Best TIG Welding Machines on the Market

Whether you are a professional welder or a backyard hobbyist, if you know how to lay a bead, then the odds are good that you either know how to TIG weld or you’ve given some serious thought to learning. TIG is arguably the most versatile welding technology available, and most welders would agree that it is one of the most challenging techniques to master.

What are the best TIG welding machines on the market? There are a number of factors to consider when you’re shopping for the best TIG machine for you. Your idea of the best machine will depend on what you’ll be doing with it. Fortunately, there are plenty of great options. Unfortunately, it can be tough to sort through them all.

There are scores of quality TIG machines on the market. When you compare them, you need to consider how your plans for it will make factors like price, versatility, portability, durability, and productivity more or less important to you. We took a look at the best machines available and weighed their pros and cons. Read on to see which machines made our list of the 15 best.

The 15 Best TIG Welding Machines on the Market

If you asked any 10 welders that you know to name the best TIG welding machine on the market, chances are good that you wouldn’t have a single duplicate answer out of their 10 responses. TIG plays an important role in too many different industries and sees action in too many different settings for there to be a consensus view.

Where, how, and why you use a TIG machine will have a huge influence on whether you think one machine is better or worse than another. Personal preferences play a big role too. So, the welder who is going to be using the machine matters. What you want it to do and what you need it to do are equally important questions to ask.

Unless your TIG machine is the primary tool that you use to earn your living, you probably want to avoid paying top dollar for a top-of-the-line machine. There are plenty of machines at lower price points that are capable of doing good work—even on tough jobs. If you can get a machine that will perform reliably, there’s no point in spending more to get features that you won’t use.

We compared a wide selection of machines with an eye toward factors like the value you get for the purchase price, the machine’s ability to perform heavy-duty work, and user-friendly features like portability and control interface. We came up with a list of 15 machines that any TIG welder would be happy to call their own.

#1 — AHP AlphaTIG 200 DX

The top machine on our list gives you a lot of great features at a very reasonable price. When you combine that with an impressive warranty, there aren’t many good arguments against this machine. Whether you’re looking for a great machine for amateur uses or a perfectly serviceable machine for professional use—this model deserves a look.

The AHP Alpha gives you the option of 110V or 220V phases and delivers a 60% duty cycle at 200V. It’s a little bit on the bulky side for hobbyists but just right for professional work. At 69 pounds, it can be moved around when you need to. At 19″x23″x12″, it won’t fit easily into every spot you might need to get to, but that much duty cycle and power input requires space.

The digital display and automation are very user-friendly. You can use the machines presets or make adjustments to fine-tune the unit’s performance to match your preferences. Either way, you’ll get smooth and precise welding with enough power to handle a wide range of tasks. The best part is that you get all this in a unit that won’t break your back or the bank.

Both the earth clamp and the foot pedal on this unit leave something to be desired, but with everything that it has going for it, we wouldn’t let those issues stand in our way if we were shopping for a new machine.

#2 — Everlast Power TIG 250 EX

Everlast is a relative newcomer to the TIG arena, but this unit extends what has been an impressive entry to the market. This unit has all of the features that you would expect from a top-of-the-line machine, and it’s backed by a 5-year warranty. While its price tag is more than twice the AHP’s, it’s worth noting everything that you get at that price.

This unit has both pre and post flow controls to give you optimum gas shielding performance. It offers a 40% duty cycle at 250A but can approach 100% at lower amperages. That kind of power and productivity will give you options that will make a difference for your bottom line if you’re using this machine professionally.

Even with all of its power, this unit is both more compact and lighter than the AHP. It weighs in at 65 lbs. and measures 17″x24″x9″. One of the most impressive features of this unit is the arc force control that reduces spattering and improves short arc performance. The digital display is easy to read, and the color-coded controls make life easier for beginning welders.

When you purchase this unit, you a starter kit of consumables and a number of other bonuses that help you recover from any sticker shock you might be experiencing. At the end of the day, the price is the only strike against this unit, and when you look at the value that you get for the price — it doesn’t feel right, calling the price a strike against it.

#3 — Lincoln Electric K5126-1 Square Wave TIG 200

Lincoln is one of the most respected brands on the market, and there are plenty of good reasons for that. This unit doesn’t compare to the AHP on price, and it doesn’t compete with the Everlast on power, but it does knock portability out of the park. It’s an extremely well-designed unit that is easy to use and comes with features like a comfortable torch and a responsive foot pedal.

The unit can run at 120V or 240V, but with a duty cycle that ranges from 25% to 60% depending on your settings, it isn’t as rough and ready as we would like it to be. The unit also leaves a little to be desired on the gas shield control settings.

At a slight 46 lbs. this machine is made to go on jobs where you’ll be on the move. Its 20″x20″x13″ dimensions make it more than manageable. The automatic gas shutoff feature makes it friendly to beginning welders.

For the price of this unit, we would like to see more of the precision control features that you find on other top-of-the-line machines, but those features take up space that this unit doesn’t have to spare due to its portable design. 

#4 — Lotos 200 AC/DC Aluminum TIG-Welder

Another entry on our list that maxes out versatility and power at a bargain price. Like the AHP, this unit gives you an awful lot of value at an unbelievable price. The one-year warrant might be enough to cause some folks to look elsewhere, but we haven’t heard many complaints about this unit’s reliability. We think it deserves at least a look from anyone in the market for a light-duty unit.

The versatility of a unit that runs TIG and stick is definitely a bonus in our book. The Lotos 200 can run at 120V or 240V and deliver a 60% duty cycle. That power is squeezed into a pretty convenient package. At 58 lbs. It’s light enough for work on the move. At 28″x13″x17″ it doesn’t take up very much space in your shop or on your rig.

One of the nicer features of this unit is the automatic voltage switch. This unit is great for aluminum welding and friendly enough for beginners. Unfortunately, it doesn’t come with a finger switch and lacks pulse arc capabilities.

#5 — Longevity Innovator 255i 250 AMP AC/DC TIG Welder

This is definitely one of the pricier units on our list, but when you consider everything that you get for that price, you might end up feeling like you’re getting away with something. This unit offers 4-in-1 multi-process that includes 250 amp AC TIG, 250-amp DC TIG, 250 amp stick, and 40 amp plasma cutter. Its user-friendly digital front panel makes switching between functions simple.

The balance control, pulse control, and downslope controls on this unit make it very easy to use for beginners and extremely user-friendly for seasoned pros. 

The price tag on this unit might be enough to scare some shoppers off—no matter how many processes you get wrapped up in a single unit. When you consider that it is only covered by a one-year warranty, the cringe factor from the price tag goes up a little more.

#6 — Lincoln Electric Precision TIG 225 K2535-2

When you need a beast, this unit from Lincoln deserves a look. It gives you both TIG and stick capabilities, plenty of power, and an impressive duty cycle, but at 240 lbs., you’ll be looking for a portable unit to pair it with if your work frequently takes you outside of the shop. Of course, the sticker price on this unit is steep enough that you might not have much leftover for a second unit.

Still, you have to consider Lincoln’s reputation for longevity and everything that you get in this unit. The unit has an adjustable voltage with a 230V maximum and low amp starting for light-duty tasks. At 90 amps, you get a 100% duty cycle that shouldn’t be overlooked.

What this unit lacks in portability, it makes up for in power—and while it might not have the bells and whistles of the Everlast, there is beauty in its simplicity. This unit will weld almost anything that you put in front of it. Unfortunately, you’ll have to bring the work to it unless you have a gantry crane or travel with a pack of powerlifters. 

#7 — YESWELDER ARC Welding Machine

If you’re looking for a beginner model to learn TIG on—look no further than this offering from YESWELDER. It’s also a great option if you want something that you can use to make light repairs around your shop without sacrificing a lot of shelf- or floor-space. The price can’t be beaten. You won’t get any of the accessories for TIG welding when you purchase the unit, but you’ll have plenty of cash leftover.

There aren’t many machines like this one on the market. There aren’t any other machines like this one on our list. It’s lightweight but sturdy. It’s compact but powerful. At 165 amps, it packs enough punch to weld 1/4″ steel at 220V and 5/32″ steel at 110V. But at only 10 lbs., you can hold it in the palm of your hand.

It was tough to decide where to fit this unit into our list. It could do a good job for almost any welder if it’s used for light-duty jobs. And at a price that will have you wondering if there is a typo, you’ll be able to purchase all of the accessories to set it up for TIG welding and still have less out-of-pocket than you would with any other machine on the list.

#8 — PRIMEWELD TIG 225X AC/DC TIG Welder

An American made marvel; this unit strikes an impressive balance between heavy-duty abilities and portability. It’s versatile enough to be used for most of the applications you’ll encounter in modern-day welding and compact enough to go where you need it to. But at 90 lbs. You’ll have to work a little bit harder to get it there. It’s extremely affordable and covered by a 3-year warranty.

You can run this unit at 110V or 220V. Its duty cycle is 40% at 140 amps. It performs admirably on pulse setting and does equally well on thin aluminum and thick steel. It’s a great unit for beginning welders but completely capable of putting in a full day of work with the pros. One additional feature we liked was that it came with certifications from independent quality control regulators.

The foot pedal on this unit took a little bit of getting used to, but all of the other accessories that came with the unit were top-notch. Its IGBT technology feature adds to the dependability of this unit. If you’re in the market for an affordable workhorse that will have your back in the majority of situations, you could certainly do worse than this unit.

#9 — Miller Maxstar TIG Welder

If you’re looking for maximum power in a compact package, you need to take a close look at this unit from Miller. At 13 lbs., it is every bit as portable as the YESWELDER, but it comes ready to go to work as a TIG welder, and it’s backed by Miller’s reputation and a lengthy warranty. Of course, you’re going to pay for all of the usability and reliability that you get with this unit.

Don’t let the size of this unit fool you, it’s ready to put in work on heavy-duty projects, and it’s durable enough to go wherever you take it and come out on top. It’s simple enough to make beginning welders comfortable. If you’re looking for a user-friendly, easy to transport, and easy to care for TIG welder, you need to consider this model.

While we understand that the price tag will scare some readers off of this unit, we think that when you consider the features that you get, the added bonus of its compact size, and the well-deserved reputation that Miller machines have—it’s well worth the price of admission.

#10 — Hobart 500551 EZ-TIG

We were happy to be able to include a machine from Hobart on our list. We’ve always been impressed by their machines’ reliability and versatility. What makes this model stand out is right there in its name. It really makes TIG welding about as EZ as you have a right to expect.

The unit has plenty of power that users can adjust through a single control knob. It delivers a duty cycle of 20% at 165A, which means that it’s up for most of the challenges you’ll be able to offer it. The unit weighs 60 lbs., so it’s not a back-breaking prospect to put it to work on projects that will have you moving frequently. At 14″x27″x21″ it doesn’t require too much space.

There are some great features that this unit offers to help save inexperienced welders from themselves. For example, it has an automatic high-temperature shutdown and outstanding post flow functionality. The unit has a cooling fan that moderates the machine’s internal temperature. It also offers infinite amperage regulation to make welding any material do-able. 

At the price that you’ll pay for this unit, there are a few other models that you should consider before you pull the trigger. That being said, if you value a machine that is simple to set up and operate, you might prefer this unit over anything else in its price range.

#11 — Amico TIG-225 220 Amp High-Frequency TIG Welder

This unit is another great combination of price and portability but with more power than you find in most models this size. On the downside, you’ll sacrifice some of the user-friendly features that you get with top-tier TIG welders—whether they’re compact or not. Our first thought when we checked this unit out was that it would be a great portable counter-part to the Lincoln behemoth at #6.

This unit doesn’t seem as durable as the YESWELDER, and it’s definitely not going to last as long as the Miller. At 30 lbs., it isn’t quite as compact either. And since it seems to be geared more toward stick welding with the TIG capabilities more of an afterthought, it isn’t going to be as user-friendly on TIG projects.

With all of that being said, one thing that this unit does have going for it is the ability to run a high amperage range and deliver results on heavy welds. It doesn’t come with a foot pedal or finger switch, and the torch that it comes with leaves a lot to be desired, but it does come with a sturdy case to help it stand up to harsher environments.

We wouldn’t recommend this unit for light-gauge welding or for precise work or aesthetic welds. If you need brute force in a compact unit, this is the right machine. Other than that, there are better options on this list for almost any welder’s needs.

#12 — Forney 324

Another multi-process machine makes our list in this compact offering from Forney. You’ll get MIG, TIG, and stick capabilities at an affordable price and a compact 43 lb. package. Unlike the Amico, this unit definitely doesn’t treat TIG as an afterthought. Its set-up makes it a great option for any of the three functions that it offers.

For a little unit, you get an impressive amount of power too. You can run the unit at 120V or 230 V, and it has a maximum output of 190 amps. It delivers a 60% duty cycle at 60A. It’s definitely possible to overwork this unit, but in our experience, doing so would overwork a lot of welders.

The unit is an easy-enough one-hand carry, and it has a great digital display that makes navigating all of the options wrapped up in this machine easy for beginning welders. It has a rugged all-metal case that will stand up to field use. It’s a pretty impressive offering at a very reasonable price point.

#13 — Weldpro Digital 200 GD AC/DC TIG Welder

We felt a little bit bad when we realized this unit was going to end up this low on our list. All-in-all it’s an impressive machine at a reasonable price. It offers a lot of power and productivity in a relatively portable package. It also gives users a break with an easy to read display and easy to understand controls.

At the end of the day, it is quite as good of a deal as some of the other machines in this price range. Also, this machine isn’t capable of delivering the goods on heavy-duty applications the way some of its peers are. But if you’re looking for an efficient, convenient, user-friendly model, this one deserves a look.

You’ll get both TIG and stick capabilities and the versatility of TIG welding in AC or DC settings. The unit packs a 200A punch and delivers a 60% duty cycle at that output. The unit is sturdy and seems like it would have staying power even if it were put to daily use under field conditions.

#14 — LONGEVITY TIGWELD 200D

This is another unit that brings together affordability, portability, and versatility—with one glaring exception. While the unit offers both stick and TIG welding capabilities, it does not offer AC current, so it would make welding aluminum even more challenging than it already is.

Some of the unit’s features seem almost too good — the variable amps, post flow, and high-frequency start functions all feel like they should be on a much more expensive unit. The foot pedal is one of the better ones that we encountered while putting this list together.

The unit weighs in at 38 lbs. and measures 15″x7″x13″, making it a breeze to move around in any conditions. If this unit offered an AC setting, it would have placed much higher on this list.

#15 — Razorweld Digital TIG 200 AMP AC/DC

Somebody had to end up in the final slot on the list, but placing 15 out of 15 is still better than not making the list at all. It’s easy enough to draw comparisons to both the AHP Alpha and to the Miller MaxStar when evaluating this unit. It offers enough power and portability to stand on its own in those comparisons. But its price point is on the higher end of the spectrum for the machines we’ve reviewed.

You’ll get a solid machine that runs at both 110V and 220V and delivers a 35% duty cycle at 200A. The digital controls are pretty user-friendly. The unit comes backed by a 3-year warranty. 

Like the LONGEVITY, this unit is DC-only, which makes the sticker price even harder to swallow. If that limitation doesn’t matter for the uses that you’ll be putting a welder to, then it might be worth a look. However, at the asking price for the Razorweld, you can either get a lot more machine for the money or save a lot of that money to get a comparable machine.

Conclusions

We definitely not alone in the opinion that the AHP Alpha is something special. As we were preparing our review, we did a little online snooping and found that several other reliable sources shared our high opinion of the unit. When it comes down to getting the best value for your money and the most versatile machine, it stands apart from the rest of the field.

But, as we said at the outset, what makes any machine the”best” machine will depend on what you need it to do. If the YESWELDER is going to do everything that you need it to do, then why get a machine that’s heavier and more expensive? If you need all of the power you can get and don’t care much about portability, you can’t go wrong with the Lincoln Precision.

Our goal in this article was to give you enough information on each unit to allow you to decide if it was worth spending your time to do some further investigation. We tried to represent a wide enough range of machines on the list that there would be something for everyone. 

Other than the #1 entry on the list, we could have easily moved any of the other units up or down from where they ended up in our final ranking. We hope that you’ve found the article useful and that you find a machine that is just right for you.