Miller Titanium 9400i Welding Helmet Review

Miller is one of the leading welding helmet names, so you can be pretty sure that you’ll receive a quality piece of kit. That’s exactly the case with the Miller titanium 9400i welding helmet, which has a great range of features which you won’t find with inferior brand names. However, this helmet has thrown up some problems in terms of weight and comfort, and the difficulty with finding replacement parts might be an issue for some – both of which make the hefty price tag somewhat unappealing.

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Auto-darkening lens

You’ll find that visibility is very clear with this helmet, which makes it really easy to work with. Miller have fitted it with a light shade 3, and variable dark shades 8-13. These should give your eyes enough protection regardless of the job you’re working on, and the fact that they switch automatically means you won’t need an extra couple of seconds to let your eyes adjust. As you probably know, being able to carry on with your work as quickly as possible is key in the welding business!

UV and Infrared protection

You’d be wrong for thinking that the bright, visible light from arcs and sparks is the only danger to your eyes when welding. In fact, Ultraviolet and Infrared can also be really damaging, which is why it’s so amazing that this helmet protects against those threats, too. The best part is that you don’t even have to switch it to a different setting to take advantage of this, because the lens will protect you at all the different darkness shades, including in the ‘off’ position. The fact that it offers so much protection 100% of the time is one of the most appealing, reassuring features of this helmet.

Integrated grind shield

When you’re paying a lot of money for a good brand name like Miller, you want to be able to use it as widely as possible, to ensure that you’re getting good value for money. This helmet comes fitted with an integrated grind shield so that you can use it for grinding, as well. This isn’t a gimmick that sacrifices quality; it provides impressively clear visibility. Being able to use it for this extra purpose is another handy addition from Miller.

Aluminium heat shield

The fact that this is a silver coloured helmet means that it reflects a lot of heat, so it’s comfortable to wear. However, Miller have taken it one step further by building it complete with an aluminium heat shield. This is highly protective, ensuring that the heat is kept out as much as possible. As a result, you’ll find that as the wearer, you’ll be kept much cooler in this helmet than in many others.

Large field of view

One of the most useful features of this helmet is that it has such a large field of view, which makes it incredibly easy to see exactly what you’re working on. The massive viewing window measures 9.22 sq. inches, and the grind shield gives you a 180° view, allowing you to use your peripheral vision as well as looking at what’s right in front of you!

Four operating modes

The four different operating modes installed in this welding helmet make it perfect for use in a wide variety of situations. The grind mode (which uses the integrated grind shield) is set to light shade 3; cut mode uses lighter shades 5-8; darker shades 8-13 are used in both the weld mode and x-mode.

Shock absorbtion

You don’t have to worry about the bumps and knocks that this helmet might receive in your workshop, because it’s been specially designed to withstand certain impacts. It’s fitted with a shock absorbing gasket which means that you can drop and bump the helmet without it cracking or breaking. Although this is a real bonus, don’t be tempted to test it out by throwing it around your workshop too violently!

Quick and easy to use

Changing the front cover lens is unbelievably simple with this helmet. Simply flick the quick release switch, and your task can be done in a matter of moments. You no longer have to worry about fiddly, fine finger work to change the lens, which will save you both time and hassle.

Digital controls

Miller have thoroughly modernized welding helmets by fitting this one with digital controls, rather than the analog dials that you might be used to. These digital controls adjust the sensitivities and timings, meaning that it’s much more difficult to accidentally nudge them out of place and change your preferences!

Tell the time

The digital clock fitted inside this helmet is a small, incidental feature, but it’s a handy one. It’s unusual for welding helmets to be fitted with clocks, but this quirky addition means that you’ll never lose track of time while welding again – and you never have to stop to keep checking the time!

Heavy

As you keep flipping the visor up and down over the course of a day, you might find that the weight of this helmet makes it quite heavy and awkward to wear. This is something that you’re only likely to experience when wearing the helmet continuously for long periods of time, but it’s still something to take into consideration.

Expensive

There’s no denying that this is a fairly expensive piece of equipment, which places it out of reach of many casual and beginner welders. However, look at it like a real investment and you’ll see that it actually offers you great value for money!

Miller specific

Unfortunately, you won’t be able to order any generic replacement parts for this helmet. All parts and replacement pieces must be made and bought through Miller in order to fit properly, which might raise your costs slightly. However, you can be sure to get quality replacements each and every time, which will increase the longevity of this helmet.

Not great for out of position work

If you do a lot of out of position work then this might not be the helmet for you. Some of the rivets aren’t held very tightly in place, so the head gear repeatedly falls down instead of staying in place. However, if you don’t generally do much out of position welding then this shouldn’t pose too much of a problem!

Difficult to tell the time

Although the inclusion of the digital clock on the interior of the helmet is a real bonus, it can be incredibly difficult to read. The lighting and the angle has to be perfect – but if you can get in the right position, then being able to take full advantage of the clock is a real bonus!

Dirty lenses

As with many welding helmets, the lens is prone to getting dirty and smoky quite easily. That isn’t a problem in itself, but one major downside is that cleaning the inside of the lens isn’t easy. To do so, you almost have to take the whole front of the helmet apart, which can be a real hassle. However, this is only a minor inconvenience when you take into consideration all the other advantages.

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Magnifying lens holder, five outside and two inside cover lenses, and a helmet bag

Overall, it’s difficult to say whether this helmet is worth its fairly hefty price tag or not. On the one hand, it really is a quality helmet with a great range of features, especially the four different operating modes, the aluminium heat shield and the shock absorption. On the other hand, the heaviness and awkwardness are real sticking points – on top of all the other more minor negative points. Essentially, you’re paying for the Miller name here, but whether the price is reasonable for the features you get is something that only you can decide!

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