Yeswelder YWM-200 Review – Is It Worth It?

Yeswelder recently released the new YWM-200 multi-process welder, which shares similarities with their Yeswelder MIG-250 PRO. But the YWM-200 comes with more features and less power, and this machine is primarily designed for MIG welding. It’s also spool gun ready, but it can weld aluminum “natively,” as I’ll soon explain.

In this article, I’ll cover the YWM-200 features, its pros and cons, and help you decide if this welder is right for you.

While affordable, this machine has a few shortcomings, so please read the entire review to fully understand what kind of work best suits the Yeswelder YWM-200.

Review Summary

Technical Specifications

Rating Overview

• Performance: 4.5/5
  Yeswelder machines offer stable, deeply penetrating arcs comparable to brands in the same price category.
• Power: 5/5
  The 200A output at 60% duty cycle beats similarly priced competing machines. Plus, the YWM-200 outputs up to 160A with a 110V input, which is much higher than anything the competition offers.
• Features: 5/5
  The Yeswelder YWM-200 has a digital display, spool gun compatibility, auto and manual modes, 2T/4T, tack welding, VRD, MIG inductance control, wire burn back time, and many other features. Only a few brands offer as many functions.
• Portability: 5/5
  Compared to older Yeswelder models like MIG-205DS, the YWM-200 is almost twice as heavy. However, the YWM-200 is still portable at about 39lbs and has a far better build quality than the earlier Yeswelder machines.
• Price: 4/5
  While affordable, the Yeswelder YWM-200 price pushes the high end of the mid-tier welder market. Compared to the Yeswelder MIG-250 PRO, the YWM-200 is more expensive. However, it does offer dual voltage support and better build quality, unlike the MIG-250 PRO. But the overall price-to-value ratio Yeswelder is known for is lower with this new model.
• Manufacturer support: 5/5
  Yeswelder has a good reputation as an entry-level welding equipment brand. Their customer support is readily available, and the provided 1-year warranty aligns with the YWM-200’s price.

Overall Verdict: 4.5/5
The YesWwelder YWM-200 is a relatively affordable, well-built multi-process welder suitable for almost all hobbyist or small shop needs. 

Best place to buy it:
The YWM 211P 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 YWM-200

You should consider the following shortcomings of the Yeswelder YWM-200 before deciding if this welder is for you.

The YWM-200 is an excellent machine for the price, but let’s review the negatives first.

Excluded Accessories

While affordable, the YWM-200 doesn’t include a spool gun, TIG torch, or shielding gas regulator. So, once you add these three, the price approaches $1000. 

However, you may not need to purchase all three at once. For instance, if you already have a shielding gas regulator, you can save some money there. Plus, Yeswelder’s spool gun and TIG torch are far more affordable than other brands.

Also, Yeswelder supplies a 13-foot-long spool gun, and it’s rated for a 60% duty cycle at 150 amps. Many hobbyist-grade spool guns have low duty cycles and short leads. So, while the spool gun purchase increases the price, it’s still a better deal than what most of the other brands provide.

Basic DC TIG Only

I wouldn’t call the YWM-200 an actual TIG machine. It only offers basic DC lift TIG operation without pulse or foot pedal support. You can use it for small TIG welding jobs where heat control isn’t paramount. But, if you need to weld expensive, delicate stainless steel elements, consider a more professional TIG unit.

Please read the Yeswelder TIG 250P review if you are looking for a good budget TIG welder. It’s far more capable and has a similar price to YWM-200.

E6010 Stick Electrodes Unsupported

The YWM-200 is limited to E6011, E6013, and E7018 electrodes. Since it doesn’t officially support the E6010 electrode, the unit likely has small inductors.

This is unusual since the YWM-211P released at about the same time supports E6010s for just a few extra dollars. 

If I’m being honest, hobbyists and small shop owners rarely need the E6010 electrode. But, welding dirty, rusty steel is much easier with the E6010 if your machine can run it. 

How The Yeswelder YWM-200 Stacks Up

The Yeswelder YWM-200 is an inexpensive, quality alternative to the big brand hobby welders. 

For example, Hobart’s Multi-Handler 200 and Lincoln’s Electric Power MIG 210MP have better build quality and more extended warranties. But they cost far more than the YWM-200. While all three machines offer similar features, the Yeswelder YWM-200 is far more affordable.

The Lincoln Electric Power MIG 210MP supports a TIG foot pedal, unlike the Yeswelder YWM-200. But, it doesn’t include a spool gun, TIG torch, and foot pedal control. The added cost of expensive accessories makes the Power MIG 210MP far less accessible to most people. 

You can buy two Yeswelder YWM-200 machines for the price of a Hobart Multi-Handler. Hobart’s welder offers a considerably lower duty cycle than the YWM-200, just 30% at 165 amps. But the Handler 200 does have fixed MIG inductance, wire run-in, hot start, and other parameters.

Finally, both “big brand” machines only offer basic lift TIG, and they don’t support E6010 electrodes, just like the YWM-200. Most hobbyists and DIY enthusiasts won’t benefit much from the added build quality provided by Lincoln or Hobart. While these machines have angled cast aluminum wire drive systems and a more robust build, paying twice as much is not worth it for most DIYers or hobbyists.

Best Features of the Yeswelder YWM-200

Besides the relatively low price, the YWM-200 has many selling points. So, let’s focus on the most useful features and digital functions the YWM-200 offers.

Multi-Process Capability

While many DIY welders in this price range include multiple welding processes, not all have numerous features to fine-tune the welding arc. 

The Yeswelder YWM-200 is, first and foremost, a MIG welder. So, the TIG and SMAW processes are limited. However, having the ability to TIG weld is helpful if you need to make a precision joint now and then. And if you’re welding dirty metal or working outside, where keeping proper gas coverage is challenging, the stick welding process comes in handy.

Even if the YWM-200 doesn’t have a high enough open circuit voltage (“OCV”) for E6010 electrodes, its stick welding mode offers more features than the other brands. For example, you can modify arc force to prevent it from going out if it’s too long, making hot starts easier with less chance of sticking your electrode to the piece.

Digital Display

Nowadays, most welding manufacturers include digital displays. But, the Yeswelder YWM-200 helps you visualize the selected welding process and makes switching the settings straightforward. 

The YWM-200 controls consist mainly of the display and a single infinitely adjustable knob, which keeps things simple. You can fine-tune almost every setting without guesswork using this one knob and the screen.

The digital display is especially beneficial if you are a beginner because you’ll see the exact voltage and wire feed speed you are using.

Synergic MIG and Manual Modes

Synergic MIG makes setting up the machine more manageable. It automatically adjusts the voltage and wire feed speed based on input parameters like wire thickness and material type. As you change the wire feed speed, the machine automatically compensates and adjusts the voltage accordingly. 

You will make a bad weld with a mismatched voltage and wire feed speed. Too much voltage pushes the weld puddle inwards into a concave shape with a wildly erratic arc.

On the other hand, low voltage causes insufficient penetration, excessive spatter, convex bead profiles, and poor arc starts. That’s why having a Synergic MIG mode is helpful for rookie welders. You get started with less trial and error and make consistent, quality welds faster.

But, you can also set up everything manually if you are an experienced welder for those unusual jobs that need tweaking. Plus, Synergic MIG can be fine-tuned. So, you can still use the auto settings and manually tweak them to your liking.

The YWM-200 Welds Aluminum

Many entry-level welders don’t support aluminum because they don’t have a spool gun connection or the required software for welding this material.

The arc voltage and wire feed speed for aluminum differ from mild or stainless steel. So, I’m glad to see that the YWM-200 has a dedicated aluminum welding mode.

It supports a spool gun (purchased separately here). But it also ships ready for “native” aluminum welding using the standard MIG torch.

However, this will require replacing the steel MIG lead liner and V-groove roller with the included graphene liner and U-groove roll.

A spool gun makes welding aluminum easier and reduces the likelihood of tangled wire inside the feeder. But, it’s good to have a graphene liner if you only occasionally weld aluminum.

Yeswelder is the only one of all budget brands to provide graphene liners and U-groove rollers with their MIG welders capable of welding aluminum. 

Included Functions

Yeswelder continues its tradition of stuffing machines with useful digital functions. While the YWM-200 has fewer options than the recently released Yeswelder YWM-211P, it’s still impressive compared to the competition.

Here are some of the most prominent functions and how they can benefit you:

• MIG inductance – Modifying this setting lets you tailor the amount of spatter and the weld contour. It’s handy when welding sheet metal as grinding spatter from thin stock can lead to warping or excessive surface thinning.
• 2T/4T – The 2T (two touches) is your standard welding mode — press the torch trigger, the arc ignites, release the trigger, and the arc goes off. However, 4T lets you weld without holding the MIG gun trigger as you weld. Combine this with the YWM-200’s 60% duty cycle, and you can make long welds without hand fatigue or tremors affecting your arc stability.
• Wire burnback – Adjusting this value prevents the wire from burning back inside the MIG gun tip and fusing with it. If this keeps happening to you, the wire burn back setting can save you money because replacement tip costs add up.
• Hot start – Increases the current at arc initiation to ensure the power is sufficient to establish the weld puddle and keep the arc lit.

Standardized Connectors

One thing I particularly like about Yeswelder is that all their machines use standardized connectors.

Unfortunately, many budget brands integrate their leads, making it challenging to switch polarity or replace worn cables.

The Yeswelder YWM-200 uses standard Euro-style MIG torch connectors and DINSE plugs for the TIG torch, stick holder, and ground clamp connection.

What’s Included

• Yeswelder YWM-200 unit
• MIG gun with dual ball sockets
• Stick electrode holder
• Ground clamp
• Additional MIG torch tips (4 pcs.)
• Graphene liner for welding aluminum
• V-groove drive roller: 0.023, 0.030, and 0.035-inch
• W-groove drive roller: 0.030 and 0.035-inch
• U-groove drive roller: 0.035 and 0.045-inch
• Gas hose
• 220 to 110V adapter
• User manual

Final Verdict

I would recommend the Yeswelder YWM-200 for hobbyists, DIY enthusiasts, metal artists, and small welding shops. This feature-rich multi-process welder is selling below its market value, which will tempt many people.

But, if you are a demanding everyday user, it’s better to buy a more reliable machine like the Lincoln Power MIG 210MP.

However, for most people, the YWM-200 makes for a cost-effective choice. Yeswelder has more than 15 years of experience and a solid reputation as a hobbyist brand.

Unlike most budget brands, Yeswelder has managed to create a community around its products. Their welders are popular on social media because of their excellent price-to-value ratio.

The YWM-200 is still relatively new. But since it’s like an improved version of the Yeswelder 250 MIG PRO, I expect it to achieve similar success.

Other Yeswelder Reviews

Yeswelder YWM-211P Review