So you have made the decision to buy a soldering iron. You may be new to soldering, or you might have used it a few times, and you want something better.
Congratulations, you’ve arrived at the right source for picking one out. Soldering irons are extremely useful items in any electronics hobbyist’s toolbox. They can be used to solder together a circuit board, desolder components, solder wires to PCBs, and much more.
In this article – Review: Best Soldering Iron, we’ll be reviewing some soldering irons to find out which is the best. Our team has been reviewing many product reviews over the years for you and our customers to trust our unbiased judgment. Let’s get started.
COMPARISON CHART
| IMAGE | PRODUCT | |
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Hakko FX888D-23BY Digital Soldering Station
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LEXIVON Butane Soldering Iron Multi-Purpose Kit
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X-Tronic Model #3020-XTS Digital Display Soldering Iron
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Vastar Soldering Iron Kit
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LONOVE Soldering Iron Station Kit
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Specification
| Material | Ceramic |
| Power Source | Corded |
| Voltage | 120 VAC |
| Wattage | 70 |
Hakko soldering stations are some of the most recognizable products on the market. They are well-designed and manufactured in Japan.
WHAT WE LIKE
The Hakko FX888D-23BY Digital Soldering Station is a medium-powered 3 watt soldering iron with features designed for beginners. And professionals alike. It has a tip-changing and temperature control knob and it has a nice ergonomic handle for comfortable use.
The iron is easy to use, and is a low-maintenance piece of equipment. We like the fact that the temperature settings can be locked so that it’ll keep certain settings if needed. The low temperature alarm is excellent, making sure you don’t try to use cold solder.
The FX888D-23BY is a big improvement over earlier models, with increased usability and many new features.
The Hakko soldering station is a unit that will last many years. This is a station that professionals will find useful in their work and that hobbyists will enjoy having around for any soldering project.
All in all the Hakko FX888D-23BY Digital Soldering Station does everything a soldering station should do.
PROS
- Can be used for all sorts of applications including stained glass
- The tip can be removed and interchanged with several others
- The low temperature alarm comes in handy
CONS
- Controls design is a bit dated and unintuitive
- Manual needs to be clearer about certain instructions
Specification
| Material | Metal |
| Power Source | Refillable, Butanel |
| Voltage | 120 VAC |
| Wattage | 135 Watt |
| Safety | Ignition stop, CPSC |
Butane soldering irons aren’t exactly a hot new idea—they’ve been around for years now, and they’ve earned a solid reputation for being dependable and portable. But the LX-770 takes that concept to the next level.
WHAT WE LIKE
It’s a standalone tool that comes with an onboard butane tank, a soldering iron, and a soldering iron stand, as well as an assortment of solder and accessories. The LX-770 is from the makers of the popular LX-500 model, and it retains the same convenient features of its predecessor.
This includes easy-to-use buttons, a tip-saver mechanism, and a low-fuel alarm. It’s a great tool to have on hand or while traveling.
When you are working with delicate electronics like high-speed wires or memory chips, you need a heat source that is both hot enough and precise enough to do the job right.
The LX-770 Butane Soldering Iron is the perfect tool for this task since it maintains consistent heat levels without the fear of overheating or damaging your work
PROS
- The butane tank fills up very quickly. Lasts for around 75 minutes
- Heat controls are good
- No cords means you aren’t limited with range
CONS
- Igniter can sometimes be inconsistent
- Requires purified octane fuel which may be hard to find sometimes
Specification
| Material | Stainless Steel |
| Power Source | Corded, electric |
| Voltage | 110 VAC |
| Wattage | 75 |
| Safety | ESD Safe, 10 min timer |
The XTS soldering iron is a simple design, with an all black finish. There is no plate on the front, and there are four on the back.
WHAT WE LIKE
The design is very simple, with the front of the iron having four heatsinks with four indicator LEDs on them. To use, you remove the plates, and use it like a regular soldering iron.
It can heat up to 896 degrees in under thirty seconds, has an on/off switch to prevent burning yourself, and has a digital display that makes it easy to tell what temperature it is set to. The handle is very ergonomic and comfortable.
There are four clamping arms at the back, and these help stabilize the iron. The one thing that would improve this iron would be a display on the front. As it stands, this is a very basic iron. It is a regular soldering iron, with a regular surface for the iron to get hot.
It works well enough, and it does the job of both de-soldering and soldering. It can even be used with some resistors and capacitors.
PROS
- Good ergonomics, easy to hold
- ESD Safe, auto timer for safety
- Comes with everything needed to start soldering right away
CONS
- Customers have mentioned that their units break down between the 60 and 90 day mark
- Mixed opinions on the supplied tips; They are not for all tasks
4. Vastar Soldering Iron Kit
Specification
| Material | Metal |
| Power Source | Refillable, Butanel |
| Voltage | 120 VAC |
| Wattage | 135 Watt |
| Safety | Ignition stop, CPSC |
If you are a hobbyist interested in electronics, you probably have heard of a soldering iron. For some, it is one of the most basic tools that they should have. But if you are a beginner, it can be confusing to find the right soldering iron for you.
WHAT WE LIKE
The Vastar Soldering Iron Kit offers all-in-one solutions to the problems. With this soldering iron, you can quickly and safely solder and desolder wires and components.
Take control of your soldering game with this amazingly compact starter kit. I don’t think that you will ever be at a loss for what solder to use with this soldering iron, because you can simply dip the tip into the tip section for each specific type of solder.
Beginners will like this soldering iron as it’s pretty easy to use. The temperature keeps stable on the device and thanks to the very long power cord you’ll have plenty of length to reach without feeling restrained.
PROS
- Very long power cord (nearly six feet)
- Temperature control is really good
- Comes loaded with accessories
CONS
- Stand seems a bit cheap and a little flimsy
- Some customers have experienced melting of the heating shaft
Specification
| Material | Stainless Steel |
| Power Source | Corded, electric |
| Voltage | 110-127 VAC |
| Wattage | 60 Watt |
| Safety | ESD Safe, Anti Static |
The LONOVE Soldering Iron Station Kit is a complete full-featured soldering kit that comes in a nice storage box. It comes with a soldering iron, soldering iron holder, solder wire, sponge, tweezers, and a spare solder tip.
WHAT WE LIKE
The iron is a soldering station with 10-Watt output and auto-off functions. It’s relatively easy to use and feels quite comfortable in the hand. As a result, the LONOVE Soldering Iron Station Kit is ideal for any hobbyists, DIYers and beginners and definitely deserves a place on your workbench.
It comes with everything you need to get started—soldering iron, solder, flux, and a stand. It also has safety features that help to ensure you don’t burn your house down.
PROS
- Heats up very quickly
- Lots of safety features such as ESD safe, anti-static properties and auto timer
- Station has “Helping Hands” built in
CONS
- Some customers report that the unit feels cheap
- Customers have also reported that the iron takes a while to heat up. We did not experience this with our test unit
- Tips are a bit flimsy
What’s a Soldering Iron Anyway?
It is a simple stick of iron that can be used to heat up a piece of solder so that it will attach to a piece of metal on a PCB. Soldering irons are also used for fastener reinstallation of mechanical parts such as screws.
The typical soldering iron has a heat pad, and iron tip which both impart heat to the work piece and solder the wires. The solder gets vaporized and can be blown onto the conductive tip with a metal piece.
This allows for instant soldering of some materials. All of these advantages have given the soldering iron a significant competitive edge over its competitors.
The best soldering irons are often used to solder small parts such as screws and LED lights. Not all soldering irons are used for the same task.
Conclusion
We really hope you enjoyed our article – Review: Best Soldering Iron. As you can tell, not all soldering irons are equal, but they all offer something for everyone.
When it comes to soldering irons, everyone is basically looking for the same thing; ease of use, power and versatility. All of the reviewed units can handle most of those requests, but the all-around winner for this round of competition, hands down, goes to the Hakko FX888D-23BY Digital Soldering Station.
The unit has the power and temperature range most people will need for their soldering projects, including plenty of accessories.
