What happened to the AHP Alpha MIG and what's this Eastwood clone?

[strantor]

A couple of years ago I was considering buying the AHP Alpha MIG 250 welder but I ended up buying a TIG instead (Eastwood TIG200). Now I'm again looking for a big MIG machine and picked up where I left off in my search 2 years ago. One of the reasons I didn't buy the AHP machine is that they were releasing a different "version" each year or every few months. On Amazon there would be 5 different versions of the same welder for sale, with sellers clamoring to specify theirs was the latest version. I assumed that meant they were still working the kinks out. I passed.

So now I go into Amazon and there are precisely ZERO AHP Alpha MIG machines for sale. Same for eBay. I can't find any indication that it's even still in production, other than the AHP website still has it listed for sale. But their website has been notoriously bad for years. I don't trust what I see there, and I would never order anything from there.

I gave up on the AHP and went back to the Eastwood website since that's where I got my TIG and I've been happy with it. I see their MP250i machine and start reading the specs, very intrigued. I can't help the feeling I've seen that control panel before though. I have. I zoom out and look at the whole machine, and ai swear that is the exact same machine as the 2016 AHP Alpha MIG 250. It just has a black shell instead of a yellow one. And then down in the Q&A section some guy asks where the MP250i is made, and the Eastwood rep says it's designed by Eastwood in America and produced in China.

I don't remember Eastwood having this welder back in 2015/2016 when the AHPs were for sale all over the internet. Maybe they did, I really don't remember. I'm curious who cloned who? Is it true Eastwood really did design this machine? Was AHP a Chinese startup fueled by unsanctioned overproduction of Eastwood machines slipped out the back door? Did AHP get caught with their hand in the cookie jar and forced to quit selling thise clones in America? Or did Eastwood buy the design from AHP and force them to stop selling their yellow cases machines?

I'm pretty puzzled right now having been out of the welder game for the past 2 years. Someone who's been paying attention please explain.

 

[RNeumann]

I had good luck calling AHP.....

 

[Mark @ Everlast]

A couple of years ago I was considering buying the AHP Alpha MIG 250 welder but I ended up buying a TIG instead (Eastwood TIG200). Now I'm again looking for a big MIG machine and picked up where I left off in my search 2 years ago. One of the reasons I didn't buy the AHP machine is that they were releasing a different "version" each year or every few months. On Amazon there would be 5 different versions of the same welder for sale, with sellers clamoring to specify theirs was the latest version. I assumed that meant they were still working the kinks out. I passed.

So now I go into Amazon and there are precisely ZERO AHP Alpha MIG machines for sale. Same for eBay. I can't find any indication that it's even still in production, other than the AHP website still has it listed for sale. But their website has been notoriously bad for years. I don't trust what I see there, and I would never order anything from there.

I gave up on the AHP and went back to the Eastwood website since that's where I got my TIG and I've been happy with it. I see their MP250i machine and start reading the specs, very intrigued. I can't help the feeling I've seen that control panel before though. I have. I zoom out and look at the whole machine, and ai swear that is the exact same machine as the 2016 AHP Alpha MIG 250. It just has a black shell instead of a yellow one. And then down in the Q&A section some guy asks where the MP250i is made, and the Eastwood rep says it's designed by Eastwood in America and produced in China.

I don't remember Eastwood having this welder back in 2015/2016 when the AHPs were for sale all over the internet. Maybe they did, I really don't remember. I'm curious who cloned who? Is it true Eastwood really did design this machine? Was AHP a Chinese startup fueled by unsanctioned overproduction of Eastwood machines slipped out the back door? Did AHP get caught with their hand in the cookie jar and forced to quit selling thise clones in America? Or did Eastwood buy the design from AHP and force them to stop selling their yellow cases machines?

I'm pretty puzzled right now having been out of the welder game for the past 2 years. Someone who's been paying attention please explain.

No. AHP isn't a Chinese company. Eastwood sells a lower end product that is made in the same factory to different specs. No, Eastwood did not design that welder. AHP was actively involved in the development of that welder. As far as their reasons contact AHP direct. It's simple as that. I don't keep up with the AHP stuff, but it could simply be that it wasn't selling well, shipping cost was too high for the customer to swallow or it had issues, or simply they may be out of stock. Or then again, it may be AHP is about ready to release a major improved welder to replace it. Just call and ask them.