MIG or stick welder: which should you choose?
Updated: 18 October 2026
Choose a MIG or stick welder by picturing the actual job: thin clean steel in a sheltered garage, or a rusty gate outside in moving air. Stick is usually the practical answer for rougher outdoor repairs, while wire feed is easier for repeated beads and thin mild steel. The complication is that MIG can mean gas-shielded wire or self-shielded flux core, which do not behave the same way. Our [welder comparison](/hub/soldering-and-welding/welder) identifies which amazon.co.uk machines are stick-only, gasless or equipped with a stated gas path. A qualifying purchase can earn us a commission at no extra cost to you.
Choose a MIG or stick welder by picturing the actual job: thin clean steel in a sheltered garage, or a rusty gate outside in moving air.
Choose a MIG or stick welder by picturing the actual job: thin clean steel in a sheltered garage, or a rusty gate outside in moving air. Stick is usually the practical answer for rougher outdoor repairs, while wire feed is easier for repeated beads and thin mild steel. The complication is that MIG can mean gas-shielded wire or self-shielded flux core, which do not behave the same way. Our welder comparison identifies which amazon.co.uk machines are stick-only, gasless or equipped with a stated gas path. A qualifying purchase can earn us a commission at no extra cost to you.
Our top picks
| Badge | Product | Process | Gas path | Amazon reviews | Note | Price | Offer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall |  Reboot Reboot RBM2100 MAX 210 A 6-in-1 | Gas and gasless MIG, stick | Gas hose listed | 4.9 from 21 | 9.9 | about £142.12 | View offer |
| Best value |  H HZXVOGEN H HZXVOGEN ARC200 stick and lift TIG | Stick, lift TIG | None | 4.3 from 672 | 8.7 | about £59.99 | View offer |
| Alternative |  HITBOX HITBOX HBM145 gasless 4-in-1 | Gasless MIG, stick | Not confirmed | 4.3 from 573 | 8.7 | about £149.99 | View offer |
On this page
There are three processes, not two
Stick welding, also called MMA, burns coated electrodes. The coating makes shielding gas and slag, so there is no bottle or wire feed. It tolerates wind and imperfect repair steel better than gas-shielded MIG. You stop to change rods and chip slag, and thin sheet is easy to overheat.
Gasless MIG feeds flux-cored wire continuously. Retail pages often call this MIG, yet self-shielded flux-cored arc welding uses no external cylinder. It suits longer runs and moving air, and it leaves slag, smoke and spatter. On very thin vehicle steel it often feels hotter and less tidy than gas-shielded solid wire.
Gas MIG or MAG feeds solid wire with shielding gas through the torch. It is the usual clean workshop choice for repeated mild-steel fabrication, if the air stays still enough to protect the gas envelope. The machine needs a gas inlet or hose, a suitable torch path, a regulator and a cylinder. A front panel labelled MIG is not proof: reviews say the SSimder MIG-140 and DEKO 135 A have no gas port, while the Reboot RBM2100 MAX lists a gas hose. Lift TIG is not a fourth answer here. The torch and gas are usually extra, and these budget DC machines are not the default for aluminium. If title amperage is still driving the decision, start with the welder buying guide.
Choose stick for outdoor and rough repair work
Stick is the stronger default for a gate, agricultural frame or thicker mild-steel repair outside. The electrode coating supplies the shield, so wind does not blow it away, and the process copes better than gas MIG with less-than-perfect surfaces. That does not mean welding through paint, heavy rust, oil or galvanising without preparation.
A small inverter, holder, return lead and dry rods are easy to carry. As a worked example, 2.5 mm 6013 electrodes often run around 60–90 A on moderate mild-steel plate. The rod packet remains the authority, and that current can be more realistic on a domestic supply than a 200 A title. The trade-off is productivity and thin metal. Rods are short, slag must come off, and a poor restart leaves defects. On a 1 mm sill, concentrated heat and stop-start welding make burn-through likely for a beginner. Stick is not automatically stronger than MIG. Joint design, preparation, penetration and control decide the result. Choose stick when most work is outdoors and portability matters more than wire feed, then practise on scrap with the how to stick weld guide.
Choose gasless wire for bottle-free repeated beads
Gasless flux-cored wire fits continuous feed without a cylinder. It suits mild-steel brackets, tube and general garage fabrication, and it tolerates outdoor air better than gas-shielded MIG. Synergic control, which links wire speed and voltage, gives a simpler starting setting on several models here.
SSimder reviews mention van-floor patches in 1 mm steel, sills, an exhaust bracket and mild-steel tube. Those are jobs owners attempted, not proof that gasless wire is best for every thin repair. Flux core is smoky, spattery and hot on light sheet. For neat bodywork, gas-shielded solid wire is usually easier to control.
Check polarity before loading wire. Self-shielded flux core commonly uses the torch negative and the return positive, the opposite of many gas-wire setups, but the machine and wire instructions win. One SSimder reviewer notes the return clamp on positive for flux core. Wrong polarity can mean excess spatter and poor fusion. Also match wire, drive roller, liner and contact tip. PLASMARGON and DEKO material pairs 1.0 mm wire with a 0.8 mm nozzle or tip, which can stop feeding.
Choose gas MIG for clean thin-steel workshop work
Gas MIG is the clearer choice for clean, repeatable welds on thin mild steel in a sheltered workshop. Solid wire leaves no flux slag, visibility is better and heat is gentler than typical gasless wire. It suits exhaust fabrication, clean sheet and careful vehicle repair. Skill, preparation and safe vehicle procedures are still required.
You need a real gas path, a regulator, suitable shielding gas and a cylinder. Draughts can disperse the shield and leave porosity, so this is a poor sole choice for an exposed field repair. Cylinder cost and storage also change the real price. In this comparison the Reboot is the clear gas-capable option because a gas hose is listed. Its 4.9-star average comes from only 21 reviews, and its weight figures conflict. Treat a gasless description as flux core unless the listing confirms a gas inlet and the hardware.
A recommendation with a condition
If you are new, work mainly with mild steel in a garage and want one machine for varied non-critical projects, a synergic gasless multi-process set is the practical compromise. The HITBOX HBM145 has the largest review base among the gasless candidates. The SSimder has useful thin-repair examples. Neither has a confirmed gas path.
Choose the H HZXVOGEN ARC200 when the normal job is a thicker outdoor repair and you want a portable, lower-cost stick inverter. Its seller limits normal 13 A use to intermittent work and calls for 16 A at continuous full power. Choose the Reboot when thin clean sheet and finish quality outweigh cylinder cost, and verify the gas route before buying. A lift-TIG socket or a generic 4-in-1 label is not an aluminium setup. You need equipment suited to the material, such as an appropriate AC TIG arrangement or gas MIG with a compatible spool gun. Control fume either way. The Health and Safety Executive states there is no known safe level of exposure to mild-steel welding fume. Use effective engineering control indoors, with suitable respiratory protection where needed. Then check the supply in the welder 13 amp plug guide.
Common questions
Is MIG easier than stick?
Wire feed is generally easier for a beginner to keep moving because you do not maintain a shortening rod or restart after every electrode. Synergic control can simplify initial settings. Stick has fewer machine mechanisms but demands closer arc-length control, especially when avoiding a frozen electrode.
Can I use MIG outside?
Self-shielded flux-cored wire can work outside because it does not rely on a cylinder-fed gas envelope. Gas-shielded MIG is vulnerable to draughts that can cause porosity. A blanket claim that MIG cannot be used outside is too broad. First establish whether the machine uses gasless flux core or external gas.
Is gasless MIG the same as gas MIG?
No. Both feed wire, but gasless wire contains flux that creates shielding and slag. Gas MIG uses solid wire and externally supplied shielding gas. Gasless is more tolerant of moving air, while gas MIG is usually cleaner and easier to control on thin workshop steel.
Which process suits a rusty gate?
Stick is usually the practical choice for an outdoor gate repair because it is portable and tolerates less pristine steel better. Remove paint, rust and contamination around the joint first. If the gate is structural, galvanised or safety-critical, preparation and competent assessment matter more than process convenience.
Which process suits an exhaust or sill?
Gas MIG with suitable solid wire is generally the better route for clean, thin vehicle steel. Gasless flux core has been used for sills and exhaust brackets by owners in this comparison, but it runs hotter and messier. Practise on matching scrap and follow safe vehicle-disconnection procedures.
Do I need both wire and stick in one machine?
Only if your jobs genuinely span both. A multi-process set is useful for garage wire work plus occasional outdoor rod repairs, but it adds controls and accessories. If every job is a gate or bracket outdoors, a better-supported stick inverter may be cheaper and simpler.
Will lift TIG replace MIG or stick?
Not in these budget packages. The torch is usually absent, shielding gas is still required, and the advertised capability is generally DC lift TIG. It can add a controlled process for suitable metals, but it does not turn a gasless set into a complete aluminium TIG package.
Related pages
Sources
Public UK sources and the amazon.co.uk listings in this set, last checked on 17 October 2026.
- HSE, Controlling the risks from welding (retrieved 17 October 2026)
- HSE, mild steel welding fume bulletin (retrieved 17 October 2026)
- HSE WL3, welding fume control (retrieved 17 October 2026)
- BSI, BS EN IEC 60974-1 arc welding power sources (retrieved 17 October 2026)
- GOV.UK, Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016 (retrieved 17 October 2026)
- Jasic, TIG DC versus AC (retrieved 17 October 2026)
- The Welders Warehouse, stick welding amps (retrieved 17 October 2026)
- SIP Weldmate Autoplus 130 A (retrieved 17 October 2026)