Yeswelder TIG 250P Review – Is It Worth It?

The YesWelder TIG 250P is a suitable TIG welder for professionals on a budget. The machine brings most high-end features at a significantly lower price. But it cannot hold up to heavy-duty use every day.

Unlike most YesWelder models, they designed the TIG 250P for heavy-duty work, and its 3-year warranty displays YesWelder’s confidence in the unit. However, a lower price usually means lower quality, and this welder is not an exception.

In this article, you’ll learn about this TIG 205P’s pros and cons, and we’ll also examine how it fares against other professional-grade welders.

Review Summary

Technical Specifications

Rating Overview

• Performance: 4/5
  The YesWelder TIG 205P has a stable, focused arc and provides even penetration along the weld. It doesn’t offer performance on par with Miller or ESAB, but it welds well for a low-priced machine. For example, It’s on par with a more expensive Weldpro 250A model.
• Power: 5/5
  It’s rare to find a 250A inverter welder, especially with a 60% duty cycle. A high amperage output is paramount for welding aluminum. So, this YesWelder can handle thick parts, and its duty cycle allows high-volume welding.
• Features: 4.5/5
  Offering AC/DC TIG output, AC balance, frequency control, High-Frequency (“HF”) start, TIG pulse, Squarewave, 2T/4T/spot, foot pedal, VRD, and many other high-end features at this price, the TIG 205P matches the functions provided by big brands. But, it doesn’t support dual-voltage input, which some competitors do.
• Portability: 4/5
  This is the lightest TIG welder with advanced features and 250 amps of output. However, since the TIG 250P only works with a 220V input. You can’t use it where 220V is unavailable.
• Price: 5/5
  Considering its low cost and the included features, this welder could pay for itself in a week when used by a professional since it’s far cheaper than the big-name brands. TIG enthusiasts and welding artists often buy this welder, making it one of the popular budget-friendly TIG welders.
• Manufacturer support: 5/5
  YesWelder’s 3-year warranty and ready-to-respond customer service provide peace of mind. YesWelder produces hobbyist-level machines and covers most units with a 1-year warranty. So, an additional 2 years are much appreciated on the TIG 250P.

Overall Verdict: 4/5
If YesWelder had included the TIG pedal in the box and offered dual voltage support, the TIG 250P would be an even better value. But, considering everything they stuffed into this TIG machine, it’s hard to ask for more.

Where to buy:
The MIG-205DS is sold on Amazon, however, you will usually find it cheaper on their own website with a current deal they are running, or, with a coupon like “WELDGURU10” which I found online.

What To Know Before Buying The Yeswelder TIG-250P

First, we must discuss some negative aspects of this welder and explain how these can impact your work. We know a low price can be pretty attractive. So, let’s review the shortcomings to help you determine if this machine is for you.

Some Build Quality Issues

YesWelder makes and sells hobbyists’ brand units that strive to be more affordable alternatives to big brand names. While they do a great job with low-end welders like YesWelder MIG-205DS, the build quality issues become apparent at higher costs.

Since this is their take of a professional welder, I would appreciate it if the front panel were sturdier. You hear a vibration echo behind the panel when you click any button. Not something you’d expect from a professional welder. The build quality falls short for a professional-grade welder. 

The consumer-grade build quality can be a deal-breaker for some. So, we are pointing it out. But on the other hand, it’s impossible to find a better deal for a TIG welder that can do it all. Spend the extra money if you need better build quality. For heavy users, spending several hundred to a thousand dollars more for a better alternative may be worth it, depending on the model.

Not an Experienced Brand In Professional Environment

If you are a hobbyist or a metal artist looking at this welder because it’s inexpensive, you have no worries. But, if you are a professional, keep in mind this is still an “experimental” model from Yeswelder.

Brands like ESAB, Miller, Lincoln, and others have decades behind them. So, just because YesWelder decided to print “Professional” in bold font on the welder, stuffed it with features, and included a 3-year warranty doesn’t mean that it satisfies all professionals’ needs.

If you call YesWelder and ask to see etching data of weld penetration or other non-destructive weld testing data for this machine, I don’t know if they would have it available. You can do these tests yourself as well. But what if every unit of this model has slightly different results? Or what if the machine makes inconsistent penetration and you are unaware?

YesWelder doesn’t even provide a quick settings chart. So, I doubt that they have any hard data to vouch for the penetration consistency of these machines. If you don’t work in industries where consistent weld quality is critical, you are unlikely to have an issue. There is a reason why big brand names cost more. It’s not just the features included with the price of the welder.

The Control Panel Is Messy

While we appreciate YesWelder’s efforts to reduce the number of buttons on the control panel, their solution is poor. The infinitely adjustable knob adjusts values and acts as the main functions selector with push-click action. 

The single knob is good to control welders with 3-4 functions. But the YesWelder TIG 250P has 12 functions you need to cycle through to get to the one you want. And if you accidentally skip it, you need to re-do the action. Again, not a big deal for hobbyists, but having an inconvenient user interface in a professional environment can reduce work efficiency.

Additionally, the font for each of these functions is tiny. The weak contrast between the blue and white colors they used doesn’t help. So, you need to focus when setting up this machine. People with poor eyesight may find this problematic. It’s not nearly as convenient as using a large LCD with clear values. But, considering how inexpensive this welder is, we can’t complain too much.

How The Yeswelder TIG-250P Stacks Up

Apart from the previously discussed issues, the YesWelder TIG-250P is an excellent welder for the money. We shouldn’t be too harsh because there aren’t any other TIG welders with the same features, power, and duty cycle at this price. But, keep in mind that this is not a true professional welder like the machines from better-known brands.

There is another similar “budget” welder, the Weldpro TIG 250GD. It costs two times more than the YesWelder, offers the same features, has a 50% lower duty cycle at 250A for DC TIG, and weighs much more. YesWelder provides considerably better value because neither of these machines is for high-end applications. But the YesWelder is far cheaper. However, Weldpro has the better build quality and includes a foot pedal in the box. 

One of the rare, genuinely heavy-duty inverter-based AC/DC TIG welders with a 250A output is the Everlast PowerTIG 255EXT. This TIG welder qualifies as an actual professional-grade machine. As such, it is better than the YesWelder TIG 250P. However, it costs 250% more.

So, YesWelder’s value is not just in the provided specs because it’s the only alternative to high-end machines at less than $1000. For example, Weldpro is a worse alternative to Everlast because it’s only slightly cheaper and not as good.

The Everlast 255EXT has exceptional arc quality, the same features as YesWelder but with a wider range of adjustability, significantly better build quality, and a 5-year warranty. So, if your budget permits getting the Everlast, don’t bother with YesWelder. But, if you need a value alternative, YesWelder is a better choice than Weldpro.

The YesWelder TIG 250A matches many of the specs in the Everlast 255EXT. But getting 250A at a 60% duty cycle is unheard of at such a low price. And while we said that YesWelder hasn’t yet built up a reputation in the “professional” market, it has a history and loyal audience as a well-known hobbyist brand.

So, when YesWelder’s specs say 60% at 250A, that’s the truth. Whether the machine can last if you push it daily remains to be seen, but the 3-year warranty inspires confidence.

YesWelder’s TIG 250A is also lighter than Everlast 255EXT, but that’s due to Everlast’s sturdier body. Still, if portability is of the essence, YesWelder has the advantage.

Best Features of the Yeswelder TIG-250P

As you can tell from the table above, the YesWelder TIG-250P is no joke when it comes to the included functions. The Yeswelder specs compete well with the significantly more expensive Everlast, which is impressive. 

So, if you don’t need a TIG welder for critical jobs like the aerospace or defense industry, this YesWelderTIG unit can do a lot for you.

The Included Functions

The myriad of functions at such a low price elevates the TIG-250P above the crowd. We’ll explain the most important features below. But keep in mind that this machine has so many options that we’d have to take too much of your time if we were to discuss them all.

AC TIG

The AC TIG is what makes this welder “professional.” It allows you to weld aluminum and other exotic metals like magnesium. Typically, AC TIG welders are priced above the $1000 mark, making the 250P a great value.

AC Balance

The provided range of 15-85% AC balance lets you fine-tune the DCEP and DCEN parts of AC. Many expensive AC TIG units do not let you control the balance, let alone at such a wide range. For example, Hobart EZ-TIG 165i costs much more but doesn’t have balance control. 

Without AC balance, you can’t tailor the penetration versus cleaning action when welding aluminum. For complex jobs, this is necessary because of varying aluminum alloys, the thickness of the metal and the oxidized layer, and the desired weld penetration.

AC Frequency

This is another essential feature for professional work. Without the ability to control how often the current changes between DCEN and DCEP per second, you cannot modify the arc cone width and the resulting bead. So, an AC frequency feature is a welcomed feature in the TIG 250P.

AC and DC TIG Pulse

It is impossible to find a low-priced TIG welder that does both AC and DC Pulse. If another brand decides to jump on the bandwagon and joins YesWelder in this regard, that will be interesting. But for now, YesWelder is the only one to offer pulse, with frequency and width control, at sub $1000.

It’s possible to weld a thin gauge like a pro using a properly set pulse. It’s much easier to prevent burn-through, warping, or discoloration. Additionally, it’s best to weld corner joints where two thin gauge materials meet. With high pulse frequency, you can even achieve smooth welds that look like the metal was a homogenous mass, making it difficult to spot the weld line.

Tremendous Power

The second most important feature of the TIG 250P is its colossal power output. The 250A at 60% combined with AC TIG gives you the ultimate welding tool. You can weld any metal and achieve great-looking welds without being limited in power or duty cycle. 

Usually, we complain about these fundamentals when we review welding machines. Of course, it’s easy to nail fundamentals at a price above $2000 like Everlast. But, having this much welding power at a budget price separates YesWelder from the crowd.

What’s included

• YesWelder TIG 250P
• Wp-26 TIG torch, 13-feet
• Electrode holder, 10-feet
• Ground clamp, 10-feet
• TIG accessories
• Brush
• Instruction manual

Final Verdict

YesWelder tried hard to bring professional-level features to the average Joe with the TIG-250P. However, this is not a professional welder in the true sense of the word. It’s still a hobbyist-grade machine that can work for some professionals.

However, the YesWelder is the best value alternative if you don’t weld critical joints and can’t afford something like Everlast.

Brands like Weldpro are somewhat on par with YesWelder. While better in quality, the Weldpro alternative is too expensive to be considered a value choice.