Welding without a helmet can quickly be dangerous. A welding arc emits radiation which can have several negative effects, both for the skin and for the eyes. For the eyes, in the worst case it can go as far as cataracts, otherwise it will be some damage to the retina. For the skin, UV and infrared rays can lead, at worst to cancer, and at best, simple burns.
Fortunately, today almost nobody does welding without a best welding helmet 2020, a welding hood, or a welding helmet, call it what you want! This site will therefore be specially dedicated to these helmets and their specific protections against welding arcs, in order to be able to tinker safely! Without further ado, here is a selection of the welding helmets we have selected.
Top 8 Best Welding Helmet 2020 Reviews
We will now present each product one by one, with their characteristics, their strengths, their weaknesses and the comments of users who have tested these products. We will also compare them, in short, all the information you can find online on these welding masks will be gathered on this site.
Let’s go with our first product, the Lincoln mask!
Lincoln Electric K3034-4 VIKING 3350 Welding Helmet
Characteristics
Defining A New Gold Standard in Welding Helmets
Viking
- Excellent classification – optical clarity 1/1/1/1 (EN379)
- Variable shade control 5-13 with internal control
- Variable sensitivity and delay control
- Grinding mode
- Visual field 97 x 62 mm
- Large cartridge (133 x 114 mm)
- 4 arc sensors
- Solar energy with replaceable lithium batteries
- Adaptable magnifying glasses
- New pivot style headband
In short: This entry-level solder mask has greatly pleased users. It is inexpensive, efficient and comfortable. There is a rather rudimentary headband system but think well, which allows a certain comfort. Arc detection is done very quickly, so your eyes will be well protected by the glass, and you will have 2 replacement panes, just in case! In short, a very good entry-level product.
See the strengths and weaknesses!
Strong Points:
- Headband system
- Reaction time
- Price
- Serious brand
Weak points:
- Locking system in open position: The helmet tends to fall before the eyes
- Glass away from eyes: makes the field of vision smaller
Lesoleil welding hood
Characteristics
- Field of vision : 92 x 42 mm
- Guarantee : No details
- Energy : Solar
- Spare glass : 1
- Photo-sensitive sensors : 1
In short : You can choose between 6 different designs for this welding hood. Like the Lincoln, users have rated this best welding helmet 2020 well! It has the same headband and the same field of vision, one can even wonder if they were not manufactured in the same factory. The big difference between these two helmets is mainly in the design, for the rest, they have almost the same characteristics, it’s up to you!
Strong Points:
- Choice of design
- Comfortable headband
- Price
Weak points :
- No details on the warranty
The Tacklife Welding Helmet (PAH01D)
Characteristics
- Field of vision : 98 x 43 mm
- Guarantee : 2 years
- Energy : Solar
- Spare glass : 5
- Photo-sensitive sensors : 4
In short : Here we are entering the mid-range, the materials are of better quality, there are more spare parts and the mask is more comfortable. It has 4 light sensors while the other models have only one or two. Even if it is counted in thousandths of a second, these headphones have a faster response time than the others, which is always a good point. As for the design, it is sober but effective, if you were not a big fan of flaming skulls and other patterns, this one should suit you.
See the strengths and weaknesses!
Strong Points :
- Design about
- Quality materials
- Fast reaction time
- Large field of vision
Weak points :
- Difficult to keep it in the open position
The Stanley XL Welding Helmet
Characteristics
- Field of vision : 98 x 43 mm
- Guarantee : 1 on
- Energy : Solar
- Spare glass : 2
- Photo-sensitive sensors : 2
In short : Here is a slightly more professional helmet, but still intended for occasional welders. It costs a little more than the previous helmets but it is for good reasons, it is lighter, more comfortable and its field of vision is a little wider. It is a little larger than the others, and it is well suited for heads a little wider than the average. It has 2 spare windows and the dimensions of the windows are classic, you can easily find others online or in store.
See the strengths and weaknesses!
Strong Points :
- Almost no response time
- Comfort
- Field of view
Weak points :
- Open at the back of the head, lets in the light, creating reflections.
- Visibility
The Tacklife welding hood (PAH03D)
Characteristics
- Field of vision : 100 x 73 mm
- Guarantee : 2 years
- Energy : Solar
- Spare glass : 5
- Photo-sensitive sensors : 4
In short : Here, we are slowly entering the top of the range, this will be particularly felt in terms of price. This helmet is intended for professionals before individuals. However, if you are an individual who practices regularly, this helmet will be of certain use to you. It looks perfect on all levels and even to hold it in the open position, there is no problem! The field of vision is large, which will facilitate the overall vision of the workshop. Users are full of praise for this high-end welding helmet, it is resistant, flexible, comfortable and triggers very quickly when there is light. It is of course fully adjustable.
See the strengths and weaknesses!
Points forts :
- Quick to trigger
- Comfortable
- Large field of vision
- Quality materials
Weak points :
- We did not find any, so it will be the price , even if it is reasonable.
The Bollé automatic Welding Mask
Characteristics
- Field of vision : 100 x 53 mm
- Guarantee : 2 years
- Energy : Solar
- Spare glass : 4
- Photo-sensitive sensors : 4
In short: Here is the high-end welding helmet from our selection. Bollé is a well-known and recognized brand in this field, they are specialists with regard to glasses, masks, and industrial protection helmets. If you care about your eyes and want the best possible protection, the glued solder mask is surely the one for you. It’s just the best, and with the 2-year warranty, you’ll have time to make the most of your purchase.
See the strengths and weaknesses!
Points forts :
- Large field of vision
- Optimal protection
- Quality materials
- Comfortable
- Very fast reaction time
Weak points :
- The price
DEKO Welding Mask Automatic Darkening Cap
In short: this helmet frees both your hands in addition to being light and comfortable to wear. The size adjustment is also optimally designed . It is also practical even for those who wear glasses.
Characteristics:
- Battery life : 5000 hours
- Pile: 1 lithium-ion
- Welding characteristics : traditional headgear
- Brand : DEKO
- Viewing area : 6 square inches
See the strengths and weaknesses!
Points forts:
- slight
- Good autonomy
- Very convenient
Weak points:
- No instructions in French
DEKOPRO MZ225 Eagle Solar Welding Mask
In short: this headset frees both hands and the process of welding are welding MMA, MIG, MAG / CO2, TIG and plasma. This best welding helmet 2020 takes a range of variable DIN 4 shade from 9 to 13.
Features :
- Energy : solar
- Pile: 1 AAA lithium-ion
- Color : blue eagle
- Brand : DEKOPRO
- Reference : 003
See the strengths and weaknesses!
Points forts:
- slight
- Good autonomy
Weak points:
- No instructions in French
Buying guide: Choosing your automatic welding hood
What do you mean, automatic?
It is important to find a hood that will suit your use. For information, all the hoods that we have placed in our selection are automatic. This means that you can weld with both hands! These hoods, or welding helmets, are equipped with a screen with photo-sensitive sensors, that is to say that they will activate automatically as soon as there is a light source that can be dangerous for the eyes.
For example, we can test the effectiveness of such a welding mask by passing a lighter in front of the glass, or it will darken every time. You can also put it on and then watch the sun, the window will darken, to protect your eyes. Before welding with a new helmet, we advise you to do the lighter test, to make sure that the photo-sensitive window works. As soon as there is no more dangerous light source, the window will go out, so you can observe your welding without having to remove the helmet.
Then, all these helmets are recharged with solar energy. The energy used by these helmets is almost insignificant, but they still use energy, and that is why there are these panels. They will recharge small Lithium batteries which will take care of the proper functioning of the helmet. You will always be able to change these batteries if you are lacking, but generally there is no problem there. To make sure your welding helmet is always charged, you don’t have to leave it in direct sunlight. A room with a little light will suffice, just make sure that the helmet is not permanently in the dark.
Which of these automatic helmets is right for me?
Hard to say, but we will do our best to help you. It will depend on your budget, how often you weld and the design of the helmet. For design, there is not much that can be done, but for other aspects, we can advise you.
Welding helmets: low-end
The first price automatic welding helmets are between 30 and 40 euros, the ones we have selected work well but still present some minor problems. For example, many users complain that their headsets find it difficult to stay in the open position. This kind of concern is not too disturbing, since you will not need to open the helmet to observe your work, the window will automatically turn off as soon as the welding arc is gone.
You will find different designs for these helmets at low prices, the Lesoleil helmet, for example, is available in 6 different colors.
These helmets will provide good protection, but they are recommended especially for occasional welders. These low-end welding helmets are triggered quickly as soon as there is an electric arc, but less quickly than high-end helmets. Your eyes will be exposed to the electric arc for a few milliseconds, but this will have no consequences if you are an occasional welder. However, if you weld regularly, these few milliseconds will add up and it will be better to move towards high-end helmets that fire faster.
Welding helmets: mid-range / high-end
Weight
They are often lighter, which allows them to be kept for a long time without it being a nuisance. For example, the Bollé welding helmet weighs only 400 grams, so you will hardly feel it. The Amzdeal, on the other hand, weighs almost 800 grams, a difference to take into account.
Field of view
Photo-sensitive glass is the most expensive on a welding hood. High-end welding helmets can therefore afford to have a large field of vision, since it costs more. It will be easier to work with a wider field of vision, we will have a better overview of the workshop and we will find the tools more easily.
Lifetime
If you know you will be welding for the next 3-4 years to come, choosing a high-end welding helmet is a logical choice. High-end helmets have better quality materials, whether in terms of the lithium battery, the solar panel, or the photo-sensitive screen. We also have more spare equipment with a high-end helmet, the bollé is equipped with a basic window, and four other spare windows, so you will not need to buy anything for a few years by choosing this helmet.
Reliability
As you can imagine, high-end best welding helmets are more reliable. They are thicker, better protect against sparks and they have more light sensor. Having more sensors makes the headphones more reliable, and if one of these sensors malfunctions, the others will continue to work and your headphones will still perform their function, unlike low-end headsets, having only one sensor.
versatility
High-end helmets will be more versatile. They will make it possible to carry out a large number of types of soldering without twitching the eyes. Again, take the Bollé as an example, it is suitable for MIG / MAG / TIG / Plasma type welds and coated electrode. The Amzdeal, on the other hand, is only suitable for TIG / MIG and coated electrode.
Conclusion
If you have the budget, do not hesitate, choose a high-end welding helmet. It will have a better lifespan, will be more comfortable, and will protect you better against UV, infrared and heat produced by the welding arc. If you have a small budget and like me you only weld from time to time, a low or mid-range helmet will suit you very well!
