13 best welding electrodes

Arc welding is a fascinating spectacle, albeit unsafe for the eyes. With the help of this technology, steel elements have long been connected to a single reliable structure. One of the main roles in this process is the electrode. This consumable allows you to weld a layer of metal that firmly joins the edges of different parts. Today in the domestic market there are electrodes of different thickness, they differ in coating and price. To choose the electrode with the optimal parameters, you should heed the advice of experts.

How to choose welding electrodes

1. Diameter. When choosing the diameter of the electrode product, it is necessary to repel the thickness of the elements to be joined and the capabilities of the welding machine. The three (3 mm) is considered the most popular and universal.
2. Coating. Coating has several purposes. The rod is first protected against corrosion. But more important is the formation of a protective atmosphere in the welding zone, which prevents the formation of slag.
3. Electrodes behave differently when welding dirty or rusty surfaces. Not all welders pay due attention to the cleanness of the mating edges. Therefore, they will prefer unpretentious consumables, even if the price they have a little higher.
4. Brand of electrodes. The bulk of the electrode products are well welded low carbon and low alloy steel. But to work with stainless steel or alloyed varieties should be preferred to specialized consumables.
5. Storage. Different types of coatings are able to absorb moisture in certain quantities. It adversely affects the quality of the seam, problems appear with arc ignition, some electrodes become completely unsuitable for welding. Therefore, it is better to find a place for a pack of electrodes in a heated dry room.
6. Manufacturer. More recently, domestic welders spoke with admiration about imported electrode products, which were a cut above domestic counterparts. Today there is a tendency to improve the quality of Russian electrodes, they are not inferior to foreign competitors.

Our review included 13 of the best welding electrodes. In compiling the rating, expert opinions and feedback from Russian welders were taken into account.

Rating of the best welding electrodes

Nomination	a place	Name of product	rating
Top welding electrodes with basic coating	1	ESAB SSSI 13/55	4.9
	2	Ganza Pioneer ANO-46	4.8
	3	QUATTRO ELEMENTI 771-374	4.7
	4	OZL-8 (LEZ)	4.7
	5	Kobelco LB-52U	4.6
Top rutile-coated welding electrodes	1	Quattro Elementi 772-166	4.9
	2	ESAB OK 46.30	4.8
	3	Lincoln Electric Omnia 46	4.7
	4	"Resanta" MR-3S	4.6
	5	ELITECH MR-3C	4.5
Top Cellulose Welding Electrodes	1	ESAB Pipeweld 7010 Plus	4.9
	2	SpetsElektrod MR-3S	4.8
The best acid welding electrodes	1	ESAB OK 67.71	4.8

Top welding electrodes with basic coating

Welding electrodes with the main coating are widely used in joining steel billets. They are easy to use, affordable and provide a reliable seam. Experts have chosen some good consumables.

ESAB SSSI 13/55

Rating: 4.9

Acceptable price and good quality of the weld are the main reasons for the popularity of the Swedish ESAB electrodes SSSI 13/55 among domestic welders. With their help, it is possible to reliably connect parts from low-alloyed and carbon steels. By some parameters (yield strength 420 MPa), the material exceeds the characteristics of more expensive competitors. In this case, the relative elongation of the seam reaches 22%. The disadvantages of this characteristic can be attributed only in the case when you want to ensure the extensibility of the connection.

Experts believe that the absence of fakes on the Russian market is an important advantage of welding electrodes of ESAB UONI 13/55. Unscrupulous dealers simply can not offer a better price than the manufacturer. Electrodes become the winner of our rating.

Ganza Pioneer ANO-46

Rating: 4.8

Good work is demonstrated by welding electrodes Ganza Pioneer ANO-46. With their help, professionals make high-quality and uniform seam with a decent appearance. The welders are especially pleased with the easy initial state of the arc, and later the combustion is stable and soft. Electrodes do not require special skills, so beginners can work with them. Welding can begin without any special edge preparation or rust stripping.

In the reviews, many welders say the affordable price of Ukrainian material, unpretentious work. The only limitation is the combination of parts from low carbon steel (up to 0.25% carbon). Molten metal fills well wide gaps, forming a reliable seam. The material is worthy of the second line of our rating.

QUATTRO ELEMENTI 771-374

Rating: 4.7

The premium class electrodes QUATTRO ELEMENTI 771-374 got to the honorable third place of the rating. They are designed for welding with stainless steel grades. Welding can be carried out in different planes, but it is not recommended to lower the electrode vertically from top to bottom. The arc flares up well when using alternating current, and constant with reverse polarity. Experts appreciate the material for a smooth and high-quality seam, so they prefer Italian products, despite the high price. It is somewhat inferior to QUATTRO ELEMENTI 771-374 to the winner in yield strength (400 MPa), but the relative elongation reaches 41%.

According to users, the Italian electrodes are the best in their category, only the high price did not allow them to rise higher in the rating.

OZL-8 (LEZ)

Rating: 4.7

For welding stainless steels with a high content of nickel and chromium, special electrodes are required. Domestic elements OZL-8 (LEZ) meet all the technological requirements. They showed themselves perfectly when welding high-loaded units, even when operating under alternating loads. After the seam has cooled down, a small amount of slag is formed on the surface, which is easily removed mechanically. Electrodes occupy only the fourth place in the rating due to deterioration of technical parameters during humidification.

Experienced welders have identified a specific limitation in the work. Electrodes can be used only in those devices that generate a constant type of current with reversed polarity.

Kobelco LB-52U

Rating: 4.6

Japanese Kobelco LB-52U electrodes are designed to work with low carbon steel. Experts admire the possibility of high-quality one-sided welding.First of all, the electrodes help out when installing steel pipelines. The quality of the seam is excellent, especially if the work is performed by a qualified master. In the process of conducting the electrode there is no splashing of the molten metal. As a result, excellent weld resistance to cracking, deep penetration into steel, high strength (588 N / sq. Mm). To ensure all the best properties of the electrode, calcination is required for 0.5-1 hours at a temperature of 300-350 ° C.

Japanese products closes the top five of the rating due to the high price and the tendency to rapid dampening.

Top rutile-coated welding electrodes

In recent years, rutile electrodes have become very popular. They are loved by welders for fast ignition, resistance to moisture, the ability to work on direct and alternating current. Here are some quality models.

Quattro Elementi 772-166

Rating: 4.9

In the field of metalworking, quattro Elementi 772-166 rutile electrodes are in steady demand. They are designed to perform welding work with low carbon and low alloy steels. The excellent quality of the seam is achieved due to the unique chemical composition, even the edges with dirt and corrosion are connected without pores and cavities. Experts identify outstanding mechanical characteristics of the electrode products. The yield strength reaches 290 MPa, the toughness index is 110 J / sq. See. Powerful and stable arc simplifies the work of the welder.

The disadvantages of Italian electrodes, users attribute the high cost. To weld 1 kg of metal, it takes up to 1.7 kg of rutile material.

ESAB OK 46.30

Rating: 4.8

For welding critical parts, pipes and steel up to 3 cm thick, professional welders use Swedish ESAB OK 46.30 electrodes. At first glance, the high price should be an obstacle to purchase, but ease of operation and excellent quality of the seam adds popularity to the material. You can weld metal in different planes, even moving vertically from top to bottom. With the correct setting of the current regimes, the seam is smooth, without bulges and defects.

When calculating the cost, it is important to rely not only on the price of rutile electrodes, but also on the expense. Swedish products demonstrate cost-effectiveness in this regard, while surfacing 1 kg of metal consumes up to 1.3 kg of material. Therefore, users in reviews mostly praise the electrodes, the only disadvantage is the rapid dampness.

Lincoln Electric Omnia 46

Rating: 4.7

A wealth of experience in the development of welding electrodes has an American company Lincoln Electric. Therefore, the products of this manufacturer occupies a leading position in the ratings. The Omnia 46 model has a rutile-cellulose coating, due to which a number of advantages appear. Electrodes easily ignite even on devices that do not have the option to facilitate ignition. This allows novice welders to control the arc. During operation, a large number of sparks do not form, which favorably affects both convenience and safety. Pleases welders and unpretentiousness of electrodes, at connection of rusty or dirty preparations slag easily separates.

Experts note the high strength of the seam and the availability of the material. Only to heat the electrodes is necessary before work due to dampness.

"Resanta" MR-3S

Rating: 4.6

Affordable price conquers Russian consumers Latvian company Resanta.Rutile-coated electrodes MR-3C are popular with domestic welders not only because of their low price. Expendable material demonstrates high performance properties that are not inferior to the leaders of the rating. For example, the resistance of a seam to a gap reaches 450 MPa subject to the welding technology. The advantage of the material will be the absence of pores and the easy separation of slag. However, there are Baltic products and weaknesses that did not allow her to get into the prize three.

First of all, the seam has an elongation of only 18%. Electrodes work much worse when wetted. The product must be calcined for 1 hour at a temperature of 150-170 ° C.

ELITECH MR-3C

Rating: 4.5

Closes the top five best rutile electrodes domestic development ELITECH MR-3C. The purpose of the electrodes is to weld steel blanks with a thickness of up to 2 cm. It is best to work with low-alloy and carbon steel grades. The resulting seam is characterized by smoothness and high resistance to rupture (440 MPa). It is allowed to weld metal in any plane using both alternating and direct current. The experts liked the minimum spattering of the molten metal, the minimum loss of consumables for waste.

Domestic consumers are positive about the availability of electrodes and the reliability of the seam. Of the minuses should be attributed fastidiousness to storage conditions. High humidity and low temperature lead to deterioration of the rutile coating.

Top Cellulose Welding Electrodes

To improve work with manual arc welders, manufacturers apply cellulose coating on electrodes. It effectively protects the seam from oxidation. The following consumables are widely used.

ESAB Pipeweld 7010 Plus

Rating: 4.9

The ESAB Pipeweld 7010 Plus Electrodes provide cellulose coating with reliable protection against oxidation of the weld. The main scope of this material - manual arc welding of pipes. A strong combination of low alloyed and carbon steels is also provided. Experts believe the optimal combination of relative elongation (28%) and resistance to tearing (450 MPa). The seam is smooth and smooth, with proper preparation of the surface of the parts does not form pores and cavities. After cooling the weld metal with the slag will not have to fight.

Professional welders are satisfied with the quality of the seam, only to achieve a perfect joint it is necessary to remove dirt, moisture and rust from the edges of the parts to be joined. Electrodes win in our ranking.

SpetsElektrod MR-3S

Rating: 4.8

Russian electrodes with cellulose coating SpetsElektrod MP-3C have several advantages. First of all, an affordable price attracts potential buyers. Experts pay attention to the possibility of fusing on an unprepared surface. The seam is even, even if there is moisture on the steel, some dirt and a slight corrosion attack. With the help of electrodes it is possible to perform welding work in different spatial positions, using direct or alternating current.

The technical parameters of the seam look somewhat more modest compared to the winner. Thus, the relative elongation is 25%, the yield strength reaches 390 MPa.

Domestic welders are satisfied with the availability of electrodes, their unpretentiousness in work.

The best acid welding electrodes

There are many advantages of acid coated electrodes.They have several universal qualities, for example, work in direct and alternating current, surfacing in any spatial positions. In the welding seam, practically no pores are formed, even under forced welding conditions. The head of the category is the Swedish representative.

ESAB OK 67.71

Rating: 4.8

Wide opportunities provide the welder in work with electrodes ESAB OK 67.71. Sour-rutile coating improves performance, allows joining dissimilar steels, providing the necessary joint strength. Excellent Swedish Swedish consumables when welding stainless and low-carbon steels with each other. And even alloying additives (cobalt, nickel, molybdenum, tungsten) do not become a hindrance for a smooth and durable joint. Professionals recommend to strictly observe the welding current conditions (current 34 A, voltage 80-130 V).

The model becomes the winner of the rating for economical consumption. To weld 1 kg of metal takes about 1.22 kg of electrodes. Due to this, it is possible to level the high price of the material.

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Attention! This rating is subjective, is not advertising and does not serve as a guide to the purchase. Before buying, you should consult with a specialist.