I personally made my choice of the Miller 175 before I even took welding classes - I actually got it while I was in class (mail order).
I did my due diligence, and while I learned on Lincoln, I love my Miller. One of my main reasons for going with Miller is their customer service (Hobarts' too!).
All you have to do is look at who sponsors web forums for welders to see who puts a premium on their customers. I read almost every message regarding MIG on the Hobart site (even the OLD site) when I made the decision to get one for restoring my '75 280Z.
That was 4 years ago, and I took my classes 3 years ago, then got too busy being taken advantage of on my old job to do much. I welded a rotisserie for the car so I could put in new floor pans and subframe connectors without overhead welding, as well as to make life easy in completely stripping off old undercoating.
I have built a sand blast cabinet 4'X2'X2'. and all my neighbors come by to have me fix stuff onced they saw the rotisserie.
I have had a blast cutting and welding metal, and can only caution you to not get a cheap welder. Buy a good one, use it, then if you no longer need it, you can sell it and have more money than doing the same with one of the cheap ones. You will also find that even pro's can have problems with the cheap ones, amateurs have even more!
I'm gonna keep mine, but htat's because it will have paid for itself in savings over having someone else do it (that includes cost of the lessons at the Vo-Tech) before I'm even finished. I'll sell the rotisserie before I sell the welder (but only after I'mm done with it!)