Best Stick Welders of 2023

The DEKPRO 160A is our top pick for the best stick welder. It comes with a 220V plug and an adapter for 110V. It’s super portable at just 12 lbs with a handle on top. The stinger is decent quality and the leads are all a generous 10ft long. It will run all your standard electrodes with really impressive levels of performance for 6010, 6011, 6013, 7014, 7018 and 7024, especially on 220V. There’s a digital display on the front and the voltage can be continually adjusted and also a fan to cool the machine and thermal overload protection. This really is a top welder for the money, especially if you’re a hobby welder and want something that will do the job and help you get into stick welding with having to spend much money.

Hobart has created another great stick welder at an affordable price. The machine is dual voltage and holds 6010 and 7018 3/32 electrodes on 110V and can weld 1/16–1/8″ on 110V and 1/16–5/32″ at 220V. The machine is Chinese made to Hobart’s specifications in the US, which is why it’s cheaper than US made welders. This being said, Hobart’s quality standards have been proven time and time again over the years and this machine does not disappoint. It is more expensive than some of the cheaper Chinese manufactured welders, but it is covered by the 5/3/1 warranty and is a brand that has stood the test of time. Another great features is its portability; at just 15lbs and with a handle/shoulder strap it’s really easy to carry from job to job. It also features 120V/240V input power and 10ft cables.

The Forney X12 is an excellent stick welder, with a lot of features. It can run all but the most advanced electrodes and can weld up to 1/2″ Mild Steel on 230V and 2/4″ Mild Steel on 120V. The arc strikes well, and has easy start technology to help minimize electrode sticking. Not only is this a versatile stick welder, it’s portable and has lift-start TIG so is well suited to TIG welding (TIG torch sold separately). The 8 foot cables aren’t as long as some other machines with 10ft cables, but it should be long enough especially due to the portability of the machine.

The Miller Maxstar 161S is a high-performance DC stick welder with excellent build quality. It’s very portable at just 13lbs and outputs up to 160A from 220V and 90A from 110V. Unlike the Thunderbolt 160, this has a digital display on the front for precise control, runs better on 1/8″ 6010s and 7018s, and has lift start TIG for better TIG performance. The main downside of a Miller unit is the price; this one costs about 2x as much as many cheaper Chinese units. Hobbyists on a budget will be better off looking at one of those cheaper Chinese units instead.

The Forney 100ST is a great stick welder for beginners who want something that’s easy to use and super portable. It’s a tiny machine that has a handle on top for carrying and weighs just 9.65lbs, making it one of the lightest stick welders in our top picks. Its only runs off 120V so won’t give you much power, but it welds 16-Gauge up to 5/16″, so is a fine unit for doing little jobs around the garage. It’s best suited for 1/16″ electrodes but can handle up to 1/8″. The machine is well made and comes with a quick start guide to help get you up and running if you’re new to stick welding. It’s also capable of lift arc TIG and the TIG torch is sold separately.