Seems like a good purchase. My husband tried it and really liked it. Will be using soon for a home project

I picked up another inexpensive welder like this some time ago and instantly fell in love with how easy it was to use. No cart to roll around or cables to manage, just a little welder that I could move around by hand even when prone. This new welder by ABX steps it up a notch with a higher power output (with 240V) and a carry case.The welder comes with the hardware you need to weld, but you'll need to supply your own sticks, welding helmet, and other protective equipment. That's how it should be; I don't need sticks of unknown quality, an origami handheld face shield, or cotton gloves. This does come with a hammer/brush (okay, since they do wear out over time) and a tape measure (weird, unless it's included as a promo item; it is identical to one I got at a trade show, after all).In terms of use, it's as simple as can be expected. I'm only running at 120V at this point, through an extension cord (10ga, the same as the wiring to the dedicated circuit with 30A breaker). The welder delivered the power I expected and performed better than the other little one I have, with no sticking issues and a really smooth arc. I know performance will vary depending on the electrode, surface, and skill, but in my amateur hands it preformed really well, much better than I expected. I don't have a current project I'm working on, so I just ran it using some scrap pieces I keep on hand for practice. I mostly used it with 6013 and it produced a smooth arc and great bead I didn't test the amperage, though I could be convinced that it reads a little low based on the stick size I was using.The case is basic (open space with no organization or molding) and a little on the thin/flimsy side, but it does fit everything. I appreciate having a case rather than stuffing everything in a box for transport. (Though yet unfulfilled, my dream has always been to take a little welder like this to a friend's house to help them out, with only 120V and a little space needed.)As noted, I only have 120V in my garage, so I've been limited by that. The other multi-voltage welders I have use 240V plugs and include an adapter to drop down to 120V. It makes sense for this one to have a 120V plug, though it means I'll need to get another adapter to step it up to the 240V. That said, if I'm using it at home, I'm going to use my bigger welder for 240V, not this one, so it's not really a consideration.I have two negatives, one big and one small. The small one is that the feet aren't on a plane, meaning that it rocks a little when placed on a flat surface. The big one is that it does not include a manual. While that's fine for my purposes, if someone is picking this up at their first ever welder and hasn't had other training, the lack of a manual is a small oversight at the factory that could have very big consequences in terms of educating the user about safe operation.Overall, I'm really happy with the performance of this welder for the price point ($100 at time of order, currently $75 at time of review). It delivers a higher output (again, with 240V) than another one of similar size and price, and the case makes it easy to store and transport.

There is a lot to like in this machine. No frills. No fake welding helmet or cheesy, dangerous gloves. No welding rod samples. You do get a cheap 'flux hammer/brush' and a tape measure (?huh.?). This welder comes with a thin but serviceable carrying case, which will hold the machine, cables, the tape, and a few sticks of rod. Nice for throwing everything into a rig to go to a job-The AC power cord and the welding cables were 'best in class' for welders in this dollar range, the work clamp side was about 6 feet long, and the stinger was about 8'. Both are 20mm squared, If I read the charts right, it's 4 guage, feels about right. The work clamp is minimal-good, and the electrode holder is excellant- heavy-metal copper-clad steel. It has a strong grip on the rod. The handle is, unfortunately, a brittle plastic- don't drop it! (ask me how I know....)The machine runs on 120 or 240 VAC, although 240 requires an adaptor cable- $19 for the one I bought. It welds ok on 120, much better than others I've tried, however at higher amperage it would trip my 20A breaker. I highly recommend 240- the machine was much happier, and the weld was much easier with the more-steady current. One heads up: The output is SIGNIFICANTLY higher than the digital readout. (see the pics). This was true on both 120 VAC and 240. I recorded max amperage at 217 Amps; not bad for a welder claiming 160 max!For the techies: my amperage test rig was a DC clamp ammeter on the negative work clamp, which reads 1 mv per amp at the 400A setting. It fed a Fluke 111 DVM, which was set to DC mV; and the Min/Max selection set to Max. I struck an arc and burned rod for several seconds to record max amps.Open circuit voltage was 71 VDC, again, with the Fluke 111.The manual included actually explained a lot- others I've reviewed were obviously generic, and mostly boilerplate warnings, mostly useless. This one has a mini-introduction to MMA and also to lift-TIG. If you want to try the TIG you'll be buying a torch, gas, and consumables. The manual also incudes drawings of welds and suggestions regarding heat and weld speed- some troubleshooting tips.My welding tests were all with 1/8" 7018 rod, and I have to say this welder handled it well. I have tried 2 other IGBT welders with more complex control settings, and always had a time with the 7018 sticking. The info for this machine doesn't make any wild claims, and you get one control- heat, (amps). If they have 'synergic' controls, they are programmed in, and work great. The arc force is great- I got good penetration at all heats, minimal 'stick', and like all welders, you have to waggle it loose if you do stick a rod.I found the build quality of the Stick MMA 160 to be very good. See the pic of the box with cover removed- the positive and negative terminals are fed by large bars, there is ample heat-sink, and even the air guide behind the fan was not cardboard, but a stiff fiberglass sheet. I had to do nothing when switching to 240, but plug in the adaptor cable. The change-over was automatic.A small item I appreciated was the substantial carry handle on the case- no fakey shoulder strap to get in the way.I think this machine will work for beginners (Like me-I've welded, but never stick before), and because it really does perform, (actually exceeded 210 amps), I could see pros using this on small jobs happily.This has become my preferred welder for stick. Recommended!PS- please don't judge my welds! The numbers under each example are the readout, not the actual amperage! See the last pic- at 160 the penetration in a mild-steel 1/8" angle iron. I was welding on the 'spine' which actually is approx 1/4" thick.

If you are looking for a simple, easy, and portable light duty stick welder, you can’t go wrong here and for a silicon driven welder, I have to say, I am impressed. I wasn’t expecting it to work as well as it did.I’m not an expert welder so keep that in mind, but I think that’s exactly who these are meant for. I don’t need heavy duty, top of the line equipment for the once a month instances I need a quick weld. This fills that need perfectly.It is simple to use, runs off 120v mains voltage. Its intuitive design makes it so you can’t really mess up. You will need a decent helmet/eye protection as well as rods to weld with. But once you have them, you’re good to go.I would suggest at least doing a little research if you’ve never welded before… there is some inherent risk involved. But that aside, I love the niche this item fills. I don’t want to spend hundreds of dollars so I can make a few welds every couple of months. With this, I can get the job done at a very reasonable price and on top of that, it’s portable and convenient.