Best 120v Stick Welder Reviews and Buying Guide 2022

Stick welding is a welding process that is never restricted to a specific group of individuals. It does not matter if it is industrial or home welding applications, a stick welder will be of great importance. For instance, the best 120V stick welder will always be served for people who want one for their home use. However, due to versatility and popularity of welding processes, the stick welders are available in different sizes, shapes and prices.

However, what is the best 120V stick welder? After an extensive series of research and analysis, we did find the Forney Easy Weld 298 Arc Welder 100ST as the overall best in the market. This stick welder is very lightweight and portable making it easy to move around with to location of work. It is also able to do TIG welding due to its high versatility.

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Top 05 Best 120V Stick Welder Comparison Table

What Are The Best 120V Stick Welder?

Here are some of the best 120V stick welder we found:

Forney is a well renowned firm that is popular for producing top quality welders for farmers and hobbyists. One of its top products is the Forney Easy Weld 298, 100ST Welder. This welder is made with a power system inverter. The welder is also compact and lightweight making it suitable for both home and farm use.

Flexible and Portable

With a weight of about 7.5 pounds, the Forney Easy Weld 298 making it amongst the most light in weight sticks currently available in the market. It also comes with a 6ft long electric cord which helps in ensuring that it provides one with the freedom of working from any location.

A TIG Welder

This welder is in a position of doing TIG welding due to its versatility. This feature makes it possible to be used in different projects or in welding different materials or metals of different thickness

The KICKINGHORSE 120V Arc Stick Welder is a premium welder that is ideal for people who are after efficiency. This stick welder boasts of having one of the lowest weights in the list with a weight of just 10.8 lbs. It is possible to always haul this Kicking Horse around to any place you need it and carry out all your DIY projects.

Power

Rated 100A at 30% duty cycle, this stick welder is capable of burning 3/16 inch plate within a single pass. It is also possible to run 1/8 rod without any stress. This welder can effectively handle the E6013, E6011, E7014 or E7018 electrode that makes it suitable for cast iron, mild steel, stainless steel and hard surfacing.

Size

Weighing just 7.7 lb, this welder also comes with a heavy duty adjustable shoulder strap. This makes it very convenient to transport between job sites or you can also use it while moving. Its compact size helps it to also save precious space in the garage.

Safety

Over voltage, overheating and overload sensors are built in to help in addressing protection of entry level welders. This KICKINGHORSE 120V Arc Stick Welder is 100% safe for use in welding at home. It comes with an unbeatable 85V open circuit voltage which will allow A100 easy to strike the arc.

This Stick Welder, Thunderbolt Series, 10-1/2 H is another top welding machine that is suitable for different welding tasks.  Using this welder is very simple and its compact design and lightweight makes it quite portable. This makes it a perfect machine for both starters and experts.

Simple to Use

One of the reasons why Stick Welder, Thunderbolt Series, 10-1/2 H is loved by most starters is how simple it is to use. It has a very simple to use interface which makes it very easy to set the heat output and amperage. It also comes with a hot start technology which makes starting the rods easy and fast.

Very Versatile

This Stick Welder, Thunderbolt Series, 10-1/2 H comes fitted with a miller multi voltage plug. This makes it a dual voltage machine that is capable and can use either the 120V or the 240V power output.  This feature makes this welder able to be used on different projects.

This EVERLAST Power ARC 160STH is a very popular welder that is well respected and widely used mainly due to the fact that it is a combination welder that helps offer one with the freedom to always switch back and forth between the ARC and the TIG.

Portable and Easy to Use

This EVERLAST Power ARC 160STH can be used anywhere. It comes with a shoulder strap and is very lightweight which makes it quite portable and easy to carry around and use it wherever you will be working. The option to run at 120V or at 220V it is possible to set up and weld within minutes from any place where there is power source.

Dual voltage

The 2019 EVERLAST Power ARC 160STH Stick Welder makes it great for experts as well as DIY. It has an adjustable power range which makes it a great welder for around mobile welding services, yard projects or a professional store work. It can easily perform all the tree tasks.

The Forney 291, 180 ST Easy Weld Welder is perfect for beginners. Despite not being that affordable it is worth the cost. It consists of features which are not available in most of the other stick welder.

Dual Voltage Capability

Dual voltage is one of the top features which are used in identifying the best 120 arc welder.  This stick welder is capable of using the 120V and the 230V power outlet.  This makes it possible to be used both at home and in any industrial setting.

Powerful Welder

Due to its dual voltage capability, there are huge expectations when it comes to power output. This stick welder never disappoints. It comes with an output ranging from 10 to 90 amps while using the 120v and has an output of 10 to 180 amps when using the 230V plug. This makes it possible on welding the ½ inch thick mild steel.

What is an inverter stick welder?

Inverter stick welder refers to a relatively new and modern type of welder that comes with a good number of advantages when it is compared to the conventional welders that most people are used to. This inverter stick welder makes use of sophisticated silicon based technology when compared with the heavy aluminum or copper transformers together with the rectifiers that are always seen in most of the traditional welders.

The inverter stick welder will at first rectify the utility AC power to DC before it switches or inverts the DC power into a step down transformer. This ensures it is able to produce the right welding current or voltage.  The switching frequency of his inverter switch welder is approximately 10 kHz or higher.

How many amps does a stick welder use? 

A stick welder with 225 to 300 amps is capable of handling almost anything anyone can encounter. Majority of the stick welding procedures do require 200 amps or even less to weld materials which are thicker than 3/8 inches. However, you will have to weld multiple passes.

When you have a 220v inverter stick welder, it will be able to make about half the amperage which will be similar to the 110v welder. The 90 to 100 amps are quite common. It is possible to get much smaller and larger welders.  Investing in an air compressor will most likely take a lot less current maybe 20-30 amps.

How to set a stick welder?

Setting a stick welder is a fairly straightforward procedure. You need to remember that the polarity settings will always depend on the type of electrode you will be using. This means you have to be sure to counter check if it’s DC/AC/ -/DC+. In order to get started, you need to try some 6013 electrodes on the DCEN on some of the 3/16 inch steel plates.

• Lay the first stick weld

When you have everything in place, it is now time to lay a weld. Ensure that the settings are right and ensure that you get a few pieces of scrap metal and put them down as a butt joint. Stick welding will always need some sort of skill hence it is always a good idea to first do some practice on scrap metal before you start trying to weld on the real project.

• Strike the ARC 

After the entire electrode is inside the electrode holder, you can now turn on the welder. In order to strike the arc, you have to place the electrode tip on the metal and drag it quickly across as if you are striking a match. Lift up the electrode if the arc is formed and thereafter you can also put in the metal.

When the arc cuts out, then there are chances you might have lift up the electrode too high from the surface. It needs to be a bit lower. After the arc is lit, it should produce a sound like that of frying bacon. When it sounds aggressive and loud, then you will have to turn the amperage down.

• Move the electrode 

After you have lit the arc, you need to move the electrode through the joint for it to perform the weld. However, before moving the electrode, you need to ensure that you have it at the right angle that is between 15 and 30% to the vertical.

When you have it at the right angle, you will have to pull the electrode slowly towards you. Never push the electrode since the slag will easily get trapped in the pool weld and this can lead to porosity. It is advisable that you keep a steady hand hence; you can try resting your elbow on the table as you hold your hand which is holding the electrode. Consider carrying a few tests and troubleshoot by use of troubleshooting section at the end of post.

• Other welding positions

In case you do fillet weld a T weld that is upside down, it is appropriate that you adjust the angle to approximately 35% from the horizontal. This is due to the weld starting to fall slightly because of the force of gravity when the angle is not adjusted helping push the bead backup.

The more the amount of slag that is created, the larger the angle you will need. In case your angle is too small, the slag will always fall into the weld pool and make weld defects.

How to choose the best 120 volt stick welder?

The wide variety of 120 volt stick welders in the market needs one to have certain things to look at to help in narrowing down his options when shopping for one in the market. In this section, we will be looking at some of the important features you need to consider when shopping for the best 120 volt stick welder.

• Is 120 volt available in your machine?

Before you settle on any stick welder machine, it is appropriate that you first check if it does have a 120 volt.  Not all the machines do have 120 volt. There are some which have an 110v. In case you are not sure on how you can check, always seek help from a professional to help you check if 120 volt is available in your stick welder machine.

• Duty Cycle & Weld Capacity

Duty cycle basically refers to the amount of time you can weld before you allow the machine have some rest. The full cycle is usually 10 minutes. For instance, if you have a duty cycle of 30% at 160 amps, this means that the machine is in a position of running for 3.0 minutes before you consider giving it a rest of up to 6.5 minutes.

It is also important that you check on the weld capacity on the stick welder. Check on the amount of work the welder can handle within a particular period of time.

• Avoiding unnecessary feature to reducing cost

Different 120 volt stick welders do come with different features.  In most cases, the machines with more features will always cost higher. However, depending on the time of work you will be doing, there are certain features which might not be of use to you. It does not make sense to purchase a stick welder with features that you will not be using. Only go for a machine with features that you will be using.

• In case you need 110v in future?

Check if the 120 Volts stick welder you are about to purchase can be converted into 110 volt in the future if needs be. There are some 120 volt stick welders that you cannot convert to 110v when there is need. This might force you to purchase a 110v welder that might make you spend more.

• Portability

One of the benefits that come with stick welders is its portability. With several welders working as freelancers, moving from one location to another needs to be easy and fast. It is therefore important for the welder to choose a stick welder that is very portable. Going for a stick welder that is not easily portable will give you lots of problem when you want to move.

• Versatility

It is appropriate that you settle for a 120 volt stick welder capable of handling different projects and tasks. Do not spend your hard earned money on a welder which is not able to handle different projects or weld different materials. Going for a machine capable of handling different projects and welding different materials will save you from lots of stress.

• Warranty and Price

Warranty is an important feature that you need to look at. Never settle for a machine that does not have warranty. Only go for a stick welder with a warranty period. Machines with short warranty periods are known to have higher chances of breaking down quickly when compared to stick welders that have longer warranty periods.

Warranty is always proportional directly with the price. Machines with longer warranty periods usually cost higher since they are made of quality materials and are durable enough. Machines with short warranty period normally cost less and are known to breakdown quickly. Ensure you settle for a stick welder you can confidently afford.

Conclusion

With stick welding being one of the oldest welding processes, most of the machines that were built earlier were quite bulky and difficult to use. This is the reason why expert welders were the ones who only owned these welding machines back in the days. Advancements in technology have made it possible to revolutionize stick welders to be easier to use and lighter.

We hope that this review guide has enabled you know the best 120v stick welder in the market. In case you have any question or suggestion, feel free to get in touch with us.

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