If you are in a welding business or love to create DIY projects, you must know the significance of the best welding helmet. There are so many options if you scroll around, but choosing the best is very important. So, here you will get a lot of details about the welding helmet that you must be looking forward to having an idea of.
Let’s read through the article below and get to know every detail you are looking for that will assist you in finding the best welding helmet for your needs.
Buying Guide
Buying the best welding helmet is not an easy job. It is never just a simple purchase like a hat; instead, there are many things that you need to look into when choosing to buy a welding helmet. These things you must pay attention to are discussed below to make a better decision regarding the purchase.
Fitting of the Helmet
Whenever you purchase a helmet, one of the most important things is that fitting should be up to the mark. It is essential for comfort as well as safety while you are welding. So, you need to ensure that when you choose a helmet, it is adjustable, and upon wearing it, you are covered completely.
An adjustable headgear helmet allows you a lot of flexibility when it comes to fitting, so always look for this feature in the welding helmet you choose.
Viewing Area
The viewing area matters a lot in a welding helmet, some welders prefer having a larger viewing area, and some like having a smaller viewing area. The larger viewing area offers a panoramic view of the entire project. However, a smaller viewing area is vital in staying more concentrated and focused. The selection of the viewing area depends on the projects you will be undertaking and what your personal preference is.
Lens Clarity
Clarity of the lens is essential; having a clouded lens will put undesirable pressure on your mind and eyes when welding. When the lens is clear, you can have a better visual of the task, and irrespective of the conditions around you, like light streaks, fog, and any visual impairments, if you have any, you get to weld much more adequately and comfortably.
Comfort Level
You cannot neglect the comfort level of a welding helmet. The best welding helmet would be the one that offers maximum comfort. Sometimes, the projects take a very long time, and you must work for hours wearing the same helmet. So, it must be comfortable enough not to bother you later on.
The adjustable headgear, padding on the inner area, proper size, and the viewing area followed by a clear lens are all such factors that play a very significant role when choosing a welding helmet.
Best Welding Helmets to Invest in 2024
After extensive research, we have compiled a list of the 5 best welding helmets that one must look forward to buying. These are provided with all the relevant details and pros and cons. This guide will help you make a better decision.
Miller Digital Elite Welding Helmet
Features
- The Miller Digital Elite is a welding helmet with an ideal viewing area; it offers 97 by 60 mm of viewing that provides clarity and allows one to look at the surroundings from all angles quickly.
- It not only helps protect the eyes by covering them, but the lens of this welding helmet is also sufficient enough that the brightness and heat are very well controlled. Hence while working, the user doesn’t feel the strain on the eyes.
- The Miller welding helmet is portable and lightweight; it can be transported easily from one place to another. Hence, a welder need not worry about carrying it and can wear it at all the project sites without hassle.
- You can adjust the settings using different welding modes, allowing an easy welding experience. You can choose between the cut, grind, X-mode, and weld modes according to your requirement.
- It meets the ANSI standards and is a durable investment that you can use for years and years without any wear and tear.
- The headgear of the helmet comes with an additional strap that allows for more comfort and eases the welder while carrying on the work.
Pros
- Lightweight choice
- Offers easy adjustability
- Contains four arc sensors
Cons
- It might cause difficulties for use in long hours
- Adjustment gets a little tricky sometimes
3M Speedglas 9100 Welding Helmet
Features
- Speedglas 9100 welding helmet has a viewing area of 11.75 square inches which is quite suitable for giving an ergonomic view of the surroundings. Sometimes the projects require a broader view, and this one suits such projects.
- The user can easily set the settings of automatic dark mode, and with the help of a single push button, the mode changes from dark to light.
- The optics of this 3M Speedglas welding helmet is so good that the colors appear with their true nature when seen through the helmet.
- Stores the settings within it so you can always start your work quickly without delays.
- Contains an external grinding option activation as well.
- The arc detection sensitivity is also adjustable, which is also an ideal option for the welders in terms of offering them ease.
Pros
- Offers resistance against fog
- The lens can be changed easily
- Portable and light in weight
Cons
- The button for grind mode takes effort to press.
- Headgear sometimes causes adjustment issues.
ESAB Sentinel A50 Welding Helmet
Features
- ESAB welding helmets have always proven to be an out-of-the-box choice, and even this one is perfectly made with five times more adjustable points in its headgear. This adds a lot of comforts, and users may adjust the fitting the way they want.
- ESAB Sentinel A50 is an auto-darkening welding helmet that offers excellent clarity, and it feels like you are not wearing anything at all while you can have this worn for long hours.
- The viewing area of this helmet is 3.93 by 2.96 inches, which is a perfect size to give a clear look at the surroundings and is a security aspect.
- You can have a shade selector range for this helmet between 9 to 13, which is always a starting point for many welders.
- If you choose it, you will be happy with one thing. There is no need to adjust the setting again and again. This helmet has a memory setting that retains your previous settings, and you can immediately use them when needed.
Pros
- Better viewing area
- Auto darling feature
- Plenty of shades
- Retains settings once entered
- Highly adjustable headgear
Cons
- The touchscreen can be a bit bothersome
- Offers a shallow operating temperature
- Expensive
Lincoln VIKING 3350 Helmet
Features
- Lincoln is known to serve people with the best welding helmets, and if you look at its Lincoln Viking 3350, you will love its high-sensitivity lens feature. Even in the low amp TIG, it works wonders.
- It has a 4C lens mechanism that helps reduce the strain on the eye of welders while they are working for longer hours.
- The headgear of the Lincoln welding helmet is always very comfortable, and it supports plenty of adjustable points for the ease of welders.
- It comes with a solar charging option and, apart from this, has a very long battery life too.
- One of the features that people look forward to is the auto-darkening welding helmet, and you will find it to be the same, offering a lot of ease to the welder.
- It comes with a 3-year warranty which is also a great span because you can safely use it, although it has a durable life and lasts longer than this.
Pros
- 3-year warranty
- Plenty of adjustable points on headgear
- Suitable for high sensitivity
- Durable making
- Long battery life
Cons
- The price is a bit higher
- Not Suitable for longer hours of TIG welding
- It has a lot of weight, so wearing it for long hours is troublesome
Optrel Crystal 2.0
Features
- The lens of an Optrel welding helmet makes it stand out; differently, the view is so clear that you don’t even realize that you are wearing a helmet. The perfection of visibility and outclass colors make it a great investment.
- It comes with an automatic shade adjustment, and the shades vary between 4 to 12, and with the changing conditions in the surroundings, they change.
- The making of this Optrel Crystal 2.0 is such that the buttons and knobs for all adjustments are placed externally; hence you don’t need to remove them to change settings.
- It is heat resistant and offers sufficient coverage that you don’t end up inhaling any smoke, and it is a very safe and secure helmet to choose from.
Pros
- Auto darkening feature
- Excellent lens clarity
- Heat resistant
- Adjustable headgear
Cons
- Sometimes doesn’t work well in auto mode
- Causes flashes sometimes
Conclusion
Helmet selection for welding is a big challenge, but after reading through the guide above, you must have understood various options and be in a position to make a decision now. So, if you are looking for the best welding helmet, you must check out the ones given above.
FAQs
How long will the battery of a welding helmet last?
The lifespan of a welding helmet’s battery is usually around six to seven years.
Are welding helmets charged under the sun?
Yes, if a welding helmet is solar-powered, it will charge under the sun.
What are the standard welding helmet shades?
The standard welding helmet shades comprise between 8 to 13.
