Used cheap helmets for YEARS, usually get 5-10 years out of them.  Got one right now that I used for 10 years in a factory production situation, it still works good but the lens has some pits in it..

i got it through the welder distributor, if I recall it was a $125 helmet 15 years ago. But I got a couple fleet farm $45-65 helmets around for tossing in the pkp. They seem to work equally as well.