Best Stick Welders
What are the Best Stick Welders
Stick welders are one of the most popular choices of welding machines. Most professional welders and DIY enthusiasts buy a stick welder because it is easy to use, doesn’t require shielding gas, and is suitable for outdoor welding. Additionally, a good-quality stick welder is cheaper to buy compared to other welding equipment.
Choosing the best welder or combo welder can be challenging. If you are purchasing your first welder, the arrays of specifications can be confusing. And you will need to consider buying the proper safety equipment for welding. On the other hand, suppose you are an experienced welder looking to replace your welder. In that case, new technologies mean many more options are available than when you purchased your previous stick welding machine.
This article has stick welder reviews of the top eight welders currently for sale. Each product also has a list of pros and cons and lists its key features. This helpful information will assist you in making an informed choice when buying welding equipment.
The Top 8 Stick Welders — The Best Picks and Reviews
1. LOTOS LTPDC2000D Welder and Stick Welder 3-in-1 Combo
The Lotos LTPDC2000D welder is a reasonably priced, 200-amp stick arc welder. The 3-in-1 welding machine is ideal for stick welding, TIG welding, and cutting metal. In addition, the powerful welder handles many types of weldable materials, including thicker metals, with minimal slag. You can use it to cut through rusted, painted, or rough surfaces. This welder is suitable for precision welding of stainless steel and thinner-gauge metals.
A feature of the Lotos LTPDC2000D is its no-touch arc start technology. This helps to reduce overall cost because it minimizes tungsten electrode contamination. Also, although the welding heat pedal isn’t included, you can attach one for TIG welding.
Specifications
- Base material thickness: Up to 1/2-inch steel
- Arc output: 15 to 200 amps
- Duty cycle: 60%
Pros:
- Excellent current range, from 15 to 200 amps
- No-touch arc starts
- Cut metal up to 3/4-inch thick
- Excellent value for money
- Cuts and welds
- Three-year warranty
Cons:
- Short electrode clamp lead is 6 feet
Reason to buy this stick welder: It is one of the best overall combo welders in its price range.
2. Everlast 2021 PowerArc 161STH 140 Amp Stick TIG Welder
The Everlast PowerArc 161 stick welder is a perfect choice if you need a lightweight, portable stick welder. The portable welder features a digital IGBT inverter that provides a smooth, stable DC arc and low power consumption. The 10 to 160 amps adjustable output means it’s versatile for many types of metal — from welding thinner metals up to 1/2-inch steel plate.
Additional features of the Everlast PowerArc 161STH are its pulse system welding, TIG capabilities, and dual welding voltage capabilities. Unlike previous Everlast welding models, this one is compatible with a TIG pedal. Also, it receives excellent online reviews from users.
Specifications:
- Base material thickness: Up to 1/2-inch steel plate
- Arc output: 10 to 160 amps
- Duty cycle: 35%
Pros:
- Robust and lightweight inverter stick welder
- Lift type arc starting
- Handles two types of welding — TIG and stick
- Long electrode cable
- Five-year warranty
Cons:
- Not as powerful as other welders in the same price category
- No cutting ability
Reason to buy this stick welder: A powerful stick welder is a reliable machine with excellent stick and TIG welding capabilities.
3. Amico ARC-160D 160 Amp Stick ARC Welder
The Amico ARC-160D is one of the best dual voltage welders if you are on a tight budget. This low-cost welder doesn’t compromise on quality. It has an arc output similar to more expensive models and a longer electrode clamp lead. With its 80% duty cycle, you can enjoy long-time welding. The welder is ideal for hobbyists, maintenance, car repair, and portable welding.
This unit offers excellent welding, considering the price. The high-quality IGBT inverter with hot start and anti-stick technology means it delivers a quality weld. Overall, this is an above-average welder and can’t be beaten on price.
Specifications:
- Base material thickness: 1/4-inch metal with a single pass
- Arc output: 5 – 160 amps
- Duty cycle: 80%
Pros:
- Excellent value for money
- It only weighs 16 lbs.
- Ten-foot electrode cable
- Ideal for beginners or DIY enthusiasts with occasional welding projects
Cons:
- Lacks multi-purpose functions
Reason to buy this stick welder: One of the best value-for-money welders we have reviewed
4. Hobart 160i Stick Arc Welder
Hobart is a respected name in the welding industry. The portable 160i stick welder delivers smooth performance from a lightweight machine. Like all the best welders, this unit has hot start technology that helps to improve performance. In addition, the infinite amperage control in increments as low as 1 amp if necessary gives you complete control when welding thicker metal.
Additional features which help the Hobart 160i stick welder stand out from the rest are the ten-foot electrode cable, ten-foot work cable, and dual voltage capabilities. Additionally, this welder has DC output. Finally, its quality build ensures less spatter, less sticking, and excellent arc control.
Specifications:
- Base material thickness: Up to 3/8-inch steel in 240V mode
- Arc output: 20 to 160 amps
- Duty cycle: 30%
Pros:
- Hot start technology
- Lightweight and portable
- Infinite amperage control in increments of 1 amp
- Long-length cables
- 5-year warranty
Cons:
- Minimum output 20 amps
Reason to buy this stick welder: Hobart is a respected name among welders. This welding machine gets excellent online reviews.
5. Forney Easy Weld 298 Arc Welder
The Forney Easy Weld stick welder is an ideal choice for beginners. All of this welding unit is of good quality. The electrode and ground clamps are comfortable to use and get excellent contact. If you want to get started in TIG welding, this welder accepts TIG accessories. However, there is no pedal operation. All in all, it is ideal for home projects and automotive applications.
An excellent feature of the Forney Easy Weld 298 is a welder’s manual. This is just what you need to get started welding. Its low cost and excellent build represent outstanding value for money.
Specifications:
- Base material thickness: 5/16-inch metal
- Arc output: 10 – 90 amps
- Duty cycle: 30%
Pros:
- A low price tag for a quality machine
- Instructions for welding included
- Suitable welder for beginners
- Excellent for light gauge welding
Cons:
- It runs colder than you would expect
Reason to buy this stick welder: The welder is an excellent entry-level machine for anyone starting out.
6. HITBOX HB2200 200A Inverter Arc Stick-Welder
The Hitbox 2200 is a budget-friendly stick welder that is easy to set up and operate. This is one of the cheapest stick inverter welders with TIG and MMA capabilities. The lightweight welder weighs 10 lbs. and has an output from 10 to 200 amps. Additionally, the welder has hot start, arc force, and anti-stick features to maximize efficiency and create less welding spatter.
An advantage of this low-cost welder is that it has lift function. This allows you to work on mild steel, carbon steel, copper, alloy steel, and galvanized pipe. With the TIG function, you can also weld stainless steel.
Specifications:
- Base material thickness: n/a
- Arc output: Up to 200 amps
- Duty cycle: 85% for stick welding, 50% for TIG welding
Pros:
- Affordable price for most people’s budget
- Low-cost welder delivering up to 200 amps
- Stable current and excellent duty cycle
- You can use it for the type of welding you prefer —stick, MMA, or TIG welding
- Easy-to-read control panel
Cons:
- Only has input voltage 240V
- Electrode clamp leads are short
- One-year warranty
Reason to buy this stick welder: It’s one of the cheapest stick welders on the market with TIG capabilities.
7. PrimeWeld TIG225 TIG and Stick Welder
The PrimeWeld TIG225 stick welder is an advanced machine with dual voltage input — AC and DC capabilities. On the stick setting, the welder produces up to 120 amp on 12 volts and 180 amps on 240 volts. However, you can reduce the amperage to 10 for welding thin 24-gauge metal. The advanced features of the PrimeWeld welder make this excellent for seasoned welders who need to deliver clean welds.
As one of the best stick welders in this review, it comes with the highest price tag. However, it is also the only stick welder that comes with TIG accessories as standard.
In addition, to stick welding, the PrimeWeld TIG225 has TIG features like CK17 torch, pulse width modulation, and AC balance.
Specifications:
- Base material thickness: Up to 3/8-inch steel
- Arc output: 120 amps at 120 volts and 180 amps at 240 volts
- Duty cycle: 100% at 108 amps
Pros:
- Impressive duty cycle with AC or DC electric current
- Long electrode clamps and ground leads — 12.5 feet
- DC stick welding and AC TIG welding
- 200-hertz pulse frequency
- Pulse with modulation
- Three-year warranty
Cons:
- The included regulator is cheap
- The foot pedal is a little sensitive
Reason to buy this stick welder: This is an impressive welder suitable for home and industrial use for high-end applications.
8. YESWELDER ARC Welder 205Amp Digital Inverter
The YESWELDER is an excellent welder if you require portability and high performance. The impressive welder delivers output up to 205 amps — the highest of all the stick welders we’ve reviewed. In addition, the welder has advanced functions like automatic hot start, no electrode sticking, and less spatter. It was also found that the welder has superior arc stability compared to other models.
Some of the vital safety features of the YESWELDER are overheating protection, overload protection, shock transfer protection, and IP21 water protection.
Specifications:
- Base material thickness: up to 1/4-inch plate
- Arc output: 10 to 205 amps
- Duty cycle: 100% at 158 amps and 60% at 205 amps
Pros:
- Cool airflow technology
- It weighs 10 lbs.
- Automatic hot start and adaptive arc force
- Spatter and post-weld cleanup are minimal
- IGBT soft switch technology
Cons:
- User report issues with arc stability
The Best Stick Welder
Our recommendation from this review is the LTPDC2000D Welder. Compared to the other welders in the review, this has the best output for the price. In addition to providing superior stick welding performance, it also can be used as a cutter and TIG welder. We also found from reviews that this type of welder is straightforward to use, and there were very few complaints from users. The only downside was the short cables. However, it is easy to purchase longer ones if necessary.
Suppose you are on a budget or just getting started in welding. Which is the best low-cost welder to buy? There were two outstanding examples in this review — the Amico ARC-160D and the Forney Easy Weld 298.