Is the Sunstone Zapp Plus 2 worth buying?
The Zapp Plus 2 is the welder we'd point most Sunstone buyers to. It weighs 1.9 lb, covers 1 to 30 joules on a single dial you can lock, fires once a second and carries a 72-inch stylus you can unplug and replace. At $1,699 on November 13, 2026 it matches the Everlinx EVERARC's regular price and costs $200 more than the Pepetools Helix on sale. It scores a tenth behind the Helix, which was cheaper that day, and ahead of the bare EVERARC, which ships with nothing for your eyes. What's missing from its own box: a darkening screen and a course.
Buy it if
- You do pop-ups and want the lightest bag you can pack
- You like a physical dial you can lock rather than buttons or a screen
- You want to stay in Sunstone's world of optics, argon and training
Skip it if
- You want a darkening screen in the box: the Everlinx EVERARC + EVERSHIELD has one for $1,749
- You're starting from zero: the Dream kit wraps this welder with a course, mentoring, chain and argon
What does the Plus 2 add over the first Zapp?
Range first. The Zapp runs from 3 to 10 joules; the Plus 2 from 1 to 30. In practice that means two things. At the bottom, you can come down to 1 joule for the finest rings instead of starting at 3. At the top, you have power in reserve for a thick connector or a quick repair that the small Zapp can't touch. Sunstone gives a spot size of 0.5 to 2.0 mm and one weld per second.
Then the stylus. It's 72 inches long and it unplugs, so a worn stylus can be swapped without the welder leaving your table.
The dial has a lock: set your joules for the day's chain and it stays put in the bag.
How does it compare with the Helix and the EVERARC?
Closely. The Pepetools Helix has the same 1 to 30 joule range, the same 72-inch reach and weighs 2 lb; it was $1,499 on sale on November 13, against a crossed-out $1,999. On that day the Helix is the better deal, and it scores 9.1/10 to the Zapp Plus 2's 9.0/10.
The Everlinx EVERARC, same regular price, was $1,549 on sale that day. It goes finer (0.5 joule steps from 0.5) but stops at 20 joules and ships with no eye protection at all, which is why the Zapp Plus 2 beats it here. Add Everlinx's EVERSHIELD screen and the picture changes: that bundle is our top welder sold alone.
Video: "Zapp Plus® 2 Set-Up and Overview", Sunstone Permanent Jewelry on YouTube. Not made by us; chosen because it shows the welder or the topic clearly.
What's in the box?
The Zapp Plus 2 welder, its power adapter and cord, the 72-inch Advanced Orion stylus, three 1 mm premium electrodes, 7 ft of argon tubing, shaded safety glasses, a precision ground clip and an alligator clip, a stylus holder, a metal practice card and the operator's guide.
How do you set it up, and what should your first welds be?
Plug in the stylus and the ground clip, fit an electrode and read the operator's guide. Start on Sunstone's metal practice card, glasses on and dial low, then move to scrap jump rings. Once a setting closes the ring cleanly every time, lock the dial.
What does it really cost to start with it?
Our price is for the black or silver welder with the black stylus. Desert and rose finishes were $1,749, and a colored stylus added $60, up to $1,809. Beyond the welder: chain, jump rings, pliers and a leather patch; an argon tank if you follow Sunstone's advice ($549 on its store that day, regulator extra); an auto-darkening lens if glasses aren't enough ($312 or $510 at Sunstone). A return within 30 days costs 10%.
What do we like, and what should you know?
- 1 to 30 joules: low enough for fine chain, high enough for thicker rings
- 1.9 lb and about 13 by 15 by 7 cm: the lightest welder we compare
- 72-inch removable stylus, so you can seat the client where the light is good
- A dial lock keeps your setting from moving in the bag or mid-event
- 3-year warranty, made in the USA, shaded glasses in the box
The catch: Steps are a full joule, where the EVERARC and the Orion mPulse move by half. Eye protection is a pair of shaded glasses: an auto-darkening lens is an extra $312 or $510 at Sunstone. There's no course in the price, and returns cost 10%.
What protects your eyes, and do you need argon with it?
In the box: shaded safety glasses in the box; Basic ADL, Upgraded ADL, PJ Scope or 5x arm microscope sold separately. A pulse arc weld is a bright flash a few inches from your face, dozens of times a day. Sunstone's own guide says it plainly: "You don't necessarily need an auto-darkening lens, but you must use eye protection" (Sunstone, optics guide). For shade numbers, the reference is OSHA's eye protection standard, 29 CFR 1910.133, which asks employers for a filter shade matched to the work. Your client looks away or wears a pair too, and a leather patch sits between the chain and their skin.
Argon: argon-ready: 7 ft of argon tubing in the box, tank and regulator sold separately. Brands disagree on whether you need it at all. Everlinx says no and points to a tensile test on fine jump rings (Everlinx, argon page); Sunstone says shielding gas makes the weld cleaner and stronger (Sunstone, argon article). We lay out both sides in do you need argon for permanent jewelry. This isn't safety or legal advice: read your welder's manual first.
Sunstone Zapp Plus 2 specifications
| What you get | Welder only: chain, tools and a course are separate purchases |
|---|---|
| Power range | 1 to 30 joules, 30 settings on one dial, one weld per second |
| Power steps | 1 J steps |
| Controls | Dial with a lock |
| Stylus | 72-inch Advanced Orion stylus, removable |
| Welder weight | 1.9 lb |
| Welder size | 13.3 × 15.5 × 6.9 cm |
| Runs on | Wall outlet |
| Argon | Argon-ready: 7 ft of argon tubing in the box, tank and regulator sold separately |
| Eye protection in the box | Shaded safety glasses in the box; Basic ADL, Upgraded ADL, PJ Scope or 5x arm microscope sold separately |
| Training in the price | Operator's guide and Sunstone's US-based phone and text support; no course in the price |
| Built in | Made in the USA (Utah) |
| Safety certification | Sunstone says its Orion and Zapp welders are certified safe (NRTL, ETL and CE, "now or in the process") |
| Warranty | 3-year manufacturer warranty; optional paid "forever warranty" plan (Sunstone Circle) |
| Returns | 30-day return policy with a 10% restocking fee; refunds are paid by check (Sunstone refund policy) |
| Financing | Sunstone offers "Buy Now, Pay Later" financing (terms not published) |
"Not stated": not on the pages we read on November 13, 2026. Every figure is Sunstone's own.
Why 9.0/10? The score, criterion by criterion
Each criterion is scored out of 10 from what Sunstone publishes; what isn't published scores 2. This product rounded to the same figure as the one ranked just above it; the published tie-break (lower price, then longer warranty) places it one step below, so that no two products share a score. The full method is public.
| Price (20%) | 6.7/10 |
|---|---|
| Power control (15%) | 9.5/10 |
| Eye protection in the box (15%) | 6.0/10 |
| Training and support in the price (15%) | 4.0/10 |
| Warranty (15%) | 8.5/10 |
| Portability (10%) | 9.0/10 |
| Return window, minus restocking fees (5%) | 6.0/10 |
| Where it is built and safety certification named by the brand (5%) | 10.0/10 |
How much is the Sunstone Zapp Plus 2, and where do you buy it?
$1,699 on Sunstone's own US store on November 13, 2026. Price of the black or silver welder with the black stylus on November 13, 2026. Desert and rose finishes are $1,749; a colored stylus adds $60 (up to $1,809).
If that is more than you planned, the Everlinx EVERARC costs $1,549 and scores 8.7/10. Next in price, the Everlinx EVERARC + EVERSHIELD is $1,749 for 9.2/10. Sunstone also builds a starter kit around it: Sunstone Dream Kit ($3,199). We link to the brand's store because that is where we read the price and the stock.
What should you ask Sunstone first?
- What is the rate and term of the "Buy Now, Pay Later" financing?
- What does the paid Sunstone Circle "forever warranty" cost per year, and what does it add to the 3 years?
What should you compare it with?
The two welders closest in price: Everlinx EVERARC + EVERSHIELD ($1,749, 9.2/10) and Everlinx EVERARC ($1,549, 8.7/10). Put all three side by side.
Head-to-heads: Sunstone Zapp Plus 2 vs Sunstone Zapp, Sunstone Zapp Plus 2 vs Sunstone Orion mPulse, Pepetools Helix vs Sunstone Zapp Plus 2, Sunstone Zapp Plus 2 vs Everlinx EVERARC.
Rankings with this welder: permanent jewelry welders, all ranked, permanent jewelry machine, permanent jewelry welder for beginners, mobile permanent jewelry.
Guides that mention it or help you decide: how to choose a welder.
Where do these figures come from?
- permanentjewelry.sunstonewelders.com/products/zapp-plus®-2-permanent-jewelry-we…, read November 13, 2026
- permanentjewelry.sunstonewelders.com/policies/refund-policy, read November 13, 2026
We compare what brands publish: this isn't safety, legal or financial advice, and it promises no income.
