Prices checked Nov 13, 2026. No. 1 today: Pepetools Helix Starter KitHelix Kit, 9.6/10.See the ranking

Our No. 1: Pepetools Helix Starter Kit
Fine gold chains and small rings laid out on a pink and white background
6 starter kits, ranked Nov 13, 2026

Best permanent jewelry starter kits (welder, chain and training)

6 kits that ship a welder, chain and training in one box, from $2,399: the cheapest isn't the one that gets you selling first.

No. 1 here: Pepetools Helix Starter Kit9.6/10Excellent · $2,399 at Pepetools, checked November 13, 2026

Check price at Pepetools
Photo: Jess Bailey / Unsplash

Starter kits: the 6 starter kits, in order

How this order is built

Ranked on the "Overall" weights. Each product keeps its one overall score.

Best overallStarter kit

Pepetools Helix Starter Kit

$2,399$3,3009.6/10Excellent

Best for most people opening a permanent jewelry business who have someone to learn from.

  • 1–30 J
  • Auto-darkening screen
  • 30-min live session
  • 25 ft of chain
  • Folding darkening screen with magnification, plus two pairs of glasses
  • Helix welder: 1 to 30 joules, 72-inch reach, 2 lb, dual voltage
  • 25 ft of gold-filled chain, 100 sterling and 100 gold-filled jump rings, 14 connectors

The catch: Training is a single 30-minute Zoom call, the thinnest of the six kits. It's a sale price, and the page showed "limited stock" that day. Pepetools can charge a restocking fee of up to 25% "in some instances", and the precious-metal chain can't be returned. No argon in the box.

$2,399 at Pepetools, checked November 13, 2026
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Starter kit

Sunstone Dream Kit

$3,199$4,265.339.5/10Excellent

Best for beginners who want a mentor, a course and argon in one order.

  • 1–30 J
  • Shaded glasses
  • Course + mentoring
  • 27 ft of chain
  • One-on-one mentoring on top of Sunstone's online course
  • Zapp Plus 2 inside: 1 to 30 joules, 1.9 lb, 72-inch stylus
  • 27 ft of chain, jump rings and 24 connectors in a display case

The catch: Eye protection is shade 5 glasses, where two rival kits include a screen that darkens. It costs $800 more than the Helix kit and $200 more than Everlinx's. Colored finishes push it up to $3,308. Returns cost 10%, about $320.

$3,199 at Sunstone, checked November 13, 2026
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Best priceStarter kit

Everlinx Starter Kit

$2,9999.4/10Excellent

Best for first-timers who want a full course and a screen that darkens, without argon.

  • 0.5–20 J
  • Auto-darkening screen
  • Online course
  • 27 ft of chain
  • EVERSHIELD in the box: a screen that dims for each weld
  • Full course in the Everlinx app, ICOES accredited, says the brand
  • Welder starts at 0.5 joule and moves in half-joule steps

The catch: Returning it is costly: $750 non-refundable, $150 restocking, return shipping on you, so about $900 gone. No argon is included if you later decide you want it. The welder tops out at 20 joules. And no safety certification is named on the pages we read.

$2,999 at Everlinx, checked November 13, 2026
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Most chainStarter kit

Sunstone Legacy Kit

$4,999$5,951.198.9/10Very good

Best for studios that will do repairs and want Sunstone's top welder from day one.

  • 1–30 J
  • Shaded glasses
  • Course + mentoring
  • 45 ft of chain
  • Orion mPulse inside: touchscreen, half-joule steps up to 15 joules
  • 45 ft of chain: the most of any kit we compare
  • Four Argon Mini tanks and a regulator

The catch: It's the most expensive product in our list, and $1,800 more than a Dream kit with the same training. Eye protection is still shade 5 glasses. Sunstone doesn't publish the mPulse's weight. A 10% restocking fee on a return is about $500.

$4,999 at Sunstone, checked November 13, 2026
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Starter kit

Sunstone Momentum Kit

$2,399$3,427.148.8/10Very good

Best for starting inside Sunstone's training system for the least money.

  • 3–10 J
  • Shaded glasses
  • Online course
  • 21 ft of chain
  • PJ University: Sunstone's online video training and business resources
  • Argon included: two Argon Mini tanks and a regulator
  • 21 ft of certified chain and jump rings to start selling

The catch: The welder is the Zapp: 3 to 10 joules, the narrowest range we list, and you can't upgrade it inside the kit. Eye protection is glasses, not a screen. No one-on-one mentoring at this level. And if you return it, Sunstone keeps 10%, about $240, paid back by check.

$2,399 at Sunstone, checked November 13, 2026
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Starter kit

LINKED Luxe Training Kit

$2,9978.1/10Good

Best for people who want LINKED's course first and a welder to follow it with.

  • Joules not published
  • Shaded glasses
  • Online course
  • 20 ft of chain
  • Full online course with lifetime access, workbook and certificate
  • Waiver template and done-for-you social content for your launch
  • 20 ft of PVD chain, pliers, two cutters, sharpener, leather patch

The catch: "All Launch Kit and Starter Kit Package purchases are final": no return at all. The welder's joule range isn't published and its warranty is 12 months. The chain is PVD-coated, not gold-filled. And at $2,997 it costs $598 more than the Helix kit.

$2,997 at LINKED, checked November 13, 2026
Check price at LINKED Read review

All 6, side by side

Open the comparison tool
Best permanent jewelry starter kits (welder, chain and training): comparison table
Product
Pepetools Helix Starter Kit9.6/10$2,399 · Nov 13, 2026
Sunstone Dream Kit9.5/10$3,199 · Nov 13, 2026
Everlinx Starter Kit9.4/10$2,999 · Nov 13, 2026
Sunstone Legacy Kit8.9/10$4,999 · Nov 13, 2026
Sunstone Momentum Kit8.8/10$2,399 · Nov 13, 2026
LINKED Luxe Training Kit8.1/10$2,997 · Nov 13, 2026
What you getStarter kitStarter kitStarter kitStarter kitStarter kitStarter kit
Power range1–30 J1–30 J0.5–20 J1–30 J3–10 JNot stated
Eye protection in the boxAuto-darkening screenShaded glassesAuto-darkening screenShaded glassesShaded glassesShaded glasses
Training in the price30-min live sessionCourse + mentoringOnline courseCourse + mentoringOnline courseOnline course
Chain included25 ft27 ft27 ft45 ft21 ft20 ft
Welder weight2 lb1.9 lb3 lbNot statedNot statedNot stated
Warranty3-year3-year3-year3-year3-year1-year
Where to buyCheck price at Pepetools Check price at Sunstone Check price at Everlinx Check price at Sunstone Check price at Sunstone Check price at LINKED

✓ marks the best figure of the row. "Not stated" means the brand doesn't publish it. Each product keeps its one overall score; this page only changes the order. Prices checked November 13, 2026.

Hard to choose?

Compare the top 3

What to know before you choose

A starter kit is the honest way to price this business. The welder is only part of the bill: you also need chain, jump rings, grounded pliers, something to protect your eyes, and somebody to show you how not to burn a client's bracelet. Bought one by one, that adds up fast. Bought as a kit, you see the total before you commit.

The six kits here all have a real welder inside, from a brand that sells it separately. They differ on three things. Training: from one 30-minute Zoom call (Pepetools) to an online university plus one-on-one mentoring (Sunstone Dream and Legacy). Eye protection: shaded glasses, or a screen that darkens for each weld (Pepetools, Everlinx). And what happens if you change your mind: Sunstone keeps 10%, Everlinx keeps $750 for the training plus $150, and LINKED's kit sales are final.

The Pepetools Helix Starter Kit comes first at $2,399: the lowest price of the six for a 30-joule welder, a darkening screen and 25 ft of gold-filled chain. Its weak spot is teaching. If you've never held a stylus, look hard at the Sunstone Dream Kit ($3,199, mentoring and argon included) or the Everlinx Starter Kit ($2,999, a full accredited course).

How this ranking is weighted

Every product keeps its overall score from the public formula. For this page we re-order the eligible products with the "Overall" weights: price 20%, power control 15%, eye protection in the box 15%, training and support in the price 15%, and the rest for the other 4 criteria. The full table is on the methodology page.

Head-to-heads between products of this list: Sunstone Dream Kit vs Sunstone Momentum Kit, Sunstone Dream Kit vs Sunstone Legacy Kit, Sunstone Dream Kit vs Everlinx Starter Kit, Pepetools Helix Starter Kit vs Everlinx Starter Kit, Pepetools Helix Starter Kit vs LINKED Luxe Training Kit.

Other rankings: permanent jewelry welders, all ranked, permanent jewelry machine, permanent jewelry welder for beginners, cheap permanent jewelry welder, mobile permanent jewelry.

Joule ranges, weights and warranty terms are each brand's own figures. This page helps you buy equipment: it isn't safety, legal or financial advice, and it promises no income. Read your welder's manual and protect your eyes on every weld.

By Sienna Blake, editor, permanent jewelry equipment · updated November 13, 2026

Guides that go with this ranking

All guides

Starter kits: questions buyers ask

More answers in our guides
What is the best permanent jewelry starter kit?
The Pepetools Helix Starter Kit (9.6/10) on our formula: $2,399 on November 13, 2026 for a 1 to 30 joule welder, a folding darkening screen, 25 ft of gold-filled chain and tools. For the most training, the Sunstone Dream Kit (9.5/10) adds a course, mentoring and argon.
What comes in a permanent jewelry kit?
A welder, chain (20 to 45 ft in the kits we compare), jump rings, pliers and cutters, eye protection, and some form of training. Sunstone's kits add argon tanks and a regulator; Pepetools and Everlinx add a darkening screen; LINKED adds a waiver template and a certificate. Each review lists the box line by line.
How much does a permanent jewelry kit with a welder cost?
From $2,399 to $4,999 on November 13, 2026. The cheapest two (Pepetools Helix Starter Kit and Sunstone Momentum, both $2,399) were sale prices that day. Kits sold for a few hundred dollars contain chain and tools but no welder: we left them out.
How many bracelets can you make from a kit?
LINKED's own guide counts "roughly two bracelets" per foot of chain, so 20 to 27 ft gives about 40 to 54 bracelets before you reorder. That's the brand's rule of thumb, and wrists vary. It's a way to size your first order of chain, not an income figure.
Can you return a permanent jewelry starter kit?
Read the policy before you pay. Sunstone: 30 days, 10% restocking fee. Everlinx: 30 days, but $750 is non-refundable and a $150 fee applies. Pepetools: 30 days, a fee of up to 25% in some cases, and the precious-metal chain can't go back. LINKED: kit purchases are final.
Do starter kits include training and certification?
All six include some training, from a 30-minute Zoom session to a full online course with mentoring. "Certification" means a certificate from the brand's own course, not a government license; business licenses and local rules are a separate matter that depends on your state and city. See our guide to permanent jewelry training and certification.

Not sure which welder fits? Ask Sienna

[email protected]

Tell her where you'll weld (salon chair, market stall, parties), what you already own and your budget. She'll point you to two or three welders or kits from the ranking, with the reasons. We answer within two working days. We can't give legal, tax or safety advice: your state, your insurer and your welder's manual have the last word.