By Gerald J. Smith. Last Updated: October 24, 2022

Best TIG Welder for Beginner [Reviews & Buying Guideline]

If you are just a beginner in welding or want to start welding just as a hobby, the first thing you need is to get a welder. You need a welder that can help you to get your work done without much ado. Yes, there are hundreds of welders out there in the market for the interested ones. But, if you are a beginner, it is really challenging for you to find a welder that suits best for you. In this article, we are going to focus on the top 5 best TIG welder for beginner.

Though many people think that a beginner should start work with a cheap welder, we strongly differ on this. We believe that it is always better to start with good quality and professional product that comes with a user-friendly interface and illustrative user manuals.

However, the types of welder you should buy depends also on the materials on those you will work. If you are willing to start welding with a variety of materials, we suggest you go for TIG welders. It is because this type of welder features a stable arc and can be used indoor and outdoor. Be it aluminum, copper steel, stainless steel or brass, a TIG welder is the solution to weld all these.

5 Best TIG Welder for Beginner Reviews 

We understand that as a beginner you are not interested to invest in something that cannot meet your expectations and does not feature any warranty. We are here to present you with the top-notch TIG welders available out there from reputed manufacturers. We hope that you will get the best value for the money if you check this out and choose one that seems to be the most appropriate to meet your needs. Here are the top 5 best TIG welder for beginner from our perspective.

I get paid if anyone buys through the links on this page as I am an affiliate of Amazon.com

1. AHP AlphaTIG 200X 200-Amp IGBT AC DC TIG/Stick Welder with Pulse 110V and 200V

Author comments: Premium Choice

In our opinion, AHP AlphaTIG 200X is the best TIG Welder for both beginners and expert level welder users. You can use this welder to weld aluminum and stainless steel effortlessly. However, it does not necessarily mean that you cannot weld other kinds of metals with it. Be it home repairing or business, it can be employed in every welding purposes that appear.

While many welding machines struggle to work with thin materials, AHP AlphaTIG 200X is an exception. It works smoothly with thinner gauge materials. Conversely, it is also efficient when it comes to welding thick materials with it.

As AHP AlphaTIG 200X works great with both thin and thick materials, it can handle 3/8" steel and 1/4" aluminum. On top of that, it is also possible to weld 7018 and 6013 with this beginner-friendly welder.

When it comes to electric supply, there is nothing much to worry about because it supports both the AC and DC power input. You are at liberty to adjust them as per your needs. It is also flexible regarding volts. You can use either 110 volts or 220 volts

If you own AHP AlphaTIG 200X, you will never feel tired of welding with one hand as you can use both the hands to weld if you want. Moreover, to make the welding journey more convenient and enhance the control over the welds, this welder also features an amazing foot pedal.

We know that AHP AlphaTIG 200X is not the lightest welder out there. But, we can assure you about its amazing portability. Being as lightweight as 38 pounds, this welder comes with a dimension of 19 x 23 x 12 inches.

Do not look at the price tag of this welder without looking at the service warranty it comes with. It offers a 3-year warranty for you in case you find any problem with this welder.

2. Lincoln Electric Square Wave TIG 200 TIG Welder, K5126-1

Author comments: Best Overall

If you are looking for a welder that is simple but doesn’t compromise with the quality, Lincoln Electric Square Wave TIG 200 TIG Welder should be in your buying list. Lincoln Electric Square Wave TIG 200 TIG Welder, K5126-1 is an ideal choice for makers, hobbyists, small craftsmen, and fabricators to explore the core of their creative zeal.

This welder comes with both TIG and Stick welding features. It is easily portable to anywhere due to its low weight. No matter what your skill level is, it will not disappoint you.

It is designed in a way that will help you to expand your expertise from the beginner to the professional level. Once you become confident and skilled in using this welder, you can explore the added functionalities it comes with.

Lincoln Electric Square Wave TIG 200 can be run by both AC or DC input. If you are to weld aluminum, you can go for AC TIG welding. Conversely, DC TIG welding works great for steel, chrome-moly and stainless steel.

When it comes to the user interface, it is user-friendly. You just need to set it, forget it and weld as you wish.

Featuring a dimension of 14 inches in height, 10.75 inches in width and 19.25 inches in depth, it is 46.5 pounds in weight.

The combination of advanced technology and features such as Pulse contributes to make you a better TIG welder within a very short time. Though it comes with many advanced features, it is very easy to use for beginners.

For welding aluminum, this is an awesome TIG machine to buy. When welding aluminum, you can adjust the AC frequency control as per your need to widen or tighten the welding bead. The adjustable AC balance will help you to penetrate the thick materials and clean the dirty aluminum if necessary.

From only one power source you can avail both the TIG welding and Stick welding. Stick welding has no alternative when you work outdoor and with thick materials.

3. Amico TIG-205 / 200 Amp HF TIG Torch/Stick/Arc Welder 115 & 230V Dual Voltage Welding Machine

Author comments: Best For Multi-functional

Being a dual Voltage welding machine, Amico TIG-205 is perfect for TIG, Stick and Arc welding as well. Though it features all the qualities a perfect fabricator needs, it is good for those beginners who want to achieve mastery over all forms of welding within a short time.

Besides working well for thin metal, Amico TIG-205 is by no way a bad choice for welding metals with ½ inch of thickness. As it comes with 2-in-1 functions, you do not need to buy two different machines if you buy this one.

When it comes to the use of modern technology in the welding industry, Amico TIG-205 goes beyond the expectation. It offers IGBT inverter along with HF start. The LED screen is there to check the available information and frequency rates when you work. Its slim and sleek design has made it portable and easy to operate the machine.

Amico TIG-205 accommodates all the necessary cables and torch to help you in your welding. You will also be supplied with an electrode holder. So, you do not need to buy anything separately to start welding. Just unbox, plug and start working.

Amico TIG-205 uses high frequency to start the arc which works to improve the tungsten life.

With this welder in hand, you can weld a variety of metals including steel, mild steel, bronze, chrome, cast iron, stainless steel, nickel alloy, and whatnots. Be it welding automobile, home, and kitchen furniture or any kind of piping work, Amico TIG-205 is the perfect choice for you.

There is a popular myth that a TIG welder requires a master to operate it. But, this is not true for Amico TIG-205. It comes with a very simple and beginner-friendly user interface. To control the voltage and amperage you just need to use one knob. Again, there is just a single switch to turn on or off the machine. A display will show you the amp that you set.

However, you may find the price a little bit high. But, if you consider the quality and the price of this welding machine with that of other manufacturers, you will find the price reasonable.

4. Hobart 5500551 EZ-TIG AC/DC TIG welder 230V

Author comments: Money Saving

Being an AC/DC TIG welder, Hobart 5500551 EZ-TIG is a beginner-friendly welding machine. To get started with it, just plug it to your desired current supply, makes sure the proper input voltage, connect the shielding gas and start welding on your selected material. You do not need to do anything more to get your welding done.

With this welder, you can easily work on 22-gauge to 3/16-inch materials with ease. Being one of the most lightweight TIG welders out there, it does not compromise with a stable arc and inverter-based design.

This model of TIG welder ensures better portability with two handles to carry it safely from place to place. 

Featuring an on-demand fan, it saves your energy and money as the fan runs only when you need it to run. This kind of fan also helps to keep your welder away from dust.

With amperage control, you are at liberty to set the operating range with high-frequency starts. You can control the amperage remotely with the foot control. However, if the temperature of the machine goes too high, it shuts down automatically. So, it is very safe to use.

When it comes to the voltage input, both AC and DC can be used to back it up with power. You can use the AC output for aluminum and DC output for both mild and stainless steel.

Hobart 5500551 EZ-TIG operates at 230V. At 165A you will get a duty cycle of 20% from it. To talk about its weight, it is 50 lbs with a dimension of 26.8 x 13.7 x 20.8.

Do you think that this amazing TIG welder is made in China? If you thought so, just cut your thought off. It is designed and manufactured in the USA to lets you use the best quality product.

5. TIG 160 AMP Torch ARC Stick Welder 110/230V Dual Voltage Welding Machine – Best Budget TIG Welder

Author comments: Best Budget

TIG-160DC is another great welder from Amico. This is ideal for those welders who have a low budget and are not willing to compromise with the quality. This is one of the least expensive welding machines available out there. Having a multifunction facility, this welding machine works both as TIG and Stick along with the ARC.

This is a powerful welding machine that can weld 3/8" Stainless steel, Mild steel, Alloy steel, Chrome, Copper, and Cast iron very effectively. Be it arc quality, duty cycle, and value, it can outshine many welders that cost very high.

The voltage control technology helps you to stay secure when you weld. You do not need to work hard for post-weld cleanup once you move to use it. It comes with a very low spatter which will not affect much to a flawless weld.

As it comes with a dual voltage input that lets you use either 110V or 230V, you can stay relaxed about plugging it to any common power supply you get available around you.

Coming with the 1-year warranty period, this welding machine is tested in the USA for quality assurance.

TIG-160DC adopts advanced inverter technology. If your goal is to find a concentrated, stable and strong arc, we would suggest you check this once. This is so adjustable that, the key to softening or hardening the arc is in your hand. At AC 160A, you can expect a duty cycle of 60%.

This welder is very lightweight which makes it very easy to be carried anywhere. Having just as low weight as 14.5 pounds, this welding machine comes with a dimension of 16.6 x 7.5 x 11.8 inches.

One big benefit of buying this TIG welder is, you do not need to buy the related accessories separately. This welding package includes a welding machine, TIG torch gun, electrode holder of 13 feet, cable of 10 feet transfer plug, 2 tungsten and an instruction manual. So, what are you waiting for?

Buying Guide: How to Choose the Best TIG Welder for Beginner

As a beginner, you might get confused about the intrinsic and essential qualities a TIG welder should possess. Most of the time, the new welders cannot determine the purpose of buying their welder. Many of them fail to buy one that would serve their purpose well.

So, the first thing when considering to buy a TIG welder should not be the comparison of price among welders, but the purpose of the welders. To help you buy the right TIG welders, we are going to show you some factors that you should carefully examine while you go for buying your first TIG welder. Here you are:

Duty Cycle

By the duty cycle, we understand the ability of continuous work. This is represented as a percentage of the total active time of your welder. The more duty cycle refers to the way more active time. If your welder comes with a high duty cycle, it means that you can weld for more time before taking a break to let you welder cool down.

A low duty cycle wastes time unnecessarily. If you are working commercially or handling dense materials, it is a must for you to examine the duty cycle of the welder you wish to buy.

For light and soft metals having a Duty cycle of 20% may seem good. But, when it comes to heavy materials and you need to pay more for an expensive welder and it is better to have it with a 60% duty cycle featuring more than 6 minutes of active time.

Dimension and Weight

If you work from a fixed place, it is okay to buy a heavy welder. But, if you are a nomad, you should think about prioritizing a lightweight one. It is because the more lightweight a welder is, the more portable it is.

 Most of the welders nowadays look for flexible welders for better portability.  A TIG welder that comes within 80 lbs can be defined as a lightweight one. However, it is the transformer that plays the most important role to determine the size and weight of your welder. 

When it comes to weight and dimension, another important thing to look for is the handle that most of the welders come with. If you get a sturdy and strong handle, it becomes easy for you to lift your welder and carry it to different places.

Input Power

Most of the TIG welder usually feature both the AC and DC input for getting all kinds of work done smoothly. Whether you will operate the welder on AC or DC depends on the type of materials you are going to weld. There is a particular range for the AC and DC input within which your welder will work. The most common types of materials are steel and aluminum. For working with these, it is essential to ensure that you have a high input welder.

LCD and Automation

An LCD can help you have a look at the voltage and the amperage. Automation features like auto-shutdown for high temperature will help you to remain safe and secure at the time of welding. Look if your TIG welder comes with an LCD and updated technology with automation where possible.

Final Thoughts

Finding the best TIG welder for beginner may seem challenging. But, if you look at the products we have reviewed, you can certainly find the most appropriate welder for you to buy. Follow our buying guide to know the factors you should look at when you go for buying a TIG welder. Hope this article will help you to get the best TIG welder within your budget.