Best Auto Darkening Welding Helmets Today [2021]

Best Premium - 3M Speedglas 9100

Key Specifications

• 1/1/1/1 Optical Clarity
• 3 Arc Sensors
• Shade Range #3, #5, #8 to #13
• Quick Welding-Grinding Selection

The 3M Speedglas 9100 is another auto-darkening welding helmet that offers perfect optical clarity at all times. Without distortion and light diffusion, your vision will remain as crystal-clear as possible as soon as the arc starts up.

Built into the Speedglas 9100 are three premium-grade arc sensors that automatically detect the presence of super-bright arcs before changing the lens’ shading to your exact specifications.

This helmet offers a wide shade range, starting from #5 and ranging between #8 to #13. The #3 shade is default for when the auto-darkening system is deactivated.

Similar to the previous model, the Speedglas 9100 features an external button that lets you switch between grinding and auto-darkening welding mode without taking the helmet off.

This demo video of the Speedglas 9100 shows how easy it is to use:

As another popular manufacturer of welding helmets, 3M has perfected the Speedglas 9100 to become the best option for heavy-duty MIG, TIG, and stick welders.

Best Budget - DECKPRO Solar Powered Welding Helmet

Key Specifications

• 1/2/1/2 Optical Clarity
• 4 Arc Sensors
• Shade Range #4, #9 to #13
• Manual Adjustment

As you can see from the DECKPRO Solar Powered Welding Helmet’s key specifications, this helmet significantly differs from the two previous auto-darkening welding helmet models in terms of clarity.

With a DIN rating of 1/2/1/2, the WELDPRO has slight light diffusion and blurring when the arc has started.

That said, it’s very difficult to pinpoint where these differences are when viewing from inside this and a perfect 1/1/1/1 welding helmet, but it certainly is noticeable.

This helmet also comes with 4 arc sensors that are constantly on the search for a welding arc to darken the lens in under 1/25000 of a second.

There’s very little to dislike about the DECKPRO, and for what it costs, you certainly get all of the adjustability and performance you’d want in an auto-darkening welding mask.

YESWELDER LYG-M800H

Key Specifications

• 1/1/1/2 Optical Clarity
• 4 Arc Sensors
• Shade Range #4 to #13
• Pivot Style Headgear

The YESWELDER LYG-M800H is another budget-friendly welding helmet that comes with all of the frills of a high-quality auto-darkening welding helmet.

It has near-perfect 1/1/1/2 optical class ratings and four built-in arc sensors that darken the lens to your selected shade settings in just 1/10000 of a second.

Inside of this welding helmet is pivot-style headgear that offers maximum adjustability to suit the contour of your skull for the most comfortable fit.

The mask also lets you turn your head while working to get the best viewing angle.

See what the LYG-M800H is all about in this video:

If you MIG weld frequently, the YESWELDER LYG-M800H is the perfect, lightweight auto-darkening helmet with excellent variable controls.

DECKPRO DNS-800S Super Viewing

Key Specifications

• 1/1/1/2 Optical Clarity
• 4 Arc Sensors
• Shade Range #4, #9 to #13
• Battery-Solar Powered

The DECKPRO DNS-800S doesn’t differ much compared to our best budget pick. It’s from the same brand, so this is hardly questionable, though as a costlier option, it does offer quite a few extra features.

For instance, the DNS-800S has superior viewing angles thanks to its elongated lens.

It has a slightly shading reaction time, although in practice, the difference is hardly noticeable. The DNS-800S comes with the same variable shade range that blocks arcs from all sorts of welding.

The inside of the DNS-800S has a rounded design that offers a comfortably tight grip for less movement when pivoting.

The DNS-800S is one of the best auto-darkening welding helmets for pros and beginners alike if your aim isn’t maximum welding and grinding productivity.

Antra AH6-260-0000

Key Specifications

• 1/1/1/2 Optical Clarity
• 4 Arc Sensors
• Shade Range #4 to #13
• Cheater Lens Compatible

In looks, the Antra AH6-260-000 doesn’t appear to be very special. It has a matte black finish and simple dials on the outside, but what’s inside matters the most.

This Antra welding helmet has an optical clarity rating of 1/1/1/2, which is nearly perfect except for minor angle distortion.

With four arc sensors built around the helmet, users can rest assured that arcs from any angle will be caught immediately, and the lens will automatically drop in shading to block your eyes from harmful UV rays.

The AH6-260-0000 is compatible with cheater lenses that fit inside of the helmet for added protection and better vision.

The Antra AH6-260-0000 is one of our most favorite auto-darkening welding helmets for beginners, though you may want to consider upgrading after a couple years of use.

ESAB Sentinel A50

Key Specifications

• 1/1/1/2 Optical Clarity
• 4 Arc Sensors
• Shade range #5 to #13
• Color Touch Screen with Memory

The ESAB Sentinel A50 is arguably one of the most fascinating and unique auto-darkening welding helmets you can find on the market.

It offers the same clarity rating as many of the models on this list, and its shade range is similar to the Lincoln VIKING 3350 series.

However, what sets the Sentinel A50 apart from many of the products on and off this list is a color touch screen.

Though color isn’t entirely necessary, it does make for better user experience when shifting between different settings.

Another neat feature is memory storage, which lets you save up to eight different shade and delay settings for different welding and plasma cutting projects.

Check out the Sentinel A50’s promotion video to see what it offers:

This fancy little auto-darkening welding helmet is a true piece of art that comes with more features than the next model.

TEKWARE XX-107

Key Specifications

• 1/1/1/1 Optical Clarity
• 2 Sensors
• Shade Range #9 to #13
• Battery and Solar Powered

The TEKWARE XX-107 is a super-clear welding helmet with a perfect 1/1/1/1 optical rating. It only comes with two sensors, but they work at high speeds to pick up arcs and darken the lens in under 1/25000 of a second.

This welding helmet comes with both solar panels and a backup battery source.

If you take out the battery, the auto-darkening feature will still work beautifully with super-quick response times just from harnessing the power of the sun.

It’s a budget-friendly model that has a limited lifespan by customer accounts. It’s a great starter welding helmet, but pros might want something with a lot more oomph.

The TEKWARE XX-107’s features are on par with some of the best auto-darkening welding helmets on the market. For its price, you can expect to get several loyal years of use before needing to upgrade.

Instapark GX-500

Key Specifications

• 1/2/1/3 Optical Clarity
• 2 Arc Sensors
• Shade Range #9 to #13
• Analog Dial Controls

The Instaspark GX-500, though a fantastic piece of safety headgear for TIG, MIG, and stick welding, has one glaring flaw: it’s less than ideal optical clarity.

Its viewing angles suffer the most, mainly due to its narrower lens but it performs well in every other area.

The GX-500 comes with only two arc sensors that, upon detecting the presence of a super-bright arc, will darken the lens to your exact preference (between #9 and #13).

Though limited in shading options, it works perfectly for welding and plasma cutting projects.

The variable controls can be found inside of the helmet, so you’ll need to remove the helmet when switching between different settings. It runs on either batteries or solar power, so you can use this helmet regardless of the weather.

The GX-500 a lot more than what you’d expect from a budget-friendly model. Just consider upgrading in the future to a more durable welding helmet.

Tanox ADF-206S

Key Specifications

• 1/1/1/2 Optical Clarity
• 4 Arc Sensors
• Shade Range #4, #9 to #13
• Welding Gloves Included

Last up is the Tanox ADF-206S. Although this is the final product on our list, it outshines many of its competitors with its near-perfect clarity, high number of arc sensors, and its shading range and response time.

The sensors are ultra-sensitive and can detect low-amp TIG arcs (as low as 5A) and activate the shading function in less than 1/25000 of a second.

The helmet wraps comfortably around the head while also offering plenty of ventilation.

This helmet offers complete safety against UV and IR radiation, allowing you to weld for longer without causing irreversible damage to your eyesight.

Tanox even throws in a pair of $20 welding gloves that fit comfortably on the hands and offers great heat resistance for MIG welding.

The Tanox ADF-206S is an excellent value pack that includes a high-quality, quick-response welding helmet with automatic shading and a pair of heat-resistant Kevlar gloves for welding, grinding, and cutting.