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All professions have some health hazards and risks on different levels. Even desk jobs have health risks like getting obese, diabetes, and many more diseases. Likewise, welding has some serious safety issues, and the first thing you need to protect is your eyes with the best welding helmet you can find within your budget.
You might be thinking of spending a lot of money on a welding helmet, but that may not be necessary to get great eye and heat protection. So, we have gathered the best welding helmets under $100 to help you stay safe while doing this dangerous job.
Read on for our top picks of auto-darkening welding helmets under $100…
In a Nutshell: Our Best Auto-Darkening Welding Helmets Under $100
Are you in a hurry, check out our quick picks comparison table. If you see anything you like, just click through to see the latest price.
5 Best Auto-Darkening Welding Helmets Under $100
Welding helmets are expensive, but we have found 5 of them that cost under 100 bucks and come with all the necessary features for doing all types of welding works. Let’s begin the review.
DEKOPRO Auto Darkening Solar Powered Welding Helmet
If you are looking for the best budget-minded auto-darkening welding helmet under $100, this one can perfectly meet your requirements. For versatile usability, you need a wide viewing area in your helmet, and this one has a standard 3.85” x 3.15” clear visor viewing area.
The glass and sensors work together to switch from light to dark mode very fast and dark to light mode within 0.1 seconds. As a result, you can see your weld area and the weld puddle in a fraction of a second as the arc strikes and turns off. This lets you line up and maintain clean, straight welds.
With its solar panel technology and a large-capacity lithium-ion battery, you can expect the helmet to work up to 5000 hours non-stop. Most professional welders look for this convenient feature and don’t want to spend much time on the helmet’s maintenance.
DEKOPRO Welding Helmet Features
- Premium-quality sensors that activate the shade within 0.00004 seconds to protect your eyes.
- A lightweight and practical design weighing only 1 lb. so that you can work comfortably for hours.
- Its light protection rating is DIN 4.
- The helmet is made from durable polypropylene and comes with a comfortable forehead cushion.
- You get a 1-1-1-2 optical clarity rating.
Tanox Auto Darkening Solar Powered Welding Helmet
Tanox has a reputation for manufacturing one of the best welding helmets for the money, and this model is no exception to that. No matter what type of welding you are doing, you can rely on its versatile features and a wide-viewing glass front with an auto-darkening option. Moreover, you will be able to adjust the features from the large knobs from the side of the helmet. This is a practical-style helmet covering the full head and ensuring your safety by providing a 16-inch Kevlar fire-retardant welding gloves.
The overall weight of the helmet is not that much so that you can wear it for hours without any neck or head pain. For more comfort, it features extra cushioning and an adjustable headband, making sure of its universal usability.
We know that these types of helmets come with several features and those features need to be adjusted quickly on the job. That is why it comes with the knobs for all those features, along with shade customization. They are on the left side of the helmet so that you can quickly change the settings as you need.
Tanox Welding Helmet Features
- The helmet utilizes the solar panels and a large lithium-ion battery so that you can get a 2-year battery life
- It has not only a wide viewing area of 3.86” x 1.73” but also built-in passive filters to protect your eyes.
- The helmet is made from polypropylene that is durable, lightweight, and comfortable for long-time uses.
- It comes with premium-quality sensors that activate the shade within 0.0001 seconds.
- For welding properly, you will need a 1-1-1-2 optical clarity rating ensured by its True Color technology.
YESWELDER True Color Auto-Darkening Solar Welding Helmet with Large Viewing Screen 3.9 x 3.7 inch
You won’t find another welding helmet like the YESWELDER helmet that is perfect for TIG welding, MIG welding, MMA, and Plasma applications with grinding features in this price range. So, you can easily consider it as the best auto-darkening welding helmet with a versatile application. Being lightweight, wide viewing area, adjustable features, and durable build quality are some of the criteria that you will love about this model.
For such versatile usability, you will require a large viewing area, and this one comes with a 3.93″X3.66″ seeing glass. As a result, you will be able to weld large pieces and don’t make any mistakes due to blind spots. This also helps to weld quickly and doesn’t stop too often doing large jobs to finish on time.
For quick operation, you will also need good quality sensors that it has, and there are four of them to give you instant switching while welding. Clarity plays an important role in this regard, and the True Color technology actively reduces the lime green tint. Considering overall features and performance, our experts highly recommend it and consider it the best welding helmet under $100.
YESWELDER Welding Helmet Features
- The helmet utilizes the advanced features and circuitry to ensure maximum battery life, which is removable.
- It has not only a wide viewing area but also a display that prevents fog buildups and ensures a clear see-through.
- Inside the helmet, you will get comfortable and oversized cushions so that everyone can wear it and work for hours.
- It comes with premium-quality sensors that activate the shade within 0.0001 seconds.
- For welding properly, you will need a 1-1-1-2 optical clarity rating ensured by its True Color technology.
Antra AH6-260-0000 Solar Power Auto-Darkening Welding Helmet
For full-scale safety features, a welding helmet usually costs a lot of money. Still, this model from Antra is one of the best affordable welding helmets under $100 out there. Its auto-darkening shade has a value of 13 and can actively stop harmful UV and IR exposures that would otherwise damage your eyes.
That is not the only safety feature of this helmet because the durable and strong material will protect your face and rest of the head from hot objects flying around while welding. But that did not compromise with your comfort, and you will find soft padding on the inside of the helmet.
You will also find other features that help to weld, and one of them is the sensors and their quality that detects the light and instantly activates the shade. It protects your eyes, and the glass technology increases viewing while welding so that you can properly weld like a professional. Adjusting the shade and having a wide shade range is important, and that is why this model comes with a 4/5-9/9-13 range and grinding features.
Antra AH6-260 Welding Helmet Features
- The helmet utilizes the solar panels and a replaceable large lithium-ion battery for your convenient use and replacements.
- It has not only a wide viewing area of 3.86” x 1.78” but also built-in passive filters to protect your eyes.
- The features of the helmet are perfect for almost all types of welding, making it convenient for people in different industries.
- It comes with premium-quality sensors that activate the shade within 0.00004 seconds.
- For welding properly, you will need a 1-1-1-2 optical clarity rating ensured by its True Color technology.
PROWELD Solar Power Auto Darkening Welding Helmet
The reason we are saying that this PROWELD helmet under $100 is one of the welding helmet is because of its fantastic 1/1/1/2 optical clarity and auto-darkening filter that switches from light to dark in 1/25000 seconds.
Besides, the large 3.86 × 3.54 inch viewing area gives you clear vision of your workpiece where many other models don’t. As a result, you will see clearly and can weld with different types of methods and metals easily and professionally.
This PROWELD helmet comes with 4 premium sensors, making it perfect for TIG, MIG, stick arc and plasma cutting applications. It also has a grinding feature to prevent eye damage from grinding sparks. It is rated DIN5～9/DIN9-13 for welding, cutting and grinding.
PROWELD Welding Helmet Features
- The helmet comes with superior protection that keeps the UV radiation less than 0.00002% and IR transmission less than 0.03%.
- Its four premium redundant arc sensors are capable of switching the modes very quickly within 0.00004 seconds.
- The helmet is strong, durable and lightweight so that you can work for hours.
- Perfect for almost all types of welding, making it convenient for people in different industries.
- Side knobs allow you to adjust the helmet without opening it.
- Comes with 1 outer lense, 1 inner lense, 1 removable sweatband and 1 storage carrying bag.
What To Consider Before Buying A Welding Helmet Under $100?
Not all of the best welding helmets under $100 are worth buying due to the lack of features and quality. Let’s see what the key factors that you should not compromise while choosing one for yourself are.
Auto-darkening or not?
Manual welding helmets are the best option for ensuring durability, but it can be problematic for new welders. Snapping the shade down on your face can change the welding direction or point, and it will lead to a faulty weld. So, you should consider helmets with the auto-darkening feature.
Fixed or variable shade?
Another thing for auto-darkening helmets is its shade number, and there are two variables. The fixed-shade helmets darken automatically with a preset number, which is okay for professional welders. On the other hand, the variable-shade helmets can give you the maximum safety and view while welding.
Viewing area
It is always better to have a greater viewing area, but you will also be comfortable with a small viewing area. Choose whatever you prefer, and there is no hard and fast rule for this point.
Power source
Your welding helmet needs a power source so that the sensors and auto-darkening feature can work properly. There are different types of power source options, including battery, solar panel, etc.
Size and weight
The last thing you need to consider is the helmet size and weight, which will ensure comfort and your capability of welding for hours. Check out the specs and know whether it fits your head and make sure that it doesn’t weigh much.
Okay, you are now confident about buying a helmet that can perfectly meet your requirements, but why you should buy one. Let’s find out the reasons to buy a welding helmet that gives something more than just safety.
Why Should You Buy A Welding Helmet Under $100?
There are several reasons to buy a welding helmet, and the main reason is safety. Now, let’s see why you should buy the best welding helmet under $100.
- As welding involves metals, a welding helmet will give you head impact safety, along with eye protection.
- Your eyes may be severely damaged by UV or IR rays emitted while welding. A full face-covering helmet used while welding will protect your eyes from lifeling damage.
- It is also capable of protecting your face and neck from sparks or flying tiny metal pieces that are super-hot and prevent flash burns from those.
- Arc eye is a condition well-known to the professional welders, and a helmet can save you from that. If you are new, you should always keep a helmet to protect the retina and cornea from being swollen.
- Doing welding for many hours and getting exposed to the light is harmful as it can cause temporary or permanent vision loss. Wearing a good cheap welding helmet will give you the necessary protection that you need for continuous welding.
- A good quality welding helmet with all the necessary features will ensure better viewing while welding and increase your weld quality.
We think that those are enough reasons to buy the best helmet you can afford and protect yourself from the harmful light, heat and impacts from welding.
Frequently Asked Questions About Welding Helmets
How long do welding helmets last?
If you are using an auto-darkening helmet, the longevity will depend on the battery of your helmet.
Do auto-darkening helmets go bad?
Like any other device, auto-darkening helmets can go bad, but it generally won’t happen within a couple of years.
What shade is safe for welding?
Shade 10 to shade 13 is considered to be safe for welding.
Are all welding helmets the same?
No, all welding helmets are not the same, and it varies depending on the welding type and helmet features.
Do auto-darkening welding helmets have batteries?
Yes, auto-darkening welding helmets have batteries so that the sensors can work, and the shade is activated automatically. Even if they are solar-powered, auto-darkening helmets have batteries.
Final Thoughts – The Best Auto-Darkening Welding Helmet Under $100
After comparing over 50 models from different manufacturers, we think the YESWELDER True Color Auto-Darkening welding helmet is the best welding helmet under $100 on this list. We have one of our own and have had great results. The main reason is it is comfortable, light, has a wide viewing area and we never feel any sort of “arc eye” or eye strain after welding with it for up to 2 hours. If you are a professional and have always preferred high-end expensive helmets, you can give it a try, and it won’t disappoint you.
