Millers are for noobcakes. Reserach Lincoln's manufacturing processes, defect rates, etc. They are very quality driven, similar to Toyota and Honda...statistical qc methods etc. And they take really good care of their people. I have been using Linoclns exclusively for 10 years and have never had a fault, breakdown, or otherwise.
I've had a miller 250 (built for Mac Tool) for 15 yrs and its been a good machine. Have been eying a 220V machine that Eastwood has that comes with a alum. spool gun for around $500 for my winter place. Have heard good things about it and it won't get used near as much as as my shop machine. Mike
Might not brake down but work like ****!! My 2010 Lincoln 140 don`t hold a candle to my 1999 Millermatic 130. I use welder for 20 years.never found a lincoln I liked!! I can`t say Lincolns are for noobcakes cause I have one!!lol
Yes, Miller owns Hobart. I looked at all three of them last year. The company I retired from does welder repair, so I went and talked with the guys who work on them and they unanimously said go with the Miller 140 Autoset. So I bought the Miller 140, and fell in love with it! It's the best welder I've ever used, and it can make a beginner look like he's been welding for years! I found mine on sale at the time, so it was really cheap compared to reg. price. I got the welder, 10 lb. roll of .030 wire, large tank of 75-25 mix, and a nice blue cart, all for just over $700. My tank will last a bit longer than a 10 lb. roll of wire. I used up the 2 lb. and the 10 lb. and still had some gas in the tank.
I'm using a Hobart 187 and love it. I can weld as thin as fenders and headers up to anything on the frame and rear end. It does a great job and have been using it now for 4 years without a hickup. I picked up the $30.00 welding cart at Harbor Freight which is perfect and inexpensive, however I did have to replace the front casters last year as the bearings started falling out.
I just bought the Hobart 230. Its a 220 machine and was about $550 cheaper than the miller 252. Since they are made by the same company I went the more affordable one. we'll see.....
The guy who fixes my welders when they puke, and my new one is 5 years old, and I have 3, says they're both great welders but says parts/service for Millers is cheaper all around. If you have welder problems in the Phx. are, he goes by the name Wildearp and I recommend him highly as he is good and above all honest. Dave
I wouldn't buy anything other than a miller. though i do have an everlast plasma cutter that I'm really impressed with.
shop i work at has all the names, miller, lincoln, esab and hobart as well as few others, we pound on these machines all day, miller comes out on top everyday, at home i have a millermatic 35, which is i donno 30 years old or more and still use it a ton, i weld about 12 to 14 hours a day on alot of days, i get pissed at work when someone has my milller....lol.......and get 220, the newer machines will adjust down to were you can weld pretty light guage, whereas a 110 won`t come up to weld heavy guage......just my 2 cents....
as a welder by trade i've used all the brands,sizes,ages etc.miller makes a fantastic peice of equipment,so does lincoln,miller comes up with new technology quicker than the apple ipod,lincoln has been around for a hundred years,my unbiased opinion is you cant go wrong with either blue or red. i have a lincoln migpack 180(220volts)great little welder,what ever you buy go at least 220v minimum. now, my biased opinion? get the miller
Worked with Lincoln and owned a Powermate for twenty + years. Just got a Miller a year ago, head and shoulders above the rest IMO. Get a Miller face shield too. Don't cheep out on safety. Doug.
have a hobart 210 handler,and a lincoln 175 tig.i liked them both.used a miller mig and tig at work ...
Been welding on and off for 50 years now. Just recently got a Hobart Handler 187 and love it. Made in USA and definitely a nice unit. If you have 220 volts available you will never regret getting a bigger machine. It will weld thin stuff as well as the smaller units and it's much more versatile. Far better to have more welder than you need than less.
I've seen this show before on many forums and it always comes down to opinion rather than fact...and I'm no different, I have a Lincoln buzz box that is easily 30 yrs old and has been through hell...it still works like a champ so my opinion is Lincolns are good and I bought the 140c. However we have Millers at work and I like them just as well. I didn't go for the 220 machine because I'm mostly a sheet metal to 1/8" tube max welder and if I get into anything heavy I can fire up the 'ol reliable buzz box and kill it. The difference between them all as I understand it is the circuitry, and some guys like the feel of one over the other based on their particular welding style, me I'm not a very good welder and I can't really distinguish a difference between any of them, so depending on your skill level you may or may not either. Bottom line they're all good...pick your poison...but ( opinion again ) I would put Hobart 3rd and choose between Ford or Chevy....not a big Dodge fan.
I really like my 220V Miller 172 Challenger. I wouldn't mind having an even bigger machine but first i want to get a bigger compressor as the one I bought is too small. Doesn't pay to under buy, Just my $.02
I bought a Lincoln MigPak 140 a couple of years ago and it works just fine for my needs. I would have preferred a bigger 240V unit, but at the time I didn't have a shop and my little garage didn't have a 240V circuit to it.
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