Eastwood mp250i Review (2021)

In Brief:

MIG, TIG, stick, and flux-core welding are made easy with Eastwood’s MP250I versatile welder. When looking for something that will tackle any material, from thin sheet metal to aluminum, to stainless steel, the MP250I should top your list, and there’s a multitude of reasons why.

There’s no complicated operating system and it’s built to last a lifetime, which is guaranteed by Eastwood itself. This top of the market 120 240V MIG, TIG, arc, stick, do-it-all welders, comes to you with accessories from MIG tips, an electrode holder, an adaptor cord, and all other TIG MIG necessities.


Value for money

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.0

When looked at as the welding machine individually, the Eastwood MP250I welder would get a 5.0 from us. The only problem is that all the accessories are needing to be purchased separately, which ups the pricetag a fair bit. 


Ease of use

Rating: 4.7 out of 5.0

The Eastwood MP250I welder comes with easy to use switches and inverter technology that make this welder easy to use and understand for beginners. 


Quality of build

Rating: 4.8 out of 5.0

At 150 pounds, the Eastwood MP250I is a machine constructed to last. It is built with high-quality products and will stand up to the test of time. 


Versatility

Rating: 4.8 out of 5.0

This welder can do it all. From MIG welding to TIG welding, the Eastwood MP250I machine hits it all including stick and flux core welding capabilities, all made easy with quick switches on the welder and interchangeable accessories. 


Warranty

Rating: 5.0 out of 5.0

Eastwood offers a 3-year warranty on this machine, which is much more than you can normally ask for. Eastwood is known for its legendary customer service and back any machine that they produce. 


What we like

  • This welder moves between functions at a simple flick of the switch
  • This is an incredibly durable machine, sure to last you
  • A high duty cycle of 60% lets you weld for a long time without cooling down
  • The whole machine is incredibly affordable
  • Capable of doing every job you can imagine

What we don’t like

  • Heavy construction of 150 lbs means it needs to stay in place
  • Separate purchases of accessories and welder
  • There are no foot pedal options


Summary

The Eastwood MP250I welder is a versatile machine that brings a massive amount of possibility along with it. This machine is capable of four different base forms of welding and has a much higher duty cycle than a lot of welders on the market. On top of this all, the Eastwood MP250I comes at a reasonably affordable price. The only big issue being the requirement to purchase two separate boxes in order to receive all of the necessary machine parts and accessories. We did wish to see foot pedal compatibility as, in our experience, it has proven to be a great addition to any welder.

All in all, we truly believe in this welder. Eastwood backs it with a 3-year warranty and a 100% customer satisfaction guarantee. Their confidence shows in the build quality of the products you get delivered to your door. There is no doubt that the Eastwood MP250I is going to increase the capacity of your shop and bring in a fantastic machine for both MIG welding and TIG welding with capabilities of welding multiple metals of varying material thickness. This one does it all, and with 120V or 240V, welds all materials, even with a powder coating finish, for a pretty affordable price.


The Full Review of The Eastwood mp250i

Intro To The Problem

We were looking for a heavy-duty industrial welding machine capable of both MIG welding and TIG welding that welds steel and stainless. What we found was the Eastwood MP250I welder that not only does that, but it welds thin sheet metal, performs well with flux core welding, easily welds aluminum with optional 20172 spool gun attachments, functions at either 120V or 240V, and so much more. 

Eastwood’s website claims that this machine will allow you to weld ½ inch steel plate with their 30 to 250 amp control and 220V input. This bold claim was one thing buyers first put in their customer reviews as being fully true. 


Who Should Use This Product?

The Eastwood MP250I welder is designed to bring a mass amount of versatility into your shop or onto the job site. It is heavily built for quality performance but doesn’t take up a ridiculous amount of space in your shop. Its power cord is 10 feet long, which allows you to freely move around what you may be working on without the hassle of plugging and unplugging. If you work in auto body repair, this is a great way to perform several types of welding all at once, without demanding a large amount of space with multiple different welders.

The specifications of this machine are what makes it so versatile, as it will hit every welder’s needs. The square wave inverter welder allows the machine to hold an 8 or 12-inch wire spool while working with either a 120V or 240V input. It holds a gas bottle up to 9 inches in diameter, has a wire feed speed range of 78-629 ipm. It is built with four wheels, meaning there is no need for an additional cart. A 15-foot Trafimet ERGO24 MIG torch cable, TIG torch cable, as well as ground cable, makes movement easy. 

What we’re saying is, the numbers all are incredibly impressive and this is for the people who want the option to do it all.

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What You Should Know

To continue to add to the list of magnificent features the Eastwood MP250I has to offer, let’s look at its key features. 

  • Operates on either 120V or 240V power sources
  • 60% Duty cycle at 250 amps
  • 3-year limited warranty
  • Welds ½ inch steel plate, and just as easily welds thin sheet metal
  • 20172 spool gun welds aluminum easily
  • Capable of flux core welding on top of MIG welding, TIG welding, and stick welding
  • Gas bottle chains for secure gas bottle and gas hose storage
  • Inverter for efficient power use

The list goes on and on with this incredible machine. We truly would need a lot more of your time to give the most in-depth review. 


My First Impressions

At first purchase, we received both boxes of the welder and its accessories and knew that the durability and quality would be high, as they were heavy as can be. Right from the start, it was easy to tell that this machine was capable of any form of welding we tried to throw at it. It comes with a thorough instruction manual that makes the setup and first use a very simple task. 


The Use Phase

The interface and control knobs made operation easy for us, and it would be easy to figure out for novices as well. Over the course of the next few weeks, the Eastwood MP250I proved that it could handle all types of welding and never showed even a hint of struggling to hit the mark. 

It took a while to begin to get the accessories down. There are just a lot of them, which is great for its versatility but can prove to be difficult just for understanding and proper organization. After we established a system that worked for us, moving between forms of welding was a breeze. 

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Results

When we were looking for the right welder for our shop, never did we expect to get one that would do this much more for us. With the purchase of the Eastwood MP250I welder, our shop’s capabilities boosted ten-fold. All the different forms of welding we can dream of are easily reachable. 

We have seen this machine successfully mend machinery and create new structures easily. The ability to weld aluminum with optional spool gun attachments has made this task a lot easier, as other welders have not always made this an easy one. Versatility and options aplenty come along with this purchase, and if you want it all, you need to buy this machine.


Final Thoughts

At the end of things, the Eastwood MP250I is a great machine for those that are welding professionals, or welding novices. It is a bigger investment but is guaranteed to give back more than what you put into it. The search for a MIG welder that does so much more than just that can end here.

We truly love our experience with the MP250I and Eastwood’s customer service is top-notch which makes us feel even more comfortable with our purchase. When you look at other multi-purpose welders on the same level of quality, you are sure to see a much higher price. 

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Austin Mills

Austin Mills in an outdoor enthusiast. He's been featured on some of the top outdoor & fitness blogs sharing his expertise in order to help others. In his free time, he likes spending time with his dogs enjoying the outdoors.