Hobart Ironman 230 vs. Miller 252: Which One to Go For?

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In this article we’ll review the Hobart Ironman 230 vs. Miller 252 and see which one comes out on top!

Best Seller
Hobart 500536 Ironman 230 MIG Welder With Wheel Kit & Cylinder Rack
Best Budget
Miller Electric MIG Welder, Wheeled, 208/230VAC (907321)
Hobart 500536 Ironman 230 MIG Welder With Wheel Kit & Cylinder Rack
Miller Electric MIG Welder, Wheeled, 208/230VAC (907321)
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Best Seller
Hobart 500536 Ironman 230 MIG Welder With Wheel Kit & Cylinder Rack
Hobart 500536 Ironman 230 MIG Welder With Wheel Kit & Cylinder Rack
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Best Budget
Miller Electric MIG Welder, Wheeled, 208/230VAC (907321)
Miller Electric MIG Welder, Wheeled, 208/230VAC (907321)
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The manufacturer of Hobart Ironman 230 and Miller 252 is known for creating excellent welding machinery. You might be confused while deciding which one is the best option. Thus, here we have made a comparison between Hobart Ironman 230 vs. Miller 252 so that you can purchase the machinery which is suitable for your needs.

What Is A Hobart Ironman 230?

Hobart Ironman 230 is a 185 lbs, hefty tasking machinery mostly used by experts for small industrial projects. It is used as both flux-cored or MIG welder. It gives 12 voltage adjustment options, which permits you to set the arc for flexible handling. Hobart-Ironman-230

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This tool required 230 volts of input voltage to work that’s why it should be used at industrial workshops and not in a regular home outlet. It offers an amperage of 30Amp to 250Amp. It provides a clean cut without any unnecessary splatter. It has a reversible drive roll application. This tool is designed while keeping the safety of clients in mind. It has a heat overload attribute that automatically shuts down the machine if it’s overheated.

When to use Hobart Ironman 230?

Hobart Ironman 230 is well suited for expert welders and heavy-duty projects. It does come with wheels, but using it on an industrial site where you might need to move it continuously is not recommended since it’s massive.  It gives a detailed chart explaining to you what adjustment to do for a particular metal. It’s capable of welding aluminum and steel with a thickness of 1/2 inches.

Pros & Cons of Hobart Ironman 230

Pros
  • It is equipped with safety features for your protection.
  • It can be easily customized according, gives a precise performance.
  • 12 Voltage adjustment options 
Cons
  • It’s not easily portable since its heavy machinery.
  • It can only work at industrial sites since outlets at home don’t have enough power to operate.

What Is Miller 252?

Miller 252 is an excellent MIG welder with a specialization in fabrication tool. This machinery is flexible, is compatible with various kinds of wires. It is easily portable because it has a rolling cart. The input voltage required is 230 volts, gives an amperage range of 30 amp to 300 amp, the wire feed velocity range is 50 IPM to 700 IPM. It weighs around 205 lbs. Millermatic-252

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It comes with a 10-foot long power cord 15 feet long gun cable. You can adjust the settings in touch; it has an inbuilt consumable storage compartment and a welding parameter graph. This machinery also provides a recall application which permits you to work nonstop without the need for recalibrating the equipment’s voltage every time.

When to use Miller 252?

The Miller 253 is capable of standard welding steel, stainless steel, and aluminum, making it suitable equipment for the auto part repair workshop, metal sculpture workshops, ranch welding jobs, etc. It is suitable for some professionals who have to work throughout the day continuously working on similar welding jobs or working on a significant welding project because it comes with an automatic gun detection attribute and double gear drive application. This feature saves time and effort for the user, allowing them to complete their task with ease.

Pros & Cons of Miller 252

Pros
  • Miller 252 is equipped with automatic gun detection attributes, which make your work simple.
  • It comes with a user-friendly flip-down compartment.
  • The gun range is 15 feet, which permits you to work on larger metals units without the need for changing the equipment’s position.
Cons
  • It is cumbersome, weighs 205 lbs. 
  • This machinery is best for experts, not for inexperienced welders.

Main Differences between Hobart Ironman 230 vs. Miller 252

These machines are excellent for welding jobs, but some differences make one better than the other. The comparison between Hobart Ironman 230 Vs. Miller 252 is as follows: 

  • Hobart is lighter in weight than Miller because Hobart weighs only 185 lbs, whereas Miller weighs 205 lbs, but it’s said that Miller is more easily portable than Hobart; it comes with a sturdy rolling cart whereas Hobart has wheels. 
  • Hobart requires 230 volts, and the amperage range is 30 Amp to 250 Amp. Miller requires 230 volts, and the amperage range is 30 amp to 300 amp.
  • Miller’s duty cycle is 60% at 200A, which means that if you are operating at 200A, this machinery allows you to weld for 6 minutes before stopping. The duty cycle of Hobart is 60% at 170A. This specifies that if you work at 170A, Hobart permits you to weld for 6 minutes before you finish or stop, which lets the machine cool down. 

Conclusion & Recommendation

This comparison can’t be clearly stated which system is better since you choose the machinery depending on what type of projects you will be working on. We have given the features, pros, and cons of both the machinery along with differences between Hobart Ironman 230 vs. Miller 252.  Miller has many additional features that are not needed by an inexperienced welder or hobbyist, and they might find it complicated and difficult to control. Hobart Ironman is comparatively more comfortable to use even though it also has lots of features. But if you need to do massive projects, Miller will be the ideal choice.

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Video

Hobart Ironman 230

https://youtu.be/Z1ojI4FQykQ

Miller 252

https://youtu.be/6pdN0VKztmU

Bestseller List

Best Hobart Ironman 230

Best Miller 252

FAQs

1. Can a Miller 252 weld aluminum?

The Millermatic 252 Wire Welder is capable of welding steel, stainless steel, and aluminum from 22 gauge to ½” thickness in a single pass. Spool Gun provides out-of-the-box aluminum welding abilities.

2. Will a Hobart spool gun work on a Miller welder?

There is no way this gun will fit on any other make welder. But both machines employ different wire feed motor voltages, which will result in weird wire speeds.

3. Is MIG or TIG better for welding aluminum?

Aluminum and steel are both appropriate for MIG and TIG welding. Their difference is in the material's thickness. If you're welding thicker ones, MIG welding is strongly advised. Conversely, TIG welding is well-suited for thin materials.

About the Author Gregory

Hi, my name is Gregory! I have been welding practically all of my life and love it. As I have gotten older I have started to weld less and less, so in order to continue my love for welding I created this website. I like to write about my experiences and help you all become welders. I hope that you enjoy the site!

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