YesWelder TIG-250P AC/DC TIG Welder Review – A Surprising Find

High-end TIG welders offer fancy features like square wave technology, adjustable pre/post gas flow times, and pulse width/frequency control. Unfortunately, they cost thousands of dollars. But for those pristine welds that TIG machines are known for, these features do make a difference.

So, when the Yeswelder 250P AC/DC came along with a low to mid-range price tag, loaded with many of these advanced features, it raised eyebrows. Not surprisingly, interested customers asked the obvious question. Is this worth buying and will it do the job? 

Well, a good question like that deserves an answer. So, we took the time and did the necessary research. Then we assembled what we found here in one place for your convenience. Spoiler alert, it is worth your time to read our findings below if you are interested in a new TIG welder.

Quick Overview of The TIG-250P

What’s Included

• TIG-250P AC/DC Welder
• WP-26 TIG torch 13ft
• Electrode Holder 10 ft
• Earth Clamp 10 ft
• Welding Brush
• Gas Hose 6 ft
• 5-pin foot pedal
• Additional TIG accessories: 
  • 3 Collets
  • 1 Collet Body
  • 3 Alumina Ceramic Cup
  • 1 Long Back Cap
  • 1 Short Back Cap

Technical Specifications

Manufactured	China
Processes	AC Square Wave TIG, AC pulse TIG, DC TIG, DC Pulse TIG, DC Flux-coated Electrodes MMA, and argon arc spot welding
Display	Single flip display, multiple indicator lights
Buttons/Dials	Multiple blister style buttons, 1 dial
Input Voltage	220v/240v
Duty Cycle	60% @ 250A
Amperage	TIG: 5-250 A Stick: 10-200 A
Amperage Control	Infinite between min and max setting
Weldable Materials	Aluminum, nickel alloy, stainless steel, titanium, mild steel, and copper
Material Thickness	24 ga. – 3/8 in. (up to 7/8 in. with multiple passes)
Welder Dimensions (H x W x L)	14 in. x 8 in. x 16 in.
Weight	35 lbs.
Warranty	3 years
Price	Check Now on YesWelder (10% discount. Code: WELDGURU10)

What You Should Know BEFORE Buying the TIG-250P

You Need a 220V Outlet

While this is a compact, light TIG welder, the portability relies on having a 220V outlet. This unit cannot run on 110V.

However, it can run on the “dirty” power from a generator, which is not something every TIG welder with high-end features can do.

Items Not Included

The TIG-250P AC/DC price works with far more budgets than most units that come with the advanced features found in this welder. But as a budget-priced product, it does not come with many extras.

You will need to provide your own gas regulator (YesWelder sells their own one here). Plus, consumables are not included, e.g. filler rods and stick electrodes (also sold by YesWelder here). So, you should add those to your purchase if you buy this Yeswelder product.

Metric Units

This unit uses metric units. It can be a pain as things like the tungsten electrode diameter must be set.

If you have an electrode with a diameter specified in inches, you must convert inches to mm.

Triggers are Stiff

Trigger performance will vary from user to user, and this is subjective. But a consistent comment is the foot and finger triggers are both too stiff. Some have even gone so far as to replace them.

Foot Pedal Nitpick

Nothing in this world is perfect, including the Yeswelder TIG-250P AC/DC. One of the more unusual quirks you will find on this machine involves the foot pedal.

To turn on the feature, you must hold the foot pedal down until a light shines on the control panel. It is not hard, but it is a bit unusual for some, and it can waste gas. It would be nice if you could just select the foot pedal mode on the control panel.

Key Features of The TIG-250P

Welding Processes

This unit qualifies as a TIG welder, yes. But that is an understatement and ignores how many different things you can do with this welder.

First, it can TIG with AC and DC current. That means you can TIG weld aluminum. Plus, you can spot weld when needed, as well as stick weld. 

And with the ability to do both AC and DC TIG pulse welding, as well as straight AC and DC TIG, you have a lot of choice over how you TIG weld.

Square Wave Technology

The sine wave traditionally used in TIG welders limits the time in the cleaning and heating phases of the weld.

Square Wave technology lops off the top and bottom of the sine wave to let you spend more time in the cleaning and heating cycles of the weld. This provides better performance, especially when welding materials like aluminum is easier to use, and results in better beads.

Control

This unit uses a single dial and several blister buttons for you to set up for a weld. Given the number of parameters you can adjust, the layout is pretty easy to use once you go through a minor learning curve.

Speaking of that learning curve, we were pleased to see the manual for this welder was helpful. Some of Yeswelder’s other welders come with manuals that are useless. But not this one.

Once you are comfortable with the control panel, you can control just about every detail of your weld. Pulse width and frequency, pre/post gas flow times, start and end amps, ramp up/down if desired, 2T or 4T method, tungsten electrode diameter, and more can be set.

Also, the unit keeps your current settings in memory, even when there is no power. So, if you unplug the unit, move to a new job site, and want to use the last settings used to weld, the machine will have saved them for you.

5 to 250 Amps and 60% Duty Cycle at 250A

Lower-priced units often skimp on the power. But not the YesWelder TIG-250P AC/DC. You can get up to 250A of power, or down to 5A. That is impressive for a unit this affordable and it lets you do both thin and thick stock.

The 250A of power, along with the 60% duty cycle, makes this unit work in smaller pro welding shops, as well as the DIY, welding enthusiasts, auto restoration, and other light to medium duty workshops.

But you can also go all the way down to 5A. That range gives you the versatility to tackle several jobs/stock thicknesses. One of the other real advantages of this power range on thin material, you can start as low as 5A and ramp up to prevent blowouts at the start/end of a weld.

2T and 4T Control

The TIG-250P AC/DC provides 4T control, which is nice if you often do long welds.

You still have your 2T control, where you pull the trigger to start welding and release it to stop. But 4T means you can pull the trigger to start your arc, release it while you weld, then pull and release the trigger again to stop your bead.

4T sounds complicated on paper. But for long welds, it eliminates the need to hold the trigger for the whole weld. Just when you start and stop. You can read more details on the 2T and 4T functions here.

High-frequency Arc Startup

HF is usually found on high-end DC TIG machines. But it is included on this budget-priced TIG-250P AC/DC welder. This allows you to place the electrode tip close to the work and then simply pull the trigger to start the arc. No finicky scratching is needed.

Portability

For those used to lugging TIG welders around that are large and weigh as much as you do, the TIG 250P AC/DC can change your attitude on moving a TIG welder around.

This unit comes in at a light 35 pounds and does not take up too much space. It certainly qualifies as portable, but keep in mind it only runs on 220V.

Generator Compatible

This unit can also run on generator power to follow up on the portability feature. Other TIG welders can struggle with the dirty power produced by a generator, but not this one.

So, if you cannot find a 220V outlet, you do have the option to work using a generator.

What Others are Saying

The most common things found in discussions, threads, and reviews regarding this machine are: 1) I love this machine, and 2) it has a strong feature per price ratio.

There are many users noting the low weight and compact size. Moving this unit around is easy compared to some of the older TIG welders still in use out there. One user said about this welder, “I was used to moving around a small electric car to TIG weld, but not anymore.”

One user said, “this welder could be the best TIG welder for the money, and it’s certainly worth a look.” That summarizes numerous comments about the low price for a machine with so many high-end features.

Smaller welding businesses have also discovered this welder. One said, “It paid for it’s self [sic] in the first 30 days I owned it.” Comments like that are fairly common. Another said, “Worth every dollar.” High praise from people who depend on their welders to make a living.

The most common “negative” mentioned was the need to turn the foot pedal “on” by pressing and holding it. One user mentioned he hated wasting the gas, so he turned the gas off, set the welder to foot pedal mode, and finally turned the gas on.

Claim 10% off Your TIG-250P AC/DC

YesWelder has offered Weld Guru readers a generous 10% sitewide on any of their products. Meaning you can get about $75 off the TIG-250P!

To claim this offer, go to the product page here, then enter the promo code: WELDGURU10 at the checkout.

Conclusion

The YesWelder TIG-250P AC/DC features are far too numerous to rehash here. But features like the HF start and control of the pulse width and frequency are high-end features not found on most low to mid-priced TIG welders. Those on a budget will prize the capabilities found in this welder.

You can set the start/end amperage for better weld start/terminations. And you have control over the pulse characteristics and pre/post gas flow times. When you find the perfect settings, the welder remembers them for your next work session. Did we mention it has a lot of features?

But to be fair the Yeswelder TIG-250P AC/DC does have a few minor hiccups like it cannot run on 110V, which may preclude its use for some. However, it can run on the “dirty power” of a generator, which many TIG welders with similar features and much larger price tags cannot do.

In general, this welder is a well-built, surprisingly capable, and feature-loaded AC/DC TIG welder offered at a great price. Plus, it comes with a strong 3-year warranty. There is no doubt it will rate as a “best buy” for many looking for a new TIG welder.

The TIG-250P AC/DC would not be considered an industrial unit. But this loaded TIG welder with a 60% duty cycle @  250A can benefit small professional welding shops. 

Plus, scores of DIY, welding enthusiasts, artists, and auto restoration shops will be able to afford and use this adept unit. For those who thought a TIG welder with high-end features was out of reach, take a look at the Yeswelder TIG-250P AC/DC.

Other Reviews

Yeswelder TIG 225P Review – Cold Spot TIG Welder

Yeswelder MIG 205DS Multi Process Review

Yeswelder MIG 250 Pro Review

Yeswelder CUT-55DS Plasma Cutter Review