Best Welding Helmets 2023 – Auto Darkening Picks
Welding is dangerous, but having the right welding helmet can reduce the risk of injuries and prevent eye damage. So, if you work with welding equipment or are going to learn to weld, then make sure to wear a welding helmet.
The best welding helmets protect your eyes and face and have safety features like a chin strap, adjustable visor, and a good lens. Choosing the best welding helmet that suits your face shape and size is essential, as it will affect your vision and comfort while working with welding equipment.
To know the best welding helmets for different purposes, let’s review the top welding helmets.
Best Welding Helmets
#1. YESWELDER True Color Solar Powered Auto Darkening Welding Helmet
We’ll go straight to the point here: we love this welders helmet. At first, I was skeptical about buying a helmet for welding, but I decided to get the no-fear tig helmet because it has true color viewing.
I am so happy that I bought YESWELDER product. And I must say, I am blown away by how well this helmet fits my face. It is very comfortable and great for welding.
But what I like the most is the tinting. With this helmet, you can see where you’re working well. It’s a must-have for every single welder out there. You should check this for all of you who have the yellow/green tinting in your tig helmet.
It will work for you as well. So, you better get this and enjoy your welding sessions a little better.
Why You Should Buy the YESWELDER Darkening Welding Helmet
The pivot headgear style gives you a much more comfortable and natural fit. It feels more like a normal hat that’s been customized for you and keeps you feeling more comfortable while you work. The helmet fits a little smaller than a traditional helmet, so that it won’t weigh as much.
Since this helmet is designed to run on AA batteries, it does not have an integrated fan to keep it cool, so it is susceptible to overheating. But luckily, the welder’s helmet is equipped with a built-in heater to keep it at a comfortable level.
This is a good option if you need a great TIG welding helmet. Get it today for a great price.
#2. Lincoln Electric K3034-4 VIKING 3350 Auto Darkening Welding Helmet
The Lincoln Electric K3034-4 VIKING 3350 Welding Helmet is designed to help you stay safe and comfortable while performing important welding tasks, and we think it does a great job.
This particular model is from Lincoln, and it’s quite similar to the one in our review of the D3350, but the 3350 VIKING is much larger. It’s the largest helmet available on the market right now, and it looks like it’ll be quite comfortable too.
While it’s a bit bigger, the welder still manages to be quite compact. This comes in handy when welding, and you don’t have to worry about being able to reach all parts of the tank with a smaller helmet.
The lenses provide excellent viewing, and they’re protected by a hard coat that doesn’t scratch easily. However, the auto-darkening lenses on the 3350 VIKING will adjust to whatever type of lighting is around you, and they’re capable of going from a bright white to a dim red. The lenses also automatically shut off when you’re not wearing them.
Besides, the Lincoln Electric Helmet has a comfortable design and won’t leave you sweaty in the summer heat. It has a flip-up visor that’s easy to operate, and the chin strap is adjustable to ensure a perfect fit. Therefore, with this helmet, you will feel very comfortable because this headgear also comes with a wide, breathable mesh liner that helps keep you cool and dry.
Why You Should Buy Lincoln Electric K3034-4 VIKING 3350 Helmet
The helmet has a convenient quick-release system, and the design means that you won’t have to take your gloves off to use it. You can quickly switch between welding and grinding in a matter of seconds.
So this is a very well-made welding helmet, and it’s available from a trusted manufacturer.
If you want a nice, versatile helmet for all your welding and grinding needs, the Lincoln Electric K3034-4 VIKING 3350 Welding Helmet is worth checking out.
#3. 3M Speedglas Heavy-Duty Welding Helmet
We all know that welding is a very noisy job – it sounds loud, makes a lot of sparks, and there’s always something to hit off when you’re working on anything metallic. But you might not know how dangerous it can be for you, especially if you’re doing this kind of work at home and don’t wear a proper welding helmet.
However, this 3M Speedglas welding helmet has some pretty serious safety features that should ensure you are safe during any welding projects. First off, there’s the Auto-ON/OFF feature. This means that the visor automatically opens when you put the helmet on.
It closes when you take it off and automatically turns itself off after a certain period. There’s no manual switch, and you can configure the timer anywhere between 30 minutes and 3 hours.
Next, the G5-01 welding filter has some amazing features. There are five different settings for brightness and contrast, depending on the type of work you do. Tack welding, welding glass, and arc welding enjoy this the most. It will help you see details clearly, whether working in low or bright daylight. The included microfiber cleaning cloth can even wipe off the fogging effect.
Why You Should Buy 3M Speedglas Heavy-Duty Welding Helmet
Of course, a big, clear visor has been designed with three adjustable settings to ensure you get a good view while you work. With this, you’ll be able to see the position of your work as it’s being carried out.
And then, of course, the airflow optimization system lets you fine-tune your helmet to help increase the comfort level while you’re wearing it. You can direct the airflow from your face, the visor, or somewhere in between, so you can change things to suit your needs.
With all of this, this is the best welding helmet under budget that you can get for yourself. The welding filter is a great choice for all welding work, and welding professionals and welders even recommend it.
#4. Jackson Safety Premium Auto Darkening Welding Helmet
This best welding helmet from Jackson is the best in class regarding welding safety. The fact that it offers high performance and excellent durability makes it one of the best welding helmets on the market. This is especially true for welding enthusiasts as the 360-degree coverage means it can provide better protection.
The Jackson Safety Premium Auto Darkening Welding Helmet offers a good value. With its highly-rated 360-degree coverage, this helmet will provide great protection for all types of welding. However, the best part of this helmet is that it comes with the patented Jackson Safety’s 370 Speed Dial headgear, which is an industry best.
It’s important to note that the welding is done in a relatively low level of ambient light, which means the visibility of the job is often hindered, so the auto-darkening feature is very useful to ensure the user gets the best possible view of the operation.
For your desired operating condition, you can also choose between three arc sensor modes (Slam, Hellfire, and Freedom). For example, the Slam mode will be ideal if you have a relatively clean metal.
Why You Should Buy Jackson Safety Auto Darkening Welding Helmet
If you have slag on your work, Hellfire will be a better option. However, the Freedom mode will help when you have a mix of metals to work on, like stainless steel and aluminum.
Additionally, the Jackson Auto Darkening Welding Helmet has excellent battery life, which is essential for continuous use. It offers a two-year limited warranty and multiple battery backup levels to ensure your helmet will not malfunction.
All these combined, you get a very comfortable helmet that will keep you protected. So if you’re in the market for a decent welding helmet, check out the Jackson Safety Premium Auto Darkening Welding Helmet.
#5. Geelife Solar Powered Welding Helmet
A helmet can potentially be dangerous, particularly when using welding equipment and other power tools. The Geelife Solar Powered Welding Helmet can be used for welding, cutting, grinding, sanding and grinding tasks – it requires power to work. It’s made of impact-resistant plastic and is very comfortable to wear.
It designs to meet the specific welding, cutting and grinding needs, so it’s perfect for professional users.
While the product description says it can work at temperatures as low as 14°F, I couldn’t verify that myself.
It’s also not recommended for use in cold environments (like Antarctica) due to its lack of heat insulation. So if you work outside, you might want to look into a different option.
Why You Should Buy Geelife Solar Powered Welding Helmet
It can also be turned to a dark mode during welding so that the eyes don’t get fatigued. It comes with 3 adjustment levels for you to choose from.
It also comes with an IR-cutoff filter which will stop the heat waves and infrared rays coming into your eyes. This will also help prevent you from getting inflamed eyes, sunburns, and so on.
It is one of the best welding helmets under $50.
#6. YESWELDER Large Viewing Solar Power Auto Darkening Helmet
I was looking for something very light and could use for multiple types of applications like TIG and MIG, with a grinding capability. So that’s what I got.
YESWELDER provides the best value when it comes to welding helmets. The price is right, and the performance is second to none. I’ve been using the YESWELDER for years. I would recommend this product to anyone. Despite choosing other helmets for welding, I bought two and planned to buy another.
In terms of quality and value, the YESWELDER is hard to beat. There are tons of reviews out there with the same praise.
With the new helmet, the lime green tint is much less noticeable, and I can see much better than before. That being said, the lime green tint is still there, and it’s not entirely gone, but it’s not so bad anymore.
Why You Should Buy YESWELDER Solar Power Auto Darkening Helmet
Our main reason for keeping this model around is because it’s great for when we weld indoors, and the True Color technology gives us a clear vision of the work site, but for many welding jobs, we’ll go outdoors and take a standard model with us.
It’s still worth it because when you’re not welding, there are times when you need to be able to look ahead, like when working on a house or doing general carpentry, so having a better vision is always a welcome bonus.
We recommend this helmet, especially if you have a job where you’re going outdoors or working in a dark location.
There is a reason that YESWELDER is the #1 selling brand of welding helmets. It is simply the best.
#7. ESAB 0700000800 Sentinel A50 Welding Helmet
The Esab 07-A50 welding helmet is one of the best available. It offers unmatched protection, comfort, and visibility.
With a central pivot point that allows maximum head clearance when upright, this best helmet under $400 has an ergonomic design for superior comfort. The headgear doesn’t look bulky at all so you can wear it comfortably daily.
The ergonomically adjustable strap design is another feature that makes this helmet stand out from the crowd. This means that you can adjust the fit to accommodate different sizes, ensuring that you won’t have problems fitting in when wearing the helmet for long periods.
There are multiple viewing options, too. The dual optical and electronic LCD screens, a flip-up face shield, and a dual view feature allow you to see your work on both screens simultaneously. You’ll also find that the 7-inch color touch screen allows you to control different features, like switching between the various viewing options.
Why You Should Buy the ESAB 0700000800 Sentinel A50 Welding Helmet
All of this translates into superior protection. Even though the helmet uses a relatively thick shell, it still protects from debris, sparks, and flying objects. The lenses also block 100 percent of harmful UVA and UVB rays, saving you from skin cancer.
So overall, this is a top-notch welding helmet that delivers unparalleled protection, comfort, and visibility.
#8. DEKOPRO Welding Helmet
This is DEKO’s best welding helmet, and we think that their logo in the middle of the visor makes it better.
The ADF unit isn’t as well known as other brands like OLYMPUS or STANFORD, but it still produces a decent amount of heat to protect against UV damage and IR. It also has an infrared-reduction filter which is fairly common among DEKO helmets.
However, the filters are tinted and not as opaque as the others, so while it won’t help you see colors better, it will still help you out in some low-light situations.
We found the headgear to be fairly comfortable and block wind very well. Overall, it’s a solid helmet for any welder.
Why You Should Buy the DEKOPRO Welding Helmet
This welding helmet has a 3.6’’ by 1.65’’ clear visor, which allows a welder to see clearly at different angles.
You will be able to use it without having to adjust the brightness of the light manually, as the auto-adjustment function is excellent. It will automatically adapt itself to the current light condition.
It works very well, and the shield’s solar cells will help you escape direct sunlight.
This welding helmet is an excellent choice for those who want to spend less money but get better results.
#9. TEKWARE Large Viewing Solar Powered Auto Darkening Welding Helmet
If you’re in the market for a welding helmet, TEKWARE has got it. We like that they have a variety of sizes and styles, and there are a lot of good reviews and positive feedback on the company from all over.
We found this particular helmet pretty light and comfortable, although it may be too heavy for the average person, as the weight can strain your neck and shoulders. That being said, it has a decent screen resolution (about 800 x 600), and we could still use it for watching movies while we work.
Also, it comes with auto-darkening and the True Color technology, which preserves the existing 1-1-1-2 optical clarity rating but improves visibility by reducing the lime green tint. It also has auto-darkening that adapts to a variety of complex work environments.
There’s one thing you won’t like about this welding helmet – it can be a bit bulky, making it harder to use with the smaller welding guns. In addition, the lens is a bit foggy, but it’s not bad.
It gets rid of this haze pretty quickly, so you won’t have to worry about it after a while. But instead of this, it has the best features of other welding helmets.
Why You Should Buy the TEKWARE Welding Helmet
This is a decent product for the money and can provide plenty of benefits. It’s easy to use, and it’s super easy to adjust to, which is why I love it. There’s also a lifetime warranty and a 10-year limited warranty if you’re worried about the durability and reliability of the welding helmet.
It’s one of the better options for welding and ideal for other kinds of metalwork.
#10. Fibre-Metal by Honeywell Pipeliner Welding Helmet
You must get a safety helmet if you want to do your welding. At the same time, a welding helmet is also great for anyone who wants to work outside their home without the hassle of bringing the tools and equipment.
With a pipe welding helmet, you get both the functionality of a protective helmet and the convenience of working wherever you happen to be.
If you plan on welding, you will have to work near open flames, which means you need a protective face shield to prevent flying sparks and debris from getting into your eyes and face.
Pipeliner has managed to include the benefits of a traditional face shield with the conveniences of a welding helmet.
This pipe welding helmet is designed as a face shield, so you get all the features of a traditional shield without dealing with the bulk of the equipment.
Why You Should Buy Fibre-Metal by Honeywell Welding Helmet
It’s very compact, so you can bring it to work anywhere. It also has a comfortable design with padding around the edges, and the ratcheting headgear gives you a better grip.
While the Pipeliner is made for welding, it can also be used for cutting, drilling, and other similar activities.
The Pipeliner is made of a single piece of tempered glass, making it shatter-proof. You can adjust to three positions, which lets you find the best viewing position for the job.
#11. Optrel Crystal 2.0 Auto-Darkening Welding Helmet
This is our overall winner with a great price, features, and high quality.
The welding helmet we chose was the Optrel Crystal 2.0. It’s quite a solid option if you want to get into welding.
There’s a lot to like here, including the Twilight Mode, which dims the screen to prevent eye fatigue, and the Grinder mode, which makes it easier to grind when welding in direct sunlight. The lens is made of crystal for crystal clarity, and the AutoPilot and the Twilight mode are useful.
You can adjust the sensitivity of the lens, as well as the brightness of the screen, to better match your preference. Also, the grinder comes in handy for grinding and efficiently smoothing metal.
While the manual adjustments of the Optrel are quite simple, they’re also highly effective.
Why You Should Buy the Optrel Crystal 2.0 Welding Helmet
One thing worth mentioning is that the helmet is highly impact-resistant so it will protect your eyes from dangerous sparks and flying particles. While it is not waterproof, it still offers some protection, so you don’t need to worry about water getting into your eyes. It features an adjustable nosepiece, making it compatible with various facial shapes.
The Optrel Crystal 2.0 is the best welding helmet available today, and it comes with a 10-year warranty from Optrel.
Buying Guide – Which is the Best Welding Helmet?
Currently, you will find two types of helmets on the market: passive and automatic.
The first item is manual equipment, the effectiveness of which largely depends on the human being. It is a welding mask equipped with a lens with filters. When buying this type of gadget, we don’t have to think too long about choosing different parameters because it usually has one variable property – a glass filter.
The larger it is, the safer the welding helmet will be. It is also worth paying attention to whether the selected welding mask with a filter has double protection in the form of a flap. The first one, the one that is closest to your face, is bright and almost entirely transparent. Thanks to it, you can view the workpiece before and after welding.
The second glass is responsible for protecting our eyes while working. It needs to be tinted to reflect most of the rays that are harmful to the eyesight.
Automatic helmets were created for the most demanding welders. They are almost entirely independent and protect the eyes against all dangerous external factors. Full automation means that a person does not have to think about what filter will be the best for him when performing a specific task.
The best welding helmets have special sensors that adjust the shade level to the job. The main advantage of this type of gadget is the automatic filter that regulates the intensity of the light breakthrough.
When firing a high-class laser beam, the device darkens almost immediately (after about 0.00005 seconds), allowing you to control the welding from the first moment without glare.
A good quality helmet has a layered structure, with several liquid crystal rings between the polarizing foils. Manufacturers install about 2 or 3 layers of this type to protect the user’s eyesight as much as possible. In the first nanoseconds of work, they change their structure in such a way as to block a given type of radiation.
Light Response Time
A critical parameter that determines the class of the equipment is the reaction time to start work. As mentioned, good-quality devices dim almost immediately when they sense a laser flash. Unfortunately, cheaper counterparts do not have such a possibility; therefore, they can be very dangerous to eyesight.
This is because the strong impact of the first light beam is almost entirely passed through the visor. Because our eyesight is very delicate and sensitive to a sudden change in external conditions, the above phenomenon may deprive us of one of the most important senses quickly.
Tenderness
Another parameter directly related to the response time is sensitivity. If your device does not have a variable sensitivity option, it can be difficult during your tasks. The best welding helmet ensures safe work and is functional and practical.
This is especially noticeable in a small area where there are several welders. If the positions are not too far apart, then our mask will react to actions performed by our neighbor.
This means that when it starts working, the equipment on our face will darken, which can cause unwanted reactions. For this reason, it is worth getting a gadget equipped with a variable sensitivity function.
Comfort and Weight
When choosing a welding helmet, you should try to choose the most comfortable and lightweight one, especially if you have to use it for long periods. The material does affect weight, so you should always look for ones that are made of lightweight materials and that have straps or supports that allow you to fit them around your head for comfortable work.
The lightest helmets are very comfortable, but their materials are much less resistant. If you want a simple use for not too heavy work, we advise you to look for between 350 and 450 grams; this will take care of your neck and face. On the other hand, the heavier ones, between 500 and 700 grams, tend to have extra protections that could be used for more arduous work.
You can even find 800 to 1 kg masks on the market in 2023 that have materials of extreme strength and durability, and that could be useful for significant jobs that require protection.
The Degree of Shade
All helmets have an assigned shade range. The model we choose should depend only on our individual needs and the type of work we do. Yet, the gadget most often recommended by consumers is a product with DAYS ranging from 9 to 13. It happens that employees only deal with minor repairs, during which the light beam is not large enough to buy the best-class equipment.
Airflow
Along with technology development, manufacturers have introduced helmets to the market equipped with a special cooling system. Thanks to this solution, the user does not feel the high temperature generated during welding. It is an essential amenity for people who work in small spaces.
Welding Helmets at Good Prices
The prices of helmets vary greatly. They depend primarily on the brand and the functions they have. You can buy the cheapest tig welding helmet models for less than 200$. However, if you are looking for a professional solution, you must be prepared to spend up to 800$.
When you need a cheaper model for occasional work, it is worth looking for a welding helmet in the Lidl offer. A more professional welding mask will be available at Amazon stores.
What are the Benefits of Wearing the Welding Helmets?
Best welding helmets are very effective for welding, brazing, soldering, welding, cutting, etc. These kinds of helmets provide us with some advantages. For instance, you can feel comfortable and safe in a welding workshop or workstation. Your vision will not be blocked by dust and debris.
Besides, the helmets give you a strong sense of security. You can see a clear image of your workpiece. Moreover, you can perform best doing the jobs using welding helmets. With this kind of helmet, you can protect your eyes, ears, and nose.
It means that they can help you to prevent any damage to your body. There are also some benefits of welding helmets that you should know about.
Why Wearing a Helmet While You Weld?
It is obvious that you are going to use a welding torch. It is a power source that supplies energy to the weld. So you have to wear a helmet that will protect your eyes from the powerful light of the torch.
If your head is exposed to the torch’s light, it may cause headaches or eye pain.
FAQs
How much should you spend on a welding helmet?
The price of a welding helmet can vary greatly depending on its construction. Some are built from lightweight plastic and can run as high as $3,000. Some are made with steel or steel-lined composite shells and can cost as little as $40.
What welding helmet has the largest viewing area?
The YESWELDER True Color Solar Powered Auto Darkening Welding Helmet is one of the top-rated welding helmets on the market, and it’s designed to give you all the benefits of a larger viewing area while providing more than enough protection for you and your welding projects.
Are automatic welding helmets safe?
Automatic welding helmets are safe, if not safer, than passive welding helmets.
When used properly, auto-darkening welding helmets are safe, if not safer, than passive welding helmets.
Auto-darkening welding helmets do not have to be taken on and off, helping welders focus on their projects and reduce the risk of errors and injuries.
