8 Best Welding Helmets – Auto Darkening and Budget Options Reviewed

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.

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.

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.

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.