3 Best Chicago Electric Welder Reviews for 2025

Last Updated on December 26, 2024 by John Patterson

A nicely done welding job requires several boxes to be checked by the welder himself.

And selecting the right welding machine is the topper of the list.

No matter if you’re a professional, non-professional, apprentice, or beginner; you won’t like to waste your bucks from a scammy product from a scammer brand.

Therefore, we’ve made sure that you stick to one of the most promising welding suppliers- Chicago Electric Welding Systems.

Go through this review of the market of 2025, and choose the right one for you-

Chicago Electric Welder Reviews of 2025

Chicago Electric Welder Reviews

Here’s our recommended list of Best Chicago Welders we found for you on the market today.

#1. Chicago Electric Welding Systems 170 Amp

What We Liked
    • 170-ampere maximum output with a minimum of 30A.
    • Thermal overload and overloaded duty cycle protection.
    • Can deal with mild steel, carbon steel, stainless steel, etc.
    • Weighs 56.7 pounds only.
    • Compatible for MIG, Arc, or Flux core welding.
    • Enables manual wire feeding control.
    • Beginner-friendly and easy to use.

What We Didn't Like
  • Does not weld aluminum.

Let’s bring on the first welding machine on the list- the Chicago Electric Welding Systems 170 Amp. As the name suggests, its maxed operating ampere is 170. But there are a lot of other reasons why we’ve picked this up.

Let’s go through the broken down details-

Features and Benefits

This welding machine has a reputation for being super friendly to beginner users and users who do welding non-commercially. Chicago Electric Welding Systems 170 Amp can produce smooth arc and penetration if you put it with the right gas and wire.

The depth of the metal plate that it can weld is satisfactory enough. It can weld through 3/16 inches and ¼ inches of steel plates. Anything that thinner or less reliable than this can be dealt with right away. The wire spool settings are 10lb, which will give you a hand in achieving the right penetration level.

To enhance the safety level of this welder, there is thermal overload protection. This might sound just as a random fancy feature, but it’s actually in use when it’s about serious welding.

What this protection does is, when you are running the welder at a very hot temperature, this will automatically shut the system down. Also, if work beyond its capacity and duty cycle, the same kind of shutting down will take place.

To make sure that you have the right welding settings at the right use, there are four different output settings. Therefore, you can find the right combination of output speed and gas inhalation combination. In case you want even firmer control on the welding work, you can look forward to the manual wire feed speed control.

We know it very certain that welding machines have to be a perfect match with the power supply of the location. But the industrial and the household voltage is not the same, as it has to be. But the Chicago Electric Welding Systems 170 Amp is compatible with both 220V and 120V power situations.

To convert it from 120V conduction to a 240V conductor, you have to apply one conductor to the other one without a neutral. And that’s not a hard job to do once you’ve practiced it a few times.

As the welding machine is not a battery-driven one, you cannot go remotely while working with it. But the 6 ft long welding cable with the gun will let you roam around good area coverage. Also, there are clamps to make sure that the connections are tight between the cable and the machine itself.

When we’re talking about the performance of a welding machine, it’s essential that we talk about the duty cycle as well. This machine from Chicago Electric can provide you with a 20% duty cycle at 110 amperes, 60% duty cycle at 60 amperes, and 100% duty cycle at 30 amperes. Having that said, the maximum amperage output is 170, and the minimum ampere output is 30 amps.

#2. Chicago Electric Welding Systems 70 Amp

What We Liked
    • Output ranges from 40 amps to 70 amp.
    • 20% duty cycle at an output of 70amps.
    • It comes with thermal overload protection.
    • Regulating the current is super easy.
    • Runs on household 120V situation.
    • Weighs below 29 pounds.
    • Top mount handle provided.
    • Easy to use.

What We Didn't Like
  • Doesn’t intake 220V as an input voltage.
  • It isn’t compatible with heavy welding chores.

The next product that we’ve got our hands on is less pricey, less compact, and more beginner-friendly. It’s called the Chicago Electric Welding Systems 70 Amp and it’s solely dedicated for the user’s who are about to start light welding.

The reason behind picking up this model is, we would like to suggest something for the entirely new users in the game of welding. For that purpose, you don’t need any fancy welding machine with bulk power. What you need is a low amp, lightweight model that stays within the range of low price. Regarding all these queries, this model here is a perfect match.

Features and Benefits

This welding machine is a single-phase welder that runs on 120V power only. That indicates that you cannot use it for commercial purposes. But if you’re looking for a welder to be used only in your home garage, this would be the right choice.

However, the amp output at the voltage of 120V will be 20 amp, which seems decent for mediocre welding. As we have stated before, you cannot have a big expectation from it. So, it’s good to go. Any change of load will deviate the output of this welding machine from 40 amp to 70 amp anyway. At a 70 amp maximum amperage output, you will receive a duty cycle of 20%, which is decent enough.

Like any good quality welder, Chicago Electric had provided it with thermal overload protective features. No matter if it’s running at or high temperature, gone out of its duty cycle capacity, this protective feature will shut it off automatically.

Moving forward, the regulation system of the current (40-70amp) is made super easy with a strapless current regulation. As we’ve said before, it’s a super comfy welding machine for a beginner welder, and this feature is another proof behind that.

The type of welding that it can do is not split into more than one, which you have to see in the previous model. The only kind of welding it can be operated through is arc welding. To make arc welding easier for you, there is a top-mount handle with the welder. This will let you take care of your hobbyist welding projects.

To carry around the product within your workspace, you don’t have to put in any hard effort. The overall product weighs around 29 pounds. And there is a top-mount handle provided as well. So, hand-carrying this welding machine is super easy for even a young guy.

#3. Chicago Electric Welder 125 Amp Review

What We Liked
    • Perfect welder for beginners.
    • Quite easy to use.
    • It works with an extension cord.

What We Didn't Like
  • It can create splatter if you are not working close to the materials.
  • You can’t weld stainless steel or aluminum.

Features and Benefits

This welder is great for the weekend warrior or professional who wants a quality machine at an affordable price.

The continuous wire feed speed control allows for optimal welding performance. With built-in overload protection to prevent overheating, this welder offers complete peace of mind so you can work without interruption.

The Chicago Electric 125 Amp Flux Core Welder is a portable, lightweight wire welder that makes short work of any welding job.

It’s perfect for outdoor use and on dirty metals since it can handle welds with slag and flux residue. This welder has an 8ft cord, weighs only 38lbs!

#4. MIG TIG WELDING CART Review

What We Liked
    • I’ve seen some welding carts online that are low to the ground, but this one I really like.
    • Suitable for different types of metals.
    • The front wheels are pivot.
    • USA-made top-notch cart.
    • Good bang for the buck.
    • Value for the money.

What We Didn't Like
  • Unfortunately, the cart is a bit narrow.

Features and Benefits

This cart is great for any small shop or garage.

The top shelf of the cart tilts down so you can easily access the welder controls, and it includes two shelves below the welder for extra storage.

The Chicago Electric MIG TIG welding cart is a must-have tool accessory for your welding projects! The convenient, portable design lets you move your equipment from location to location with ease, while the tilted top shelf provides easy access to your welder.

This is a sturdy cart that was designed to hold your MIG or TIG welder. The top shelf tilts to provide easier access to welder controls.

The Chicago Electric Welding Cart provides you with a place to securely store your MIG or TIG Welder along with all of its accessories so they are always at hand when you need them.

How We Wrote This Review?

Selecting a set of products from an inventory of a particular brand is not an easy chore. However, we have a systematic approach that makes the task easier for us.

Here are the things that we take under consideration while picking up products for any review-

The User-friendliness

When it’s about welding products and welding machines, the #1 priority should be the friendliness of it to the user. We’ve, therefore, kept a sharp eye on this particular feature.

Compatibility

It’s about several viewpoints when we talk about the compatibility of a product in welding. First of all, it’s about the compatibility of 120V and 220V, and the compatibility to different metals, and so on. However, this had been in our concern.

The Price-quality Ratio

It’s not essential to mention that the price and quality blend is an important feature when we talk about a non-professional or semi-professional welding machine. And we’re concerned about this fact for sure.

Bottom Line

Thanks for being there till the dead-end of this post.

From a couple of Chicago Electric welders, you can choose one easily.

We’ve split the features and specs into bite-sized chunks for you.

About the author

John Patterson

Hi there! My name is John Patterson, and I am a meticulous individual who takes great pleasure in selecting the perfect tools for a variety of needs. Whether it be woodworking, gardening, or any other task, I prioritize quality and usability above all else. Since 2010, I have dedicated myself to testing a wide range of tools for both DIY projects and professional endeavors. In 2015, I decided to share my expertise with the world. I initially began by assisting in forums and various Q&A sites such as Quora. However, I soon realized the need for a more comprehensive platform to share my knowledge and experiences. This led me to establish this blog, where I aim to assist individuals like yourself in making informed decisions when it comes to selecting the right tools for the job.

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