5 Of The Best Soldering Irons For Electronics

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Electronics pose such a unique and interesting problem for DIY’ers itching to fix things. Most of your household electronics equipment won’t experience major faults or damage regularly, but every once in a while, the need to repair one of these surprisingly sophisticated elements comes into focus. You might have a chewed lamp wire that needs replacing, or a child’s toy may have been thrown one too many times, jarring loose an integral component. Breaking the lid off these electronic products and seeing what the guts inside look like is the dream of many tinkerers and home improvers. These kinds of operations become even more routine for people who like to customize their equipment after the fact or DIY their entire PC build. Guitarists represent yet another subset of the gearhead world where integrated electronics and the occasional soldering need meet an entirely separate hobby area.

Getting your first soldering iron can seem like a daunting task because of the amount of options in size and scale to consider. Experts generally suggest veering toward a unit that produces at least 30 watts to ensure consistent and even heating, but many have had great experiences with smaller, weaker soldering systems, too. Your ideal soldering tool will be heavily dependent on the tasks you anticipate facing. I’ve frequently dabbled in the process myself, and used both station setups and basic plug-in irons before.

These five soldering tools run the gamut of what’s out there, and represent some of the best options in their categories.

The X-Tronic 3020-XTS 75-Watt Soldering Station is a full-service station-style option. The tool goes far beyond the basic layout you might expect from a simple soldering unit, but it’s available at Amazon for $55, making it a tool that remains firmly in the camp of cost-effectiveness. The unit comes with some required soldering accessories and two grabber arms to hold a workpiece in place while you solder. This means buyers can get started on their repair projects with the tool right away, without requiring any additional purchases for basic soldering tasks. The unit has an average rating of 4.5 stars from 4,464 buyers.

The X-Tronic features a 75-watt total output with 60 watts of power directed to the soldering iron itself. It features a wide temperature range from 194 degrees Fahrenheit to 896 degrees Fahrenheit and can reach its maximum temperature from around 400 degrees in less than 30 seconds for fast augmentation to the output when needed. It includes an LED digital display with a central control panel that makes dialing in settings easy. The station also features a 55-inch power cord and a 40-inch tether for the iron. Solderers who plan to remain in place while working on electronic repair tasks can gain significant value from a solution like this.

Soldering iron users demanding mobility should use a tool like the Weller 60-Watt Soldering Iron. It’s a 60-watt iron that comes without the added heft and stationary nature of soldering stations. You simply plug the tool in and wait for it to achieve operating temperature. This makes it incredibly mobile and allows users to achieve their goals in a wide range of usage conditions. There’s no need to maintain a dedicated soldering space with a unit like this, instead you’ll bring your soldering iron to the application demanded of it.

This is a straightforward implementation, but it features some important integrations that make for an experience going beyond the basics. It doesn’t appear to provide a temperature range, but instead simply heats up to 880 degrees Fahrenheit when engaged. It comes with a range of soldering tips and features a quick tip change capability that makes swapping them out simple. The tool also utilizes an integrated safety rest and an LED halo ring around the front end of its ergonomic body.

The tool is available from Amazon for $33, and it has received a 4.2-star average rating from 422 buyers. It’s also listed at Home Depot for $44, and here buyers have given it a similar rating, with a 4.1-star average across 559 reviews. You can also find the tool on Weller’s website, listed for $41.

Ryobi is a brand with plenty of value for users of all backgrounds. Ryobi makes a USB Lithium soldering pen that stands among its small-scale cordless tools that rival the full-sized 18-volt catalog. However, the Ryobi ONE+ 18-Volt Hybrid Power Soldering Station offers something that isn’t typically built into the platform of a station layout. This sets it apart as a dynamic solution that can serve numerous functions. The tool features a hybrid power model that allows it to be plugged into the wall or operated for over four hours of continuous runtime with a ONE+ 18-volt battery pack for cordless soldering production. The tool features an integrated temperature control that ranges from 300 to 900 degrees Fahrenheit. The iron comes with a three-foot cord for maximum mobility and includes a range of tips and other accessories.

The tool is available at Ryobi’s website for $63, and here it has received 166 reviews with a 4.8-star average rating. It’s also available at Home Depot ($63) and Amazon ($57), and at these outlets, it has garnered 4.7 stars from 455 reviewers and 4.6 stars from 427, respectively. The tool delivers 45 watts of power and utilizes a neatly arranged onboard storage design for sponges, tips, and other key accessories and materials.

The Hakko FX-888D 70-Watt Soldering Station takes the footprint of a soldering station and breaks it into separate components. This enables mobility improvements and additional functionality. The tool comes with a rotary encoder and an improved interface over its previous model. The unit is available on Amazon for $121, and it has an average rating of 4.8 stars from 238 buyers. It delivers a 70-watt power rating and utilizes an ergonomic soldering pen with a detachable cord to make storage simpler when the tool is not in use.

Unlike most soldering stations, the iron holder and accessory elements are separated from the main power source and control unit. This allows you to organize your workspace more flexibly. The tool features a temperature range between 120 degrees and 899 degrees Fahrenheit. It can also achieve a 660-degree output in just 26 seconds. The tool also offers five preset temperature modes, enabling faster switching between the temperatures you frequently use. The tool also maintains an idle temperature within 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit of its setting and is compatible with more than 30 unique tip shapes for versatile soldering across project types.

The Milwaukee M12 Cordless Soldering Iron isn’t the only cordless soldering tool on the market, but it is the only one from a primary tool brand that runs on the same battery platform as its main line. This is a key integration in Milwaukee’s M12 lineup, whereas a kind of gimmicky nature often characterizes the typical cordless soldering pen. The tool weighs less than half a pound and features a maximum temperature of 750 degrees Fahrenheit, underpinned by a 90-watt heater within the tool body. It features a three-stop pivoting head that allows for greater access in tight spaces. The tool also delivers a heat-up time of just 18 seconds, making it lightning fast to transition from the preparation phase to fully functional usage during a project.

Milwaukee’s soldering iron is available from Amazon as a bare tool for $109. It’s listed as an “Amazon’s Choice” product with over 400 bought in the past month. It has received a 4.7-star rating from 1,189 buyers. The tool is also available from Home Depot in a kit variety for $319. Here, it has received a 4.4-star average rating from 612 buyers. The kit includes the same pair of soldering tips that come with the bare tool, along with two batteries and a charger.

We selected these soldering irons based on user reviews. Each one has been reviewed by at least 200 buyers, with many racking up over 1,000. The lowest-rated product has a 4.1-star average. These five soldering tools also offer different experiences for the user. They range from small-scale tools and cordless options to a full-sized soldering station. Therefore, these solutions include something that can deliver value to just about any kind of user need.