Top 13 Best Welding Accessories for 2020

What criteria define the best welding accessories? The experienced welder knows. For the novice -- particularly the DIY type -- selecting the correct supplemental materials could be challenging. What makes the task more daunting is the abundance of welding accessories for sale. There is a multitude of choices and each seller advertises its wares as must-haves. We'll outline the best welding accessories that every welder should have in 2020 then discuss several factors to help in determining what should be included on the welder's accessory list.

Welding Accessories: Safety Apparel & Consumables

The mechanics of the actual work dictate that welding supplies consist of non-consumable and consumable items. Some consumable welding accessories and their uses include earplugs to stifle operational noise while dust masks and respirators combat harmful airborne metal particulates and toxic fumes. The skin, nose, throat, and lungs are highly susceptible to the smoke that welding procedures commonly generate.

1. Safety apparel is important and necessary for all welding jobs
2. Gloves are necessary for all welding jobs. The welding-type and estimated project length should determine the appropriate thickness.
3. Fire-resistant aprons or jackets offer protection against sparks and burns.
4. Automatic darkening helmets, preferably equipped with side shields, to defend against radiation exposure. These helmets are a good example of innovative welding accessories technologies. They offer protection from necessarily bright processes and intensely hot materials. Precious time is also saved if the operator doesn't have to keep manually adjusting lenses.
5. Safety glasses in short jobs will also protect the eyes from cutting and grinding debris.
6. Hoods and balaclavas help thwart potential neck and head burns due to wayward sparks.
7. Other important wearables include earmuffs and industrial-class leather boots with rubber outsoles. Rubber will repel deadly electricity.
8. Chipping Hammers to Remove Slag and Splatter
9. Wire Brushes for Cleaning
10. Angle Grinders for Grinding Metal, Sanding or Polishing
11. Wire Spools in Assorted Sizes for MIG Welding
12. Electrodes for Resistance Spot Welding
13. Nozzles for MIG Welding

How to Choose the Right Welding Accessories

Once upon a time, an old shopkeeper said that his success or failure rested in part on the quality of his helpers. The wisdom in the shopkeeper's statement is obvious. Regardless of the function or size of any enterprise, a favorable result largely rests upon the operation's auxiliary support. This holds true for the welding field, also. Hand in hand with welding supplies go the best welding accessories.

Whether a project is industrial, personal, or artisanal, valid welding success would be difficult to achieve without using complementary tools especially suited to the discipline. 

First, consideration of the type of welding project will automatically start the supplemental ball rolling. For instance, shielded metal arc welding may require some tools that metal inert gas or tungsten inert gas processes may not. Secondly, budgetary constraints will dictate which materials should fall into the essential column versus the wouldn't-it-be-cool-to-have row.

Underlying the first two points is the awareness that potential health hazards are intrinsic in the welding world. The field consistently beckons to injury, or worse, for the careless practitioner. Ultimately, safety has to underscore every welding activity. Thus, we begin our list with protective welding accessories and their uses. Remember, prevention is better than the need to cure.

There has been -- and continues to be -- much advancement in the welding accessories technologies, producing an ever-growing accessory supply. Robotic cutting automation, power supplies, and wire feeders are among the exciting improvements. Additionally, there are monitoring instruments available that are designed to sense deviations in weld quality and power supply output. Improvements continue to make the welder's life easier.