ArcPicked
Picked by the duty cycle, not the amps.
Welders for the home garage and shop: for every machine we write down the output the maker declares at its stated duty cycle, the input it needs and the processes it really supports, and we flag what’s missing.
Where to start
- First welder for the garage
- Thin sheet metal
- Thicker steel projects
- Only a 120 V outlet
- MIG, stick or TIG?
“200 A” doesn’t tell you how long it can weld.
Makers rate output at a duty cycle: the share of a ten-minute period a machine can weld at a given current before it needs to rest. We write down the duty cycle at the rated output and the input voltage it was rated on, and we tell you when the maker doesn’t say.
| Listing | Output | Duty cycle | Input |
|---|---|---|---|
| Machine A | 200 A | Not stated | Not stated |
| Machine B | 200 A | 20% | 240 V |
Every guide compares the specs that matter for your work (duty cycle at rated output, input voltage, processes, wire and rod sizes, weight), not star ratings.
Guides
How we read a welder spec sheet
A field-by-field reading of a welder spec sheet: the rated output and the duty cycle behind it, the input voltage it was rated on, the processes it supports, and what it means when a figure is missing.
- 01Rated output
- 02Duty cycle at rated output
- 03Input voltage
- 04Processes
- 05Wire and rod sizes
- 06Weight
How a pick gets made
The maker’s documents (spec sheet, manual and official model page)
Specs recorded exactly as the maker states them (output and duty cycle, input voltage, processes, wire and rod sizes) and compared against your situation
Limits stated: anything we couldn’t verify is flagged clearly on the page
How we work
How we choose
The documents we read, the figures we record and how we compare them against the situation you’re in.
We don’t weld with the machines we pick
We don’t buy, use or physically test the welders: we read spec sheets, manuals and maker-declared data, and flag anything we couldn’t verify.
What we don’t do
We don’t teach welding technique or give advice on electrical hookups, gas cylinders or protective equipment: that’s what the maker’s manual, a qualified electrician and a welding instructor are for.
ArcPicked earns from links to retailers, and that never changes what we recommend.
Questions
Do you test the welders?
No. We work from the maker’s documents: the spec sheet, the manual and the official model page. Anything we couldn’t verify from those is flagged on the page.
Why do you show a price band instead of a price?
Retail prices for the same welder change often and differ between sellers, so a single figure would soon be out of date. A band such as $300–600 shows roughly where a machine sits without depending on one seller’s price on one day.
What does “duty cycle” actually mean?
It’s the share of a ten-minute period a machine can weld at a stated output before it needs to cool. Makers state it at a particular current and input voltage, sometimes at a stated temperature, and a higher current usually means a lower duty cycle. So we record the duty cycle together with the output and input it was rated at, and say when it isn’t published.
Who’s behind ArcPicked?
Every guide is published under the ArcPicked name and credits the person who edited it, with a short bio. We don’t publish anonymous content.