Best TIG Torches – Reviews and Buyer’s Guide

With water-cooled TIG torches, bulk and weight can be issues. The WP-20 is preferred for its light weight and slim profile making it one of the best in it’s class. The 70-degree angle between the handle and the head makes the torch easy to handle. Getting a TIG torch into tight areas will always be a problem, but the compact design of this torch helps minimize those issues.

Miller Electric has taken over the Weldcraft line. The company has renamed this torch the W-250, but left the design intact. The number in the model name is the current rating for using the torch. That means this torch is rated for 250 amps. As a water-cooled torch, it handles heat very well and users are more than happy with its rugged build and economical use of consumable parts.

Now that Miller is making the Weldcraft TIG torches, customer service and parts availability should be top-notch. The WP-20-25 comes with a one-year warranty and a 25-foot hose. The fittings and seals are designed with special attention towards minimizing leakage and saving consumable costs. Parts are interchangeable with the WP-9 series torches.

The A-200 was formerly known as the WP-26 series, but given the new model number when Miller bought Weldcraft. This is an air-cooled torch with six model variations and a wide selection of customization parts. The bodies and other parts are interchangeable across the series. There are different neck angles and bodies with separate valves to fine-tune gas flow. Both flex body and solid body models can be had with or without a valve.

The A-200 carries a 200 amp rating. It’s heavily constructed of solid copper alloy, providing exceptional cooling and the ability to withstand heavy use. Some users have complained that if the flexible portion of the body is bent to different angles very often, it will break internally. There are solid bodies among the extensive selection of replacement parts offered by Miller that don’t have this particular weakness.

Many users recommend having several different flex bodies in the toolbox, bent at different angles to avoid breakage on the job. Miller offers a 1-year warranty on the A-200 series, one of the most-used torches in the industry.

When you need a low cost TIG torch, the Parweld WP17 is hard to beat. It uses industry standard parts compatible with Weldcraft WP-17 torches. It’s rated at 150 amps on AC and 120 amps on DC TIG. It’s air cooled with a 13 foot hose. The body is made of copper and it uses a standard M16 socket and a two pin connection. The plug can be changed out for a 5 pin connection to make it work with brands like Everlast and Eastwood welders.

This torch is a direct replacement for the QQ150 type torches seen on many generic and imported welders. Some users aren’t happy with the sewn on cover instead of a zipper type cover, but some more expensive TIG torches don’t even come with covers. The cover seems pretty tough and should survive a normal shop environment.

It’s not compatible with lift type or no-touch type arc starting, but it does include a gas valve for fine tuning the shielding flow. The valve also means this torch will work on machines that aren’t equipped with a gas solenoid.

CK is one of the leading makers of TIG torch equipment, favored by a lot of professionals for daily use. The CK CK17-25-RSF FX torch uses a brass head instead of copper to eliminate thread seizing. Brass is self-lubricating under pressure and it regains original size quickly after cooling. CK is famous for Fail-Safe fittings, which don’t require wire ties to stay secure.

This line of torches has silicone hoses to provide high temperature resistance, long wear and lasting flexibility. CK doubles up with woven nylon covering to make for long lasting hoses. The torch body is covered with silicone to minimize loss of high frequency when connected to welders with no-touch arc starts.
This torch features a flexible head with up to 40 degrees of bend available to get just the right angle in a tight spot like welding headers or pipe bends.

Some users report weak hose fittings at the head, which could be a real problem with a flexible torch. This doesn’t seem to be a widespread problem. CK rates this torch at 150 amps under continuous use.

Miller Electric recently took over Weldcraft. To fit these products into its parts system, Miller renamed the TIG torches. “A-150” is the Miller-based name for the Weldcraft WP-17. Under the Miller parts system, the “A” portion of the name designates air-cooled and the “150” indicates the amperage rating. This system makes it clear this is an air-cooled torch, rated for 150 amps.

This torch is an industry staple. Because it’s air-cooled, it’s quite a bit larger than a water-cooled torch with the same power rating, which could make it tough to weld in tight spaces. The Weldcraft A-150 has a ribbed handle design to keep the torch cooler during long welding sessions. Miller’s Diamond Head ergonomic design gives the torch head a shape that’s easy to grip, provides a good angle for easy welding and prevents operator fatigue.

The entire air-cooled Miller Weldcraft line has the ability to swap in parts from the Redhead series to upgrade individual aspects of the torch as part of regular maintenance. Miller offers a 1-year warranty on the A-150 TIG torch.