Home Depot has entered their Husky tool brand into a new product category with 5 new welders and a plasma cutter.
All six machines can be powered via 120V AC electrical supply, with two featuring dual-voltage 120V/240V power options.
Here are the new Husky welding machines:
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- 125A 120V AC Wire Feed MIG Flux Core Welder
- 140A 120V AC Gas MIG Wire Feed Welder with Gas Regulator
- 225A 240V/120V Dual Voltage AC Stick Welder
- 80A 120V AC Stick Welder
- 180A 240V/120V Dual Voltage AC MIG Wire Feed Welder
- 20A 120V Plasma Cutter
Husky 125A 120V AC Wire Feed MIG Flux Core Welder
The new Husky 125A wire feed MIG flux core welder, FC125LV, features IGBT technology and does not require shielding gas.
Husky says that it’s an ideal machine for basic welding jobs at home for DIY users.
Sensors provide protection against overheating, short circuit, and overvoltage conditions.
Its output can vary from 30 to 125A, and it has a duty cycle of 30% at 90A. As per the user manual, it can work with 0.030/0.035″ flux core wire and weld steel up to 1/8″ thick.
AC Plug Type: 120V/15A.
Price: $188
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Husky 140A 120V AC Gas MIG Wire Feed Welder with Gas Regulator
The Husky MIG140 is a MIG wire feed welder.
It can weld steel up to 1/8″ thick, and works with wire 0.025 to 0.035″. Its output is 30A to 140A, with a duty cycle of 30% at 90A.
According to the user manual, shielding gas is not required for flux core wire (flux core arc welding), and is required for use with solid core wire (gas metal arc welding).
Husky says this model features an infinite knob for amperage control, popular Tweco-style torch connector, IGBT tech, two digital displays, 4T (4-touch) capability to release users’ fingers during long welding sessions, and a suite of safety features.
AC Plug Type: 120V/20A
Price: $398
Husky 225A 240V/120V Dual Voltage AC Stick Welder
The Husky STICK225 stick welder can operate on 240V or 120V AC power.
Husky says this model comes ready to go and is great for DIY welders or at home welders.
It features 10-70A output at 120V, and 15-225A at 240V. Its duty cycle is 40% at 70A (120V) or 20% at 225A (240V).
This model’s welding capacity is 1/8″ steel at 120V, and 5/16″ steel at 240V. According to the user manual, it can be used to weld steel, stainless steel, cast steel, cast iron, brass, and copper.
They recommend an electrode diameter up to 3/16″ (type E6010, E6011, E6013, or E7018).
AC Plug Type: 240V/50A.
Price: $248
Husky 80A 120V AC Stick Welder
The Husky ST80 is an 80A stick welder that operates at 120V. It can be used for stick or TIG welding.
The duty cycle is 20% at 75A for stick welding, and 20% at 80A for TIG welding.
It can weld up to 1/8″ steel, and can be used with steel, stainless steel, cast steel, cast iron, brass, copper, and tool steel.
Husky recommends electrode diameters of 1/16″ to 3/32″ (type E6011, E6013, E7018, or E308L).
AC Plug Type: 120V/15A.
Price: $148
Husky 180A 240V/120V Dual Voltage AC MIG Wire Feed Welder
The Husky MP180DV is a 180A MIG welder with wire feed, foot pedal, and dual voltage technology.
Husky says this model is a must-have for metalwork, and is capable of MIG, TIG, and stick welding.
It features IGBT technology, 2 digital displays, power indicator, 4T capabilities, Tweco-style torch connector, and a suite of safety protections.
The 180A welder can be used for stick (shielded metal arc welding), TIG (gas tungsten arc welding), MIG (gas metal arc welding), and flux core arc welding.
Its duty cycle at 120V is 40% for stick welding at 70A, and MIG or TIG welding at 90A, and at 240V it’s 25% for stick welding at 170A, and MIG or TIG welding at 180A.
Its welding capacity is 1/8″ steel at 120V, and 1/4″ steel at 240V. According to the user manual, it can weld steel, stainless steel, and aluminum, and can be used with wire 0.025″ to 0.045″.
AC Plug Type: 1240V/50A
Price: $548
Husky 20A 120V Plasma Cutter
The Husky CUT20P plasma cutter can cut steel up to 1/4″ for “quality cuts” and has max cutting thickness of 5/16″.
It features a 13ft cutter torch and 10ft ground clamp.
Its duty cycle is 60% at 16A with a 15A plug, or 35% at 20A with a 20A plug.
AC Plug Type: 120V/20A. The product listing says it comes with a 15A to 20A plug adapter.
Price: $428
Erik
Thanks for bringing us ToolGuyd.
Small correction: “The new Husky 125A wire feed MIG flux core welder, FC125LV, features IGBT technology and does require shielding gas.” should read “…does not require”.
Stuart
Thank you! *fixed*
It’s amazing how I will tell myself “ah, this one does not require shield gas,” and then after at least 2 rounds of proofreading I’ll still miss an omission or obvious typo. Corrections are always appreciated!
MM
There’s another typo at the next model down:
“The Husky MIG140 is a MIG wire feed welder and requires ” appears to be an incomplete sentence.
Stuart
Thank you! *fixed*
I’m not sure what happened there.
Erik
Fortunately I’ve never ever ever done that….more than many many times.
I think its common to miss things in a proof read that you just wrote. Your brain conflates what you remember intending to write with what got written out…thus filling in the blanks. And you don’t always have the luxury to wait until later to proof with a cleaner slate.
fred
I don’t see a COO for these – nor do they seem to specify what the airflow (compressor) requirements are for the plasma cutter.
I’m trying to compare it to a (made in China) Forney 251 that’s on someone’s wish list:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B078TZ9WMM/
Hepdog
Fred, I purchased a Forney multi-process back in 2019. It has the Tig, MIG, and Arc all-in-one. While the TIG is useless, the Mig functions fantastically and I have had no issues.
Mine is made in China and I would assume all of the low-priced, consumer-grade welders are.
kizzle
Why is the TIG useless?
Ct451
You can add basic TIG functionality to any welder if you connect the gas straight to the torch. This will lack hf start and ac/pulse and controlling gas flow and current with you foot. You will be hard pressed to find a use for this sort of TIG in your diy welding endeavors that the other functions would not be better/easier at. Maybe fuse welding without filler or if you just want to learn how to TIG.
Kevin
I use my AC/DC stick welder in that configuration to use as a scratch start TIG. It is really useful for welding smaller and more delicate things, since I can turn the amperage way down and have control of how much filler I’m adding to the weld. Which you cant do with stick or MIG
Josh R
If it’s at all capable, under $600 seems very good for a mig/tig machine for the home gamer.
Tom M.
Seems like they’re trying to compete against Harbor Freight in the DIY welding category. I’ll be honest…this seems way outside of Home Depot’s sweet spot. When I think of metalworking, home improvement centers are literally the last place I would go. I’d have to imagine the private label stuff at Airgas and Linde (formerly Praxair) are leaps and bounds better than anything stocked at Home Depot or Lowe’s.
Jerry
Our nearest HD has been selling Hobart welders and accessories for several hears now, and handles a wide variety of them. They have the best prices in town for both the welders and wire or at least did until they opened a Harbor Freight.
Scott F
Should the last sentence of the MIG/TIG 120/240 welder paragraph say 25% duty cycle versus 25A?
These are interesting, all a bit lower capacity than expected but at the same time I get it to keep cost down for the home mechanic. Those who need to weld 1/2″ regularly probably aren’t buying Husky… But am surprised the dual voltage machine is capped at 1/4″.
Was hoping the plasma cutter would be a bit less $$ – not convinced based on a lot of things I’ve read that there’s any benefit to spending more than necessary for a low grade plasma. People seem to get away fine with the Amazon special models, which is one thing I’m keeping my eyes peeled for on Friday!
Regardless of my feelings, this seems like a good placement for Husky to get more in for the budget DIYer – seems like it will compete well with Lincoln in their stores at least.
Stuart
Yes – great catch, thank you!
Jerry
I got one of those cheap Amazon plasma cutters. Compared to a name brand you really see differences in things like how sturdy things like the hoses and leads are. Mine has always worked well but the wand especially seems more delicate than my neighbors name brand. If you are careful and don’t pull on or step on the leads or gun you’ll be fine but he can practically drag his Miller around by the gun
MM
I have a Miller that’s close to 20 years old, it’s withstood an amazing amount of abuse. The torch has been walked on, driven over, had countless amounts of slag fall on it, it still works great. My only gripe with it was the ground cable & clamp it came with seemed a little flimsy, and the ground cable was shorter than the torch lead for some reason. Fortunately that was super easy to fix with a visit to the local welding shop, I picked up a length of cable the same length as the torch but a few sizes up & a Tweco solid bronze clamp.
One thing I’ll throw out there is whatever brand of welder or plasma cutter you consider purchasing make sure you can get consumables for it readily. Nothing sucks worse than finding out you can’t finish the job you’re in the middle of because you need new wire feed rollers in the MIG or new tips for the plasma torch but nobody in town carries the brand you need.
Albert
The 3 year warranty is decent. I might take a chance on the 180A multi-process machine.
Greg
The question is, who is it actually made by. Hobart is made by Miller so I’m curious if Home Depot struck a deal with Lincoln to have their low end welders re-branded.
John
ITW owns both Miller and Hobart. They bought Hobart in 1996. Miller does not manufacture Hobart. Miller makes Miller, Hobart makes Hobart. They in independent companies in different states. A lot of Hobart machines are made in Ohio. Miller machines are made all over the world, Wisconson, Poland, Italy and elsewhere. There are some Miller internal designs which are put in Hobart machines before streamlined into production Miller machines.
fred
The UPC code on the machines is something like 697034920062
The prefix 697034 is new to me. Miller machines have UPC’s staring with 715959. Lincoln Electric / Harris Calorific – have UPCs starting with 015082. HD usually passes through the OEM’s GTIN (UPC, EAN, JAN) on their house banded tools (like Husky, HDX etc.) One hint may be that HD calls it “Pioneer” as part of its item #. Pioneer is a brand of welder made in South Africa – but that may be totally unrelated.
Stacey Jones
Would either of the cheapest two work for spot welding 18650 battery packs?
John
No
Frank D
You need one of those specific pulse arc battery welders , or whatever they are called. Not a metal fabrication welder.
Albert
I didn’t find a single review on that place where videos are found! I bet someone could make some money…
Aaron
So the article picture shows a Husky TIG welder, but I don’t see it mentioned anywhere in the article about it? I have no issues with these coming to the market, we could use more options.
Stuart
That’s the “Husky 180A 240V/120V Dual Voltage AC MIG Wire Feed Welder” – it’s the second-to-last machine, above the plasma cutter.
Aaron
Whoops didn’t see the TIG torch at first, but see it now. Either way, hope to see them in store soon to drool over them.
William Ambrogio
All these welders IF they are inverter based and Not AC tig for Aluminum, are DC output not AC.
Ken
If you follow the “buy” link, you can view the manual and it states “Cannot weld aluminum”, so the description is actually fraudulent and it might mislead the gullible…
Stuart
The manual says weldable metals are steel, stainless steel, aluminum, and “cannot weld aluminum” in the “LIFT TIG” recommendations table. Can it still weld aluminum in the other modes?
Ct451
You can use DC and MIG with argon for aluminum although that torch will give you trouble.
With enough flux you can weld aluminum in the other modes as well.
SamR
Look-alike Klutch brand. Nice to see HD bringing welders and plasma to the home improvement stores.
fred
My local Home Depots always seem to have 3 or 4 different Lincoln welders for sale. Haven’t checked on their prices – but suspect that these Husky machines are meant to hit a lower price point audience.
Addicted2Red
Chinese welders have gotten insanely good. Looks like yeswelder/primeweld/bunch of other clones.
John
Have 3 Primeweld machines, I don’t see a single one of these Husky units that even remotely looks like a Primeweld, specs don’t match either.
Nathan
It’s interesting I don’t know I’d buy one without alot of cross shopping but I was surprised to see Lincoln welders at HD a few years ago. Didn’t seem to fit the rhyme scheme. but I wonder if this is more for their locations that are out in mid west and other remote places that have to compete with stores like Rural King and TSC and etc.
Competition is good for us the consumer though.
Ct451
They all appear to be overpriced and lacking features. Seem like run of the mill Chinese machines from 2 years ago. You get a lot of subpar accessories that are only meant to get you started.
Also the “AC” in their title is misleading. Got luck tig welding aluminum on dc with that thing.
Jacky
I bought the Husky 140 and right outa box can’t get it to arc any ideas