Have you ever read welding reviews, forums, or comments and then wished for the relative civility of a political or religious conversation? Man, welding seems to get contentious like no other subject! So today we come in peace, offering up our review of the Lincoln Electric Power MIG 210 MP Multi-Process Welder.

Please continue reading even if you’re doing production work or have huge jobs ahead of you. But keep in mind that those things aren’t why Lincoln Electric offers this product. As the company’s website states, this welder is for the hobbyist, educator, or small contractor. Now that doesn’t mean it lacks chops – judging by the specs, it certainly has them. It’s for contractors like us who often need to weld on a small scale as part of larger jobs. We employ some talented, jack-of-all-trades guys with welding experience and they need a reliable machine. Let’s see if the Lincoln is that machine.

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If you’re the kind that doesn’t like to read the book, you’re waiting for the movie, then check out our video review of the Lincoln Power MIG 210 MP Welder.

Lincoln Power MIG 210 MP Multi-Process Welder Video Review

Lincoln Electric Power MIG Features

• Multi-process welder for the hobbyist, educator or small contractor
• MIG, TIG, stick, and flux-cored capable
• Push-and-turn digital controls and color display screen guide the setup process
• All-metal wire drive
• Sheet-metal construction
• Dual Voltage Inputs (120V or 230V)
• MIG: Weld up to 5/16-inch mild or stainless steel or aluminum up to 3/16-inch (with spool gun sold separately)
• Flux-Cored (Self- and Gas-shielded)
• DC Stick: Handles up to 5/32-inch stick electrodes
• DC TIG: Enabled by Touch Start TIG technology

Performance

The Lincoln Electric Power MIG 210 MP Multi-Process Welder couldn’t have arrived at a better time. Our other machine bit the dust and we had a restaurant’s kitchen hood to fabricate and install as well as repairs to our own dump trailers. We typically use a MIG process with flux cored wire, so we don’t have to drag around a gas bottle everywhere we go.

It doesn’t take long to get the gist of the digital interface. It walks you through the setup, selecting the process, material thickness, gas mix, and wire diameter. Much like a high-end camera, you can allow the Lincoln either to automatically adjust the settings or choose a manual mode. The screen will even show you how your cables should be installed. If you begin in manual mode but find that you need to dial in some of the specs, it’s no problem at all.

Once you’ve entered your welding information, the screen will give you the details of the weld as well as wire speed, volts, and amps. The Lincoln Electric Power MIG 210 MP’s programming to be exceedingly helpful to those of us who don’t spend all of our time welding.

Jason hooked up the machine to the future restaurant’s 120V power supply, entered the parameters, and got to work. He’s got the most welding experience of anyone on our crew, but he still thought the Lincoln’s guided process was brilliant. Even if he didn’t have the experience, he thought he could have achieved the solid welding results using the machine’s assistance. Under the “hood”, be sure that the inner wire guide is set for the correct diameter. We had a couple misfeeds that turned out to be operator error, but it was just a little tricky to see the correct diameter on the guide.

We inadvertently found a nice safety feature. It turns out one of our power cords had a faulty connection, and the machine shut down several times until we figured it out.

Back at the Ranch

It’s no surprise our dump trailers take a beating and needed some serious repairs. A heavy gate was damaged and the bottom of the walls had significant rust. It was a great place to use the Lincoln multi-process welder on thicker material with 220V power. We heated up some of the thick, bent metal with a torch and hammered it into place.

This heavy gauge, dirty, rusty metal was an excellent opportunity to test the stick welding process. After some test welds, we dialed down the amperage and the Lincoln again performed admirably. We love not only this versatility but also its portability – at just 40 pounds, it can go from one job to the next without a hassle. And, when one of those common Florida afternoon rains sprang up a couple hundred yards away, we just quickly moved the machine and accessories out of harm’s way in under a minute.

TIG Time

TIG accessories must be purchased separately. We just received them and so we haven’t had the full TIG experience yet. As soon as we do, we’ll update the article. You’ll also be seeing more of the Lincoln Electric Power MIG welder in future articles, so stay tuned!

Price & Value

Multiprocess welders are not exactly brand new, so there are a few others out there under different brands. The prices seem to fluctuate a little, but they’re pretty equal when you compare the core unit with accessories, etc. The Lincoln 210 MP starts at about $1,400, and this gets you setup for MIG and Stick (Arc). You’ll spend another ~$500 for a TIG torch and foot pedal. Miller’s equivalent will set you back about $1,600 for the MIG/Arc, but the TIG package is only $400. All in, you’ll spend close to $2,000 for a complete multiprocess welder setup with TIG.

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The Bottom Line

The Lincoln Electric Power MIG 210 MP has done contractors a great favor by introducing a guided process and digital user interface on a very capable machine. For those of us who need a welder but don’t weld every day, it’s an excellent tool that’s already pulled its weight after only a couple jobs.

You can find the Lincoln Power MIG 210 welder at most welding or industrial supply stores. For more information, click here.

Lincoln Electric Power MIG 210 MP Specifications

• Input Power: 115/230/1/60
• Rated Output:
  • 120V: 100A/19.0/40%
  • 230V: 200A/24V/25%
• Input Current: 15A, 14.7A
• Output Range:
  • 120V: 20-140 Amps DC, Max. OCV : 56
  • 230V: 20-220 Amps DC, Max. OCV : 56
• Solid Wire Size Range: 0.025 – 0.035 in (0.6 – 0.9 mm)
• Cored Wire Size Range: 0.035 – 0.045 in (0.9 – 1.2 mm)
• Wire Feed Speed Range: 50-500 ipm (1.3-12.7 m/min)
• Dimensions (H X W X D): 14 inches x 10.75 inches x 19 inches (356 mm x 273 mm x 483 mm)
• Net Weight: 40 pounds