If you are an occasional or hobby welder, you probably don’t want to spend big bucks on a helmet, a welding tool you will use a few times a week, maybe less.
Nevertheless, budget helmets can provide enough protection for your eyes and make welding easy.
There are many cheap welding helmets on the market, so I made this article to point out the best budget welding helmets under $100. Choosing the perfect helmet will improve your welding skill significantly and won’t take too much of your money
Best Welding Helmet Under $100 Comparison table
| Image | Name | Specials | Viewing Area | Shade Range | Sensors | Optical Clarity | Weight | Check price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| YesWelder M800H | Get 10% Off With Coupon: “-10% WELDPROS” | 3.86" X1.73" | Dark state DIN 5-9/9-13 | 4 | 1/1/1/2 | 1.03 Pounds | Check Current Price |
 | Lincoln Electric K3419-1 Glossy | Brand-name Cheap Helmet | 3.82 in. x 1.73 in. | DIN 7-13 | 2 | Traditional colors | 1.5 Pounds | Check Current Price |
 | Antra AH6-260 | Popular Choice | 3.86" X1.73" | DIN 5-9/9-13 | 4 | 1/1/1/2 | 1.03 Pounds | Check Current Price |
 | Instapark ADF Series GX990T | Painted Budget Hood | 3.94" x 3.86" | DIN 5-13 | 4 | Traditional colors | 1.5 Pounds | Check Current Price |
 | YesWelder L500A | Get 10% Off With Coupon: “-10% WELDPROS” | 3.64" X 1.67" | DIN 5-13 | 2 | 1/1/1/2 | 1.85 Pounds | Check Current Price |
Best Budget Welding Helmet Reviews
Here is a list of best budget welding helmets under $100, with detailed information, pros, and cons. I hope this article will help you make the right choice and choose your best welding helmet, so let’s start!
1. Lincoln Electric K3419-1 Glossy – Brand-name Budget Auto-darkening Welding Helmet
If you are looking for a brand-name budget welding helmet, then Lincoln K3419-1 is the right choice.
This is a nice hood for money spent, as it has all the fine features you need. In addition, Lincoln guarantees a high-level build so that you won’t be disappointed.
People like how lightweight, comfortable but sturdy this welding helmet is. You can use it quickly, straight out of the box. In addition, there is a large external shade selection button you can use easily, even with your welding gloves.
However, one of the drawbacks is a reasonably limited #7-#13 shade range. Nevertheless, this budget welding helmet features a grind mode. Keep in mind that this is one of the rare budget auto-darkening welding helmets that use AAA batteries.
Still, batteries are accessible, and you can change them easily. In addition, batteries and two replacement helmet lens are included in the package, and there is a solar cell, extending the battery life.
Overall, Lincoln Electric K3419-1 is a decent and affordable welding helmet that will provide excellent puddle control. In addition, you can be sure this helmet is money well spent. Even though it is best for occasional welders, you can use it more than a few times a week, without any problem.
One of the things you might dislike is a relatively small viewing area compared to the other Lincoln helmets and YesWelder helmets. Still, this helmet will fit your everyday welding needs, including Stick, TIG, Pulsed TIG, MIG, pulsed MIG, Flux-cored processes, and provide maximum protection.
You can notice Lincoln K3419-1 costs twice as much as an Antra, one of the most popular budget helmets, but it offers twice as much in terms of quality. As a result, in my experience, Lincoln products are more dependable as far as the welding industry goes, and the same thing goes for their auto-darkening helmets.
Pros & Cons Summarized
Pros
- Brand name and reliable welding helmet
- You can use it straight out of the box
- Large external control shade selection button with grind mode
- Accessible batteries which are easy to replace
- Quality build
- Great for Stick, TIG, Flux Core, MIG welding, and plasma cutting
- You can use it more than a couple of times a week
Cons
- The limited adjustable shade range
- Relatively small viewing area
- More expensive than other budget helmets
Features
- Cartridge size: 11.12 x 10.25 x 11.87
- Material: Polycarbonate
- Welding Process: Stick, TIG, Pulsed TIG, MIG, Pulsed MIG, Flux-cored, Gouging
- Shade Range: DIN 7-13
- Viewing Area: 3.82 in. x 1.73 in.
- Arc sensors: 2
- Light to Dark Swtiching Speed: 1/25,000 second
- Power: AAA powered with solar assist
- TIG rating: down to 5 amps
- Two-year warranty
- Weight: 1.5 Pounds
- Grind mode
2. YesWelder M800HP – Best Value Welding Helmet
As an experienced welder, I’ve tried many different welding hoods. In my opinion, YesWelder M800HP offers the best value for the money spent. This might be the best cheap welding helmet on the market.
This YesWelder welding helmet has some nicely packed features, like true-color view and great 1/1/1/2 optical clarity, like the ones you find in $250 helmets. If you used an old, green tint helmet before, putting this hood on will feel like welding in HD. Shade selection #4-#13 will cover most of your everyday welding needs. In addition, the response time of 1/10000 seconds will keep your eyes safe.
One of the things you will like a lot is a super huge, 3.93″X3.66″ viewing area. Combined with a true color feature and excellent optical clarity, this helmet will increase your puddle control significantly. In addition, the helmet is lightweight but sturdy, so you don’t have to worry about breaking it.
Even though everything sounds perfect, YesWelder M800HP has a couple of flaws. The first thing you notice is awful headgear. It feels clunky, and most of the owners report that their headgear fell apart after a month. Nevertheless, you can always buy a higher quality one for few bucks, and you’ve got yourself a nice, comfortable helmet.
When you look at the helmet, you will notice large external controls. Unfortunately, as excellent and functional they look, sensitivity control is not that precise. In addition, you can change sensitivity accidentally as the knob is so easy to turn. This may result in occasional flashing, which is not a pleasant thing, as it may damage your eyes.
A long-term welder can notice that the shade level is not the same at the top, center, and bottom of the viewing area. In addition, the lens does not reproduce the red color well.
If you are a hobbyist, you probably won’t notice these things, and you will enjoy using this helmet, but I certainly don’t recommend it to industrial welders, that spend most of their day welding.
Read a full review of this helmet.
Pros & Cons Summarized
Pros
- One of the best cheap welding helmets
- True color feature with 1/1/1/2 optical clarity
- Large viewing area
- Fast switching speed
- Large external controls
- Lightweight helmet with a sturdy build
- Great for occasional welders and hobbyist
Cons
- Headgear is not that great as it may fall apart quickly
- Different shade levels at the top, middle and bottom
- It does not reproduce red color well
Features
- Optical Clarity: 1/1/1/2
- True color feature
- Material: PP/PA
- Welding Process: TIG MIG MMA, Plasma Cutting
- Shade Range: Dark state DIN 5-9/9-13, Light State DIN 4
- Viewing Area: 3.93″ X 3.66″
- Grind Mode
- Arc sensors: 4
- Light to Dark Switching Speed: 1/10000 Seconds
- Power: Solar Cell+replaceable CR2450 battery
- TIG rating: down to 5 amps
- 30 Days Return Policy
- Weight: 2.3 Pounds
3. Antra AH6-260 – One of the Most Popular Solar-powered welding helmet under $40
There are many reviews and positive comments from the owners of this Antra welding helmet. From all the comments, you get the feeling that Antra AH6-260 is truly one of the most popular budget auto-darkening helmets.
The first thing you notice is the affordable price of the Antra AH6-260 auto-darkening welding helmet.
You might think the price is the main reason for the popularity, but this helmet offers some decent features.
This is one of the most affordable auto-darkening welding helmets that has four arc sensors. In addition, the helmet offers various #4-13 lens shade selections, which will cover most of your basic welding needs. One of the great features you can notice is a passive shade #13 filter that protects your eyes from UV/IR rays even if the auto-darkening function is not on.
You will like the battery life, and there is a test button you can use to test your batteries. In addition, batteries are supported by solar power, which will increase the lifespan significantly. Finally, an auto-darkening lens reaction of 1/25,000 seconds is pretty fast, so you don’t have to worry about eyes discomfort.
It is worth pointing out that people find this Antra auto-darkening helmet easy to use straight out of the box. Nevertheless, some beginners report that they had a hard time understanding the manual. The 3.86″ x1.73″ viewing area is decent but significantly smaller than a YesWelder one.
Besides many good features of this cheap welding helmet, you have to worry about the build. This hood is made of thin plastic. Even though it is super lightweight, the helmet is not meant for industrial use. In addition, you shouldn’t use it for overhead welding, as sparks and molten metal can quickly burn through it.
Some people can find this helmet small, which can expose your neck once you tilt your head. In addition, headgear is comfortable, but the plastic adjustment knobs won’t hold it on your head for too long. Finally, some welders had problems with flashing after a more prolonged period of use.
Pros & Cons Summarized
Pros
- Most popular and maybe the best budget welding helmet under $40
- Various shade selection
- Easy to use straight out of the box
- Increased battery life with solar power assistance
- Lightweight, so you won’t feel it on the head
- Passive shade #13 filter that offers eye protection from IR and UV radiation
- Comfortable headgear
Cons
- Poorly written instruction manual
- Small viewing area
- Molten metal burns easily trough plastic
- It can start to flash you after prolonged use
Features
- Material: High Impact Polyamide Nylon
- Optical clarity: 1/1/1/2
- Welding Process: MIG/MAG, MMA/Stick, Plasma cutting
- Shade Range: Dark state DIN 5-9/9-13, Light State DIN 4
- Viewing Area: 3.86″ X1.73″
- Arc sensors: 4
- Light to Dark Swtiching Speed: 1/25000 Seconds
- Power: Solar Cell+replaceable CR2450 battery
- TIG rating: down to 2 amps
- Weight: 1.03 Pounds
- Battery Indicator and Quick Darkening testing button
- Power: Solar Cell + 2X CR2032
- Grind Mode
- UV/IR Protection: Shade #13
4. Tekware X3 – Peripheral Vision Budget Welding Helmet
One of the first things you noticed when looking at this helmet is the large viewing area, with additional side windows. Once you put it on, you will be amazed by the viewing size.
Besides the 3.94″X3.27″ viewing area and passive shade #5 side windows, this Tekvware helmet offers a true color feature, with 1/1/1/2 optical clarity, which reduces eye strain significantly. The optical clarity is similar to a Lincoln 4C and Miller clear light technology, which you find at expensive brand-name helmets.
The thing you will like is how lightweight and comfortable this helmet is. The headband offers various adjustments so that you can fit it nicely. Still, some owners with slightly larger heads find it hard to adjust. In addition, after a more extended welding period, the helmet might get uncomfortable. Finally, since some people use it for everyday work, the headband may fall apart quickly.
The good side of the helmet is the large external controls which are easy to use. Still, if you are a beginner, you might have difficulty adjusting the auto-darkening lenses and settings. That’s why you take extra care when trying to adjust the helmet, as you might get flashed.
One of the most significant drawbacks of the lightweight build is its sturdiness. The second you grab the helmet, you notice that the protective shell feels fragile. That’s why I suggest you take extra care of the helmet and ensure you don’t drop it. Another thing you can notice is that the protective shield collects the dust pretty fast, so you might want to clean it more often.
Even though this helmet provides peripheral vision, many owners report fogging problems. So if you decide to buy a smaller Tekware X2 size, fogging is almost guaranteed. The bad side of peripheral windows is they might feel a bit heavy. In addition, you shouldn’t try a low amp TIG welding with it.
Pros & Cons Summarized
Pros
- It offers a great viewing area with side windows
- True color vision with 1/1/1/2 optical clarity
- The picture is clear as some of the more expensive helmets
- Lightweight and comfortable
- Large external control button
Cons
- Headgear may fall apart quickly
- Some find it hard to adjust sensitivity and delay settings
- The protective shell feels fragile
- Problems with fogging
Features
- Material: PP/PA
- Optical clarity: 1/1/1/2
- True Color Feature
- Welding Process: TIG, MIG, MMA, Plasma cutting
- Shade Range: Dark state DIN 5-9/9-13, Light State DIN 4
- Viewing Area: 3.94” x 3.27”
- Side View Area: 1.96″ x 4″
- Arc sensors: 4
- Light to Dark Swtiching Speed: 1/10000 Seconds
- Power: Solar Cell+replaceable CR2450 battery
- Weight: 2.7 Pounds
- Power: Solar Cell + Replaceable CR2450 Battery
- Grind Mode
- UV/IR Protection: Shade #16
5. Instapark ADF Series GX990T – Budget Welding Helmet With Largest Viewing Area
Instapark GX990T is one of the rare budget welding helmets on the market that offers such a large viewing area of 3.94″ X 3.86″. You will be impressed with the viewing size and the four arc sensors, which you don’t usually find in the under $100 category helmets. That means you can weld in cramped spaces without fearing that your sensors might get blocked.
This auto-darkening welding helmet features external delay, shade selection, and sensitivity controls.
Shades can be adjusted from #5-#13, which is enough for each welding process. One of the things you won’t like is how remote controls are. You have to take off your welding gloves or sometimes even look to adjust them, which will waste some of your precious time.
If you are an occasional welder, you will love this helmet as it offers great clarity. In addition, an auto-darkening feature is quick, as it goes from light to dark in 1/30,000 seconds. But if you are a professional welder that spends most of the day welding, your eyes may start to hurt pretty fast.
One of the things people dislike is the adjustable headband. It seems like the headgear is a flaw of all the budget welding helmets, as it starts to fall apart pretty quickly. In addition, the entire helmet feels flimsy once you put it on.
Owners don’t recommend doing any low amp welding with this helmet, as it might occasionally flash you anywhere under 50 amps. Also, keep in mind that this isn’t a heavy-duty helmet for professional welders.
Instapark GX990T features a low battery indicator, but many owners report their batteries died without any notice. Once the battery starts to get low, you might occasionally get flashed, so make sure you always have a spare, as you want to ensure maximum eye protection.
Pros & Cons Summarized
Pros
- Largest viewing area in the budget category
- Four arc sensors welding tool
- External delay, sensitivity, and shade selection controls
- Offers great clarity
- Low battery indicator
- ADF function test
Cons
- Controls should be used with bare hands
- Helmet feels flimsy
- Not great for low amp TIG welding
- Batteries may get empty without notice
Features
- Cartridge Size: 5 ¼ X 4 ½ inches
- Welding Process: Stick, MIG and TIG
- Shade Range: Dark state DIN 5-13, Light State DIN 4
- Viewing Area: 3.94” x 3.86″
- Arc sensors: 4
- Light to Dark Swtiching Speed: 1/30,000 Seconds
- Dark to Light: 0.1 – 1.0 second, continuous adjustment
- Tig Amp Rating: DC >5A, AC>5
- Power: Solar Cell+replaceable CR2450 battery
- Weight: 1.5 Pounds
- Low voltage indicator
- Grind Mode
6. YesWelder LYG-L500A – Best Budget Welding Helmet Under $40
You will be surprised with the features packed into this auto-darkening welding helmet that costs less than 40 bucks. This is a great helmet for occasional welders on a tight budget, as it provides great value for the money spent.
One of the great things you can notice is a true color feature with a 1/1/1/2 optical clarity rating, packed into a $40 hood.
But don’t get me wrong, there is a significant difference compared to $400 helmets, such as Optrel Crystal 2.0 and Lincoln Viking 3350. Still, if this is your first helmet, or you used the green tint hoods before, you will be surprised how clear the view is. Response time is pretty fast, as the auto-darkening filter goes from light to dark in 1/10,000 seconds. In addition, lens shade ranges from #4-#13, and there are delay and sensitivity controls.
Nevertheless, getting used to sensitivity and delay settings might take some time if you are a beginner. A poorly written instruction manual won’t make things easier, so you might get flashed before getting used to it. But once you get the hang of it, you can use it to TIG weld at lower amperages without a problem.
YesWelder LYG-L500A is a pretty lightweight hood with a decent build, but it is not an industrial-grade helmet. You can adjust the headband, and it is pretty comfortable, but eventually, it will fall apart. So if you plan to use the helmet more than a couple of times a week, you might want to replace it.
One of the drawbacks of this helmet is a fairly limited number of arc sensors. Only two arc sensors mean that the helmet might flash you when working in tight spaces. Also, keep in mind that batteries are non-replaceable. Still, the solar-powered battery will charge by sunlight or arc light, so you don’t have to worry about battery life.
This helmet has a 3.64″X1.67″ viewing area, which is significantly smaller than other YesWelder welding helmet brand we reviewed, but still decent in the best budget welding helmet under the $40 category.
Pros & Cons Summarized
Pros
- One of the best budget welding helmets under $40
- Great value for money spent
- True color feature with great optical clarity
- Different shade selection, sensitivity, and delay controls
- Solar-powered auto-darkening welding helmet with increased battery life
- Decent build
- You can use it to weld at lower amperages
Cons
- Not a pro welding helmet
- Poorly written instruction manual with possibly hard to adjust controls
- The adjustable headband might fall apart
- Only two arc sensors
- Non-replaceable batteries
Features
- Materials: PP
- Optical Clarity: 1/1/1/2
- True Color Feature
- Welding Process: Stick, MIG and TIG
- Shade Range: Dark state DIN 5-13, Light State DIN 4
- Viewing Area: 3.64″ X 1.67″‘
- Arc sensors: 2
- Light to Dark Swtiching Speed: 1/10,000 Seconds
- UV/IR Protection: DIN 16
- Power: Solar cell, non-replaceable battery
- Sensitivity (welding based on current size): adjustable: low/high
- Weight: 1.85 Pounds
- 30 Days Return Policy
7. DEKOPRO DX300s Welding Helmet – One of the Cheapest Welding Helmets
While browsing an auto-darkening welding helmet market, you can notice that this is one of the most affordable hoods. This helmet is cheaper than some of the most affordable Harbor Freight hoods, which don’t even feature an auto-darkening function. Besides being cheap, this auto-darkening welding offers some decent features, but it has a fair amount of limitations.
This DEKOPRO welding helmet offers a manual 9-13 shade selection, which will cover most of the welding processes. In addition, there is a safety feature to provide maximum UV/IR protection where the auto-darkening filter stays dark up to shade #16 in case the auto-darkening feature fails.
Finally, reaction time is fine, as it goes from light to dark in 1/25,000 seconds. You will like the sensitivity and delay settings, which are pretty precise for under $50 auto-darkening helmets. The viewing area of 3.62’’ x 1.65’’ is decent, it will provide enough visibility, but it is slightly smaller than YesWelder welding helmets and DEKOPRO welding helmet DX-800S.
Once you put this welding helmet on, you can notice it is pretty lightweight. Nevertheless, thin plastic looks quite fragile, as it may break from the minor impact. Headgear offers some fine adjustments, but after a couple of uses, the helmet feels flimsy. As the cheapest welding helmet on the market, it also feels pretty cheap.
Keep in mind that this welding helmet is powered by non-replaceable lithium batteries combined with solar power. Still, the manufacturer guarantees more than 5000 welding hours. The problem with non-replaceable batteries is once their lifetime is near the end, you might get flashed without notice, as your auto-darkening feature might fail occasionally.
That’s why several owners report that their welding helmets just died after some time. Some say it was after a couple of years, but some say it was after a couple of uses, so pay close attention.
Pros & Cons Summarized
Pros
- One of the cheapest auto-darkening helmets
- Provides decent weld puddle clarity
- Solar-powered batteries with more than 5000 welding hours
- Passive shade #16 safety feature
- Lightweight helmet
Cons
- It seems fragile and feels flimsy after a couple of uses
- Non-replaceable batteries
- Batteries can run out pretty quickly
Features
- Materials: PP
- Optical Clarity: 1/2/1/2
- Cartridge Dimensions: 4.33” x 3.54″
- Welding Process: MMA, MIG, MAG/CO2, TIG and Plasma Welding. Arc Gouging & Plasma Cutting.
- Shade Range: Dark state DIN 9-13, Light State DIN 4
- Viewing Area: 3.62’’ x 1.65’’
- Arc sensors: 2
- Light to Dark Swtiching Speed: 1/25,000 Seconds
- Dark to Light: ajdustable 0.1s to 1.0s
- UV/IR Protection: DIN 16
- Power: CR2032 Lithium, non-replaceable battery
- Weight: 1 Pound
Things to Consider When Buying a Best Budget Welding Helmet
Before choosing one of the best cheap welting helmets, there are a couple of things you should consider. First, you should make sure the helmet fits your needs, as you want to be as comfortable as it gets while welding. Choosing the best affordable welding helmet doesn’t have to be that hard.
Lens Quality and Optical Rating
Welding long hours a day without a proper helmet can cause severe damage to your eyes. So you want to make sure the optical rating of your helmet is as fine as possible.
The optical clarity is rated into a for criteria, with grades 1-3. The best possible optical clarity is 1/1/1/1, but no budget welding helmet will provide you that clear image of a weld puddle. In the best case, you will have to satisfy with 1/1/1/2 optical clarity.
One of the features that will reduce eye strain and fatigue after welding long hours is true color technology. The feature removes green tint, and it is a part of many modern auto-darkening welding helmets. Even some budget welding helmets, such as YesWelder M800HP and Tekware we talked about, feature a true-color view.
Viewing Area
Welding helmet viewing area is one of the essential factors you should consider, as you want to avoid tunnel-vision while welding. If you want to stay aware of your surrounding, you should choose a helmet with side windows, such as Tekware we talked about earlier.
Still, some welders prefer a narrow viewing area to maintain better puddle control. In addition, if there are more welders in your work areas, welding helmets with larger viewing areas can pick up their arc.
Auto-darkening helmets come with various viewing areas sizes, and fortunately, there are some budget options with extraordinary viewing sizes, such as Instapark we reviewed.
Shade Range Selection
Most of the cheap helmets offer a 5-13 dark shade range selection. This is enough to cover all your MIG, TIG, and Stick welding needs. However, keep in mind that most cheap helmets won’t trigger auto-darkening function at lower amperage.
In addition, professional welders doing carbon arc welding will have to opt for a more serious, maximum dark shade 14 helmets. But, overall, all of the affordable helmets I listed will provide enough protection for your occasional welding needs.
Headband Comfort
Wearing a welding helmet for long hours can be exhausting, and that’s the main reason you want to pick a perfect welding helmet. Most of the modern welding helmets have adjustable headbands that can fit your needs. Finally, you don’t want to focus on your helmet and concentrate on your work.
Most cheap welding helmets have a cheap headband. So you shouldn’t be surprised if it falls apart after a couple of uses. Luckily, you can always buy a replacement, as it will increase comfort a lot.
Welding Helmet Weight
If you are a professional welder, you spend most of your day welding. Heavy hoods can cause long-term neck problems and damage, so you want to choose as lightest helmet you can find. But keep in mind that lightweight doesn’t always mean durable.
Some of the helmets I reviewed are lightweight but made of plastic. So even though they won’t damage your neck, they may break after the slightest impact.
Controls and Grind Mode
Almost every modern auto-darkening helmet has sensitivity, shade selection, and delay settings. Some of them feature weld and grind mode. Controls can be external and internal.
Internal controls are set inside the helmet, so you have to take it off each time you change your settings. External commands are placed on the outer shell of the helmet, and they are easy to use. Some of them are large, so you won’t have to take your welding gloves off. But, keep in mind that external controls can get in the way once you’re working in tight areas.
Grind mode became an essential feature of almost all modern helmets, and you can find it in some of the budget options I’ve reviewed in this article. This mode won’t detect the light of the sparks during grinding so that helmet won’t go dark. In addition, a helmet will provide eyes and neck protection from flying sparks.
Choosing the best budget welding helmet under $100 can be difficult, so I hope this article was useful to you. My best for the money pick is a YesWelder M800HP, as it offers great value for the money spent. But, of course, if you want a reliable, other welding helmet brand, you can always pick a Lincoln Electric K3419-1 and be sure it won’t let you down.
However, all the products we listed are quality helmets that follow all the safety standards and provide you adequate protection. So if you made your choice and picked a perfect welding tool, but you feel your old welding helmet is starting to let you down, you can always check out this article.
