I was looking for an entry-level welder at a price point anyone could afford for my article series on learning to weld. There are many options online, but I wanted a stable offering that I could recommend. I first learned of YesWelder when they were running a Kickstarter and after researching them I reached out and they provided their FLUX-135 for this review.
The street price of the FLUX-135 is around $160 so it is a very affordable way to get into welding. It does have some limitations as it is designed to plug into a standard 120 V house outlet, but that gives you the flexibility to use it anywhere. As it ships this is a flux-core wire feed and a stick welder. While it can also do TIG, that requires buying additional accessories that will more than double the price of the machine.
The specs say you can weld up to 5/32″ mild steel which is more than enough to learn how to weld and probably good enough for most homestead/DIY applications. An advantage of flux core is you can weld outside or there the air is disturbed that would disturb the gas shielding of traditional MIG.
This is absolutely a great welder for someone just starting out learning to weld. It is a capable and affordable option with a price point of just over $200 for the welder and a helmet – everything you need to get started. The controls are simple, just select the size wire you are using and start with the knobs in the middle and you are good to get started.