Given a choice between a Lincoln AC225 crackerbox, which are probably the most common welder to be found...and one of the homeowner type wire welders, I would choose the stick machine every time. It will accomplish far more than the little wire machines. Nearly all of the little wire machines have such a limited duty cycle as to be near useless. If I need to weld, then I expect to weld...not sit around waiting for the machine to cool down. Some of them are also limited to flux core wire, which IMO, defeats the purpose of a wire welder in the first place.
I have no idea what type of welding you intend to do, but I would generally recommend buying more machine than you think you need. Buy a used machine if you have to.