Best 120v MIG Welder (in 2023)

The Eastwood MIG 140 has the edge over YesWelder in build quality. Its body is more rigid, and the manufacturer places far more confidence in its unit by providing a 3-year warranty. But, Eastwood’s longevity comes at the expense of digital displays and included functions.

So, do you value longevity or features? That’s an essential question if you are a rookie. Eastwood’s infinitely adjustable knobs with printed wire speed and voltage values are good enough to set everything correctly. However, YesWelder’s digital displays and functions let you tailor weld variables in fine detail (read my full Eastwood MIG 140 review here).

But if you weld often, the Eastwood MIG 140 will likely last longer. Eastwood is a USA brand with a long history in the automotive industry. So, it is no surprise that 2T/4T and tack weld modes are included, helpful for sheet metal and car body restoration.

If the Eastwood MIG 140 had a longer duty cycle, it would have worked great in a professional setting. However, it can only weld for three minutes at 90 amps before resting for another seven minutes. But, its bigger brother, the  Eastwood MIG 180, has a far longer duty cycle, more power, and supports a dual-voltage input.

The YesWelder MIG-205DS is the best choice for hobbyists. It’s feature-rich, has a relatively stable arc, and outputs ridiculous power when plugged into a 120V outlet. No other welder in our review supplies 160A using a standard home receptacle. Lincoln and Hobart better start taking notes. YesWelder may still be a fresh kid on the block, but it provides more power than the “industry’s blue bloods.”

Additionally, its 60% duty cycle at 160A (205A if you use 220V input) lets you make long welds. Plus, its 4T feature allows you to weld without holding the torch trigger. Still, the MIG-205DS build quality ranks it a hobbyist-grade welder, so don’t push it too much.

Any other welder on our list can satisfy a hobbyists’ needs. However, YesWelder’s approach separates it from the crowd. Lowering the build and arc quality allowed them to include more features at a low price. So, hobbyists who don’t need top performance or longevity get numerous valuable features at a low cost.

The digital displays and infinitely adjustable knobs are also helpful for rookie welders. They allow fine adjustments, which all welders appreciate. But knowing your precise settings helps to learn the welding processes quicker. You won’t find digital displays like this on all welders in this price range (you can read my full Yeswelder MIG-205DS review here).

The included DC lift TIG and stick welding is useful when MIG is not a suitable welding process. The TIG welding process works great for precision, and the stick process is best suited for dirty metal or welding outdoors.

If you don’t plan to weld often and don’t care how the finished welds look, the Forney 140 FC-i is an inexpensive choice. While it doesn’t support a full MIG welding experience, it provides an excellent flux-cored arc at an attractive price.

The flux-cored welding process doesn’t create beautiful welds like the MIG process. However, it doesn’t require a shielding gas, and the equipment is lighter and less costly. Forney offers the best deal for a gasless 120V MIG welder, period. It’s a time-tested model that sits in the garage of thousands of weekend warriors, and most are pleased with its performance.

It’s incredibly light. You’ll never pull a muscle moving it around or break a sweat. Plus, its compact shape and all-corner rubber protection make it safe and easy to store with other tools in the back of your truck.

However, it has integrated leads, no digital display, a plastic wire feed system, and the infinitely adjustable knobs have arbitrary values printed around them. So, while cheaper than the Eastwood and YesWelder models, the Forney 140 FC-i is significantly inferior in some vital areas.

Unlike the YesWelder MIG 205-DS, the Klutch MP230SiDV is a professional-grade, multi-process welder. However, it’s still relatively affordable considering everything included, from features to accessories. Plus, Klutch is a Northern Tool brand and comes with a 3-year warranty.

The Klutch MP230SiDV is a dual-voltage welder with a maximum output of 140A using a 120V outlet. Its duty cycle is slightly better than the Eastwood MIG 140. But, the 40% duty cycle at 90A output is still relatively low.

The Klutch’s LCD is one of the best on the market. It’s similar to displays found on the ESAB Rebel units and the Lincoln Electric Power MIG 210, which are significantly more expensive.

Additionally, it includes a myriad of functions for productivity and arc control. For example, the inductance setting lets you modify the bead’s profile, arc force and hot-start modify the responsiveness of stick electrodes, VRD is an advanced safety feature that prevents electric shock, and spot time and 2T/4T modes improve productivity.

The TIG torch, foot pedal, and spool gun are included, making this professional-grade multi-process welder a bargain. You are unlikely to find a better deal elsewhere.

If you prefer older, transformer-based welders, the Hobart Handler 140 is a tried and tested welder you should consider. It’s portable, but it takes some effort to move around due to its 57 lbs. body.

This added weight translates to a longer lifespan and reliability. But, old transformer-based units like the Handler 140 don’t have any advanced functions for arc control. Plus, its duty cycle is the lowest in our review. The mere 20% duty cycle at 90A output is a bare minimum. Hobart should upgrade this model or at the very least remove the “high duty cycle” from their marketing (read my full review on the Hobart 140 here).

The fixed five-voltage settings are good enough for hobbyists. But, virtually all newer welders use infinite adjustability, which offers far better arc control.

The welder’s integrated ground clamp and manual polarity switchover are not user-friendly. Even cheap welders nowadays use standardized DINSE connectors, like YesWelder for example.

The Lincoln Electric Easy MIG 140 differs from the Hobart Handler 140 in a few ways. But the most significant difference is this Lincoln welder supports a spool gun, allowing you to weld aluminum. Other than that, it’s slightly lighter than Hobart’s unit and has an angled wire drive.

However, most of the other differences are negative. It has fewer voltage settings, a shorter warranty, and lower build and arc qualities.

If you are looking for a portable, transformer-based 120V MIG welder with spool gun support, the Lincoln Easy MIG 140 is the best choice. But, if you don’t need to weld aluminum, the Hobart Handler 140 is better across the board.

That said, please do consider the Eastwood MIG 140. We know that some people prefer transformer-based welders for longevity. But, Eastwood offers a 3-years warranty, prices it similarly, and its advanced inverter provides a far better experience than old transformer-core welders. While YesWelder and similar hobbyist-grade brands can’t match Hobart’s and Lincoln’s longevity, the Eastwood or the Klutch can.