Miller, Deca, Lincoln, Hobart are all good . However the Hobart inverters are kinda big. Your not gonna carry it with a shoulder strap.Pay more but you will have a welder worth having ,If you buy a cheap one you'll never learn to weld well. As for the welding use . find yourself some good instructional videos or find someone who knows how to weld well and ask for instruction . Practice a lot . Learn what a good weld should look like.You tube is a great place for instructional videos . But most importantly practice practice practice. When you can make it sound like bacon frying on the grill your on your way. Hope this helps