8 Best 120V Welders – They Get Work Done!

For its durability and overall design, the Hobart Handler is our Editor’s Choice for the best home 120v MIG welder. From its competitive amperage output (25-140) to its 5-position voltage controls, the Hobart gives you variable functionality and control over your arc all on a standard 115v household outlet. Both the best MIG welder and one of the best hobbyists’ welders as well, the Hobart is ideal for a variety of projects, from home repairs and farm duties to bodywork and sheet metal art projects. It’s also great as a gas shielded wire and flux core welder.

Despite its mid-high weight at 65 lbs., you should be able to easily move this welder between projects and get the same stable arc and efficient amperage that Hobart has become known for. Its competitive 5-year warranty ensures that you have a safety net if anything goes wrong on your foreseeable repair projects. For MIG processes in cast iron, copper, titanium, and most of the common alloys, Hobart boasts a stable arc, a mid-range weight, and a heavy-duty clamp and drive system for an industrial-grade performance.

What we liked:

• Stable arc
• Wide range of functions
• Industrial features
• Extended warranty

What could be better:

• Mid-high weight
• Not standardized for work in regular aluminum

This is another welder great for MIG and flux core welding. Like the Hobart, it’s portable, and handheld comes with an above-average warranty and has an impressive current range. The features on the Miller Electric are what make it stand out. It’s spool gun-compatible, making it ideal for welding softer metals like aluminum. Its angled durable cast aluminum drive system is designed to make your life easier when setting up and calibrating your Miller Electric, as is its built-in solid-state contactor circuit, a safety feature designed to make positioning the welder safe before use.

This is one of the best starting 120v MIG welders in its category with the automatic settings and manual features combined to give you a customizable experience for whatever project you’re working on. Along with similar thermal overload protection features to the Hobart, the Miller Electric also boasts a versatile range of viable uses, including in the motorsports, arts, home repair, mechanical contracting, and ranching industries. Even though the price tag of the Miller means that you’ll be paying for premium, it’s our Premium Pick because you get a lot of functionality for the money.

What we liked:

• Versatile setup
• Spool gun compatibility
• Solid-state contractor circuit

What could be better:

• High price range
• Mid-high weight

One of the best 120v flux core welders on the market, the Forney Easy Weld, boasts an extremely competitive price tag to boot. It’s one of the lightest models as well, making it ideal for DIY projects around the house, including being one of the best hobbyist welders out there. For a wide range of fabrication and maintenance needs, the Forney Easy Weld boasts infinite voltage and wire feed speed control. In fact, it’s one of the best wire feed welders for home use that you can buy. Therefore, the Forney is widely considered an ideal welder for beginners and hobbyists.

You’ll notice right away when you see its rugged, all-metal case that the Forney Easy Weld is built to withstand being hauled around to different hobbies, garages, and maintenance locations. Of all those listed, it’s the easiest to use. It includes an adapter for 15A welding, a ground clamp, and a 12-month warranty. That may not be as long as some of its competitors, but the Forney Easy Weld is built for versatility and sturdiness, so we doubt you’ll need it in the first place.

What we liked:

• Accessible functionality
• Low weight
• Wire feed speed control

What could be better:

• Not as versatile outside of flux core welding as the 271

Hobart’s second entry on the list is even heavier but no less versatile. It’s capable of welding up to 3.8-inch mild steel. It’s equipped with a spool gun for aluminum work and is one of the best MIG welders available despite the higher weight and heftier price tag. The Hobart Handler 210 is easy to use and safe to keep as an all-purpose welder around the house. It comes with a diverse array of settings to give amateurs a logical starting point and enough customization options to give experts the room they need to create their own projects.

Its safety features are plentiful as well, including a built-in contractor that keeps the wire cold until you’re ready to start welding. It’s spool gun-compatible without any extra controls or adapters to clutter up your garage and make transporting the Hobart more complicated than it needs to be. Despite the heavier weight and steeper price tag than the more novice-level welders on this list like the Forney, the Hobart 201 is still one of the best MIG welders on the market.

What we liked:

• Built-in contractor
• Spool gun-compatible
• One of the best wire feed welders

What could be better:

• Above-average price
• One of the heavier models on the list

For its extremely low price and weight relative to its features, the ARCRAFT Inverter Flux Core 140 Welder is our pick for the Best Value on the list. Despite its low cost, you won’t sacrifice any of the vital safety features of the bigger welders, including overload protection, cold start wire feeding, and a top-loading drive.

Like the other lighter entries on the list, the ARCRAFT is great for novice welders with its built-in torch and robust inverter technology – it’s one of the best inverter welders on the list. If you’re looking to upgrade from a gas welder with a rugged, day-to-day option in 120v welding, this ARCRAFT has the wire feed speed control, safety features, and lightweight case that you need to get started.

It’s easy to operate with 0.3 or 0.35 in. flux core wire, making it one of the most accessible flux core welders on the list, with DC output for stable, clean arcs without too many options to confuse beginners. Yet, it has enough varied control for experts to get their hobbies or fabrication work done on the go.

What we liked:

• Low weight
• Full safety features
• Unbeatable price

What could be better:

• May not be as versatile as some of the pro models

Another gasless MIG welder at a premium price, the KickingHorse F130, is ideal for welders looking for efficiency. It boasts the lowest weight on the list – at just 10.8 lbs., you can haul the KickingHorse around wherever you need it, to any of your DIY projects, or even to your friend’s garage.

KickingHorse gives you an advantage over other transformer-based welders with the ability to tune the voltage and wire feed speed independently. This allows you to work out sputtering problems on your project while you’re welding. The F130 is proof that the ability to fine-tune the experience doesn’t require a hefty price tag.

Most impressively, this is the best 120v welder for power consumption considerations, boasting impressively low electricity costs to save you 25% on your power bill relative to a welder of comparable amperage. The most compact welder on the list also doesn’t lack standard features like temperature and current sensors and corrosion-proof surface design.

What we liked:

• Inverter technology provides power-saving capabilities
• Lowest weight on the list
• Easy to setup and use

What could be better:

• Low-tech appearance
• Connection points could use a little more reinforcement

This multipurpose welder is great for when you’ve advanced beyond your welding hobbies and want the full industrial-grade capabilities of the best TIG and ARC welding, in addition to MIG. The Eastwood Welder is viable for aluminum, sheet metal, and flux core welding projects. Compared to the other MIG welders we’ve reviewed, this one has an incredible number of features, including options for MIG torch, spool guns, and stick mode. This is a mid to high-priced welder that packs a punch for the price.

Our disclaimer is that this heavy welder only comes with the central unit when you purchase it online. You need to buy the MIG gun and ground cable yourself, making this the most expensive option on the list. Still, Eastwood is a powerful foreign alternative to the American home welding machines on this list. Particularly effective for heavy body work, Eastwood is heavy, expensive, and packed with options. We recommend it for experienced welders.

What we liked:

• Powerful output
• Versatile welding types, including ARC, MIG, and TIG

What could be better:

• Heaviest unit on the list

The Forney 322 is one of the most versatile welders on this list. Not only does it have options for a spool gun, foot pedal, and TIG torch, it’s also the best 120v gas MIG welder on the list.

Like its competitors, the Forney 322 also has a non-gas flux-cored option and features the ability to be one of the best stick welders on the market as well. Whether you need a welder for auto body work and boat repair, a hobbyist welder, or a general-purpose machine that can give you multipurpose access to maintenance and light industrial repairs, the Forney 322 has a range of functionality to accommodate you.

The flowmeter and included gas hose give you options to use the Forney’s mid-range price tag to your advantage. This self-described “multi-process” welder has an enhanced design that includes a torch wrap and a duty cycle of 20%@100A output. The Forney 322 is a versatile light welder for all your DIY and home improvement needs.

What we liked:

• Multiple modes of welding provide versatility
• Gas and TIG welding options

What could be better:

• More reliable for light work than industrial welding