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Just wasted $80 on a 'professional' soldering iron from a sketchy online shop
Saw an ad for a Hakko-style soldering station for only $80, which seemed like a steal. It arrived last week and the tip oxidized completely after two uses, and the temp control is all over the place. I should have just saved for a real one. Anyone know a good, actually reliable brand for under $150?
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terryk102mo ago
Ugh, been there. My first "bargain" iron melted its own plastic handle. I upgraded to a basic Weller and it's been solid for years, no weird temp swings. For your budget, you could grab one of those and still have cash left for a decent tip cleaner.
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joel_butler2mo ago
That melted handle story from terryk10 is a classic warning sign. My old station had a cheap iron in the workshop for odd jobs, and the tip would oxidize so fast it was useless in minutes. What kind of soldering are you planning to do with it? That really decides if a basic fixed-temperature model like a Weller is enough, or if you need more control.
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the_brian2mo ago
What about the cheap irons with ceramic handles, @terryk10?
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