Millermatic 211

[blake101]

What is your opinion of the Millermatic 211, for the ones who have used one or who have one. The Good, the Bad, the Ugly.

 

[racestatus]

I have the millermatic 212? I think and its been a great machine for the past 3 years. I don't use it regularly but I use it monthly. ive never really had a problem with it except the shaft the spool sits on got loose when I put a big spool on it and had to take the whole thing apart to fix and it just hasn't been right since but it works fine and that was like 2 years ago.

 

[BukitCase]

I had one of the older mm211's - liked it as far as it went, but I typically tend to ask more of my stuff than I'm willing to PAY for

Shortcomings were not made to push a 15' gun, Miller would void the warranty if they found out you used one and took out the drive mechanism - even the spool gun only had a 12' reach. I never used the 120 volt, only 240 volt - pretty heavy for a "portable", 'bout 90 pounds. Welded fine, but auto set was kind of limited - not many choices of wire size, etc - plus you had to take the mig gun off to use the spool gun.

Started looking at the mm212, better wire drive, longer gun, auto switch between gun and spool gun without having to remove one, etc - fortunately before I paid full price for a 212 I found a SUPER deal on CL - 4 yr old mm252 with dual running gear, un-used 30A spool gun and about 4# of wire run thru it in the 4 years the guy had owned it - got the welder, NEW spool gun, 30# of wire, 2 tanks (one full argon) for right at HALF what that setup costs new WITHOUT tanks.

I checked out the newer version of the MM211 (never could figure out why Miller DID that; I'd have AT LEAST added a "B" after the number

They've replaced the wimpy drive, 15' gun no problem - added more options to Autoset (if you care) it weighs less than HALF what the old one does and is smaller - still does NOT have the "auto-switch" torch like mm212 and above -
Bottom line for ME is I might still have the NEW version if it'd been out when I bought mine, but it's gonna be a ***** tryin' to pry my cold dead fingers off that MM252

YMMV; if you're not as much of a greedy ******* as me (I want it all), and don't "take on the world" with every project, the newer mm211 should do everything you need it to... Steve

 

[Bellaireroad]

The Good....it’s a great machine for most all shop jobs

The Bad...it won’t keep your beer cold

The ugly... it’s baby blue.. but some folks like that


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[rattle_snake]

Good:
light, small
Autoset works very nice even for a control freak.

Bad:
Power switch is on the back
$pendy

 

[scubadoober]

A good light machine that basically puts out the same current as a 212 with less duty cycle. Autoset actually works....like really works. The new ones are inverters, some may see this as a plus or a minus. Perfect small shop welder, and can punch way above it weight.

 

[BLJ]

Love mine. 15' gun from day one. It was about 2 weeks old and put 15# through it doing multipass welds on 1/2" t-joints in about 5 hours. Never a problem. Gun didn't even get warm. Real solid machine.

 

[pinesdune]

Nice little welder, had it 2 years, works well under most conditions, did some welding on my stairs with 110v 20 amp breaker/circuit and blew the breaker after a heavy 8” weld but worked well given a breather here n there. Does everything I need it too in a farm shop setting, welds as good as my old Miller dial-an-arc stick or better

 

[crf450x]

I've had mine for a couple years and I absolutely love it. No complaints at all.

 

[rsanter]

Best welder I have ever had

 

[L.Cheapo]

I bought the new inverter style 211 when they came out. I'm a novice and had never really welded before. Between the "Metals and How to Weld Them" book, Jody from WeldingTipsAndTricks.com, and the 211, my very first weld looked like someone who knew what they were doing laid that bead. I've only gotten better since. I give the machine most of the credit. The AutoSet feature is great, and it actually does work. I've never even looked at a parameters chart. Don't need to. Its done everything I've asked of it on 110v. I don't currently have 220 power.

Zero complaints, very glad I bought it, and if it were stolen tomorrow, I'd buy another immediately.

 

[Lassen Forge]

Mine does everything I ask it to... if I need more, I'll go to my Tombstone, but for what it is, it's a fine machine. Just know its limits and respect them. Having a 110/220 option is a huge plus, and if you put a quik-connect on the shield gas, you're set to go with whatever small job you need to do. Just remember it's not a 1"+ one pass machine, but for what she is, it's hard to go wrong...

 

[ovrrdrive]

Can't go wrong with Miller... I have a MM180 and it's been great. The 212 should be just more of the same but only better.

 

[Stooge]

I've had the older, non compact one, for probably 5 or 6 yrs now. it gets used pretty regularly and fits all of my needs, which are mostly car related, from sheet metal to suspension/ frame work. I haven't used the auto set too much, but have been happy when it has been used, but i like to dial it in on the thinner/ older stuff. the multivoltage plug was a deal maker to me, as i wanted to be pretty mobile and sometimes you have jobs outside of the garage and being able to plug into either depending where i was important enough to me. i think the only thing I've had to replace over the years was a new liner for the gun, other than that, its all the original pieces, and its never given me any problems.

i haven't really kept up with too many of the new offerings from the big manufacturers, but if i suddenly didn't have it tomorrow, i would have no hesitation to buying another one.

 

[ilovevocs]

I had one of the older mm211's - liked it as far as it went, but I typically tend to ask more of my stuff than I'm willing to PAY for

Shortcomings were not made to push a 15' gun, Miller would void the warranty if they found out you used one and took out the drive mechanism - even the spool gun only had a 12' reach. I never used the 120 volt, only 240 volt - pretty heavy for a "portable", 'bout 90 pounds. Welded fine, but auto set was kind of limited - not many choices of wire size, etc - plus you had to take the mig gun off to use the spool gun.

Started looking at the mm212, better wire drive, longer gun, auto switch between gun and spool gun without having to remove one, etc - fortunately before I paid full price for a 212 I found a SUPER deal on CL - 4 yr old mm252 with dual running gear, un-used 30A spool gun and about 4# of wire run thru it in the 4 years the guy had owned it - got the welder, NEW spool gun, 30# of wire, 2 tanks (one full argon) for right at HALF what that setup costs new WITHOUT tanks.

I checked out the newer version of the MM211 (never could figure out why Miller DID that; I'd have AT LEAST added a "B" after the number

They've replaced the wimpy drive, 15' gun no problem - added more options to Autoset (if you care) it weighs less than HALF what the old one does and is smaller - still does NOT have the "auto-switch" torch like mm212 and above -
Bottom line for ME is I might still have the NEW version if it'd been out when I bought mine, but it's gonna be a ***** tryin' to pry my cold dead fingers off that MM252

YMMV; if you're not as much of a greedy ******* as me (I want it all), and don't "take on the world" with every project, the newer mm211 should do everything you need it to... Steve

I have to agree with this post. I would invest in a 252 and never look back.

 

[bobcatdan]

It's a great little machine, I'm very happy with mine. I have welded up to its rated 3/8" and had good results. Unless you need higher duty cycles, it is more then enough for most garages.

 

[Moose364]

There is nothing wrong with the Miller 211 and yes what has been said by Bukitcase is the short comings of the 211, but for a hobby welder it will get the job done. the Miller 252 is the cats meow when it come's to burning wire. but a a lot bigger price point, something to look at before you buy would be the Hobart 230 Iron man it's not a lot more than your 211 your looking at and it's made by Miller also. and will weld anything you come across, My problem with the portables like the 211 is the Gas bottle while you can grap the 211 and carry it anywhere that dang Bottle is a pain in the **** to move unless you have a cart and then you back to that handle on top of the 211 is useless. so to me the 212 at around $2000.00 or the 230 hobart at $1700.00 where the bottle mounts on the back is much better. but thats just Me. and this come's from me having 2 portables a Maxstar 150 and a Millermatic 140, I run flux wire in the 140 so moving it is not to bad, the Maxstar has Gas for tig welding so even though it runs on 120 volt or 230 it's still a pain moving the Gas Bottle with it. I have a Syncrowave 210 that the bottle mounts on back and moving it is no problem.

 

[Chicken]

I have he older version. I love it. Power button on the front would have been nice.