There are is a large number of welding helmet brands that manufacture high quality helmets, tools and accessories. If you are a beginner regarding welding, it could get confusing when the time comes to decide which welding helmet to purchase.
You have to know the basics of welding, and learn about the differences of auto darkening vs passive welding helmets. You should decide which welding process you are going to follow at least in the beginning, so that you can purchase a helmet that is going to be suitable for the particular projects.
ALSO READ: Best Auto Darkening Welding Helmets for the Money
The following list of welding helmet brands, is a compilation of some of my favorite ones that I have researched and tested over the years. The criteria used are the safety levels, work convenience and wear comfort that each brand has to offer to the welder, considering its best-selling welding helmet models.
This list contains some of my personal choices, so it is recommended that you do your own research before you proceed on buying a welding helmet from the brands that I mention.
These are the top 10 Welding Helmet Brands in the World
1 – Jackson Safety
The Jackson Safety Company is one of the leaders in the welding helmet industry. As their name states, they manufacture extremely safe welding helmets, which are especially designed to protect the welder no matter the welding process he follows.
They have manufactured some of the most well-known welding helmet models in the market, with the majority of them combining excellent clarity with some of the sturdiest structures available, such as the Jackson Safety Insight Variable Auto Darkening Welding Helmet.
They also have a nice variety of passive welding helmets, which is something that many companies overlook nowadays because of the convenience that auto darkening welding helmets offer.
Recommended welding helmets by Jackson Safety:
- Jackson Safety Stars & Scars Graphic
- Jackson Safety TrueSight II
- Jackson Safety Insight Arc Angel Graphic
2 – Lincoln Electric
The second brand in my list is the Lincoln Electric. Another great welding helmet manufacturer that provides constant quality to its customers. They create beautiful welding helmets, considering both the design and the durability of the structure, like for example the Lincoln Electric VIKING 2450.
They offer multiple different designs in order to make the helmets look more custom, although they manage to keep the professional look of the helmets intact. The company focuses on creating welding helmets that have nice viewing areas to enhance the visibility of the welder, and the quality of their lenses is top notch.
If you choose the particular company, you are going to find out that their helmets have a significantly comfortable fit on the head, and they are great for long-hour projects.
Recommended welding helmets by Lincoln Electric:
- Welding Helmet Black 3350 Series
- Lincoln Electric VIKING 3350 Code Red
- Lincoln Electric VIKING 2450 Black
3 – Instapark
If you are at the beginning stages as a welder and you need an affordable option regarding welding helmets, then the Instapark Company might be the perfect solution for you. They offer some of the cheapest welding helmets in the market, and their quality can be easily compared to their competitors’ higher-priced welding helmet.
They do not have as big variety of welding helmets as the Lincoln Electric or the Jackson Safety, but they do have a number of great auto darkening welding helmets in the lowest prices available, like the Instapark ADF Series GX-500S.
Keep in mind, that although they are very affordable, the quality of the visibility and the structure of their welding helmets is high enough to protect you during the welding process. Regarding the designs, there are only a few options from which you can choose.
Recommended welding helmets by Instapark:
4 – Antra
This is another personal favorite of mine. The Antra Company has introduced some of the finest welding helmets to the market, in extremely affordable prices considering their quality and safety levels.
They have a nice variety of welding helmets, mostly focus on manufacturing auto darkening helmets aimed for the modern welder, such as the Antra AH6-260-0000.
They mainly keep their helmets minimal and professional-looking, although they do have some fancier designs if you are one of those that pays attention to the appearance of the welding helmet. For instance, take a look at the designs of the Antra AH6-660-0000.
The safety of their headgear is up-to-date with the latest National Safety Standards (like the welding helmets of all the companies mentioned in this list).
Recommended welding helmets by Antra:
5 – Miller Electric
If you are looking for a welding helmet company with a wide variety of different helmets, then Miller Electric is the ideal solution for you. The company has a large number of welding helmet, manufactured for different types of welding processes.
Like most of the welding helmet companies, they are mainly focusing on designing auto darkening welding helmets, and they do it pretty well.
Their helmets range from simple and minimalistic designs like the Auto Darkening Welding Helmet, Black, Digital Elite, to fancier, more complex designs such as the Auto Darkening Welding Helmet, Blue, Digital Elite. This is why they appeal to both younger and older (more experienced) welders.
Along with the awesome auto darkening welding helmets they manufacture, they also have a nice variety of passive helmets that offer the exact same high quality protection.
Recommended welding helmets by Miller Electric:
- Welding Helmet, Shade 3 and 8-12, Black
- Welding Helmet, Vintage Roadster, Blue
- Miller 268618 CAT Edition 1
6 – 3M
This one is a company with one of the widest varieties of welding and protective gear in general. Regarding the welding helmets, they manufacture various different helmets for all types of welding processes, such as TIG, MIG for the maximum convenience of their customers.
As far as their prices are concerned, you can easily find out that they range a lot too. They design both extremely affordable welding helmets that are intended for beginners or professional welders on tight budgets, and more expensive auto darkening welding helmets of magnificent quality, such as the 3M Speedglas Black Welding Helmet 100.
Like most welding helmet companies do, 3M creates helmets with both fancy and minimal designs. On the majority of their auto darkening helmet models, you can find light sensitivity and delay controls, which make the user experience even more comfortable.
Recommended welding helmets by 3M:
- 3M Speedglas Welding Helmet 9100
- 3M Speedglas Black Welding Helmet 100
- 3M Speedglas Steel Rose Welding Helmet 100
7 – Hobart
Hobart is a company that creates welding helmets for various types of welding processes. Between their welding helmets, you can find some of the cheapest models in the market, along with some medium priced welding helmets designed for more professional welding projects.
They design both auto darkening and passive helmets, which is nice as most companies tend to focus only on auto darkening welding helmets because of their advantages and the preference of modern welders towards them.
Their main focus is to offer comfort and convenience to the user, this is why they make the majority of their welding helmets pretty lightweight and very easy to wear for long hours, such as the Hobart 770753 Pro.
Recommended welding helmets by Hobart:
8 – Z ZTDM
The particular welding helmet manufacturer leans towards the most affordable types of helmets, as most of their models have some of the lowest prices you can find in the market. If you are a beginner on a tight budget, this company might be one of the best options for you.
Z ZTDM focuses on creating distinguishing welding helmets, with extreme designs that catch the attention of eye immediately. No matter how low-priced their helmets are, they still pass all the National Safety Standards, and they are absolutely capable of protecting the welder effectively.
If you are looking for welding helmets that are going to take your appearance as a welder to the next level, then try searching for models like the Z ZTDM Welding Helmet Mask Blue Racer or the Z ZTDM Welding Helmet American Eagle. It is certain that they are going to impress you.
Recommended welding helmets by Z ZTDM:
- Z ZTDM Welding Helmets Pro Solar Auto Darkening Silver Eagle
- Z ZTDM Welding Helmet Pro Solar Flame Skeleton
- Z ZTDM Welding Helmet Mask Blue Racer
9 – Save Phace
Save Phace is a welding helmet company with some of the most impressive on-helmet designs I have ever seen. They let their imagination work, and they create beautiful helmets with some of the best graphics in the market such as the Save Phace 3012145 Marvel Venom.
As far as the quality of their welding helmets is concerned, they pay special attention to the viewing area, this is why they make sure that the majority of their helmets has a large viewing are, which extends from ear to ear.
Another huge advantage of the particular company is that they make their welding helmet models extremely light weight. This is why they are very convenient for the welder, and sit nicely on the head.
Recommended welding helmets by Save Phace:
10 – ArcOne
Last but not least is the ArcOne Company. You can find a large variety of different welding helmets created by ArcOne for multiple welding processes. What I find nice, is the fact that they create both auto darkening and passive welding helmets for the demanding customers.
Regarding their quality, they have some very sturdy-structured welding helmets that seem durable over time, and they will protect the welder no matter the welding process. The design of their models is oval in contrast to the majority of their competitors who aim on making their welding helmets edgier.
The ArcOne company provides large viewing area for the convenience of the welder, and creates minimalistic, professional-looking designs instead of fancier ones. That said, if you are looking to combine quality with appearance, they also have some awesome designs to choose from such as the ArcOne 6000V-1171 Fighting Tiger.
Recommended welding helmets by ArcOne:
Which welding helmet brand is right for you?
The first thing you need to look when it comes to choosing one of the brands mention in the list above, is whether it provides welding helmets suitable for the needs of your projects. For instance, if your are about to work on MIG welding joints, then you need to search and find one brand which manufactures helmets ideal for MIG welding.
It is common sense that safety is the most important factor that will help you decide between various brands. Choose the one that has the best reviews regarding safety, and research for the safest welding helmet model that will keep you protected.
Convenience and comfort come next. You need to test and find out which welding helmets fit nicely on your head, and cause the less amount of fatigue after long hours of heavy usage. It is advised that you prefer welding helmets that are stable so that you don’t burden your neck and shoulders.
The viewing area is extremely important. You should look for welding helmets that have large viewing areas so that you can have the best visibility possible. Larger viewing area guarantee less movement and more detailed welding.
Decide between auto darkening and passive welding helmets. In case you are a beginner, you are advised to go for an auto darkening welding helmet because of the automatic feature and the fact that it will allow to operate the torch or stick better, while you are still learning.
ALSO READ: Best Welding Helmets
Conclusion
All in all, it is obvious that there are lots of welding helmet brands that manufacture high quality helmets, both passive and auto darkening ones. In this article, I made a list with my top 10 favorite brands, which I believe have some of the most convenient and safest welding helmet models in the market.
Now it is up to you. Take this information and start your own research, in order to find the brand that creates the most suitable welding helmets according to your needs. Keep welding!