Great soldering iron setup; heats up super fast and has a separate stand with a long cord for easy jobs

Great soldering iron setup; heats up super fast and has a separate stand with a long cord for easy jobs  Read Less

The title says it all, really. I've never had an easier time with delicate soldering jobs. This iron replaces my old Weller i...  Read More

The title says it all, really. I've never had an easier time with delicate soldering jobs. This iron replaces my old Weller iron with the dial-type temperature control. That iron, while good and definitely held its own, was moody at times and prone to heat-recovery delays.Heat recovery is important, and not just for someone doing dozens of joints at a time. Reliable heat recovery means that the iron is predictable, and also heats initially quickly. Other irons I've used would be prone to losing heat at an odd time, then you're sitting there pressing the solder into the joint and nothing happens. You leave the iron to heat, then it's too hot and burning resin or the board substrate. This iron heats to the right, precise temperature quickly, and holds that temperature. It performs consistently and quickly so your components aren't risking damage.The user interface isn't the greatest, but I didn't find it counter-intuitive as some have. I do like that the temperature control can be dialed in to just a few degrees hotter than the melting point of the solder. That eliminates the guesswork that can come with a dial-based system, and with the consistent heating, allows for a quick solder flow with a minimum of fuss.This iron has allowed me to solder up prototyping circuit boards with joints that look machine-made, and I am by no means greatly practiced. This has been a purchase that was well worth the few extra dollars.  Read Less