When picking out a new welding helmet, it’s not surprising to get overwhelmed by choices. It gets even harder when you’re trying to find the best welding helmet under $200 . Even though your choices get smaller, you got to worry more about the quality since the helmets are cheaper than most high-quality welding helmets. Luckily we’ve gathered a list of some of the more high quality and budget-friendly helmets on the market.
Budget Welding Helmets
1. Hobart Pro Welding Helmet Review
The first helmet we’ll go over is the Hobart Pro Variable. Made from durable and lightweight polyamide this happens to be one of the more comfortable helmets I’ve worn. Plus, it’s built with some of the best and most comfortable headgear I’ve used. With all this and weighing only 1lb 9oz, neck strain will never be an issue.
Besides comfort, the Hobart Pro Variable brings a lot more to the table. It offers a larger viewing area than most other helmets in the same price range. With the large viewing area, Hobart put 4 arc sensors on this helmet to better protect you from things like arc flash. It also offers fast reaction time with 1/30,000 second switching speed.
Overall the Hobart Pro Variable is one of the few budget welding helmets on the market that provides a lot to welders. With great visibility and amazing comfort, this helmet is well worth the money.
2. Lincoln Viking 1840 Welding Helmet Review
Latest Price: $187.95
Next on our list is the Lincoln Viking 1840. Compared to the Hobart Pro Variable it’s slightly more expensive and does come with fewer features. In terms of clarity though, I found the Viking 1840 to be perfect.
Made from Nylon and Polycarbonate, the Viking 1840 is pretty lightweight. When I first got this helmet it felt a little flimsy, so I was a little worried about the durability. This was not the case though as it held up like an expensive helmet would and was extremely durable. Combine that with the comfortable headgear and you get a strain-free welding helmet.
The main feature that drew me to this helmet was all the hype about its clarity when welding. With Lincoln Electric’s 4C Lens Technology, a viewing area of 3.74″ x 1.38″, and a switching speed of 1/25,000 seconds, my welds immediately improved. Some other features the Viking 1840 provides include 2 arc sensors, a grind mode, and a solar power source.
To sum it up, the Viking 1840 is an amazing choice if you’re looking for a budget helmet. Keep in mind though it is one of the more expensive helmets in our list.
3. YesWelder LYG-M800H Welding Helmet Review
Latest Price: $75.88
Newer than most of the other helmets on our list, the Yeswelder LYG-M800H is another great welding helmet. Even though it’s also one of the cheaper welding helmets on our list, it still has features that put it on par with the more expensive helmets.
The first feature that made me want to try the LYG-M800H is the massive viewing area of 3.94″ x 3.66″. With that much space, it became a lot easier to see my welds and your eyes are pretty well protected from arc flash with the 4 arc sensors.
From my experience, the view was pretty clear as well. The clarity is thanks to the 1/1/1/2 optical clarity and True Color lens technology. With the True Color technology, you get a reduced lime green tint which improves visibility.
If you’re on a very tight budget, but still want a helmet with the clarity, comfort, and durability of a top of the line helmet, then the LYG-M800h is perfect for you.
4. Jackson Insight Digital Welding Helmet Review
Latest Price: $101.25
Next on our list is one of my personal favorite go-to welding helmets, the Jackson Safety Insight Digital. One of the reasons it’s my favorite is definitely the comfort, which has become very important to me (if you couldn’t tell from all my reviews). Especially after experiencing helmets that caused massive neck strain only hours after working. It’s pretty lightweight, weighing only 24 oz. and is extremely durable.
My welds are also a lot better when using the Insight Digital Variable thanks to its many features. These include 4 arc sensors placed around the lens, easy to use digital controls, and variable shade #9-13. Switching between the grind and weld modes is as simple as pushing a button. The delay and sensitivity control also definitely help improve this helmet.
5. TGR Panoramic 180 Welding Helmet Review
Latest Price: $174.99
Another newish welding helmet I only recently got to try is the TGR Panoramic 180. Just like the LYG-M800H, the main thing attracting me to this helmet was the massive viewing area. Like the name suggests the TGR Panoramic 180 offers a 180 Degree viewing area. With a main window in the front and two smaller side windows
The main window has a dark state DIN4-8/DIN8-12 with the side windows being DIN10 or DIN11 with both having a light state DIN3. It has 4 arc sensors and a switching speed of 1/10,000 seconds. One of the things I ended up loving was the extended throat protection, which not a lot of helmets have. Although it doesn’t offer much protection for the top of my head, which wasn’t a major issue for me.
Besides the great view and clarity, I was surprised to find the helmet to be pretty comfortable as well. It’s made from Nylon and surprisingly only weighs 1.35lbs. It ended up being pretty comfortable. Combine that with a unique viewing area and cheap price and you got a great budget-friendly helmet.
6. Miller Digital Performance Welding Helmet Review
Latest Price: $198.95
The Miller Electric Digital Performance is another popular choice among welders, including myself. For a budget helmet under 200 dollars, it offers features that blow past the other helmets I’ve listed at the same price range. Like it has faster reaction times of 1/20,000 seconds.
Besides the reaction time, the Clear Light Lens Technology provides better arc recognition. To improve this even further the welding helmet provides 3 arc sensors and an auto on/off feature that turns on the second there is an arc. Some other features include 3 different modes (unlike other helmets I’ve listed), lightweight nylon material, and extremely easy to use Digital Controls.
7. Save Phace Murda Out Gen-Y Welding Helmet Review
Latest Price: $146.74
Last but not least, the Save Phace Murda Out Gen-Y is another great budget-friendly helmet. Made from high-impact Nylon, it boasts being the lightest welding helmet in the world weighing less than 24 oz. It’s also surprisingly extremely cheap.
Even though it’s cheaper, it still holds up to its competitors. Mostly due to the great viewing area. It was one of the first welding helmets to integrate an adjustable ADF in a 180-degree lens. The helmet has a viewing area of 23 sq. in. and includes a high-quality Halo headgear. The headgear even lets you adjust the helmet further away from your face. Overall I found it pretty comfortable, durable, and versatile.
Joe Stephens
Joey has over 20 years of experience working in the welding industry and now works with providing readers with intensive reviews. Joey has also self-published an e-book and has written countless articles regarding welding information and safety.
Check out YesWelder’s lineup of MIG, TIG, STICK Welders. Designed for professionals and hobbyist.
Shop High-Quality Welding Equipment