Preview: Hobart’s New Handler 210 Wire Welder
By Chuck Cage
The newest model in Hobart’s ever-bigger Handler line, the 210 plugs into a standard 230V outlet and delivers up to 210A of power — enough to successfully weld 3/8″ mild steel and up to 1/4″ thick aluminum. Hobart claims that with the right wire, it offers enough control to join 24-gauge material without burning through.
As we’ve seen in the past, the Handler line is aimed at farm/ranch hands and light fabrication shops looking to get into wire or MIG welding without spending a fortune. The 210 will offer a bit more capability than then Handler 187, currently the top of the Handler line, with only a slight bump in price — an MSRP of $1,052 as opposed to the 187’s $820.
But that “bit’ is significant: Hobart claims the 210 delivers enough juice to weld via the “spray transfer” method, which they say make a big difference in working aluminum. (If you wonder what that means, check out this cool video which shows the various types of metal transfer in MIG welding.) Be aware, however, that you’ll need to add their optional DP-3035 spool gun – a $500 accessory — to work aluminum. Notice that the guy in the press photo is using it to lay a bead on what looks like a perfectly good diamond-plate aluminum bumper.
The 210 ships “ready to weld,” which to Hobart means that it comes with a regulator and the associated materials required to connect a bottle of shielding gas. As with all MIG welders, though, you’ll need to provide the gas. Or you can load it with flux-core wire and jump right in.
The bottom line: we’re glad to see that Hobart is extending the line. We’ve had good experiences with the other Handler welders we’ve worked with, and this provides a great opportunity for Handler owners to “step up” within the line.
