FC-120 Flux-cored Welder- Best Gasless MIG Welders for a beginner or a DIY hobbyist Reviews
Gasless MIG welders don’t require an expensive, heavy gas tank, and they can be used outdoors, in the wind. Plus, flux-cored welders are inexpensive. So, they offer some nice benefits.
But they are often hindered by an erratic arc, and the nature of the process creates spatter. To be blunt, flux-cored welders are inherently messy. So, you don’t want a welder with poor arc stability that only escalates the spatter/mess problem.
Since flux-cored welders are often used by hobbyists, many manufacturers don’t put much effort into their design. To help you avoid buying or flawed welder or getting ripped off, we compiled a list of gasless MIG welders that are reliable, affordable, and have a relatively stable arc.
FC-120 – Best Gasless MIG Welders for Home Use Reviews
We’ll start with the PerfectPower machine that satisfies most hobbyists’ and beginners’ needs, then proceed to the more durable welders. The two crucial aspects of gasless MIG welders to keep in mind are amperage output and duty cycle. Many models offer limited power short-duty cycles, so we focused on the flux-cored welders with generous output amperage and long-duty cycles.
PerfectPower FC-120 flux cored wire welding machine
- Digital display
- Multi-process welder; supports FCAW, lift TIG, and MMA welding processes
- 120A maximum output at a 60% duty cycle
- 95A maximum output at a 100% duty cycle
- Synergic (automatic) and manual adjustments
- DINSE connectors
- IGBT inverter-based
- Lightweight and portable
Pros
- Adequate arc quality
- High amperage output
- The longest duty cycle of all welders in our review
- DINSE connectors allow efficient torch and ground clamp replacement
- Multi-process support
- The synergic mode makes it beginner-friendly
- Exceptionally light at 5.0 kg.
- Infinite adjustability knobs for voltage and wire feed speed
- Excellent MIG gun and ground clamp at this price
- 1-year warranty
Cons
For beginners or DIY enthusiasts, you can basically ignore its lack of professional welding machine advantages, in the same price of flux cored wire welding machine, belongs to the best choice of flux cored wire welding machine.
Top reviews from the customers – The Little MIG Welder that can!
Welds great for a sub $200 120 amps welder. I have used it to weld 1/4 inch steel with a 3/32 6011 and it had full penetration. The mig gun I use on 1/8” and less and it does the job. Have not tested TIg fuction yet but i am certain it would do well. Yeswelder makes a mighty machine for a very good price.
Top reviews from the customers – Functional and Economical MIG Welder
It’s a small, cost effective welder. The components are all budget pieces but it works with some fiddling. Wire tension is crucial. Amperage/wire feed is pretty easy to adjust. Over all, a great machine.
Top reviews from the customers – Good Home MIG Welder
Very good welding machine for the money. Easy to use, High duty cycle compared to similar priced models.
Only issue is finding replacement parts for the MIG gun that came with the green cased version, the new black one uses a standard MIG gun.
Overview
The inexpensive PerfectPower FC-120 flux cored wire welding machine outputs a lot of power and has a long duty cycle. No other welder in our review can match its 60% duty cycle at 120amps output or 100% at 95 amps.
The included digital display and the infinitely adjustable knobs make fine-tuning your arc a breeze. The FC-120 flux cored wire welding machine doesn’t cause too much spatter, and the resulting welds look better than anything the other welders in this range can do.
We particularly liked that it’s a multi-process unit at a low cost. You can’t TIG weld pipe with this machine or use its stick welding process to weld structural steel. But, having these two processes significantly improves its value and are are nice to have in a pinch. Also, you can learn basic TIG and stick welding if you are a beginner, which flux-cored-only welders cannot match.
But, the PerfectPower’s FC-120 flux cored wire welding machine build quality falls short of the other welders on our list. It’s adequate for hobbyists. But you should proceed on to our reviews below if you prefer a better build quality. However, you won’t find multi-process capability, a long duty cycle, or bargain price elsewhere.
If you are a beginner or a DIY hobbyist planning to occasionally weld some projects, the PerfectPower FC-120 flux cored wire welding machine is the bargain model you should consider. If you suspect you might want or need a fully capable MIG welder, consider the PerfectPower MIG-230 MIG welder（MIG-230 MIG welder review） which is a cost-effective choice.
But, if you have particular needs like high build quality, longevity, compact design, and most importantly a strong warranty, consider the other welders in our review. Each offers a mixture of pros and cons that you should match to your needs.