Best Everlast MIG Welder
Best Everlast MIG Welder
If you are in the market for a new MIG welder then you may find yourself looking for the Best Everlast MIG Welder available on the market. If that is the case and you have found yourself here on this article, then you are in the right place.
At Wonkee Donkee, our team of experts regularly test and review all types of power tools to help customers make the best buying decision. In addition to testing the products ourselves, we also talk with real-life contractors and professionals to find out how every tool works in the real world and not just in our workshop. If you want to know what other welding units are available then you should check out our Best MIG Welder Review.
Everlast i-mig140e Welder
Everlast, similarly like LOTOS Technology and Longevity Inc have over 10 years experience in making high-quality welding equipment. Founded back in 2004, Everlast is a California based company which has grown into a well-known name in the industry. They have a great reputation for producing high-performance MIG welders that are also light as well as efficient on their duty cycle.
What we like about the Everlast i-mig140e model is how simple yet effective the design is. This makes it great for an amateur who has never picked up a welding machine before as well as suitable for professionals who know what they are doing. It also has a range of different power output settings which can easily be adjusted to fit the task and the material that you are welding. Another thing we really like is the complete customisation that you can get from the tool, with an infinite amount of voltage settings and wire-speed so you can tailor it to exactly how you want to work.
Features
The Everlast 140amp MIG welder is only able to cut mild steel, stainless steel and chrome to a thickness 3/16 of an inch, which is a slight drawback. However, it is more than enough if you are only using it for small welding tasks. Saying this, it can use both 4 inch and 8 inch wire spools so it is very flexible on that front. What really surprised us was the power it gave out for such a lightweight machine. You can tell that Everlast has really done everything they can to lower the overall unit weight but without compromising on performance or build quality.
Duty Cycle
The Everlast 140 Amp MIG welder provides a 25% duty cycle at a maximum 140 Amp output and also has a superb 35% duty cycle when running at 135 Amps.
Input Power
The input power of the Everlast 140 Amp MIG welder is 120 volts as well as having a 110 volts option which is suitable for domestic sockets.
Weight
This Everlast weld weighs in at only 28 pounds. It is top of every MIG welder list when it comes to the lowest weight. It beats the second lightest MIG welder worth knowing about (the Goplus) by 7 pounds.
What to Look For When Buying a MIG Welder
When thinking of purchasing a metal inert gas welder there are many things to consider. First to think about is what do you want to get out of your new machine? Will you want your MIG welder to work with metals with a greater thickness than half an inch? Also, what is your current level of experience with using MIG welders?
The wide spectrum of things that a metal inert gas welder can do may surprise you. A metal inert gas welder and a little know-how can produce some quite incredible things and to learn how to use the machines it is easier than you think. If you are a DIY enthusiast who is unsure whether a MIG welder is worth buying then we can wholeheartedly say yes, you won’t regret it.
Input Power
Power input that your welder produces is one of the most basic things to think about before you go and buy a machine. This simply just means, the voltage that a metal inert gas welder will run at. With this in mind, it’s important to recognize that not all welders will be compatible with the outlets in your workshop. You will have nothing to fear if your welder has an input power of between 110 to 140 volts, as this the range that most standard homes run on.
On the market, you will find that some of the premium and cheap welders will only run at about 220 volts power input or they will have the capability to switch to a higher input voltage. If this is the case then our advice would be to hire an electrician to convert your outlet to a higher power so that you can use the MIG welder to its full potential. Keep in mind this will be an added cost, so cater that into the equation when you are looking at your MIG welder buying budget.
Duty Cycle
The efficiency of your machine down to another important factor, this is more commonly referred to as the duty cycle. How long you can weld for without taking a break is the basic description of what a duty cycle is, and following these guidelines will give your machine a much longer lifespan. You’ll often come across phrases such as “This welder has a 20% duty cycle when running at 90 Amps,” or “When operating at 135 Amps, the duty cycle is 35%’’. To make sense of these you should know that the standard practice for MIG welder duty cycles is to work at 10-minute increments.
To help you make sense of it all, here are a couple of examples for you to see how it works. A 20% duty cycle at the right amount of amps means you can weld for 2 minutes, after this, it’s best to rest the machine for the remaining 8 minutes. So basically it is work for 2 minutes and then rest for 8 minutes and then repeat. For a 35% duty cycle, you can weld for 3 minutes 30 seconds, followed by a rest for 6 minutes and 30 seconds. Although each welder’s duty cycle varies on what amp power input there is, it is easy to adjust yours by using the dial on your machine.
Weight
One of the least important factors when choosing a welder is its weight. Most welding machines available to buy have an average weight of around 50 pounds. However, some will exceed this while others (like the Everlast MIG Welder reviewed above) are in the 30 pounds or below range. Although the larger 50 pound models are still easily portable you might find you need to use a wheeled cart. This just makes it safer for transporting them around and less likely for you to cause yourself harm.
Thermal Overload Protection
The thermal overload protection safety feature can be found on some of the products out there. At Wonkee Donkee, we really love this feature. This feature constantly checks that your welder does not overheat, and if it does, it shuts it down. This can be very important to prevent the operator from getting injured as well as prolonging the life of the machine.
Other models use a fan cooling system instead to keep the MIG welder from overheating. These can be on constantly whilst the machine is on or just kick in when a certain temperature is reached. As thermal overload protection models can be expensive these options can be a good alternative.
Finally, it is also important to note that you should NEVER operate a MIG Welder without the appropriate personal protective equipment such as a welding helmet, welding mask and gloves.
