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Investing in a quality, high-powered MIG machine can drastically improve your welding capabilities. While the Millermatic 252 is a well-known favorite, a savvy customer knows it’s always best to explore your options before deciding which machine to purchase. In this article, we take a look at the Millermatic 252 and compare it with two other top-brand equivalents.
Millermatic 252
“I bought a cheaper MIG welder [before] and had trouble from day one. I upgraded to this 252 welder and have NEVER had an issue, NOT ONE! This is one of the BEST!” - Ille C.
We like to say the Millermatic 252 is the workhorse of Miller’s lineup. It’s purpose-built to be a powerful and reliable MIG machine. This has made it a well-known favorite in the welding community, especially in certain industries like fabrication.
The Millermatic 252 boasts the highest output in its class. Its amperage range goes from 30 to 300 amps, which means you’ll be able to weld mild steel up to ½” thick in a single pass.
Compared to its competitors, though, the biggest benefit of the Millermatic 252 is its user-friendly technology features. The first of which is line voltage compensation. While you’re welding, your input wattage isn’t always perfectly stable. Even small fluctuations in power can mean inconsistencies in your weld. With Miller's tech, your arc remains at a consistent, stable level.
Another user-friendly feature is Auto Gun Detect, which saves the settings of the MIG gun you’re using. This makes switching between a traditional MIG gun and a spool gun incredibly quick and easy.
Overall, the Millermatic 252 is a beloved machine. It has earned that reputation through years and years of proving its dependability and ease of use.
Lincoln Power MIG 262
Although the Power MIG 262 has a higher number in its name compared to the Millermatic 252, don’t be fooled. It has essentially the same power benefits as the Miller 252. Both machines are capable of an amperage range between 30 and 300 amps. While Miller claims a slight power advantage, in reality, both machines are rated to weld up to ½” mild steel in a single pass.
The real differences between the Millermatic 252 and the Lincoln Power MIG 262 are features and pricing. The MIG-only version of the Lincoln 262 is currently about $890 cheaper than the Millermatic 252.
The price difference between the Lincoln 262 and the Millermatic 252 is nothing to ignore and might seal the deal for Lincoln fans. But it is important to note that the Lincoln 262 is very simple when it comes to features. It does not have line voltage compensation like the Millermatic 252, nor does it have many of Lincoln’s modern advancements like ArcFX, Ready.Set.Weld. or the ability to save your settings.
If purchasing a machine with some of Lincoln’s newest tech benefits matters to you, there is a pulsed-MIG version and a multi-process version of the Power MIG 262. Both versions come with ArcFX, Ready.Set.Weld. or the ability to save your settings. Yes, they cost more than the MIG-only version, but they’re actually both still currently cheaper than the Millermatic 252. Check out their details for yourself using the links below.
- Lincoln Power MIG 262P (similar to the 262 MIG-only, but it can also do pulsed-MIG and has ArcFX, Ready.Set.Weld., and can save your settings into memory)
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Lincoln Power MIG 262MP (has all the benefits of the Lincoln Power MIG 262P, but it can also do TIG and stick welding)
ESAB Rustler EM 280 PRO
While the ESAB Rustler 280 is rated to weld the same thickness of material as the Millermatic 252 and the Lincoln 262 (½” mild steel), it has a lower amperage range between 30 to 280 amps.
The ESAB Rustler’s biggest benefit compared to the other two machines is its price. Currently, it’s about $1,300 less than the Millermatic 252. However, that lower price comes at the cost of foregoing many of the user-friendly features and technology advances seen on the Millermatic 252.
For example, the Rustler EM 280 PRO does not come with ESAB’s sMIG technology (Smart MIG), which is a core benefit of many of their other MIG machines. With the Rustler 280, you’re essentially getting a reliable yet very simple, high-powered MIG machine.
While the above comparisons should help you get started on your decision, make sure to take a more in-depth look at all three of these machines using the links below:
