it really depends on how skilled he is with welding anyway... if you get him something that is too generic for a welder.... he may not be happy with it. However, if you can shell out a couple of thousand dollars... Miller synchrowave and thermal ARC series are some of the best. They are 220volts tho.... same as your dryer plug. Be careful.... there are some hidden equipment involved regarding welding machines to get it to work right, such as gas cylinder, gas lenses, face shield, regulators, blah blah.....