Digital Soldering Station with Chisel Tip Pack T18-D08/D12/D24/D32/S3

Works great; but had to contact Hakko to get instructions on re-calibration and a reset to factory settings. Out of the box, when I set the temp to 585F, the true temp was 450F using a Hakko FG100 temp sensor. Using the re-calibration instructions, I got the temp set to true.

This is the professional soldiering set-up hands down.

Wow

I spent a considerable amount of time trying to decide among various soldering stations. I looked at just about every brand in this price range (less than $100) including several that were cheap Chinese knockoffs, Im really glad I went with the Hakko FX888D. It is substantial -- it is well made, the holder really holds the iron, it comes with both metal and sponge for cleaning the tip, it is accurate, it works great, and it heats up extremely fast. I love that it has a separate on-off switch, and the moment you turn it on, BAM, you see the temp zipping upwards. I chose to the model that came with 6 tips (1 on the unit itself, and 5 additional of various sizes). Im not sure I will use them all, but I like that I have them. And let me tell you, Hakko tips do not seem cheap! They are also extremely well made. The iron is ready to use as soon as you plug it in, but if you want to program it (I chose to use the 5 preset temperatures) It takes a few extra minutes to follow the instructions in order to do so. (The unit only has 2 buttons on front, not 3, so they must do double duty, and thats why you need to read the instructions) But other than that, it is a fabulous unit!

PSA: Watch videos on UI, before using/setting temp. You can actually screw up the calibration by accident! First off I would like to say this I am new to the hobby and I have only played with cheap crappy non-temperature adjustable pin type irons. This Solder iron is much better than what I have used in the past. It heats up quick, and the tips are better than the conical tips that come on most cheap irons. This looks like it is well made and lots of people rave about it. That being said the UI is HORRIBLE! It is presented as device that was beautifully designed by Toshiyuki Kita, though it doesnt look bad, just needs more buttons and a better UI.. I am docking two stars off for this as I think this should really be known about the downside of this device. Just changing the temperature you think would be intuitive enough, though it isnt. It is to easy to screw up the calibration of the device, when you think you are setting the temperature of the iron. Even HAKKO acknowledges this by documents I have read. This is what happens when more emphasis form over function. Even having CAL displayed would be a better idea than placing ADJ on their calibration process. I just want to control the temp and maybe have it stay at the last known temp. I see calibration as important though it is to easy to accidentally change the calibration on the tool. As I see a lot of people raving about this in the reviews. This can do a lot more than what I want and it seems they tried to pile a lot of items into it, though they gave you very convoluted limited way of controlling it. They should really have 2 buttons and a knob with an integrated button. I would normally only dock off one star for something like this, though I think people should really know more about the UI and not just assume this product is intuitive. I think reviewers gloss over the UI to much and I would like to see it be addressed, especially for new users.

Very nice soldering station.

Ive owned numerous soldering stations, including a digital Weller, cost twice as much, & doesnt work half as well. Highly Recommend!

My first real solder station. Dont know how (or why) I lived without it. I need to find more projects to do! Comes with various size tips that should work for most general tasks. Ill probably order more for more specialized work. The instructions are not complete, but if you register on the Hakko site you get the more in depth manual with information on advanced settings.

Really like this solder iron. Performing excellently for over 3 months now.

I had been hearing about how the digital version suffers in comparison to the analog/rotary dial version. Honestly, I havent had any issues other than accidently changing the calibration. That was an easy fix. Just search the following on YouTube: Reset the Hakko FX-888D. Why settle for the cheap radio shack or Weller soldering irons. Sure, even I became highly skilled with them, but they took too long to heat up and suffered while working. The tips on those would always disintegrate. The FX-888D unit heats up in mere seconds and the tips last forever. I highly recommend the Hakko FX-888D to anyone from the hobbyist to the professional.