Learning on a decent inverter spoils you for using anything else as they make everything so easy. But they do have their drawbacks ie try using one to weld into a corner (arc blow?) and their robustness.
The last one I can attest to when the welding lead caught on my foot & my £350 IFL inverter fell the 3' from the bench onto the floor, rendering it scrap!
Then I dragged my £100 Pickhill Bantam from under the bench & carried on welding using it!
I learned on an oil cooled, couldn't afford one at the time so I used a buzz box for years. Now I have a decent inverter & an oil cooled and they both get used. The oil cooled does mostly bench work & the inverter is great for working around the farm buildings.
The last one I can attest to when the welding lead caught on my foot & my £350 IFL inverter fell the 3' from the bench onto the floor, rendering it scrap!
Then I dragged my £100 Pickhill Bantam from under the bench & carried on welding using it!
I learned on an oil cooled, couldn't afford one at the time so I used a buzz box for years. Now I have a decent inverter & an oil cooled and they both get used. The oil cooled does mostly bench work & the inverter is great for working around the farm buildings.