Welding rod is the general term used to describe the filler metals or electrodes used to join two pieces of metal in a welding process. There’re many different types of welding rods out there in the market – and this has made choosing the right welding rod for most welders one heck of a task.

Before making any purchases, you need to have an insight into the type of electrode you are buying.

You need to identify its pros and cons, as well as the type of application it is best suited for. Because choosing the right welding rod will have a positive impact on the strength and quality of your welds.

Below is a review of the best welding rods for inverter welder from which you can choose.

IN A HURRY? Here’s Our Top Picks…

Last update on 2023-11-13 / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Top Rated Welding Rods For Inverter Welder Reviews

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1# Blue Demon High Speed Carbon Steel Electrode

Last update on 2023-11-13 / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

First on the list is the Blue Demon High-Speed Carbon Steel Electrode. It’s a high speed, iron powder, heavy-coated carbon electrode with high deposition rates on horizontal and down-hand welding. It’s incredibly designed to prevent carbide precipitation when in use – making the welding process much easier than before.

This set of welding rods can be used for a wide range of applications including but not limited to ship building, truck fabrication, structural steels, storage tanks, and machine bases. With these welding electrodes, you can cut metals into two different parts and still enjoy a smooth ending texture.

These welding rods can get the job done for you in a professional way and gives the project that stunning look you always wished. The amazing part of this unit is its efficiency.

The wires come well-packaged in a strong plastic tube, which is packed in a strong cardboard box. Therefore, the welding rods are safe and well organized. It’s overall, a perfect one.

Another thing worth remembering is that this product is cheaper compared to other units with the same features. This is very important because you can get this great product at a reasonable price.

Things We Like:

• Excellent bead appearance
• Professional looking
• Suitable for different applications at cryogenic temperatures
• Well package
• Cheap
• Has enough rods in it

Things That Could Improve:

• It oxidizes sometimes

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2# E6011 Stick electrodes welding rod

Last update on 2023-11-12 / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Next on the list is the E6011 Stick electrode welding rod. It’s an all-purpose welding rod that can both be used on carbon steels and galvanized steel. The electrodes packed in this unit measures 1/8 inches and are well packaged in a black rectangular box.

The welding rods have a tensile strength of 60,000 PSI, and that makes them suitable for use on dirty, rusty or painted materials.

In addition, this unit is a set of high potassium coated electrodes that are compatible for use on alternating current as well as direct current. Hence, you can use them on AC or DCEP reverse polarity welding machine.

Just like other 6011 welding electrodes, the E6011 stick welding electrodes have enough power to cut deep through rusty/oily unclean materials, making them very popular among professional welders that works where direct current power is not available.

Things We Like:

• Low spattering
• High tensile strength
• Good quality product
• A very popular product
• Compatible with both AC and DC applications

Things That Could Improve:

• The slag produce is very difficult to remove

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3# Forney Welding Rod

Last update on 2023-11-13 / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

The Forney 30681 E7018-AC welding rod is one of the best set welding rods for inverter welder you can get in the market. These welding rods have high powder content, and they also come with a thick Flux.

They have a moderate penetration, producing a quiet and smooth arc with fewer spatters. This set of Forney welding rods are all-position electrodes, and they have a tensile strength of about 70,000 PSI.

They have an iron powder, low hydrogen coating, which makes them excellent for a wide range of applications. Their low hydrogen content is also what translates to smooth, strong welds. Therefore, they are ideal for structural welding, pressure pipes, nuclear power plants, and large bridges.

From another end, the Forney 30681 E7018 welding rods have their own cons. For example, they have zero tolerance to water and moisture. As such, they need a special storage system to ensure they serve you for a longer period of time.

Things We Like:

• All position welding
• Easy to use
• Excellent bead contour
• Wide range of applications
• Good performance with low open-circuit voltage power sources

Things That Could Improve:

• Zero tolerance for water and moisture

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4# LINCOLN ELECTRIC CO Welding Rod

Last update on 2023-11-12 / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Fourth on our list is the Lincoln electric E6016 welding rod. These electrodes are designed for welding onto any type of steel material. They are a set of 1/16 inches steel welding rods constructed to provide a stable arc at all times. They work excellently with low amperages – and also deliver exceptional beads appearance.

The fact that the welding rods are E6016 welding electrodes means they have high tensile strain. They can withstand up to 60,000 pounds of stress per square inch, and they are compatible with both alternating current and direct current.

The ability of these electrodes to handle these different current makes them very versatile and usable with any type of welding machine, including inverter welders. In addition, these welding rods penetrate moderately on thinner sheet metals. They are, however, strong enemies of water and moisture.

Things We Like:

• Operable with low amperages
• Excellent bead appearance
• Provides a stable arc
• High tensile strain

Things That Could Improve:

• They can easily get damaged by moisture and water

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5# Elecxlink Aluminum Welding Rods

Last update on 2023-11-13 / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

The next Product to spot a place in our list is the Elecxlink aluminum welding rods. This set of aluminum welding rods from Elecxlink is packed with many useful features such minimizing the facility of the parent material distortion, full and smooth welding effects.

When using these electrodes, you don’t need to use other Flux powder as they produce no fumes of Flux that will cause any problem during welding. These rods have high resistance to corrosion and can work at low working temperatures of 740°F.

These welding rods are designed with full and smooth welding effects; because they come with internal powder, you get to enjoy great weldability and corrosion resistance, high electric conductivity, high thermal conductivity, and excellent processing performance.

Things We Like:

• Corrosion resistance
• An overall excellent product
• Great weldability
• Wide applications
• No fumes or flux is produced

Things That Could Improve:

• Not suitable for normal propane torches

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6# Forney Supercote Hardfacing Welding Rod

Last update on 2023-11-12 / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

The list of the best welding rods for inverter welder will not be complete without the Forney 42405 supercote hard facing welding electrodes. They are a set of excellent, low-cost welding rods for moderate abrasion and low impact application in all positions.

These rods provide smooth arc action and easy slag removal while delivering crack-resistant welds. Some of the features with Forney Supercote Hard Facing Electrodes include low density, high frequency, and low temperature brittle, among others.

Apart from the fact that these rods are easy to use, they also have good thermal and electrical properties. Applications include surface buildup on new or worn-out machine parts of aluminum, cast steel, or manganese steel.

Overall, this premium quality welding rods from Forney is something you wouldn’t want to miss out in your box.

Things We Like:

• Excellent low-cost rod
• Smooth arc action
• RC 52-58 hardness
• Crack-resistant weld
• Wide range of application

Things That Could Improve:

• Poor warranty policy

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7# Blue Demon Plastic Iron Powder Carbon Steel Electrode

Last update on 2023-11-13 / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Next on the list is another incredible Blue Demon welding Electrodes for inverter welders. The Blue Demon E7014 welding rods are a set of high-speed iron powder type of welding electrodes that can be used on both AC and DC welding currents. These welding rods feature smooth arc characteristics, low spatter, and good arc stability with moderate to low Penetrations.

The welding rods offer outstanding slag removal and bead appearance; they are quite great for handling projects that require deep penetration, high deposition, and speed of travel.

In addition, Blue Demon E7014 carbon steel welding Electrodes have very high tensile strength and can be used on both AC and DC machines. They come in handy as they can excellently penetrate through rusty/dirty or oily surfaces.

Things We Like:

• Excellent arc stability
• Outstanding slag removal
• Low spatter
• Clean bead appearance

Things That Could Improve:

• Minimum lifetime warranty

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8# Forney Welding Rod

Last update on 2023-11-12 / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Last but not least, is the legendary Forney 31610 6010 welding rod. It’s a set of mild steel all-purpose welding electrodes that can be used in all positions. These welding rods are more suitable for DC welders only as they come with a high cellulose sodium coating but can also partially run on DCEP (reverse polarity).

As we can see from the third digit (1), they are an all position inverter welding electrodes, which can be used for pipe welding and other applications requiring deep penetration on rusty, dirty, or painted materials. They are also suitable for tackling heavy-duty Industrial projects.

Overall, the Forney 6010 welding rods are ideal for welding joints requiring deep penetration, such as square edge butt welds, among others.

Things We Like:

• It’s an all-position welding rod
• Excellent rod for galvanized steel and oily/rusty steel
• Deep penetration
• Good for overhead and vertical welding with light slag

Things That Could Improve:

• Not suitable for novice welders

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Best Welding Rod Buying Guide

There are different types of welding rods out there in the market. But What factors do you consider when choosing the best welding rods for inverter welder? If you want to make a choice that you will not regret later as time goes on, then there are certain factors you need to consider when choosing the best welding rods for inverter welder. The factors that should be taken into consideration are:

1. Quality

For anything you want to buy, quality is very paramount. Because if the quality of a product is poor, the product will not be efficiently effective as it should be. When buying a welding rod, the first and most important thing to consider is the quality of the rod – whether it’s suitable for your work.  A substandard or low-quality electrode will be a total waste of money.

2. Tensile Strength

The first two digits on the size number of an electrode determine the tensile strength of the electrodes. For example, a 7016 welding rod has a tensile strength of 70 psi. Or you can say the electrode has a tensile strength of 70,000 pounds per square inch and will perform better with a metal of matching tensile strength. This tensile strength matching is very important as it helps prevent cracking when welding and other inconveniences.

3. Welding position

The third digit on the rod represents the position in which you can use the electrode. 1 stands for all position, 2 stands for flat and horizontal position, while 4 stands for vertical, horizontal, overhead, and flat positions. You need to pay much attention to the welding position.

4. Current in use

Digits on the last number represent the coating that has been used, and consequently, the type of current that is safe to use. Some electrodes can be used on both alternating current and direct current welders, whereas others allow for only DC or AC power source. The current used has a direct effect on the level of penetration.

5. Base Metal

The thickness of the welding metal, joint fit-up, and shape must also be put into consideration. Thick metals work better with ductile and low-hydrogen rods because this helps prevent the electrode from cracking. Electrodes that have their last two digits ending with 15, 16, and 18, are the most suitable for welding thicker metals.

Electrodes whose last digits end with 13 are best for thinner metal. The 6013 types of electrodes produce soft arcs; they have shallow Penetrations, and this is particularly very important to prevent burning thinner metals.

If a joint design or fit-up is not beveled, 6010 or 6011 type of electrodes with deep penetration power are the best option.  For wide openings, a 6012 type of electrode can effectively handle the job.

6. Polarity

This is the direction of the flow of current in a circuit. In the case of straight polarity, the workpiece is positive, and the electrode is negative. Therefore, the electrons flow towards the workpiece.

For reverse polarity, the flow of electrons is towards the electrode because the electrode is positive, and the workpiece is negative.

With welding rods that accommodate Alternating current, the polarity is not a problem. But those that use Direct current only, one can weld either by using the straight or reverse polarity.

Conclusion

We hope you enjoyed our review of the best welding rods for inverter welder. There’re lots of options out there on the market.

It’s actually not about getting the best, what matters more is purchasing a welding rod according to the specifics of your work. Because even the so-called best welding rods may not really work for you – while the most suitable option for your welding operation may not be the best proven by the authority. Getting the right welding electrode match will go a long way in ensuring that you get stronger and cleaner welds.