Yeswelder MIG PRO 250 Review – How Good Is It?

The YesWelder MIG 250 PRO is a relatively inexpensive multi-process welder. It comes in two versions, “AL” and “SG.” The only difference is how they weld aluminum, and we’ll discuss that soon.

The MIG 250 PRO is a very powerful welder focused on MIG welding. But TIG and stick are also included. This article will speak to its pros and cons and see how it fares against the rest of the market.

Review Summary

The YesWelder 250 PRO is a tried and tested model that’s been around since YesWelder became a popular hobbyist brand. YesWelder recently released the 250-PRO-SG version that’s spool gun compatible, unlike the 250-PRO-AL. Our review focuses on the non-spool gun version, but these two models are otherwise the same.

Technical Specifications

Rating Overview

• Performance 4/5
  The YesWelder MIG-250-PRO offers slightly lower arc quality than brands like Eastwood and Hobart. But, it’s better than other inexpensive brands and has a reasonably consistent arc for MIG, TIG, and stick welding.
• Power 5/5
  Offering more power than almost all consumer brands, it’s one of the most powerful inverter welders. The 250A at 60% duty cycle is rare, especially at this price.
• Features 5/5
  This multi-process welder includes many helpful features like a digital display, an automatic welding mode, and support for welding aluminum. It’s a well-rounded package that puts most competing welders to shame.
• Portability 5/5
  Considering the available power and relatively good build quality, the YesWelder MIG 250 is super portable at 21.72 lbs. 
• Price 5/5
  With an entry-level price, a myriad of features, and 250A of power, the MIG 250 PRO is a bargain. YesWelder can offer a low price because they manufacture and sell their equipment directly. By cutting out a middle-man, they keep prices significantly lower than the rest of the market.
• Manufacturer support 5/5
  YesWelder is a hobbyist brand, but this machine is slightly above their standard quality. Still, a 1-year warranty aligns with the price, and YesWelder’s staff is always available for questions and help.

Overall Verdict 4.5/5
It’s rare for an inexpensive welder to tick almost all boxes. If the YesWelder 250-PRO supported 120V input, it would have been perfect for home hobbyists and welding shops. That said, it’s still one of the best machines at this price for DIY, maintenance, and shop use. 

Best place to buy it

The 250A-MIG is sold on Amazon, however, you will usually find it cheaper on their own website with a current deal they are running, or, stacked with a 10% discount coupon like “WELDGURU10” which I found online.

What To Know Before Buying The Yeswelder-250A-MIG PRO

Before discussing the many positives of this welder, we should address the negatives that may be a deal-breaker for some people. So, let’s review the most significant shortcomings to help you figure out if this welder is for you.

It Doesn’t Support a 110V Input

The inability to use the YesWelder MIG PRO with a standard 110V outlet makes it more challenging for beginners to use this machine. So, while priced as an entry-level welder, this flaw reserves it for people with a more established work area.

Unless you have previously installed a 220V, you can’t use this YesWelder model. But if you are a beginner and like this machine because of its price and features, it may be worthwhile to install a 220V outlet because many power tools require it. 

That said, this machine is leaning more towards professional use, even if priced low. So, while hobbyists often buy it, YesWelder’s decision to make it a 220V-only machine is understandable.

Wire System Is Difficult To Access

Similar to another YesWelder model, the MIG-205DS, this MIG-250 PRO has inconvenient access to the wire feed system. Like most MIG welders, it keeps it in the bottom right corner inside the spool compartment. However, as seen in the image, the sheet metal housing partially covers it and makes it challenging to get at.

As you can see, to replace a regular V-roller with a knurled W-roller (flux-cored) or a U-roller for aluminum, you must work with your fingers in a tight space.

Designed Mostly For MIG Welding

While YesWelder MIG 250 PRO supports DC TIG and stick welding, this machine is primarily designed for the MIG process. The TIG welding features are scarce, offering a limited TIG experience.

You can use this welder to learn how to TIG weld on steel and stainless steel, and you will get decent-quality welds on these metals. But, to achieve the best quality TIG welds, it is necessary to use a High-Frequency arc start which this welder doesn’t support. 

The stick welding experience is adequate and would work as a backup welding process when welding outdoors. But, I prefer flux-cored wire with the YesWelder MIG 250A to stick welding because there are more settings to tune the arc and bead quality.

How The Yeswelder 250A-MIG-PRO Stacks Up

The 250-MIG-PRO doesn’t have any significant negatives besides the inability to work with 110V and inconvenient wire roller access. In fact, it has the edge over most competing models.

Since there aren’t any 250A multi-process welders on the market with a similar price, we must compare it to much more expensive machines. The Klutch MP251Si LCD is the closest alternative, but it’s twice the price. 

Still, the Klutch MP251Si has a significantly better build quality, a high-quality LCD, and a 3-year warranty. It’s a more professional machine designed for heavy-duty work. However, if your budget doesn’t permit something like MP251Si, and you need this much welding power, the YesWelder MIG-250 is a good alternative.

YesWelder offers the same amperage output and a higher duty cycle. It also includes the features found in MP251Si like VRD, inductance control, 2T/4T, and the ability to weld aluminum at a far lower price. It’s normal to include these features in more expensive welders like the MP251Si. So, providing them at a much lower cost makes the YesWelder model a bargain.

Additionally, the MIG-250-PRO is significantly lighter at 21.72 lbs, while the Klutch unit is a 72 lbs machine. But, Klutch has a far better build quality. The sheet metal housing is thicker, and it uses a dual wire roller system for more stable wire feeding.

If you plan on doing heavy-duty welding in your shop, we recommend the Klutch MP251Si. Klutch is a brand from Northern Tools, and it’s more likely to endure a shop environment. Plus, its arc is more stable and the LCD display offers a far simpler user experience. The Klutch’s biggest downside is a short duty cycle. So, we wouldn’t recommend it for high-volume welding.

YesWelder is inexpensive, but a 1-year warranty and lower build quality are unlikely to satisfy a serious shop. But if you are on a budget and won’t push this YesWelder machine to its limits daily, it makes for a good alternative because it provides the best value at this price.

Best Features of the Yeswelder 250A MIG Pro

The YesWelder 250A MIG Pro stands out from the competition thanks to a wide array of features and a low price. Many of its functions are entirely unexpected at this price. So, let’s discuss its main selling points and see how its features can help your day-to-day work.

It Welds Thick Aluminum

It’s rare for welders to have a spool gun or native aluminum welding support at this price, let alone with 250A of power. For example, the Eastwood MP140i, which costs the same as this YesWelder model, does support a spool gun but only has a mere 140A.

But, the Hobart Handler 140, that’s more expensive, doesn’t support a spool gun or have the necessary power for any meaningful work.

Aluminum is a challenging metal to weld due to its excessive heat conductivity. So, the 140A welders offered at a comparable price couldn’t even get the puddle going on a thicker aluminum part. If you want to weld anything thicker than 1/8 in., you will need some serious power.

So, YesWelder’s 250A makes a significant difference for those who plan to work with aluminum. Just make sure you get the right model. The ”SG” model supports a spool gun (sold separately), while the “AL” model accepts the aluminum wire spool using a graphene liner instead of the regular liner for steel MIG wire. Both liners are provided with the “AL” model.

The “AL” model has proven quite effective for most people. But, if you are a professional working with aluminum daily, it’s safer to get an “SG” model. A spool gun will never tangle up the wire. But there is always a slight chance of wire bird nesting if feeding the soft aluminum wire through the full length of a MIG gun, regardless of the graphene liner’s low friction. 

Stable Arc

While the YesWelder MIG-250 doesn’t perform as well as Hobart, Klutch, or Eastwood, it outperforms most similarly priced welders. Its arc is pretty stable and consistent. So, unless you are working on highly critical welds, you will not have any issues.

Immense Power

The 60% duty cycle at 250A is the ace in the hole for this YesWelder unit. Plus, the duty cycle is 100% at 193A. This means you can weld almost indefinitely at almost 200A and have long working times when running the machine at maximum output.

Still, this is an inexpensive unit, and I wouldn’t constantly be pushing its limits. But most people will not weld at a 250A output often. So, instead of focusing on its duty cycle at 250A, let’s consider its 100% duty cycle at about 200A instead.

Harbour Freight’s Titanium Unlimited 200 costs almost twice as much as the YesWelder and has a rather pathetic duty cycle of 15% at 200A. But this is not the only example.

The WeldPro 200, Everlast PowerMTS 251Si, Hobart Multi-Handler, and the Klutch we discussed earlier all have weaker duty cycles, and the list goes on. You are unlikely to find a machine that can weld at nearly 200A indefinitely, especially at this price.

A Myriad Of Included Functions And Features

Connectivity

The YesWelder MIG-250 uses a standard Euro MIG gun connection and DINSE plugs. These are not often available on inexpensive welders, and they allow for effortless polarity changeovers and easy replacement of the leads.

Display And Controls

The included digital display is an advantage at this price. However, YesWelder’s display design mixes digital and LED displays. This arrangement offers a better experience and clearer visibility than the standard digital displays on the Eastwood MP250i.

A single infinitely adjustable knob with press-to-click action and a few buttons on the front panel makes setting up this welder a breeze.

Voltage Reduction Device (“VRD”)

We weren’t expecting to see a VRD function on such a low-priced welder. The Klutch MP251Si does include it, and so do many expensive machines. But to find it on a budget welder is surprising.

The included VRD is one of the most critical safety functions for stick welding machines. It drops the open-circuit voltage (“OCV”) to very low levels, making it impossible for the operator to get electrocuted, even in highly humid conditions.

Once you scratch the metal surface with the electrode tip, the machine detects this action, ramps up the OCV, and establishes the arc. After you extinguish the arc, the VRD drops back to safe levels.

Inductance

The inductance settings are also typically found only in more expensive welders. This function lets you tune the arc further, modifying the bead width and penetration.

2T/4T

The 4T mode is useful when making long welds, and it’s a perfect companion to this welder’s duty cycle. After you initiate the arc, the arc stays lit without the need to keep the MIG gun trigger pressed. This lets you weld for prolonged periods without hand or finger fatigue.

What’s Included

• MIG torch, 10-feet
• Electrode holder, 10-feet
• Ground clamp, 10-feet
• Gas hose
• A graphene liner
• 0.030in., 0.035in. Contact tips
• V roller, 0.023in., 0.030in., 0.035in.
• W roller, 0.030in., 0.035in.
• U roller, 0.035in., 0.045in.
• Brush

Final Verdict

If you need high amperage output, a plethora of features, and the ability to MIG weld aluminum, the YesWelder MIG-250-PRO is a great budget choice. It’s unique in the market because there aren’t any direct competitors.

Every competing machine is significantly more expensive, offers less amperage, or doesn’t include all of the same functions. So, if you don’t need to do heavy-duty work and this welder fits your budget, it’s worth considering.