Stage one: see and be safe
An auto-darkening helmet from about €23, gloves, and a fire extinguisher. This is not the exciting purchase and it is the one that cannot be postponed — the arc damages eyes in seconds and sets fire to things behind you that you were not looking at.
Stage two: one process
A stick welder from about €90, or a gasless MIG from about €140. Both weld outdoors, neither needs gas, and both will teach you whether you enjoy this. Add a grinder from €46 and a box of discs: cutting and dressing is half of metalwork.
Stage three: hold the work
Magnets, clamps and something flat and heavy to work on. This is the stage people skip, and it is why their first frames are not square. A bench that will take heat and a set of clamps changes the quality of everything.
Stage four: extraction and comfort
A bench fume extractor from about €100, and a compressor if you want air tools. By this point you will know which direction your work is going, and the machines get specific — a plasma cutter, a chop saw, a drill press.
Prices quoted in this text were read on 2026-08-14. The live price is at the top of the page.
The questions welders ask
Should I buy a multi-process machine to save money?
It is a reasonable way to start, with one caveat: the TIG mode on a 4-in-1 machine is lift-start, which is real but limited. As a way to try three processes for €220 it is excellent value; as a substitute for a dedicated TIG machine it is not.
What is the most-regretted purchase?
A machine bought on amperage alone, and consumables bought in ones. People buy a 200 A welder they cannot power and a single contact tip they nurse for months. Buy the current your supply can deliver, and buy consumables by the box.
Last reviewed 2026-08-14
