Hakko FX888D-23BY Digital Soldering Station FX-888D FX-888 (blue & yellow)

Ive been a technician for over 30 years and always used the big W brand soldering stations at work. I finally decided I wanted a decent station at home -- instead of a direct plug-in type pencil. I looked at the usual suspects but decided to try simple instead of high tech. Hey, all I want is a soldering pencil, not a flashy tech toy. This little guy has a classic retro kind of Art Deco of look to him. From the photos here you might think that the brightly colored bodies of this Hakko station are plastic. Theyre not. Everything is cast metal, maybe aluminum or more likely pot metal. It feels very sturdy and solid and definitely not like cheepo plastic. The bright color is baked on and matte in finish. The unit is quite heavy (transformer) as well as sturdy and simple. You dont get a fancy digital temp readout or glitzy high tech gizmos to impress your non-techie friends. This is a simple and competent iron with good temperature control and a nice solid feel to it. It would be nice if it came with a few more tips but the one supplied is the type of chisel point I use most often. The price could be more reasonable but its made in Malaysia and not China. If the heating element is reliable then this little guy could last indefinitely. Although I didnt look Im sure the temp control circuit is very basic and reliable. Ive used it for three projects and it works great. It heats up to mid dial @700F in 30 seconds and is immediately responsive to temperature loads. I like it.

Im an electrical engineer, and while I dont do a lot of soldering in my day to day work, I am capable enough. I decided to make an Arduino-based quiz show timer for a couple of youth organizations with whom I work. I had a cheap soldering station that I had bought a decade and a half ago. It was OK for crude soldering, but I wanted a more capable station. After reading several reviews on a few different stations, I decided to go with the Hakko FX888D-23BY. I have been very happy with my choice. The station is organized nicely--the iron rest is small enough that it can sit right next to my work without getting in the way. The digital temperature control is nice, and the iron heats up almost instantly. The station also has two modes of operation--manual or preset (adjustable) with two to five presents. I have been using the preset mode with two presets--this allows me to switch quickly between hot (380C) and standby (135C) to keep my tips from oxidizing when Im positioning parts or checking connections before moving to the next joint. Programming the iron is very easy--if you read the manual. I highly recommend this soldering station!