
Finding a good welding helmet has always been a problem, don’t you think so? All welders have dealt with it at some point, and if you are here right now, this means that you have encountered this issue as well.
Here, we’ve got the right solution for you. On this page, you will find a collection of the best welding helmets, as well as a few guidelines on how to choose one. Enjoy the article!
Top Pick
Miller Electric Classic Series
- Viewing area: 5-1/5 sq. inches (33,5 sq.cm)
- Shades 3, 8-12
- Very lightweight
The best welding helmet is the Miller Electric welding helmet: it’s a great combination of high quality and price that would serve as a good choice for everyone. It offers a wide selection of shade lenses and is very lightweight. It is going to be the right fit for both beginners and more advanced welders.
Budget Welding Helmets Comparison Chart
Image | Product | Price |
---|---|---|
![]() | Miller Electric Classic Series Shades: 3 and 8-12 Weight: 2 pounds (900 g) Viewing Area: 5-1/5 sq. inches (33,5 sq.cm) Material: Nylon | |
![]() | Honeywell 110PWE Shades: 10 Weight: 2 pounds (900 g) Viewing Area: 5-1/5 sq. inches (33,5 sq.cm) Material: Fiberglass | |
![]() | Antra AH6-260 Shades: 4/5 - 13 Weight: 2 pounds (900 g) Viewing Area: 3.86 x1.73 inches (9.8 x 4.4 cm) Material: Polyamide-Nylon | |
![]() | TANOX ADF-206S Shades: 4-9; 9-13 Weight: 1.6 pounds (720 g) Viewing Area:3.86 x1.73 inches (9.8 x 4.4 cm) Material: PP | |
![]() | Jackson Safety 14975 Shades: 9-13 Weight: 2 pounds (900 g) Viewing Area: n/a Material: Thermoplasic |
5 Best Budget Welding Helmets (as of February, 2025)
1. Miller Electric Classic Series – Best Budget Miller Helmet Review: Welding Helmet, Shade 3 and 8-12, Black

This is an auto-darkening welding helmet that comes in a few shades and will provide the welder with a few options when it comes to adjusting the helmet to the proper shade. It is lightweight and doesn’t cause any discomfort whenever utilized.
Shades: 3 and 8-12
Weight: 2 pounds (900 g)
Viewing Area: 5-1/5 sq. inches (33,5 sq.cm)
Material: Nylon
Pros:
- Comes with extra lenses.
- Great price. It is a very affordable helmet, however, its price is a lot lower compared to other high-quality helmets.
- The auto feature works fast. It will immediately switch between the shades.
- Whenever in sleep mode, the auto feature won’t switch over. It saves you time and energy.
Cons:
- After a few years of use it doesn’t always darken properly.
- It won’t always work out for heavy-duty welding.
2. Honeywell 110PWE – Best Fibre-Metal Budget Helmet Review: Fibre-Metal Pipeliner Fiberglass Welding Helmet

This is a welding helmet that offers a clear vision and a smooth surface, that is capable of deflecting all kinds of sparks.
The 100% eye protection is also a guarantee since it’s equipped with special filters, that will not let the dangerous light hurt your eyes. The 10 Shades lens will provide you with a clear view you need for welding.
Shades: 10
Weight: 2 pounds (900 g)
Viewing Area: 5-1/5 sq. inches (33,5 sq.cm)
Material: Fiberglass
Pros:
- Easy to adjust. You can easily adjust it to the preferred position, so there won’t be any discomfort while you are working.
- Convenient in use. While welding, you will be able to fix your helmet on your head and no matter what kind of position you will take, it will still be optimal for you and well-balanced.
- Comfortable design. It is a pipe welding helmet, which means that you will be allowed to access any small spots and spaces that are usually not accessible for a regular helmet. Thanks to that, this helmet comes out as a much more comfortable choice.
- Good price. Compared to other products, this one is not only more cost-savingvy, but will also provide you with a set of good features.
Cons:
- It is not auto-darkening. It comes with one shade and will not provide you with an opportunity to adjust shades.
3. Antra AH6-260 – Best Auto Darkening Welding Helmet on a Budget Review: Antra Wide Shade Range 4/5-9/9-13 Auto Darkening Welding Helmet

This is an auto-darkening welding helmet that would be the right choice for welders who work with different kinds of workloads and have to change the lens’ shades very often. It is completely automatic and requires regular batteries to work.
Shades: 4/5 – 13
Weight: 2 pounds (900 g)
Viewing area: 3.86 x1.73 inches (9.8 x 4.4 cm)
Material: Polyamide-Nylon
Pros:
- Wide range of shades. You can choose among at least 6-7 shades to work with.
- Great performance. It provides an extremely accurate auto-darkening and quick switch time.
- Comfortable in use. You won’t experience any kind of discomfort while using this helmet.
- Designed for a variety of uses. It can be used for different welding methods thanks to its diversity of purposes
Cons:
- Sensors don’t always work right. There were several complaints about sensors breaking down just after a few months of utilization.
4. TANOX ADF-206S – Best Budget Welding Helmet with Helmet Gloves Review: Tanox Auto Darkening Solar Powered Welding Helmet ADF-206S

This budget welding helmet comes with special helmet gloves and can serve as the right choice for professional welders who work with different techniques.
Shades: 4-9; 9-13;
Weight: 1.6 pounds (720 g)
Viewing area: 3.86 x1.73 inches (9.8 x 4.4 cm)
Material: PP
Pros:
- Extra set of lenses. No need to pay for them additionally.
- Easy to utilize. There won’t be a problem with using this helmet since it is very easy to use and put on.
- Versatile. It can be used for TIG, MIG, MAG welding, as well as many other welding techniques.
Cons:
- Not always comfortable and can sometimes be hard to re-adjust.
- There were several complaints about the helmet breaking down for less than a year of use.
5. Jackson Safety 14975 – Welding Helmet for the Beginner on the Budget Review: Jackson Safety Durable, Comfortable, Hard Hat Adaptable, Fixed Shade

This helmet is designed for work in tight places and can be used for all kinds of purposes. It is an especially good choice for TIG and MIG welders.
Pros:
- Easily adjustable.
- Versatile. You can utilize this helmet for all kinds of goals and methods.
- Durable. Thanks to its quality, this helmet is capable of lasting for a long time.
Cons:
- The moment you put it on it will be hard for you to see anything at first.
Most Common Types of Welding
Four common types of welding are used for different purposes. Here are all of them:
- MIG welding. This one can be used for joining a few different pieces of metal together. It is believed to be a good method of welding for beginners.
- Stick welding. This kind is a bit harder to work with but still not the most advanced one. To perform it, you will need to use a stick electrode welding rod.
- TIG welding. It is used for welding such metals as aluminum, cobalt, titanium, steel, copper alloys, and nickel alloys. This is one of the most advanced methods of welding.
- Plasma Arc welding. PA welding is used for aerospace applications and also requires a skilled specialist.
There are also a few others, such as electron beam, laser, and gas welding. Whether you should use them or not depends on your skill level.
Most Popular Types of Welding Helmets
The best welding method for you can only be determined by the kind of work you do. Here is a list of 6 most common types of welding helmet types that you should take a look at while shopping for a helmet:
- Auto-dark welding helmet (a variety of shades for lenses available).
- Passive welding helmet (fixed shade).
- Solar-powered helmet.
- Battery-powered helmet.
- Pancake welding hood.
- Leather hood welding mask.
Shades for Lenses

Shades for helmet’s lenses start at 1 and can go as high as 13. 13 is the darkest kind of lens. Filter lenses shade numbers determine the level of protection that the particular helmet is capable of providing.
The minimum protection lenses number for your helmet should be determined by the heaviness of your work. If you have any other eyewear that you can wear under your helmet, it is possible to lower the shade of your helmet.
For every type of welding, there is a different minimum shade number required. Please check the requirements for the chosen welding method before purchasing the welding helmet.
Types of Darkening
Fixed-shade darkening for helmets is a bit cheaper, and, as you can see from the name, it will be hard for you to adjust it.
It is a good option for those who are on the budget and are looking for something that won’t cost too much. If you are usually using the same kind of materials, such helmets will do.
Another kind of darkening is auto-darkening. Thanks to its features, you can adjust the darkening according to the current processes and your preferences.
The usual shade range available for such type of darkening is from 8 to 13. If the helmet is down, you will see clearly through the light lenses. In any other position, the shade will be automatically re-adjusted.
Materials
The most common materials for professional welding helmets are Amodel and Noryl. These are the high-quality materials that are used for manufacturing helmets that are later utilized for advanced work. This results in a higher price for the welding helmets.
A cheaper version can be a welding helmet made from nylon. This material is still durable, but, compared to the 2 others mentioned above, it will last not as long as them.
Professional welding helmets are usually capable of lasting 2-3 years longer than nylon helmets.
Budget
The higher the price, the better quality of the helmet, and the more features there are that the helmet has to offer. However, the price is not always the final factor when it comes to choosing a helmet: sometimes, helmets from the cheap category are not bad.
This is why you should first pay attention to the quality of materials, viewing area, feedback from customers, and other factors before deciding whether you should get the particular helmet or not.
Keep in mind that still, the price for a good helmet will probably be higher. Don’t go for the cheapest: such quality won’t last long.
Standards
There are three standards you should pay attention to whenever you choose a welding helmet:
- EN-175. This one ensures that your helmet does not put you at any risk against flammable, radiative, electrical, and other dangers.
- EN-379. This standard is for auto-darkening welding helmets. It’s responsible for providing safety measures for helmets that mustn’t hurt the eyes, protect the worker according to all the rules, and guarantee safe work.
- EN-166. Here is the last standard that should also play a big role in choosing a welding helmet for any kind of work. It is a standard responsible for eye protection.
Don’t buy a helmet that was not manufactured according to the EN-175 standard.
How Different Is a Cheap Helmet from an Expensive One?
At first, it might feel like there is none, but the truth is that a cheaper helmet is not going to provide you with the same level of safety and quality as the expensive one. Here are a few other key differences between both types of masks:
- Quality of materials. The best kind of helmets are made from materials like Amodel and Noryl. The price for both is according. Other materials are not going to provide you with such quality helmets.
- Durability. The cheaper the helmet is, the shorter its life will be. While the high-quality welding helmet is going to last at least 5 years, this number is only 2-3 for the cheap one.
- Safety. All welding helmets have to follow the three standards that are mentioned above, no matter what their price is. But in the case of cheap welding helmets, you still can’t be completely sure about your safety.
- Adjustability. The cheapest helmets on the market won’t provide you with many features that would allow you to adjust your helmet to your needs and preferences.
- Endurance. High-quality materials are often a guarantee that your welding helmet will work nicely for many years. To make sure that this is true for you, it is better to buy a bit more expensive helmet.
Disadvantages of a Cheap Welding Helmet
The biggest flaw of a cheap welding helmet is its quality. It will serve you well for a few years, but every time you use it, its quality will be getting worse.
The first thing you should do whenever you shop for a welding helmet is to make sure that your safety and health are taken care of, and cheap options are just not going to guarantee you 100% safety. This is why you should go for welding helmets that might be pricier but are safe.
