Carla Wojcik, Senior editor
I'm the senior editor, so the rankings are mine to defend. A welder gets onto a list because its spec sheet, its manual and its owners back it up, not because it happened to be on sale the week we updated.
Most of my time goes into one question: which process do you need? Multiprocess machines are sold on the number in front of "in-1", and that number tells you very little. I check which torches and leads ship in the box, whether TIG means lift-start with a torch you still have to buy, and what owners write after a few months of mixed work. Plenty of buyers would have been happier with a good dedicated MIG, and the reviews say so far more often than the listings do.
I write the guides on choosing a machine, multiprocess versus dedicated, MIG versus TIG versus stick, and getting started. I edit everything else. Before a guide goes live I read it the way a first-time buyer would, with the manual open in the next tab.
What we bring is careful reading, side-by-side comparison and lists we reopen when prices or models change.
Areas of expertise
- MIG, TIG or stick for the joints you weld
- Multiprocess vs dedicated machines
- A first welder for beginners
- What really ships in the box
- Keeping the rankings current
How I work
- Every ranking starts from the manual and the spec sheet. A process or amp figure that only shows up in a listing title doesn't count.
- I read the packing list before the feature list: MIG torch, TIG torch, stick holder, ground clamp, regulator, gas hose, and what's sold separately.
- I read owner reviews lowest stars first and keep a tally, model by model, of wire-feed trouble, dead control boards and missing parts.
- When a price moves or a model disappears, I reopen the ranking before the next update goes out.
Articles by Carla Wojcik
Written
Buying and ownershipHow to choose a multiprocess welder: start with the joints
A practical checklist for process modes, amperage, input voltage, duty cycle and included leads before you compare exact multiprocess listings.
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Buying and ownershipMultiprocess vs dedicated MIG welder: which to buy
Compare all-in-one machines with MIG-only units on process needs, included parts, wire range and documentation, without invented performance results.
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Buying and ownershipMIG vs TIG vs stick welding: which process fits?
MIG vs TIG vs stick welding compared: how each process works, metals, thickness, outdoor use and learning curve, from Miller guides and ANSI Z49.1.
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Buying and ownershipHow to weld for beginners: gear, setup and safety
How to weld for beginners: choose a first process, set up a safe space, gather PPE and read your MIG settings chart, per Miller, OSHA and ANSI Z49.1.
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Buying and ownershipWelder duty cycle explained: percent and amperage
Understand what a duty-cycle percentage means, why its amperage basis matters and how to use our planner without treating it as a thermal guarantee.
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Buying and ownership110V vs 220V welders: what listings actually state
Dual-voltage wording explained: what a listing can tell you about input, what only a manual and a qualified electrician can confirm.
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Buying and ownershipWelder and plasma cutter combos: what to check
Cutting-thickness claims, compressed-air requirements, included torches and duty cycle are the columns that separate combo listings.
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Buying and ownershipAC/DC TIG welders for aluminum: what the listing must state
AC output, pulse control, foot pedal, torch type and duty cycle: the columns that qualify a TIG machine for aluminum, drawn from exact listings.
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Buying and ownershipMIG, flux-core and spool gun modes explained
Gas MIG, gasless flux-core and spool-gun aluminum MIG are three different setups; learn what each mode requires and how listings describe them.
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Buying and ownershipWelding machine safety and PPE basics
A purchasing checklist for helmets, gloves, ventilation and the manual sections to read; not an operating procedure.
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Buying and ownershipWelder consumables: match the exact model
Contact tips, nozzles, drive rolls, wire, tungsten and torches must be verified against the exact machine and torch model.
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Buying and ownershipReading welder amperage and thickness claims
Maximum output, current range, single-pass thickness and multi-pass thickness are different statements; learn to keep them separate.
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Buying and ownershipCan you weld aluminum with a MIG welder?
Can you weld aluminum with a MIG welder? Yes, with a spool gun, pure argon and aluminum wire. What Miller says about input power, filler wire and prep.
Read the guideHow we score and rank the welders is laid out on How we rate. The rest of the team is on Our editors.