Hobart Stickmate 160i Review – How Good Is It? – welding master

One of the more affordable welders you can get from Hobart, the Stickmate 160i is a lightweight and durable stick welder with a dual input power option.

Some of its competitors cost less. But that's because Hobart makes solid machines that are built to last, and they come with a strong warranty.

The Stickmate 160i is designed for DIY enthusiasts and welding professionals who need a basic 120 or 240 volt portable stick welder.

However, it's not without its drawbacks. So we've put together this review for your use. Find out if this welder fits your needs.

Hobart Stickmate 160i (500570) Overview

The Stickmate 160i is a simple machine, but it does come with everything you need to weld right out of the box.

This stick welder is powerful enough to weld 3/8ths of mild steel, handles nearly all electrode types, and powerful enough for all but heavy-duty and industrial jobs.

What is included

• 10 ft (3 m) electrode cable with heavy duty stand
• 10 ft (3 m) work cable with work clamp
• 6.5 ft (2 m) power cord with multi-voltage plug (MVP) adapter for 120 V and 240 V
• User Manual and Setup Instructions

As you can tell, aside from the machine itself, the list of box contents is pretty small. But this is normal for stick welders. Unlike MIG or similar processes, stick welders require few parts or accessories to weld.

technical specifications

Welder type	stamp
Input voltage	Dual voltage 120V/240V
output current type	direct current
technology	inverter
duty cycle	120V: 65A at 20%, 34A at 100% 240V: 160A at 30%, 88A at 100%
current output	120 volts: 20 – 80 amps 240 volts: 20 – 160 amps
Weldable material	mild steel
clamping length	10 feet (3 meters)
Ground wire length	10 feet (3 meters)
Mild Steel Thickness (Single Pass)	120V: Up to 1/8 in. 240V: Up to 3/8 in.
Welder Dimensions (H x W x L)	10.5 x 7.125 x 13.375 inches
weight	15 lbs
Warranty	Hobart Industries 5/3/1
Welding Master Rating	★★★★☆
price	Amazon latest price

Where to Buy Hobart Stickmate 160i

• amazon
• northern tools

What happened to the Stickmate 210i?

Stickmate 210i has been discontinued at the end of 2019. It is no longer for sale. You may find it used on the used market, but the remaining batch of new units are sold out in stores.

Miller owns Hobart, and since Miller's Thunderbolt 210 competes with the Stickmate 210i, Hobart's welder may have been discontinued to eliminate product overlap and confusion.

They are the same, but the Miller model costs a bit more. It just comes with a different brand name and paint job.

But don't get too upset about it. The Hobart Stickmate 210i has a few flaws that make the Stickmate 160i a better choice. That is, it does not support dual voltage input while only providing output power above 50A.

What you should know before buying Stickmate 160i

While this is an almost perfect mobile stick welder, it does have some flaws.

low duty cycle

I don't understand why the Stickmate 160i doesn't have a better duty cycle. This high-quality welder can easily be used for serious welding jobs; it's not limited to DIY or hobbyist applications.

This is especially true when using a 120V input. Being able to solder for 2 out of 10 minutes at 65A is not good enough.

In general, stick welding is slower, and when running 80A output and 120V input, you may have to pause during long welds to put in new electrodes.

On 240 volts, it's not much better unless you're using a welding output below 120 amps. Only then will you be able to solder without too many cooling interruptions.

6010 Electrode Controversy

Don't take this as a knock on Hobart. The 6010 welding rod is notorious for causing difficulties for all stick welders.

The Stickmate 160i can run them, but the arc tends to cut off, especially when welding joints with root openings.

So, if you have to weld gap joints with 6010 electrodes on a regular basis, maybe you should consider switching to a different welder.

No accurate current output display

I'm glad they designed the Stickmate 160i with infinite current control. I just wish they had something more accurate than the knob scale on the front panel.

The infinite adjustment knob has two printed outer rings. One for 120V and the other for 240V. They are dotted with 10A increments. This means you have to guess at the exact amp setting between the two specified numbers.

While many people find this annoying, I think it's a bigger problem. Why didn't they install a basic LED display? Hobart could have used an amperage output display like the one on the Everlast PowerArc 200STI model for about the same cost as the Stickmate 160i.

just stick to

While this is the standard stick welder, almost every other brand offers a stick and basic TIG combo. This is because the DC inverters used by these machines are also perfectly capable of handling basic TIG operations.

This might add to the price, but if you're interested in doing occasional TIG welding with your stick welder, the 160i doesn't natively support it.

A review of the most important things that make the Stickmate 160i great

Every welder on the market has some issues, but the Stickmate 160i has more pros than cons.

Hobart makes a solid unit of great value, even with the aforementioned flaws. So, let's take a look at where it shines the most.

Arc Quality and Support Electrodes

The Stickmate 160i has a beautiful, stable arc that lets you burn the stick like butter.

Even better is how easy it is to hit the arc. Thanks to its hot start technology, the welder outputs peak current the moment you scratch the metal with the electrode. This results in an easy arc start so you can look and feel like a pro.

This welder supports almost all the electrodes you usually use, such as 6010, 6011, 6013, 7018, 7024, 308L, Ni-Cl, etc. You will rarely encounter a cold weld with any of these.

easy to use

While I complain above about the lack of amp LEDs, some welders like that.

This is one of those vintage units. Plug it in, place the electrode on the stand, connect the ground clip, set up your amp, and solder.

As such, this is probably one of the easiest welders on the market. While stick welders are generally easy to use, the 160i has a simple and intuitive front panel that leaves no room for guesswork.

Portability and Versatility

I'm talking about 15 lbs here. and dual input voltages.

But Hobart's MVP makes switching between 120 and 240V quick and straightforward. No tools are required. You can quickly assemble a suitable plug using the included L6-30R twist-lock connector.

The built-in adjustable shoulder strap is also a nice touch, especially since it's so strong it seems to outlast the welder and might even be handed down to his children.

quality

If you're looking for a welder that can handle tough conditions, the 160i might be the right choice.

You get premium build with durable plastic back and front, solid metal housing, premium knobs and excellent electrode holders.

This is more important than most people think. Especially if you plan to do some heavy lifting. Sparks, molten metal flakes and slag can land on your electrode holders, leads, and sometimes your front panel.

Poor quality parts will suffer in the long run and you will have to replace them more often.

Hobart Stickmate 160i vs Miller Thunderbolt 160

Miller's Thunderbolt 160 is basically a blue version of the Hobart Stickmate 160i. The only difference is that the Miller has a cable pocket and slightly different plug ends. That's it.

Oh, and an extra $100-150 depending on where you buy it. That's the price of being blue!

Miller's version is also made in China and the leads are the same 10ft. If it has at least 15 feet of lead, you might consider it as an alternative.

Otherwise, unless you like blue or Hobart isn't available, there's no reason to pick a Miller.

To give you a better comparison here, the table below compares the two. I've also included Miller's Thunderbolt 210, just in case you need more welding power and aren't sure which to choose.

in conclusion

Finally, I want to confirm my position. Hobart has done a fantastic job designing and building the Stickmate 160i. I just wish it had some extra features like a basic LED display. Boosting a TIG, or even a TIG from scratch is also good.

That being said, a straightforward approach may keep the cost down, allowing you to get this highly portable stick welder for an affordable price.

The Stickmate 160i is more than enough for most people. But heavy users should consider something with more power and functionality.

I hope this information helps you find the right welder for your needs. If this article is helpful to you, please share it with your friends. Maybe they are considering new welders too.

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