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You need the best welding helmet for beginners as a novice welder. The best way to get the job done safely is to have the best welding helmet on the market. Well, it might sound easy, but as a newbie, finding the right one is quite a daunting task as the market is filled with options. 

best welding helmet for beginners

There’s nothing more important than your safety, and it’s absolutely necessary that you find a helmet that gives you the ultimate protection against heat, flame, and radiation. Remember that saving only the eyes is not enough. The helmet should also protect your face and neck as well. 

A good welding helmet will help you perform the task. However, the best welding helmet will help you weld and provide you with the maximum amount of safety as well. Welding holds the serious risk of damaging the eyes if proper precautionary measures aren’t taken.  

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Welding emits radiation such as UV and IR that are also harmful. So, a proper helmet will also provide you with protection against these elements as well. When you’re shopping for helmets, there are multiple factors that should be considered so that you can get your hands on the best one.  To help you with this intimidating task, we have come up with this review where we’ll discuss the best welding helmets that are available in the market.

A List Of 5 Best Welding Helmet For Beginners

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Our Top 5 Welding Helmets Review

Lincoln Electric Welding Helmet- 3350

lincoln 3350 welding helmet

The simple looks of the Lincoln Electronic 3350 Welding Helmet might fool you. In contrast, it is quite the beast inside. It has a glossy black finish with a red and white logo on top, which gives it quite a premium look.

Along with looks, it also included some splendid features that will make your welding tasks a lot more fun and easier. However, the glossy finish is scratch prone so you need to stay cautious if you’re working in a tightly enclosed area or around rough surfaces.

The weight of the Lincoln helmet 3350 in a bit on the heavier side. It weighs around 3.2 pounds which can weigh the head down after long hours of wear. However, there’s an adjustable strap and the insides of the helmet are flexible which ensures utmost comfort.

A huge viewing screen is equipped, measuring at 3.7

4 inches x 3.34 inches. The screen provides a clear frontal and peripheral view at the weld which helps you work more precision. It has a lens with 4C technology that generates a crisper and clearer view.

It features four arc sensors that quickly detects when the weld is about to spark and changes the color of the lens from light to dark to prevent damage to the eyes. The shade range varies from 6 to 13.

It features an internal sensitivity control knob that can adjust variable shades, delay, and light sensitivity. There is also a grinding option that many high-end welding helmets lack in.

This helmet is powered by replaceable lithium batteries, and it offers a great amount of run time. The Lincoln 3350 comes with quite a hefty price tag. However, you’ll also get 3 years of warranty which kind of makes up for the high price.

Pros

  • Replaceable lithium batteries
  • Large viewing window
  • Several shade ranges

Cons

  • Heavyweight

Fibre-Metal Pipeliner Fiberglass Welding Helmet

Fibre Metal welding helmet

The Fibre-Metal Pipeliner helmet is an amazing helmet that offers outstanding features within a moderate price range. It has a super sturdy design that offers extreme durability and you can perform several welding tasks with this helmet. However, the design is almost a perfect fit for pipeline welding where standard welding helmets won’t fit.

It’s made with Superglas Plus material which is tough and lightweight at the same time. It weighs only 2 pounds which is pretty decent as there are free-floating arms which minimize the pressure points to ensure utmost control and balance over the helmet. It can withstand some rigorous welding activities and the moisture-proof coating helps to enhance the durability of the helmet.

It comes in one standard size that’s designed to fit most adults. There’s a pliable headband fits the contours of the welder’s head and there’s also an adjustable belt that helps to position the glass holder in order to give utmost flexibility. There’s also a rubber headband attached to the helmet with constant-fit that will adjust the helmet when the welder moves.

The viewing window on this helmet measures at 2 inches x 4 inches. The viewing area might seem small for all sort of tasks, however, the shade 10 lens offers a crystal clear view of the weld puddle. Also, the lens filters out UV and infra-red radiation to give the maximum amount of protection to the eyes.

The fixed shade 10 lens can be bothersome as that is not suitable for some tasks, however, you can change the lens. If you’re going to use it for something other than pipeline welding then you can use the passive gold-shaded lens which offers excellent clarity. You can also use an auto-darkening lens to make the most use of the helmet. If you are confused about the shade of your welding glasses, you can check the article regarding different shades of welding glasses.

Pros

  • Best suited for pipeline welding
  • Adjustable headband

Cons

  • Small viewing window

Miller Classic Series Welding Helmet

miller

If you’re looking for a great welding helmet that will not make a dent on your wallet then the Miller Classic Series Electric Welding Helmet is your guy. This bad boy is loaded with awesome features and the best part is, all these goodness are offered at a very decent price range.

The viewing window on this helmet measures at 5.2 square inches that enables the welder to have a clear look at the work. There are multiple layers of protective cover over the lens, five on the outside and two inside.

It comes with an auto-darkening viewing panel with LCD display which offers a lot more comfort to the eyes than those regular fixed shade displays. There are two light sensors that detect any change in the lighting condition and immediately changes the shade of the lens.

Featuring both welding mode and grinding mode, the welder can pick the one according to the task assigned. You can perform tasks such as MIG, TIG, plasma cutting and many others with this gear.

It features a super-fast switching speed of 1/10,000 of a second that provides the maximum amount of protection to the eyes. This helmet also features a clear glass panel under the electrical lens which comes in really handy when you need to see clearly but also keep yourself safe from the harmful radiations and spark bits.

The main material used for this headgear is nylon which contributes to making this quite lightweight and the welder will not feel any neck or back issues ever after long hours of wear with this helmet.

On the whole, two replaceable AAA batteries supply the ultimate power to the Miller Classic. They provide a runtime of 2000 hours and even when you’re out of battery, no worries because the solar panel got you covered.

Pros

  • Very quick switching speed
  • Protective coating for extra protection to the eyes

Cons

  • Not suitable for heavy duty welding tasks

Jackson Safety Insight Auto Darkening Welding Helmet

Jackson-safety-46101

The Jackson Safety Insight helmet not only offers great performance but also has a phenomenal outlook too. The price of this helmet is a bit on the steeper side, however, it provides outstanding protection that makes up for the price.

The viewing window measures at 3.93″ x 2.36” that gives a clear view of the weld. Since it’s an auto-darkening helmet, the lens is equipped with variable shades ranging from 9 to 13. It features four dimming sensors which immediately changes the lens color when the arc is about to spark.

Even though the helmet has very robust build quality, it only weighs 2 pounds. It’s extremely durable and it is ANSI approved so you’ll be getting the ultimate safety and protection with it.

The Jackson Safety inside features sensitivity and delay sensors. These sensors allow you to adjust the time setting for the lens to go from light to dark. These features come really handy when you’re welding at very high or very low amperage.

This helmet is an industrial grade helmet that comes with a super quick switching speed that ensures that your eyes stay protected against blazing arcs. The lens also provides UV and infra-red protection that keeps the eyes, face, and neck safe from these harmful radiations.

This is compatible with the HLX100 and HSL 100 shells which add to the versatility of the helmet. It’s a premium quality welding helmet that offers multiple functions. It features two modes: grind and weld modes. You can perform tasks such as MIG, TIG, arc welding and many more with this headgear.

It’s powered by replaceable lithium batteries. The best part is, it’s both digital and solar powered. It’s equipped with a solar charging panel that makes sure you keep on working even when the batteries are down.

Pros

  • Adjustable sensitivity and delay sensor
  • Suitable for heavy-duty welding tasks
  • Large viewing display

Cons

  • The price is slightly high.

3M Speedglas Welding Helmet-9100MP

3m-9100-speedglas-welding-helmet.jpg

The 3M Speedglas is a huge industrial-grade welding helmet that weighs surprisingly light. This helmet comes in handy when you need safety from the arc sparks as well as respiratory protection.

Despite being a large helmet, it’s made with high-quality material which makes it incredibly lightweight compared to the other standard helmets in the market. The hardhat comes with a rating of type-1 class G so it provides extreme durability regardless of the welding condition.

3M has taken comfort to another level with this helmet. It is highly comfortable with an ergonomic design which easily fits in. There is two additional adjustable crown strap that provides enhanced stability and better weight distribution. The ratchet adjustment in the back enables it to be tightened according to the welder’s head size.

The viewing window of this welding helmet is 1.8 inches high x 3.7 inches wide. Due to the large size, the welder can get a crisp view of the weld which helps him to perform more precisely.

It’s a superb welding helmet for those who are into heavy-duty welding tasks. The side windows and auto-darkening filers provide maximum eye-protection and face protection from arc sparks and harmful UV/IR radiations. The side windows come with five different shade ranges and they are excellent for times when you need a clear peripheral vision for your work.

The arc sensors on the 3M speed are extremely reactive and they have a reaction time of 1/10,000 of a second. This incredibly fast speed gives the welder maximum overall protection. It also features exhaust vent which redirects that exhaled air immediate out of the helmet to minimize the amount of heat and fogging inside the helmet.

It comes with a welding shield which can be flipped up for grinding or setup tasks. The six-point web suspension provides utmost comfort no matter how you wear the headgear.

Pros

  • Super-fast switching speed
  • Adjustable straps and ratchet
  • Provides protection against UV and IR radiations

Cons

  • Quite expensive

The Only Buying Guide You’ll Ever Need For Best Welding Helmet For The Money

best welding mask

Only knowing the best welding helmets for the money in the market isn’t enough, because one product isn’t meant for all. Something can be the Holy Grail for someone but absolute garbage for you. There are multiple factors that you need to consider before making the ultimate purchase so that you invest your money on the right unit. 

Passive Welding Helmets

Welding helmets come in two different variants. Passive welding helmets are the old school helmets that require manual operation. They are a lot cheaper compared to the auto-darkening ones, therefore, they’re more popular among the novice welders and people within a budget.

As these helmets require manual operation, therefore, they need to be flipped up and down constantly while working which will eventually slow you down. They have a fixed shade lens, usually shade 10 which is good enough to perform several welding tasks. On top of that, these helmets are usually made with flimsy plastic which doesn’t offer much durability. 

Auto-Darkening Helmets

Auto-darkening helmets are more advanced kind of helmets that offer a lot of premium features. They come with variable shade ranges so which changes color with the brightness of the arc. They are equipped with arc sensors that immediately detect the changes and converts the lens from light to dark to provide optimum protection to the eyes.

They don’t require you to manually flip the hood hence you can work a lot faster with better comfort and safety. These helmets run on battery power and many of them include solar panel so that you can work even when the battery runs out.

The Weight Of The Helmet

One of the very first things you should consider while shopping for welding helmets is the weight. Since you’ll be wearing the headgear for hours, it’s important that it’s lightweight so that doesn’t wear the head down. Also, heavy helmets will cause neck and back issue with time as they’ll put constant pressure on them.

Shade Range

Passive welding helmets usually come with a fixed shade. Fixed shade is good enough if you’re working only on a certain kind of task. However, if you want to perform multiple tasks with the helmet then go for a helmet offers variable shade range so that you can work under different circumstances.

The shade range for auto-darkening helmets usually varies from 4 to 13 where shade 4 provides a lighter lens view and it goes dark with higher shade value as the weld starts to spark. The dark shades help to keep your eyes protected from sudden sparks and radiations.

Power Source 

Passive shield helmets are the old-fashioned helmets that don’t require any power source as they come with a fixed lens shade. On the other hand, auto-darkening helmets are usually powered by lithium batteries. You can use these helmets right out of the box and they usually offer a long battery life. 

Most of these helmets also have a solar panel installed in them which ensure that the still operates smoothly when the battery runs out. These helmets generally feature a battery indicator light that indicates when the battery is getting low. 

Arc Sensors

Arc sensors are the feature that is specific to the auto-darkening helmets and it’s not offered in the passive shield ones. Most auto-darkening helmets are equipped with two or four arc sensors that detect when the arc is about to spark and changes the lens from light to dark.

If it was not for the arc sensors, you’d be under serious risk of being flashed with those super bright sparks that might have left you partially blinded. 

Reaction Time

It would be an absolute blunder if the helmet doesn’t switch the lens on time. There are tons of safety hazards if there’s a delay and there can be a long-term consequence as well. Usually, the switching time varies from 0.00003 to 0.00004 second. However, there are helmets that can switch the lens a lot faster and in this case, the quicker the better.

Screen Size

Screen size is very crucial when it comes about welding helmets. If the screen size is small then you’ll not get a proper view of your work which will hinder your performance. Make sure the helmet offers optimum peripheral view along with a frontal view to ensure utmost precision while welding.

Welding helmets come with a variety a screen size and in this case bigger the better as you can get e clearer and crisper view at your work. However, the weight and price also tend to increase along with the size of the screen.

Control Knob

Welding helmets have different knob placements. Some of them have the knob inside and some have it on the outside. Externally placed knobs allow the welder to operate the control without having to remove the helmet.

Whereas, internally placed knobs require the welder to remove the helmet in order to adjust the setting. It can be bothersome when you’re in hurry or you’re working in a tightly enclosed place.

Adjustable Settings

Adjustable sensitivity and delay settings are usually offered in the premium grade helmets. The sensitivity feature is the one that determines how bright the arc needs to be in order to the lens to go dark. 

Helmets with adjustable sensitivity settings allow you to manually pick the time from the lens to trigger the darkening effect. This feature comes in really handy in situations when you’re welding at a low amperage than usual. Here, you can increase the sensitivity so that the lens changes quickly from light to dark

On the other hand, the delay setting determines how long the lens will stay dark after the arc is finished. Helmets with adjustable delay feature will help you to choose your desired time. This feature comes handy in times when you’re welding under high amperage as the arc still stays bright even after it stops. It lets you delay the time so that your eyes stay protected throughout the time.

Comfort

We sometimes look past comfort but it has an immense effect on the performance of the welder. When you’ll be working for long hours, if the headgear is uncomfortable then it’ll constantly irritate you and hamper the work

Welding helmets generally come in one universal size that’s designed to fit most adults. However, they come with adjustable headbands to ensure that they fit properly to the welder’s head.

Safety Standards

Make sure you buy a helmet that has passed the national safety standards. Never invest on a helmet which is below standard with lousy quality. It’s crucial that the helmet passes the government regulated safety tests in order to provide you with utmost protection and comfort.

FAQ — The Best Beginner Welding Helmet

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FIXED SHADE AND AUTO-DARKENING LENS?

Fixed shade lens is not suitable for all sorts of welding tasks. They usually have a shade 10 lens that only a good fit for a particular application. Whereas, auto-darkening helmets have variable shade ranges that provide better safety to the eyes.

WHAT IS AN ARC SENSOR?

Arc sensor is the sensor that detects when the arc is about to blaze. As soon as the arc sensors detect they transform the lens from light to dark. This helps to keep your eyes protected and safe from the arc flashes and also from the harmful UV/IR radiations that are emitted during welding.

ARE ALL WELDING HELMETS BATTERY POWERED?

Fixed shade helmets don’t require any power as they don’t need to change the shade of the lens. However, all the auto-darkening helmets run on power, and they are usually powered by replaceable lithium batteries.
These batteries provide a battery life of around 2000 hours to 5000 hours of run time. Most of these helmets also incorporate a solar charging panel which ensures that the helmets keep working even when the batteries run down.

HOW DOES THE MAGNIFIER LENS WORK?

Magnifiers lens doesn’t come equipped with the helmet. There are some premium level helmets which offer 1x to 2x zoom in order to provide the welder with a clearer and crisper view. This feature comes handy when you’re working under dim light or when you need a close image of the weld.

Some Basic Maintenance Tips of Welding Helmet

A welding helmet is one of the most necessary tools for a welder. On top of that, you need to spend some pretty penny on the helmet so it’s important that you take proper care of it in order to make the most out of it. Let’s look at some quick maintenance tips which will help you keep the good as new for years.

Step One

After every few uses, wipe the surface of the helmet with a clean paper towel or microfiber towel. This will help you to remove all the dust, debris and remains that’s on top of the helmet. If you use a wet towel then make sure you wipe off the excess moisture.

Step Two

Now that you have given the helmet the initial cleaning, it’s time to give it a thorough cleaning. There are many affordable cleaning brushes available in the market. Give the helmet some brush lovin’ and clean every nooks and edge with the brush

Make sure the brush has soft bristle so that it doesn’t hamper the outside coating of the helmet. Once you’re done with the brush cleaning, use air pressure duster to clean the dust remains from the surface.

Step Three

It’s essential that the lens is properly cleaned in order to have a clean and crisp look at the weld. The lens is the most important part of a welding helmet and auto-darkening lenses are more sensitive to cleaning compared to the passive shield ones.

Get your hands on a good lens cleaner and wipe the lens gently in order to remove dirt and oil particles from it. Now, use a disinfectant to get rid of all the germs and bacteria so that you can breathe in a healthy, clean environment inside.

Final Step

For the FINAL STEP, give the helmet a nice wipe with a microfiber towel to ensure that there’s no dirt or moisture left on the helmet.

Repeat these processes as often as required as these will help you prolong the life of your helmet to a great extent while keeping it clean and germ-free.

Wrap Up!

Welding helmet has immense importance when it comes to welding, and it’s a gear that a welder just can’t forgo. Whether you’re a hobbyist or a professional, safety should always be the top priority for every welder. Headgear not only provides the utmost protection to the eyes, but it also saves the face and neck of the welder from the blazing arcs.

Before making the purchase, decide what sort of welding tasks you’re going to perform with the helmet. Every helmet is not suitable for all sorts of task. If you’re going for heavy-duty welding tasks, then make sure you opt for an auto-darkening helmet.

Once you get your hands on the welding helmet, make sure you take proper care of it to get the best service out of it. It’s not necessary to spend a bucket load on a helmet. However, you can’t buy gold with nickel so if you want quality then you need to splurge a bit on it.

We have reviewed the best welding hoods for beginners​. The helmets are available on the market so that you can enjoy your welding time in the best possible way while staying protected. Be a professional or a novice, you’ll definitely find something that suits your requirements. So, get your hands on the best welding helmet and spark some arcs.

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One Comment

  1. Thanks for this in-depth review. I am a beginner and looking for welding machine that performs the best with top security.
    But the marketplace is full of with a lot of helmets that make me confused which one should I buy.
    Thankfully, I have found your in-depth guide that makes my purchasing decision easy. I am going to buy ”
    Miller Classic Series Welding Helmet” for its ” low price, great veiwing area, and others.
    Thanks again for this great review.

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