What you say makes a lot of sense, but it all leads to buying a $600+ welder. To me it's just like buying power tools... ask a pro what circular saw you should buy and he'd probably say, "get a Milwaukee." Well he might be right, but it's also $200. For the average hobbyist, and some pros for that matter, the $60 Skil or Craftsman would have lasted you forever. I think the same may hold true for welders. If I had plenty of cash, I'd be looking at Millers (not that Lincolns are inferior). But, since I might use that thing for a month steady and then go six months w/o even touching it, I don't NEED the Miller. Now when I bought this welder, I didn’t take the advice of some clerk at Home Depot or Lowe’s; rather, I studied Lincoln and Hobart websites. I compared all the 100+ amp, 110-120 volt welders (primarily the SP135 Plus & Handler 140) and I found that the 3200HD offered the same duty cycle, amperage and other options that mattered to me at the best price. The fact that this welder is offered at Home Depot (as well as other places) only made it more accessible.
Oh, and just in case anyone is interested Lowe’s seemed to have exclusively Hobart welders, while Home Depot had the Lincolns.