VEVOR TIG Welder Buying Guide (2026): Lift vs HF Start, AC/DC for Aluminium, Real Amps, Listing Traps, Euro Prices

TIG welding gives the neatest, cleanest welds on thin steel, stainless steel and, with an AC machine, aluminium. It is also the slowest process to learn and the one where listings are hardest to compare. We went through the 7 VEVOR welders with a TIG mode that were in stock on the EU store on October 30, 2026, from 72,90 € to 404,90 €. Two more listings showed as out of stock and are left out: the TIG-200C (179,90 €) and the smallest 140 A stick welder (71,90 €). The real differences are how the arc starts, whether there is AC for aluminium, what is in the box and the real output current, not the “in-1” count in the title.

• The 7 welders at a glance
• Scratch, lift or HF start
• DC or AC/DC
• The seven models
• Read the listing twice
• Who each welder is for
• Shipping, returns and warranty
• FAQ

The 7 VEVOR TIG-capable welders at a glance

Every page lists the same duty cycle: 20% at 40 °C. On the usual 10-minute test cycle that means about 2 minutes of welding at the rated current, then 8 minutes of cooling (our arithmetic); at lower currents you can weld longer. The five red-and-black TIG/MMA machines share one review pool (4.4 out of 5 from 193 reviews) and the two orange stick welders share another (4.5 out of 5 from 114 reviews), so a review may be about a different model.

Scratch, lift or HF start

How the arc starts is the biggest difference between a cheap and a proper TIG machine:

• Scratch start: you strike the tungsten on the work like a match. It works, but it wears the tungsten tip and can leave small tungsten bits in the weld. VEVOR’s own answers say the two orange stick welders start TIG this way (“the argon arc welding uses a scraping motion to initiate the arc”).
• Lift TIG: you touch the tungsten to the work and lift it; the machine limits the current until the arc is lit. Cleaner than scratch start, and what the MMA-140 and MMA-205 offer.
• High-frequency (HF) start: the arc jumps across without touching, which keeps the tungsten sharp and the weld clean. Only the TIG/MMA 205 3-in-1 and the two AC/DC machines list HF start. On this list that step costs 89,00 € more than the MMA-205 (our arithmetic).

For any TIG mode you also need a TIG torch with a gas valve, tungsten electrodes, an argon cylinder and a regulator. None of the seven pages says an argon cylinder is included; check the box contents and budget for gas separately.

DC or AC/DC

DC TIG welds steel, stainless steel and copper. Aluminium needs AC, because the alternating current breaks up the oxide layer on the surface. Only the ACDC TIG-200 and ACDC TIG-225 have AC TIG here; the others are DC only, whatever their title lists as “applicable materials”. If aluminium is the reason you want TIG, the choice on this list is between those two, and both cost 404,90 €.

The seven models

• MMA-160-NA, 72,90 €: a 220 V stick welder with a scratch-start TIG mode, rated 160 A, 20% at 40 °C, up to 15 mm, 3.44 kg, hot start, arc force, anti-stick and a VRD switch. The box has an electrode holder, earth clamp and welding rod; VEVOR gives the cables as 2 m mains, 1.5 m earth and 1.5 m electrode (answer in Danish, our translation). A Norwegian buyer is happy with it but replaced the earth clamp, which he found very soft (our translation).
• MMA-200-NA, 92,90 € (20,00 € more): the bigger body (4.82 kg), titled 200 A, but its spec list gives an output current of 160 A ±10 A, and VEVOR answers that “the actual current of this product is 160 amps”. Arc force is adjustable, and one J422 welding rod comes in the box (2.5 and 3.2 mm rods fit, VEVOR says in Danish). A French buyer has used it for six months with different rods and is very happy, but finds the earth and electrode cables too short (our translation).
• MMA-140 4-in-1, 105,90 €: stick, DC pulse stick, DC pulse TIG and lift TIG, up to 6 mm, 4.85 kg, marked “Clearance” on the page. VEVOR says it runs on 230 V with arc force, anti-stick and hot start, and can TIG weld but not MIG weld. The TIG torch is not included.
• MMA-205 2-in-1, 114,90 € (9,00 € more than the MMA-140): stick and lift TIG, up to 10 mm, 6.1 kg, 220 V with a common European plug, VEVOR says. Titled 205 A, but VEVOR’s answer in Danish puts the maximum output at about 180 A and the maximum input current at about 35 A (our translation). The TIG torch is not included.
• TIG/MMA 205 3-in-1, 203,90 €: DC TIG, DC pulse TIG and stick with high-frequency start, up to 10 mm, 8.5 kg. VEVOR gives the mains cord as 1.8 m and the earth and torch cables as 2 m each, and the minimum current as 10 A in both TIG and stick mode (answer in Hungarian, our translation). It cannot take a foot pedal. A French buyer has used it for almost a year for TIG with argon and recommends it (our translation).
• ACDC TIG-200 6-in-1, 404,90 €: AC TIG, DC TIG, AC and DC pulse, spot TIG and stick with HF start; the page highlights 9 AC waveform options. Single-phase 220 V, 15.7 kg, 430 × 210 × 360 mm, up to 10 mm. VEVOR says it comes with all the accessories needed except the tungsten electrode (answer in Finnish, our translation), that a 40 A circuit breaker is typically used, and that it cannot use a pedal to adjust the current.
• ACDC TIG-225 6-in-1, 404,90 €: the same 6 processes, size and weight, with a standard 220 V European plug. Asked about the difference from the TIG-200, VEVOR answers: “It’s just that the current is different.” VEVOR’s German answer on this page explains spot welding: TIG mode, spot function on, AC or DC, 2T mode, then set the current and gas pre- and post-flow (our translation). A French buyer wrote simply “very good equipment” (our translation).

Read the listing twice

• The amps in the title are not the output. The “200A” stick welder delivers 160 A ±10 A by its own spec list and VEVOR’s answer, and the “205A” MMA-205 about 180 A, VEVOR says. The page addresses of the two stick welders even say 120a and 160a, while the titles say 160A and 200A.
• “High-frequency” on a scratch-start welder. The stick welders’ description talks about “high-frequency and high-voltage arc starting”, but VEVOR’s answers describe the TIG mode as scratch start. Do not buy them for HF TIG.
• No torch with the cheap TIG modes. The MMA-140 and MMA-205 pages say the TIG torch is not included and must be bought separately; the stick welders’ box list has no TIG torch either. Add the price of a torch with a gas valve, tungsten and argon before comparing them with the 3-in-1.
• No foot pedal on any of them. VEVOR says the TIG/MMA 205 cannot connect a foot pedal and the ACDC TIG-200 cannot use a pedal to adjust the current. If you want pedal control for thin aluminium, these are not the machines.
• The “spool gun” line is an AI summary. The ACDC TIG-225’s top highlights, marked “AI Summarized from product information”, mention spool gun compatibility. VEVOR’s own answer on the same page says it “cannot use a spool gun, only a TIG gun can be used”.
• Mains supply answers disagree. On the TIG/MMA 205 page VEVOR says no fuse is needed, just plug it into 220 V (answer in Swedish); on the ACDC TIG-225 page it says ordinary household 220 V will do (Norwegian); on the ACDC TIG-200 page it says a 40 A circuit breaker is typically used. Welders draw a lot of current at high settings, so check your circuit with an electrician before you buy.
• Same price, more amps. The ACDC TIG-200 and TIG-225 both cost 404,90 € and VEVOR says only the current differs, so the 225 is the better deal at the price we saw.
• Non-European plug in the stick welders’ photo. The main photo of both orange stick welders shows a non-European plug, and their pages do not name the plug type. VEVOR confirms a European plug only for the MMA-205 and the ACDC TIG-225; ask before you order the others.

Who each welder is for

VEVOR MMA-160-NA stick + lift TIG: 72,90 €

For: mostly stick welding, with TIG as an occasional extra; the cheapest and lightest here. Skip if: TIG is the reason you are buying; its TIG mode is scratch start and no torch is listed.

VEVOR MMA-200-NA stick + lift TIG: 92,90 €

For: heavier stick work with adjustable arc force. Skip if: you are paying for “200A”; VEVOR says the real output is 160 amps.

VEVOR MMA-140 4-in-1: 105,90 €

For: light DIY stick and pulse work up to 6 mm, if you already own a TIG torch. Skip if: you want thicker material; for 9,00 € more the MMA-205 lists up to 10 mm.

VEVOR MMA-205 2-in-1: 114,90 €

For: a cheap, light stick welder with lift TIG on steel, with a confirmed European plug. Skip if: you have no torch yet; add one before comparing it with the 3-in-1.

VEVOR TIG/MMA 205 3-in-1 HF: 203,90 €

For: our pick for steel and stainless TIG at home: HF start, DC pulse, and a torch cable listed in the kit. Skip if: you need aluminium (DC only) or a foot pedal.

VEVOR ACDC TIG-225 6-in-1: 404,90 €

For: aluminium, with AC, pulse and spot TIG and the most current here at the same price as the TIG-200. Skip if: you only weld steel; the 3-in-1 costs 201,00 € less and weighs 7.2 kg less (our arithmetic).

VEVOR ACDC TIG-200 6-in-1: 404,90 €

For: the same machine at 200 A, if the 225 is out of stock. Skip if: the TIG-225 is available at the same price.

Safety. TIG gives off intense UV light: wear an auto-darkening helmet, leather gloves and long sleeves, keep the shielding gas flowing in a ventilated space, and keep flammables away. See our VEVOR welding helmet buying guide.

Shipping, returns and warranty

• Shipping: all 7 pages showed free shipping (“Excludes remote areas”) with delivery to Ireland “Get it Mon. Nov. 2 – Sat. Nov. 7” on October 30, 2026. The shipping policy says “All products are currently free shipping, except in some remote areas.”
• Returns and warranty: “All our products come with a 12-months warranty and can be returned for free within 30 days of delivery for approved reasons!” Each page links an English user manual (PDF).

Related on SiftGuide

Want wire welding instead? See our VEVOR MIG welder buying guide. For cutting, the VEVOR plasma cutter buying guide, and for eye protection the welding helmet guide, all from the same EU store. All our guides are on the SiftGuide links page.

FAQ

Which VEVOR TIG welder is cheapest?
The MMA-160-NA stick welder with scratch-start TIG at 72,90 €. The cheapest with lift TIG is the MMA-140 4-in-1 at 105,90 €, and the cheapest with HF start is the TIG/MMA 205 3-in-1 at 203,90 €. Prices as shown on the EU store on October 30, 2026, delivery set to Ireland, VAT included, free shipping.

Which VEVOR TIG welder can weld aluminium?
Only the two AC/DC models, the ACDC TIG-200 and ACDC TIG-225, both 404,90 €. The others are DC only.

Is a TIG torch included?
Not with the MMA-140 or MMA-205 (their pages say so), and none is listed for the stick welders. VEVOR lists a 2 m torch cable for the TIG/MMA 205 3-in-1 and says the ACDC TIG-200 comes with all accessories except the tungsten electrode.

Can I use a foot pedal?
VEVOR says no for the TIG/MMA 205 3-in-1 and the ACDC TIG-200. None of the other pages lists a pedal socket.

Do they run on a normal European socket?
VEVOR says the MMA-205 has a common European plug and the ACDC TIG-225 a standard 220 V European plug, usable on household 220 V. For the ACDC TIG-200 it says a 40 A circuit breaker is typically used, so check your circuit first.

What does 20% duty cycle mean?
All seven pages list 20% at 40 °C: about 2 minutes of welding in every 10 at the rated current (our arithmetic), more at lower settings.

Sources: VEVOR EU product pages, spec lists, reviews and Q&A for the MMA-160-NA, MMA-200-NA, MMA-140, MMA-205, TIG/MMA 205, ACDC TIG-200 and ACDC TIG-225 (and the out-of-stock TIG-200C and 140A stick pages); VEVOR EU Shipping Policy and Return & Refund Policy; all checked October 30, 2026. Product images are VEVOR’s official images.