8 Best Welding Helmets – Auto Darkening and Budget Options Reviewed

Buying the right welding helmet is not a decision one should take lightly. Your number one priority is obviously to protect your eyes and face from ultraviolet radiation and splatter. The best welding helmet needs to be comfortable and fit perfectly. These are just some of the basic considerations. Our review of the best welding helmets, and buying guide, covers every important aspect for this essential part of your welding PPE arsenal.

Welding Helmet - Our Top Picks

Reviewing cheap welding helmets is more challenging. When you’re paying top dollar, you have the reassurance that the best products, from leading brands, have a reputation behind them. When choosing the best DIY welding helmets, we have to be more discerning. Whilst considering your budget, we still need to ensure that you’re getting something that’s worth paying for. Rest assured, our experience, and dedication to finding the best deal, should prove to be an invaluable resource for everyone. Whether you’re an autobody professional, metalwork artist, construction welder, farmer, or casual DIYer, we’ve searched for the best options in every category.

Best Welding Helmet Reviews

1. Lincoln Electric K3034-4 VIKING 3350 Welding Helmet

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For professional welding gear, I’ve always found Lincoln Electric to be very reasonably priced. In the mid-level price range, the Lincoln Electric K3034-4 Viking 35550 welding helmet is great value for money.

Optics: The Lincoln 4C lens is one of the very best, offering a true color view. With EN379-1/1/1 certification, the best clarity is guaranteed.
Comfort and Safety: The Viking 3350 weighs only 3 pounds, with 6 points which evenly distributes the weight for maximum user comfort. It fits perfectly with exceptional balance. Though some people have found the twist adjustment knob to be less than satisfactory. The welding helmet can also be used with a hardhat.
Lens: For increased safety and productivity, the 12.5 sq. inch lens is fantastic. It also accommodates the Lincoln Cheater magnifying lens.
Ease of Use: A number of innovative features make the Lincoln Viking 3350 a pleasure to use. Rapid auto-darkening is tops – 0.00004 seconds. Size Adjustments are quick and easy, to fit anyone. A super convenient low-profile button allows you to select grind mode with your gloves on. The switch has a time delay to prevent accidental mode change.
Convenience: This helmet works just as well in sunlight as it does indoors. Dual power source - solar power and CR2450 battery.
Warranty: 3-years

For a reasonably affordable, professional-grade welding helmet, it’s hard to beat the Lincoln 3350 Viking. Perfect 1/1/1 clarity is the best you can get, enhanced by the extra large lens. The lightweight, superbly comfortable design is truly amazing. Lincoln is a trusted American brand, with over 100-years of industry experience. Certainly a number one choice for many.

2. Optrel Crystal 2.0 Auto-Darkening Welding Helmet

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Since the Optrel Crystal 2.0 is one of the most expensive auto-darkening welding helmet on the market, you would expect it to be beyond exceptional. Advanced, space age technology definitely places this product in a league of it’s own.

Optics: The term crystal clear takes on a new perspective. Basically zero distortion, with genuine real-world color perception, this welding helmet exceeds 1/1/1 standards. 4 – 12 Arc brightness detection modes, allows infinite user preference for all types of welding. Arc detection can be set for automatic or manual operation. Arguably the best UV and IR protection.
Comfort and Safety: Complete cover, with an exceptional particle filter, protects the user from toxic gasses, smoke, and dust. Super lightweight materials, weighs only 1.72 pounds. Heat-reflective paint helps keep you cool. Scientifically ergonomic design, and a comfortable flexible strap, ensures a perfect fit with no discomfort, or unwanted movement. Perfectly balanced weight distribution means that Optrel Crystal 2.0 welding helmet stays in position, with visor up or down.
Lens: An extra-large bubble design lens offers maximum visibility for all tasks with a wide field of view and lateral vision. One of the best for extended viewing area. Reduced auto-dark detection angle (60°) eliminates interference from other welders working nearby.
Ease of Use: Conveniently positioned external knobs allow you to easily select modes for 4 -12 shade settings (auto or manual), an infinite sensitivity adjustment and delay, means the most effective means to change between grinding and welding modes.
Convenience: Uses 2 X CR2 batteries, for extended battery life.
Warranty: 3-years

One of the top options for busy shop welders. Prevents health issues, related to the inhalation of welding gas and smoke. A great advantage, when in a shop with several other welders, is the narrow 60° auto-darkening detection angle. At over $400, this is a specialized professional product.

3. Hobart 770890 Auto-Darkening Welding Helmet

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Hobart are the leaders in affordable welding equipment for light to medium duty commercial welders; and is a top choice for DIY metal workers. The Hobart Inventor (770890) auto-darkening welding helmet is, despite being very affordable, a good quality item.

Optics: Whilst not premium grade, the color perception is better than most cheap helmets. You will notice a slightly greenish tint, which is expected for a product in this price range.
Comfort and Safety: The Hobart 770890 weighs only 1.25 pounds and has standard head gear straps. It fits securely and comfortably.
Lens: A fairly large, 9.3 sq. inch lens is a great advantage. Auto-darkening may not be the fastest but perfectly acceptable.
Ease of use: Three dials provide full versatility, you have 3 shade settings, as well as sensitivity and delay dials. A button toggles between weld and grind modes, although this is not that easy to use with welding gloves.
Convenience: 4 arc sensors (2 above the lens and 2 below) is quite exceptional for this class of welding helmet. It uses a single CR2 battery.
Warranty: The Hobart 5/3/1 warranty is not specific for helmets. Since this would be considered an accessory, it probably falls into the 1-year warranty category.

Hobart is part of the Miller group, giving extra substance to this trusted American brand. Although the Miller name is reserved for high-end welding gear, Hobart has become synonymous with affordability, good quality, and trustworthy customer service. This instills a great deal of confidence when buying a cheap welding helmet.

4. Miller 281000 Digital Elite Black Welding Helmet

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I’ll be the first to recommend any Miller product. This is a brand that has earned the greatest respect amongst professional welders. The Miller Digital Elite (281000) is a mid-priced, professional grade auto-darkening welding helmet. It offers high-end features, at a perfectly reasonable price.

Optics: Miller ClearLight technology is great for true color visibility, 1/1/1/2 optical clarity rating for near perfect vision.
Comfort and Safety: Multiple headgear adjustments work well and allow for a perfectly comfortable fit. High level of safety compliance: ANSI Z87.1+; CSA (CAT-CE; AS NZ).
Lens: The lens is larger than most, with an easy flip up position that is perfectly secure.
Ease of Use: Easy adjustments for shade, delay, and sensitivity. An additional great feature (auto-on/off) activates the lens when the arc strikes. Soft touch digital settings are great, and it has an easy to use pivot button.
Convenience: Four Arc sensors with excellent digital controls. Four modes, for complete versatility: weld, cut, grind, and X-mode which eliminates early lens darkening in bright sunlight and low-amp lens opening resulting from an obstructed sensor. Easy adjustments for shade, delay, and sensitivity. It requires 1C batteries.
Warranty: Miller True Blue 3-year warranty is one of the most comprehensive in the industry.

Few brands offer the experience and commitment that Miller has proven over many years. Durability and quality is of the highest standard, meeting the needs of professionals in the metalworking business.

5. 3M Speedglas Welding Helmet

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For specialist PPE, 3M is the go to brand for many production managers. Known to provide high-quality, optimum products, it is natural choice for the professional. The 3M Speedglass has numerous class leading features. As one of the top contenders for the best welding helmet, this is not a cheap product.

Optics: The improved ADF 9100XXi is the best lens technology that 3M has to offer. Color and contrast is close to perfect, able to compete with any of the high-end products.
Lens: The large 2.8” X 4.2” provides excellent visibility, along with side windows for additional peripheral vision.
Comfort and Safety: Comfort is unrivaled with a padded head band and excellent adjustments. One of the best ergonomic designs. Full-face protection for MIG, stick, and TIG welding. Super lightweight, only 1 LBS
Ease of Use: The 3M Speedglas has large knobs for tilt, with nine snap adjustments for different helmet angles. The user interface is programmable and easy to understand, with user-friendly external controls, making it easy to switch from weld to grind mode. Lithium ion batteries for longer battery life.
Convenience: The 3M ADF 9100Xi utilizes digital technology for perfectly accurate sensitivity, delay, and shade settings. It has two memory options for differing settings. The Grab-and-Go feature automatically selects the last user setting when you pick up the helmet. Lens auto-darkening is practically instant, 0.1 milliseconds. This is possibly the best reaction time for any auto-darkening welding helmet.
Warranty: 3-years

The 3M 9100XXi is one of the most advanced welding helmets. It is probably the most comfortable too, with a perfectly ergonomic design and multiple, easy to use, adjustments. The lens and optics can rival the very best. This is a high-end, professional grade product, and is priced accordingly. Be prepared to pay over $400 for this helmet.

6. Jackson Safety Ultra-Lightweight Insight Variable Auto Darkening Filter Welding Helmet

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For an affordable DIY welding helmet, the Jackson Safety 46131 comes surprisingly close to the, more expensive, professional grade options. Extremely lightweight and comfortable, with high-end features, it is excellent value for money.

Optics: A good clean view, surprisingly good color definition for its class.
Lens: The relatively large (3.93” X 2.36”), high-quality lens is a great advantage.
Comfort and Safety: One of the lightest, at only 6 OZ. The lightweight design, along with excellent headgear, and 3-position slider makes for wonderful comfort all day. Meets the highest safety standards: ANSI Z87.1+ and CSA certified. Good padding on the head straps is another plus.
Ease of Use: The Jackson ADF digital management system can rival any of the high-end products. Easily set sensitivity, delay, and shade requirements with a full digital display. Quickly select welding or grind mode.
Convenience: Obtaining the best fit is uncomplicated and quick. Lithium battery for extra-long battery life.
Warranty: 2-years.

For the home shop, or professional welders seeking a more affordable helmet, the Jackson 46131 is the ideal choice. The extremely lightweight design is both a pro and a con. It offers the ability to work, unhindered for hours, but comes at a slight sacrifice in terms of durability. It is, however, a good quality product for all types of welding.

7. ESAB Sentinel A50 Welding Helmet

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Similar in design to the truly fantastic Optrel Crystal 2.0 (reviewed above), the ESAB Sentinel A50 is one of the best welding helmets. Although on the high end of the price scale, it is cheaper than the Optrel model. Durability may not be as commendable as some of its competitors, this is still a good quality product.

Optics: with an optical clarity rating of 1/1/1/2-5-13ADF, color and viewing clarity is about as good as it gets.
Lens: One of the best lenses, with a 3.93” X 2.36” viewing area and side windows for improved all round vision.
Comfort and Safety: Designed for all day comfort, the Sentinel A50 weighs 1.4-pounds with an amazing 5 point head gear. Perfectly balanced. Safety is enhanced through the use of high impact resistant nylon and a hardhat adapter option.
Ease of Use: Truly remarkable digital technology, with color touch screen offering perfect control over sensitivity, delay, and shade. Incredible 8 memory programmable options. Easy mode selection for weld and grind.
Convenience: Solar cell, with 2 X Cr2450 lithium batteries. A centrally positioned pivot point provides the best head clearance with the helmet tilted up.
Warranty: 3-Years

ESAB is an established US supplier of all types of welding equipment. The brand has a strong commitment to customer service, which provides a good deal of confidence. The Sentinel A50 is one of their top products, aimed at the professional market.

8. Miller 280045 Black Digital Infinity Series Welding Helmet

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The Miller Digital Infinity series is a step up from the Elite series, which is a little cheaper. The most significant benefits offered by this model (compare to the Elite reviewed above), is the class leading large lens and added comfort features to the head gear. Though all the extra padding and solid head gear design, makes this a heavy helmet. The weight seems to be the only real complaint here, though the comfortable ergonomic design does a lot to compensate for this.

Optics: Many in the know, consider Miller ClearLight technology to be the best there is. Color and clarity is just about perfect.
Lens: An absolutely huge 13.4 sq. inch viewing area is a great feature.
Comfort and Safety: Although the Miller Infinity is one of the heaviest, at almost 3-pounds, it has the most comfortable design. Extra padding, throughout, makes it easy to handle the extra weight with superb headgear adjustments. As with any Miller product, materials and workmanship are of the highest standard, offering all the safety requirements, and more. Four independent arc sensors, with super-fast reaction time (1/20,000).
Ease of Use: Head gear adjustments and tilt knobs are fantastic. One of the best digital control systems, easily select shade settings; weld: 8 – 13; cut: 5 – 8 and grind: 3. The miller 4-mode selection is one of their best features, offering weld, cut, grind, and X-mode which eliminates external interference from sunlight and obstructed sensors.
Convenience: 1C lithium ion battery included.
Warranty: 3-years.

The best welding helmet in the Miller lineup. That says it all. If you, like so many professional welders, appreciate Miller technology, the Infinity series going to impress.

Welding Helmet Buying Guide

This review of the best welding helmets has presented some mighty impressive options, and some really great, affordable products. It may be difficult to make sense of all the specs and features. Our buying guide should provide some clarity, making your decision easier.

The most important consideration, when buying any form of PPE, is safety. A welding helmet is essential. It protects your eyes, face, and neck from UV rays and infrared radiation. It also shields against sparks and debris when welding, cutting, and grinding. In the United States, all professional welding gear has to meet ANSI safety standards. In Canada, CSA certification is a must. To this end, all the welding helmets featured in our review meet US standards, and most are also fit for use in Canada. This means you need not concern yourself with the safety requirements. They all make the grade.

This guide is going to look at all the other factors that may affect your decision. Some may relate to safety, as better visibility and, to some extent, comfort will play a role in how easily you work. This will, ultimately, relate to your safety. There are a few important factors that differentiate the mediocre from the exceptional.

Optics: This is about clarity of vision, a vital aspect for accuracy and clean welds.
Lens: The size and type of lens.
Comfort: working in a hot and difficult environment is often part of the job for a welder. In these situations, a comfortable welding helmet will go a long way towards increasing your productivity.
Ease of Use: The general design and features make some welding helmets easier to use.

These are going to be the main topics of conversation through the course of the guide. Though, we should start by looking at the types of welding helmets and what differentiates them.

Types of Welding Helmets

There are three basic categories by which welding helmets are defined.

Passive Helmets

These are the original welding helmets that have been around for over a century. They utilize a tinted lens, protecting the eyes from the harsh light produced by an arc. The lens will typically have a #10 shade. You engage the lens manually. In other words, you flip the lens (or the entire helmet) up for clear daylight vision when cutting, grinding, and positioning the workpiece. The lens is flipped down, to protect the eyes, before initiating the arc.

Passive welding helmets are the cheapest and, because of the basic technology, there is nothing to go wrong. However, they are not easy to use. Few metal workers still use this type of helmet as automated technology has made things much simpler and has become more affordable over time.

Auto-Darkening Helmets (Fixed-Shade)

Auto-darkening welding helmets have become the preferred choice for their ease of use. The cheapest of these is the fixed-shade auto-darkening helmet. The lens shading determines how dark it is. For high-intensity, brighter arcs, a darker level of shading is required. If you only do one type of welding, requiring a uniform shade level, you can save money buying a fixed shade auto-darkening helmet. This means the helmet will have a single shade setting, selected for the type of welding you do. Every time you strike the arc, it will darken to this level.

Auto-Darkening Helmets (Variable)

An auto-darkening welding helmet with variable shade settings allows the user to set the shade level. For different arc strengths, you can decide upon how dark you want the lens to be. Most allow you to choose a #3 setting for cutting and grinding, thereby improving productivity. A cut or grind selector switch means that you don’t have to tilt the helmet up when doing these tasks.

Optics

Cheap DIY welding helmets seldom provide the best clarity of vision. For the more discerning welder, the ability to see true color, without any type of distortion, is important. The EN379 rating system provides an accurate measure to compare the optical clarity of welding lenses. Tests are conducted, rating 4 factors of the lens. Enter your text here...

Accuracy of Vision: This asses the amount of distortion one experiences when looking through the lens.
Light Diffusion: Impurities in the lens will affect the clarity of the light passing through it.
Variations in Luminous Transmission: This looks at the consistency of the adjustable shade function. The shade should be uniform across the lens with no areas being darker or lighter.
Angle Dependance on Luminous Transmittance: Inconsistent shade can cause blurred vision or inaccuracies when viewing objects at an angle. Objects may appear stretched and dark spots can interfere with vision.

Each of the factors, mentioned above, are rated from 1 to 3, with 1 being the highest score. A welding helmet with an EN379-1/1/1/1 rating provides the very best optics.

Lens

Optics has everything to do with the materials and manufacturing process that goes into a lens. Another factor, apart from the optical clarity rating, is the size of the lens. A larger lens is always preferable as it offers the best field of view. Additional side windows can also be of benefit, allowing for peripheral vision.

Comfort

Welding helmets differ, as to do the people who use them. Not everyone has the same requirements and our physical features differ. Some people may have difficulties with the lens being too close, or too far from their face. Finding the perfect fit for the head gear and adjustments will also vary.

Like finding the most comfortable shoe, you only realize after you’ve used the helmet a few times, whether it actually works for you. This makes the initial decisions a little complicated, you can never be absolutely sure at first. Regardless of individual needs, there are several basic criteria that can indicate if one model will be more comfortable than another.

Weight: A heavier welding helmet places strain on the neck and will become increasingly uncomfortable when wearing it for long periods of time.
Head gear adjustments: A welding helmet will have an adjustable headgear. This is a lightweight sub-structure inside the helmet that ensures it fits comfortably and securely to your head. If fitted too tight, the helmet will be extremely uncomfortable. Too loose, and it will fall off easily, causing a lot of frustration. A headgear with more adjustment points will increase the chances of obtaining a perfect fit.
Padding: abrasive edges on the headgear will cause irritation on the skin. Good padding, in the right areas, really helps in this regard.
Cooling: A good design, assisting in ventilation, and heat resistant materials are also important for user comfort.

Ease of Use

Here again, user preferences will differ. Though most will agree on the essentials.

Weight balance: We regularly tilt a welding helmet into the up position when working. An unbalanced weight distribution causes the helmet to slip back into the down position when we move our head. Often, the helmet may be top-heavy when tilted upward, causing it to fall off when we tilt our head too far back. A simple thing, like designing the helmet with a good weight distribution, will eliminate much frustration.
Good settings: High-end auto-darkening helmets have a sophisticated touch screen inside the helmet, allowing for some advanced settings. Cheaper models will have conventional dials, possibly with fewer setting options. The three basic settings are:

Shade: This determines how much the lens darkens when an arc is detected. A low shade setting increases our ability to see detail. A higher shade setting is used for high-amp welding, where the arc is brighter, requiring more filtrations of harmful UV rays.
Sensitivity: How bright the light needs to be, before the lens shade is activated. An arc that is not too bright will require a higher sensitivity setting. The sensors must detect the arc as it strikes, whilst not being affected by other sources, like sunlight.
Delay: The time it takes to revert to low shade after the arc has extinguished.

Modes: A handy feature is a quick select button for cut or grind mode. This is usually a touch button on the exterior of the helmet which keeps the lens at a low shade setting. This allows you to cut or grind metal, without the lens darkening. It can be a great time-saver, as you don’t need to remove the helmet to do these tasks.
Tilt knobs: When the helmet is tiled up, it must lock securely without slipping back into the down position when we move about. You don’t want to waste too much time locking and unlocking the helmet. Multiple, auto-lock positions can be great.

Tech Specs

The first technical specification will always be the optics, this has been discussed in detail. There are a few others that are also important.

Arc Sensors: An auto-darkening welding helmet uses sensors to detect when the arc is initiated. Cheaper DIY helmets will typically utilize 2 arc sensors. Most of the time, this will be sufficient. However, sensors can become obstructed, preventing them from detecting a change in light intensity. To overcome this, professional grade helmets generally use 4 sensors, two at the top of the lens, and two at the bottom. By placing sensors on all 4 corners of the lens, there is no chance of an obstruction preventing the lens from darkening.
Reaction time: The lens has to darken at precisely the right time. You want low shade to correctly position the welding tip. When the arc strikes, the lens must darken instantly, preventing any damage to the eye. Millisecond reaction time, for the sensors to activate the selected shade setting, is vital.
Power Source: The control panel, used for digital auto-darkening helmets, requires a battery. Long battery life is more convenient. A solar cell is the best. It uses the ambient light to keep the battery charged and you will seldom experience a flat battery.

Conclusion

After many years of welding, I sure know how important the helmet is. I’ve tried so many different models, from cheap and nasty, all the way through to the very best from top brands, like Miller and Lincoln. Trust me, you need to carefully consider all the options before buying a welding helmet.

Auto-darkening technology is definitely the best thing to come along in this field. Yes, there was a time when you had to flip the UV protection lens into position, moments before the arc. It was a skill that we, old timers, had to master, along with all the other tricks of the trade. Thankfully, this is no longer the case. Though, not all auto-darkening systems are equal. If doesn’t work as it should, this can be a cause of frustration, and can seriously affect he way you work.

Nothing is more irritating than a welding helmet that falls off when you move your head around. Equally infuriating, is a helmet that won’t stay in position when you pivot it up. You want it to fit snugly, without being uncomfortable. I guess many a seasoned welder will be aware of these important details. If you’re a beginner, you may want a little more guidance. After reviewing our carefully selected products, I have provided a best welding helmet buying guide for those folks who aren’t too sure what to look for.

When researching the best welding helmets, and there are a lot of them, we took the time to think about your needs. There is definitely no one solution that’s perfect for all requirements. A professional welder will be prepared to spend more, you need the best quality and top features can be more important when productivity is paramount. Better optics, means improved accuracy and helps in the ease with which you work. If you’re only doing the occasional repair job at home, like welding a gate post, you may not wish to pay north of $400 for a top of the line welding helmet.