I have always been a Lincoln Fan. It has to do with their business model and the way they treat their employees as well as the quality of their product. But you are paying for the name. If I were to purchase a new MIG it would be either a Miller or Lincoln that did 110v for mobility and 220 for thicker materials. You cannot lose with either of those. The thing the new guy has a tendency to do is purchase one that does only flux core wire and provides no ability to use Gas. This is a huge mistake and the reason you can get MIGS for $250 or over $1000. Pay the $900 or so for a decent MIG that accepts Gas and you will be happy you did.
Ongoing costs are MIG Wire and refilling the Gas bottle with 75-80% Argon/CO2. A small bottle will last pretty long. Then there are occasional replacement tips and years before the lining in the wire line wears out unless you step on it.
