weld from 35 Amps to 88 Amps. The maximum open circuit voltage is 29 V.

I won’t say this is too much, but the Handy MIG is still ready to handle up to 300 inches per minute which, I think, is not bad at all, given the price and compactness of the unit.

Material Thickness and Wire Size

Mild steel is the most suitable metal to use with this MIG welder. You can use both solid and flux core wire for the process with the following specs.

Welding Process	Electrode	Diameter	Metal Thickness (Single Pass)	Weld Appearance
Solid Wire	SuperArc L-56	.025″	24/22/20/18/14/12 Gauge, 1/8 Inch	Fairly Good, Low Spatter, Minimal Cleaning Required
Flux-Cored	Innershield NR-211-MP	.035″	18/14/12 Gauge, 1/8 Inch	Good, Slug Removal Required

Applications and Warranty

Maybe, you already have understood that this unit is designed for hobbyists and DIY guys who handle home repair projects. I would say Lincoln’s K2185-1 is ideal for any project where thin mild steel is the priority.

Those who look for an extended warranty period might get a little disappointed because you’ll only have a 1-year coverage for all the parts and 3 months for the work cable and gun.

3. LOTOS MIG140 140 Amp MIG Welder [Value for Money]

Available with one manual (2T) and one semi-automatic (4T) switch, this LOTOS model, touted to be an upgraded version, saves operators the trouble of engaging their fingers for long on continuous welding operations.

Inside the package are a torch MT104 with 10-feet cable, ground gable, clamp with 9-feet cable, argon regulator and hose, hand shield, and wire brush (for cleaning). Other components include solid MIG wire, torch tip, spool gun tip, wrench, and accessory part for the wire feeder. However, the spool gun is not included.

Build, Ease of Use, and Safety

The 2T model allows you to start welding upon pressing the torch’s trigger and stop the process upon releasing it. The 4T model works in a different way. It starts and keeps welding as you press its trigger and release it.

It means you need not hold the trigger for the entire duration of the operation. You can press its trigger and release it once again to stop whatever you started. That is it.

Whether you need to adjust the voltage or the speed of the wire feed system, you can read the information on the 2 digital LCD displays. The ground cable connector lets you switch between the ‘positive’ and ‘negative’ quickly.

Despite having no spool gun included, the unit is designed to use a certain spool gun to make your effort to weld aluminum a breeze. For a safety feature, the ‘thermal overload protection’ mechanism works well.

The setup procedure doesn’t take longer than 10 minutes as you can connect the machine to any standard 110 Volt household outlets. It handles industrial standard 4 in. or 8 in. wire spools.

Power and Performance

This LOTOS MIG machine requires 110-115/1/60 in input power and the output is 90 A/ 18 V/ 20% (rated output current, voltage, and duty cycle). Just as the label says, output Amps can be up to 140. If you want one good reason to buy the unit, that must be it.

Material Thickness and Wire Size

If you want to weld with mild or stainless steel or even aluminum, nothing is a problem except for aluminum which requires you to get a spool gun.

Metal	Weld Thickness	Wire Size
Mild Steel	18 Gauge to 3/16″	Solid Steel: .025″ to .030″/ 0.6 to 0.8 mm Flux Core: .030″ to .035″/ 0.8 to 0.9 mm
Stainless Steel	18 Gauge to 3/16″
Aluminum	1/8″ or thinner

Applications and Warranty

The manufacturer claims that the welder is suitable for both professional and household uses. I am afraid I cannot quite agree on its usability in professional applications. In practice, the machine has everything to satisfy all your demands as long as DIY or light-duty welding applications are involved.

Don’t expect an extended warranty period as you’ll only have a 1-year coverage which is typical with units like this one.

4. Forney Easy Weld 261, 140 FC-i MIG Welder [Best 110v MIG Welder on Budget]

Don’t confuse this one with the Forney Easy Weld 140 MP because many customers consider both of them to be equally powerful and useful when they are not. The one I’m discussing here is merely good for FCAW while the latter is actually a multi-process machine. I think the price is a good indicator in this context.

Build, Ease of Use, and Safety

Regarding the needs and pains of beginners, Forney has put a serious thought into the making of this unit. The infinite voltage control and adjustable wire feed speed are useful for people who want to use an entry-level machine but don’t like to compromise on the quality of weld.

Since you don’t need an external shielding gas, the setup becomes easier. I guess that is an inherent benefit of an FCAW welder. The rugged design on a compact case, all contributing to its being sturdy yet lightweight.

Power and Performance

Input voltage requirement for Forney Easy Weld 261 is 120 V. Rated output and amperage range from this unit can be up to 140 A. The duty cycle is 30% at 90 Amps. I know you might expect something more versatile or at least handier, but the duty cycle couldn’t be better than this.

Material Thickness and Wire Size

The only ideal metal is mild steel, and the thickness is pretty bumped up (1/4 inch). The flux-cored wire you’ll use should be .030″ or 0.8 mm.

Applications and Warranty

Being an FCAW welder, Forney Easy Weld 261 can be a good addition to your list of welding equipment, particularly when you are sure most of your jobs will be done outside the closed wall or in windy atmosphere. The warranty period is 1 year. Nothing fancy, right?

5. Super Deal PRO MIG 130 AC Automatic Feed MIG Welder [Cheapest 110v MIG Welder]

It happens to be the cheapest of all welders I’ve reviewed here. I think I should call it the top budget-friendly MIG welder. Let me explain why.

Build, Ease of Use, and Safety

There are four buttons designated to allow the operator to control the current flow by adjusting to MIN/MX and 1/2. You can adjust the speed of the wire feed using the 10 levels on the rotary knob.

The machine uses a special technology called ‘wave form’ and an adjustable inductor. This setup allows the operator to adjust the inductance in accordance with the requirements of different welding projects.

All the promises that come with this technology include soft arc, increased and improved fusion depth, and reduced spatter. In a word, welding performance is likely to come as expected. However, I’ve found different claims regarding spatter. It seems the amount of spatter cannot be kept to minimum.

The torch has an on/off switch to ensure the ultimate safety during the operation. The unit uses PVC housing which certainly leads to its lightweight body.

Power and Performance

On 110 V, the unit is set to deliver welding current output from 50 Amps to 120 Amps. You can get a duty cycle up to 10% at 105 Amps and 35% at 60 Amps with maximum open-current voltage at 37 V. Sounds pretty good, huh?

Material Thickness and Wire Size

The diameter of the wire that is weldable ranges from 0.023″ to 0.035″ for both stainless and mild steel. When it comes to flux-cored wire, the diameter ranges from 0.030″ to 0.035″.

Applications and Warranty

You don’t need to guess anything for the price is too small. So, general repair work or home use/DIY projects should be the most common fields of application. The unit comes with a 1-year limited warranty coverage.

6. Hobart Handler 210 MVP (500553) – Best Premium Quality 110v MIG Welder

This Hobart Handler 210 MVP MIG welder is NOT a 110 V unit. Then, why did I bring it up here among all these affordable MIG units?

Well, I guess you might look for a more useful welder to use on more demanding applications, which is why here is a premium product for you to consider.

Build, Ease of Use, and Safety

The weight of this model is its most obvious downside. Despite that it offers a lot more to think about. The aluminum wire drive lasts long enough to rule out the need for a cast iron build.

The three grooves of the drive roll along with the quick selection feature let you switch between flux core and solid wires easily. Four different voltage adjustments for 115 V and three for 230 V only add flexibility and ease to your operation.

The entire system for ‘thermal overload protection’ includes a self-resetting mechanism to ensure safety in the event of current overloads. The polarity changeover feature lets you use either solid or tubular wire without any trouble.

The contactor that comes as a built-in component keeps the unit’s wire cold and safe until a pull of the trigger occurs. There is an integrated circuitry setup to control your spool gun. Moreover, you’ll have a chart showing the initial settings, so you can start welding right away without passing the learning curve.

Power and Performance

This dual-voltage welder is equipped with a multi-voltage plug (MVP) to establish an easy connection to 115 V or 230 V power receptacles. Welding with 115 V provides 25 Amps to 140 Amps in output current, and using 230 V brings 25 Amps to 210 Amps.

With 90 A at 19 V, you’ll have a duty cycle up to 20%. With 150 A at 23 V, the duty cycle goes up to 30%. The speed of the wire feed system can be 40 to 680 ipm (inches per minute) using 115 V power and 60 to 770 ipm using 230 V. Maximum OCV is expected to be 28 V and 34 V.

Material Thickness and Wire Size

With a MIG welder like this one, you can easily expect excellent support for different metals with varied thickness ranges. Recommended wire sizes are,

• .023″ to .035″ or 0.6 mm to 0.9 mm mild or stainless steel
• .030″ to .045″ or 0.8 mm 1.2 mm flux core wire
• .030″ to .035″ or 0.8 mm to 0.9 mm aluminum

Here is another important list to show which material and its thickness along with shielding gas requirements.

• Mild steel: Solid Wire with 75% Argon and 25% CO₂ for 24 Gauge to 11 Gauge and 3/16″ to 3/8″
• Mild Steel: Solid Wire with 100% CO₂ for 18 Gauge to 11 Gauge
• Mild Steel: Flux-Cored Wire for 18 Gauge to 11 Gauge and 3/16″ to 3/8″
• Stainless Steel: Stainless Steel with 90% Helium + 7.5% Argon + 2.5% CO₂ for 18 Gauge to 11 Gauge and 3/16″ to 1/4″
• Aluminum: Aluminum with 100% Argon for 18 Gauge to 11 Gauge and 3/16″ to 1/4″

Applications and Warranty

Hobart Handler 210 MVP is designed to handle typical applications such as fabrication, repair, maintenance, and auto/racing vehicle restoration. Metal work at sculpture workshops, farms, ranches, and boatyards can also be handled with ease.

Hobart’s industrial warranty, ‘5/3/1’ includes 5 years on stabilizers, rectifiers, and transformers; 3 years on its drive systems, and 1 year on the welding guns.

You might be interested in the below two comparison articles –

• Hobart Handler 210 MVP Vs Miller 211
• Hobart 190 Vs 210 MVP MIG Welder

At this point, you can use a guide to know which features and numbers make one 110 V welder different from another. I’ve created a brief yet inclusive overview for you to go through and gather down-to-earth insights into MIG welders.

Buyer’s Guide: 12 Things to Consider Before Buying The Best 110V MIG Welder

I’ll try to discuss each factor without pushing you too deep into anything. Remember that this section is dedicated entirely to those who want to buy a 110V MIG welding machine. So, I’ll avoid the details pertinent to other categories/types of welders.

Understanding the Input Power

The amount of power required by a welding machine to provide its output is called the input power which we know of as primary voltage requirements that ensure the maximum output.

Another relevant consideration is the type of the medium that changes the type of energy put into the machine. Modern welders come with two major types such as inverter and transformer, each having special advantages over the other.

Which is the best power source, inverter or transformer?

Transformer welders are strictly the traditional type whereas inverters are versatile and known for their compact design and other positive aspects in terms of efficiency.

Factors	Inverter	Transformer
Processes	MIG, TIG, and Stick	Stick and Arc Welding
Arc Properties	More stable	Stable but not as much as the one with an inverter model
Material	Carbon, Stainless Steel, and A few other types	Mild Steel
Special Benefit	Compact and Lightweight Unit	Higher Duty Cycle and Heavy-Duty Performance
Sizes	100 A to 270 A (MIG), 130 A to 160 A @ 240V (TIG)	250 A to 600 A @ 415 V

110, 115, or 120-Volt: Does It Matter?

The numbers are pretty close. Nonetheless, they look different which is why they may confuse welding operators, especially those with little to no knowledge about voltage.

In practice, they mean the same thing. For example, in the United States, most households have 120 V electrical outlets. The length of the line and its distance from the power grid may cause the input voltage to be lower like 110 V or 115 V.

A standard welding machine is designed to withstand all of these variations. So, don’t worry if the machine’s voltage reads 110 V or 115 V when it’s labeled to be 120 V. Each of the above models is built to accept a slightly lower voltage.

Output Power

A welding machine that uses a transformer converts the voltage and current electricity from the 120 V utility mains into a low voltage yet high current supply that falls anywhere between 55 Amps and 590 Amps.

Don’t interchange output power with rated output, another term widely used in the fabrication industry. The latter can only be calculated using volts, duty cycle, and Amps.

GMAW Vs FCAW Welding

GMAW stands for ‘gas metal arc welding’ or MIG welding and FCAW means ‘flux cored arc welding’. Both welding techniques are widely appreciated by the welding communities around the world. Below is a table to show how they are different.

Factors	GMAW	FCAW
How It Works	Solid wire (as electrode) is continuously fed for filler metal to weld pieces of metal. Shielding gases are required to protect the weld from contaminants and against discontinuity.	Flux-cored wire is used instead of shielding gases to protect the welds against contaminants. The wire being burned produces shielding gas eliminating the need for external sources of gases.
Weld Characteristics and Other Aspects	Better weld appearance and lower amount of spatter but weakened weld.	Stronger weld.
Ideal for	Beginners, projects with basic demands.	Thicker metals, outside environment, windy conditions.
Ease of Use	Easy operation with slightly more demanding setup.	Easy setup but caution during the operation required.

Duty Cycle

You might have seen a number (percentage) that says ‘Duty Cycle’ which practically means how long a welder works safely, within a specific period of time (typically 10 minutes) and at a set amperage.

If your welding machine has 30% in duty cycle at 200 Amps, it should weld continuously for 3 minutes out of 10 at 200 Amps, and the remaining minutes will be used by the machine to cool off before being ready to operate again.

Overload Protection

It is a kind of safety feature that welding machines come fitted with. Most units these days have a ‘thermal overload protection’ mechanism that prevents the damage of some internal components by forcing the machine to cut out as those parts reach a certain (high) temperature.

This system then automatically causes the machine to restart as it gets to have a safe temperature again. In fact, this is the best thing about having a welding unit with a thermal system in place.

Wire Feed Speed

Being able to set the speed of the wire feed correctly is extremely important as it is linked to the amperage and weld penetration. This speed, if too high, may result in the wire being piled up, not melted properly, thereby causing birdnesting or burnback. The speed, if too low, can result in poor penetration, affecting the weld quality.

Without a speed chart or manual in place, you can do better than guesswork by following this specification table. Please note that these specs indicate a starting point for beginners rather than hard and fast rules.

Size (Wire)	Multiplied by Inch(es) Per Amp	Speed IPM (Inches Per Minute) (Using 125 A and 1/8 Inch)
.023	3.5	3.5 X 125 = 437.5
.030	2	2 X 125 = 250
.035	1.6	1.6 X 125 = 200
.045	1	1x 125 = 125

Wire size and Weld Thickness Range of the material

Since we’re talking about 110V MIG welders here, certain factors need to be kept in mind. Welding machines with this input power requirement will provide only 25-140 Amps in output which should be sufficient when your project involves 24-gauge sheets and all the way up to 1/8-inch steel plates.

However, we’ll try to figure out the required wire types and sizes for metals with different thicknesses. Here is a quick table for that.

Solid Wire				Material Thickness	Flux-Cored Wire
0.24″	0.30″	0.35″	0.45″		0.30″	0.35″	0.45″
✔				24 Gauge
✔	✔			22 Gauge	✔
✔	✔			20 Gauge	✔	✔
✔	✔	✔		18 Gauge	✔	✔
	✔	✔		16 Gauge	✔	✔	✔
	✔	✔	✔	14 Gauge	✔	✔	✔
	✔	✔	✔	1.8″		✔	✔

Portability

Even a few decades ago, finding a welding machine that weighs in the proximity of 100 lbs. Used to be nearly impossible. Look at some of today’s compact and lightweight models. The use of inverter technology has changed the build of welding machines forever and for the better.

With a little digging, you can find some welders with decent power weighing only 70 lbs. Typically, MIG welders are lighter than stick welders which weigh at least 100 lbs. TIG welders are the heaviest of the line.  Some units are too much for operators requiring them to use a wheeled cart.

Spool Gun

While this particular component may not seem like a must-have tool, you want one of these guns for working with aluminum. Spool guns locate a very small pool of the wire and improve the feeding process of the soft wires.

As the wire doesn’t feed more than just a few inches, any possibility of bird nesting is eliminated and the feeding becomes reliable. This steadiness results in a stable and smooth arc, the key to success of your project.

You cannot replace the main feed because the spool gun shouldn’t be an alternative. It is only a tool to make your welding work with aluminum more convenient.

You might have a welding gun with the original package, but some models don’t include one for free in which case a separate purchase (additional expense) is required.

Brand & Warranty

Last but not the least, many of us only want to buy welders from reputable brands paying no attention to technical specs. I would be happy for you if things were so simple or straightforward.

Buying brand names is not always unwise. What if you bought one from a famous manufacturer only to end up replacing that with another from a relatively new brand? Lincoln, Hobart, and LOTOS are undoubtedly more familiar than Forney or Super Deal.

When your demand is too limited or the budget pretty tight, none of these big names seem to offer anything useful. But you can still choose some units with everything to meet your demands, and that is where Forney or Super Deal makes a case.

Warranty is no less important than any of the other factors explained above. You may have warranty periods from one year to five years with three years being a standard coverage.

Frequently Asked Questions

I believe I can still help you with more issues which have not been covered so far. People who need 110V welders often ask a few questions which I’ve put here, and of course with answers.

Final Verdict

So, you’ve my reviews of these six MIG welders and now, I’ll only tell you one thing at a time. Considering every single factor, Hobart 140 stands out among the others due to a nearly perfect balance between the value (usability) and price.

Hobart 210 MVP outperforms the 140 model by all respects except the price which, in my opinion, is a critical consideration for most people, especially those looking for a mix of value and power.

Lincoln K2185-1 and LOTOS MIG 140 have more in common than in opposite. However, I must say the former is slightly better if performance is the only word in your book.

Forney 261 is, by far, an ideal pick as an entry-level welder. It is also the most compact and lightweight of all. Anyone might be intrigued by the price and specs of Super Deal MIG 130. My friend, you must have heard this: “You get what you pay for.” However, it is still worth being your first MIG welding equipment.

No matter how much I’ve told you already, feel free to ask for more information or suggestions.