I see Lidl has a auto welding helmet on offer this week for £22:99p,whether it's good I don't know.,but it has a 3 year warranty. https://www.lidl.co.uk/en/MiddleofLidl.htm?articleId=23786&ar=6
I had one of these cheap welding helmets years ago, they work ok, they do the job, they don't go quite dark enough for me, but if it's hobby or occasional use its like a tenth of the price of a speedglass!
Might be a perfectly good rebranded helmet, auto darkening helmets can be bought cheap, SIP Meteor 2300 is around £35. the Impact at our host is £30.
go for the best you can afford. I do a’bit’ of welding from time to time and bought an Aldi helmet. Yes it works and probably needs a bit of tweaking, but I’m not 100% sure I trust it. Could purely be psychological, I just felt my eyes got tired while using it.
I bought a couple of Tacklife PAH04D (I think) Automatic Welding Helmets, one for a friend, one for me. I think they were about £40. They work well, and have a reasonable sized screen for the price. 4 sensors. No funny buisness so far. A bit flimsy compared to much more expensive ones, but recommended. The only thing I would recommend they change (at no extra cost) is "increase the height of plastic projections around the screen, so when you put it down, it's less likely that the screen encounters something and gets scratched". Not that it's been a problem so far for me, as I are am do be careful.
Thought our much missed friend KIAB had started posting again....no such luck, it's a 3 year old reserected thread.
Buy the Tacklife one I referred to, or an updated version of the same if there is one. It's a 4-sensor one, which is better than the old OP one which is 2-sensor, it's got a reasonable viewing area, and is adjustable in various ways (on delay, off felay, darkness). I have found it pretty good, no complaints at the price.
I thought the same. Unhappily I think this might have meant a post originating from up above (or down below).
Don't forget the leather apron. You mention $ in your post here in the UK our currency is £ so guessing you are based in USA?