I have a lincoln sp170t, older version and it welds flawlessly with .030 and .035 and 75/25 argon co2 mix. Got the setup used for $400 with bottle, regulator, and cart. I also have a pro mig 175 on argon that I havent tried yet and a miller cricket xl, also a great little machine. As far as brands cant go wrong with lincoln or miller, but I would definately go 230v if you have the outlet. The extra power comes in handy, and they generally have higher duty cycles. Read up on duty cycles if you havent done so already. Helmets, auto darkening all the way!! I have a cheapo harbor freight along with about a dozen of my friends and they all work great. Gloves, if you have a grainger suppy near you the have a nice pair for $11 that are better than the 30-40 dollar gloves at the welding supply.
Good luck bud!
