Best welder for $1000

What is the best Tig welder in the US for $1000. Basic fab, beginner, will still be what I need when I'm a good welder

Can't make a specific suggestion, or suggestions, but a few things to bear in mind.

What are you going to be using it for? Steel, aluminium/aluminum/ stainless/titanium, etc? What gauge material are you expecting to use, as that affects the power/current/voltage rating?

You are probably limited to 110/120V, if so you don't need a dual voltage unit.

Some manufacturers use propriatory fittings for hoses, cables, etc - this locks you in if you need replacements. You should look for a product that uses industry standard fittings, because that allows you to update with different gear, as required - and transfer it to a 'better' welder if desired.

Look for a company name that's been around for a while - while some new brands may be perfectly fine and/or be a parallel "handiman" range, there are also a lot of cheap "Chinese" products around that will disappear in a year.

Some of the larger "hardware" stores will have "house" brands and/or carry reputable brands - these usually have very good return/warranty processes, and while 'some' on-line companies are excellent, being able to take a short drive to sort out issues beats the heck out of saving a little and having a lot of hassle dealing with issues on-line.

Anyone else able to comment, or offer advice?

What are you wanting to weld? Basic scratch start DC only TIG units can be found quite cheaply, getting into AC/DC machines brings the pricing up.

the two I’m looking at are the following. I want to be able to do S/S. Mild steel and

aluminum i cant see my self going any thicker than 1/4” or 5mm. Im going to install 230volt outlet Any thoughts? Open to any other suggestions.

1. PRIMEWELD TIG225X 225 Amp IGBT AC DC Tig/Stick Welder with Pulse CK17 Flex Torch and Cable 3 Year Warranty

2. AHP AlphaTIG 203Xi 200 Amp IGBT AC DC Tig/Stick Welder with PULSE 110/220v 3 YEARS WARRANTY

I just got my Primeweld 225X and man it's a sweet machine. Coming from a multi-process machine with lift start, this 225x feels so much better. Primeweld also includes CK Worldwide torches with their machines (I got a CK TL26 with mine) and their customer service is amazing.

With that being said, you should consider a few factors when choosing an affordable welder, like:

Included equipment (Foot pedal type and quality, torch and argon meter quality etc.)

Warranty

Customer service

Reliability

With all those in mind I decided on the Primeweld.