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

very nice tool.

Everyone was right about the instructions being somewhat vague, however instructional videos can be found on YouTube on Hakkos page. It will take a little getting used to just to get the sequence to get the temp you want. Thats the only reason for only four stars. For the type of iron it is and the price, it would be hard to beat. Hakka offers repair/replacement parts that many others don not.

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.

I think this product is great!!! Easy to use, easy to get tips for it based on what kind of work you want to do....

I like it

I refurbish antique radios and have used this soldering iron now on 3 radios over a period of about 4 months. What a great tool, heats up fast and stays on temperature it makes soldering the wiring easy. I can highly recommend this soldering iron.

Is it the compact size? Is it the high quality build? Is it the professional level heat control? Is it the proliferation of accessories? Is it the range of tips you get with this model? Maybe its all of the above!

Good quality product.

This is an awesome soldering station.. you need this. Buy it and dont look back.

The setup instructions in the manual detail how to cycle through temperature presets. However, upon following the instructions, the unit did not respond appropriately. As it turns out, the temperature presets are disabled by default and must be enabled as detailed in this YouTube video published by Hakko: [Amazon removed link, search YouTube for H5ymGXuowU8]. To eliminate all suspicion of having purchased a counterfeit product, I checked the following. The primary label on the bottom of the device is the correct width and has the appropriate safety certification markings where counterfeit devices have a smaller label with no certification markings. The stress relief on the cord where it enters the iron is made of silicone rubber -- soft and supple, unlike counterfeit devices which typically use a harder, non-supple rubber. After removing the screws and opening the main unit, I observed the device uses a small auxiliary board for the mains fuse and zenier diode where counterfeit devices incorporate this circuit into the primary circuit board. The test points for factory testing are in accordance with known Hakko standards. The device IC is not the Atmel chip typically seen in counterfeits. There are a lot of helpful guides you can Google to spot counterfeit devices and thankfully, this device is not one of them. This product included the following Hakko tips: T18-D08, T-18-D12, T18-D24, T18-D32, T18-S3. Pros: - Non counterfeit, rock solid tool that should last a lifetime - Sold by B+D Enterprises who has, for 12 months, maintained a 100% positive review rating Cons: - Ships in original product box with no tape to seal. I loathe excess packaging but be forewarned, it is blatantly obvious to all what is within this box. If your neighborhood is plagued with porch pirates, keep an eye out for this delivery. - The insulation around the connections on the transformer inside the device are scorched from excess heat, probably during manufacture. This unit likely came through the line when the factory needed increased production volume and had to hurry things along. I wouldnt mark this up as shoddy workmanship by any means but its something you shouldnt normally see. No biggie for me. Would Buy Again: Yes Would Recommend: Yes