Forked out $400 for a Miller hood and it already paid for itself

I finally got tired of my old cheap hood flickering out on me during a big tube job at the refinery down in Baton Rouge last month. So I dropped $400 on a Miller Digital Elite with the big lens and auto-darkening that actually works. Best money I ever spent on gear to be honest. That thing saved my eyes from a bad flash when a helper swung his stinger too close without warning. No more squinting or guessing at puddle control in tight spots either. But I also bought a $60 stubby welding lens from some online deal and it fogged up on me within a week, total junk. Anyone else had luck with a mid-range hood or should I just stick with the big names?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_viola9d ago

That helper nearly cost you way more than $400 though, didn't he?

emma_dixon709d ago

I used to think the same way honestly, I figured a helper was just extra cost with no real payoff. But then last summer I hired a guy for a weekend to help clear out my garage and reorganize the workshop area. He ended up catching a whole mess of wiring that was done wrong by the previous owner, stuff I never would have spotted on my own. That one find saved me from what the electrician later told me could have been a fire hazard down the road. So yeah, in my experience that $400 was a bargain compared to the alternative.