Best Lincoln Electric welder for a beginner? Budget around $1,000-2,00

Hey everyone,

I don't know if it's the right place to ask, but I'll try it...

Looking to get into welding. I have a small garage shop and I'm planning on doing trailer repairs, welding steel brackets and eventually small fab projects.

I want to stick with Lincoln Electric — my father-in-law has been using them for 20+ years and swears by them. Budget is around $1,000-2,000 CAD.

I'm torn between a few models:

• SPRINTER 180SI WELDER
• MIG-Pak 180
• Power MIG 140MP

I've seen places like Equipement Polar, Tenaquip and Canadian Tire carrying them, but I'd love to hear your real-world experience before pulling the trigger.

Anyone have feedback on these models? Is the multi-process worth the extra money or should I keep it simple with the MIG-Pak? Or do you have any other models worth a check?

Thanks in advance