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The Best Soldering Stations
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Best for build quality - Hakko FX-888D Soldering Station, 70W, AC, 26V [ CHECK PRICE ]
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Best all round soldering station - Weller WE 1010 70W/230V WE Digital Soldering Station Kit [ SAVE 23% ]
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Best budget soldering station - Preciva 60W Professional Digital Soldering Station [ SAVE 15% ]
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Best with hot air gun - Preciva 8786D 2-in-1 Hot Air Gun Rework and Soldering Iron Station[ SAVE 15% ]
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Best no-frills soldering station - Tilswall Soldering Station 65W AC, 26V[ CHECK PRICE ]
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Best budget soldering station with hot air gun - Katsu 2 in 1 852 D Electric Soldering Station [ CHECK PRICE ]
Soldering Station Reviews
1. Hakko FX-888D Soldering Station, 70W, AC, 26V
Best for build quality
- Most users agree that the heat up time on this soldering iron is lightning fast. A fast heat up process means faster soldering, less downtime and more work done!
- This soldering station has an unbeatable temperature range. Starting at just 50° C, it can reach up to 480° C. That’s 30° more compared with the Weller WE 1010.
- The foam handle is supremely comfortable to use. It reduces hand fatigue during long soldering sessions, and I think makes it a more accurate iron to use.
- You can programme in five pre-set temperatures. This will allow you to work on a range of materials and carry out different jobs without fiddling with the settings.
- The soldering stand is heavy and solid, you’re not going to knock it over easily. It makes it easy to use and safe on most worktops.
- This is a lot of money to spend on a soldering iron. Unless you’re a professional or very keen DIYer, it’s going to be hard to justify the spend.
- The only tip that Hakko include in this soldering station is incredibly fine. It’s good for intricate work, but if you need something wider, you’ll need to buy it separately.
- Compared with the Weller WE 1010, this soldering iron doesn’t come with a standby mode. It’ll use more electricity over the course of a job because it doesn’t auto turn off.
- Don’t be mistaken that this is a Japanese made product, it’s only designed there.
- Digital Display
- Yes
- Power
- 70W
- Hot Air Gun
- No
- Max Temperature
- 50-480°C
- Temp Control
- Yes
- Temp Stability
- +/-1°C
- Wire Holder
- No
- Tips
- 1
- Build Quality
- 5
- Performance
- 5
- Ease of Use
- 5
- Value for Money
- 4
Japan’s HAKKO is a premium soldering iron brand and they make some of the best temperature-controlled soldering stations out there. The FX-888D provides premium build quality and features for serious professionals as well as keen DIYers.
The powerful unit is quick to heat up and will maintain temperatures during continuous use, thanks to Hakko’s 60 years of experience and technology. What makes this the best soldering kit is the soldering iron itself though. The handle is wrapped in a soft foam that makes it comfortable to handle, and accurate.
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2. Weller WE 1010 70W/230V WE Digital Soldering Station Kit [ SAVE 23% ]
Best all round soldering station
- The big LCD screen is a welcome addition to any soldering station. Knowing what temperature you’re working with at a glance is a neat feature.
- Changing tips is easy and tool-free. All you need to do is spin the plastic nut in front of the hand grip to release the tip. You can change it while it’s still hot as well.
- You can pre-set temperatures and save them in the device memory. It’s a professional-level feature found on only the best soldering irons.
- You can replace the soldering iron and station separately from each other. It’s the sign of a quality tool when replacing doesn’t mean buying a whole new kit.
- The LCD screen is big, but not backlit. It’s a basic feature that would make reading it even easier. If you work in a dim environment, it could be hard to see.
- Compared with the Hakko FX-888D, this soldering iron only heats up to 450° C. You can squeeze 30° more from some of the competition.
- The temperature stability is +/- 2°C. That’s not as good as some of the cheaper models on my list. Compared with the Tilswall soldering station’s +/- 1°C it’s a bit disappointing.
- This soldering station only comes with a single tip. Compared with the five tip kit that comes with the Preciva 8786D, it’s not the best set for beginners.
- Digital Display
- Yes
- Power
- 70W
- Hot Air Gun
- No
- Max Temperature
- 100-450°C
- Temp Control
- Yes
- Temp Stability
- +/-2°C
- Wire Holder
- No
- Tips
- 1
- Build Quality
- 5
- Performance
- 5
- Ease of Use
- 5
- Value for Money
- 4
The Weller WE 1010 is one of the best soldering stations on the UK market. Probably because it’s a quality soldering station that’s incredibly safe and easy to use. One of the best digital soldering station brands, Weller are the go-to people when you want a quality manual soldering solution.
The first thing you’ll notice about the WE 1010 station is the clean and simple design. The base unit has a large LCD screen and just three buttons to control all the features. I like the large and easy-to-read ON/OFF switch. It’s also simple to set the soldering temperature.
The included tip is the quality you’d expect from the best soldering iron station and can be easily changed without tools. If you’re looking for the best soldering station for the UK market, this is it.
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3. Preciva 60W Professional Digital Soldering Station [ SAVE 15% ]
Best budget soldering station
- This is a proper soldering kit for beginners and those who want to upgrade from a basic iron setup. The range of tips are good for different soldering jobs and are pretty good quality.
- I like that this soldering station comes with a solder sucker. Compared with the Weller WE 1010, you get some useful accessories without paying the high price tag.
- For a budget soldering station, I was impressed to see an auto-sleep mode. If you leave the iron for ten minutes, it’ll power down. Give it a shake and it comes back up to temperature!
- This soldering iron uses a ceramic core to heat up quickly. Compared with the Weller WE 1010, it’s a lot cheaper but with some of the same technology.
- Unlike the KATSU YCD-8582D, this unit doesn’t come with a hot air gun. It’s an extra tool I find to be incredibly useful when working on electronics.
- The soldering station is quite light compared with the Hakko FX-888D or Preciva 8786D. A good heavy base is ideal for keeping the hot tip out of trouble.
- If you need to keep your working temperature between +/- 1° C, you should go for the Tilswall soldering station in the same price bracket.
- It’s always good to have a solder roll holder, but this one feels a bit flimsy. It’s still useful for storing rolls when not in use though.
- Digital Display
- Yes
- Power
- 60W
- Hot Air Gun
- No
- Max Temperature
- 90-480°C
- Temp Control
- Yes
- Temp Stability
- +/-2°C
- Wire Holder
- Yes
- Tips
- 5
- Build Quality
- 4
- Performance
- 4
- Ease of Use
- 4
- Value for Money
- 5
This Preciva digital soldering station uses a ceramic core to heat up the soldering tip in just 15 seconds. It makes use of constant temperature control technology to maintain the displayed temperature to within +/- 2° C.
The rubber grip on the soldering iron is comfortable and the display is easy to read. Even though you control the temperature with a dial, the actual heat is displayed digitally. It’s not a premium soldering station but still one of the best digital soldering stations for the money.
What makes this the best soldering kit out there is the number of useful extras you get with this set. The five extra tips will come in handy, and so will the solder sucker pump. What makes this the best soldering station for beginners though is the included solder wire bracket and roll of soldering wire. It’s everything you need to get to work straight away.
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4. Preciva 8786D 2-in-1 Hot Air Gun Rework and Soldering Iron Station[ SAVE 15% ]
Best with hot air gun
- This soldering station comes with a clever safety function. If you leave it for ten minutes, it enters “sleep mode” and powers down. An ideal thing for forgetful users!
- I like the wire spool holder. If you’re prone to losing things like that, it’s great to have an onboard holder. It’s wide enough for large spools or even two next to each other.
- Having a hot air gun with four different nozzles to choose from is great. With a bit of practise, you can repair broken connections or shrink wrap to your heart’s content.
- This soldering iron gets up to temperature quickly. It’s usually a sign of a powerful transformer and quality components. There’s less time waiting around.
- Compared with the Tilswall soldering station, setting precise temperatures is easy. I like that both the soldering iron and hot air gun have separate digital gauges.
- Unfortunately, you can’t detach the heat gun from the soldering station. It’s a large part of the overall kit and it would be handy if you could move it out of the way when necessary.
- Some users have had issues with melting parts on the soldering iron. It could be a case of poor quality control on the part of Preciva.
- Other users have complained that the tips on the soldering iron don’t heat evenly. It might be the case that the included ones aren’t top quality.
- Digital Display
- Yes
- Power
- 740W (Hot Air Gun)
- Hot Air Gun
- Yes
- Max Temperature
- 200-480°C
- Temp Control
- Yes
- Temp Stability
- Not stated
- Wire Holder
- Yes
- Tips
- 5
- Build Quality
- 4
- Performance
- 4
- Ease of Use
- 4
- Value for Money
- 4
Specialising in useful gadgets like woodburning stations and crimping tools, Preciva have made a brilliant soldering iron and hot air gun, and all in one small package. The desktop station comes with everything you need for soldering and reworking electronics.
Featuring two separate digital displays for both soldering iron and heat gun, it’s easy to set temperatures. And thanks to inbuilt PID temperature control technology, once it comes up to temperature it should stay there.
I like that this kit comes with everything you’d need to get started for tinkering with electronics. You get five soldering iron tips, four different hot air nozzles for different heat jobs and even a length of lead-free soldering wire. It’s an ideal kit for beginners or even experienced users.
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5. Tilswall Soldering Station 65W AC, 26V
Best no-frills soldering station
- For the money, it’s quite hard to beat this kit for tips and maximum temperature. Compared with the much more expensive Hakko FX-888D, this is a kit for starting work immediately.
- Tilswall have chosen to use an advanced Teflon and silica soldering iron cable. It can withstand high temperatures and should stay flexible all year round.
- The integrated copper wire tip cleaner is excellent. A lot of users don’t like the wet sponge method for cleaning tips, and they haven’t wasted the space with one here.
- If you want to plug in a longer or shorter power supply, you can. It’s not an integrated cord like most soldering stations. It makes it more user friendly for different situations.
- It’s a shame that Tilswall haven’t used an LCD screen to show the temperature clearly. It’s much harder to quickly check the current temperature in comparison with the Hakko or Weller station.
- This soldering station is no good for low temperature work. The lowest setting is a whopping 200°C!
- Several users have complained about a buzzing noise that the transformer makes when it gets to temperature. It could be down to poor parts or quality control.
- It’s always good to get tips included with a soldering kit, but these ones don’t look like they’ll last for long. It’s probably better to invest in quality soldering tips quickly.
- Digital Display
- No
- Power
- 65W
- Hot Air Gun
- No
- Max Temperature
- 200-480°C
- Temp Control
- Yes
- Temp Stability
- +/-1°C
- Wire Holder
- No
- Tips
- 5
- Build Quality
- 4
- Performance
- 5
- Ease of Use
- 5
- Value for Money
- 4
With a massive range of power tools, accessories, and other useful gadgets, Tilswall have made a useful soldering station kit that won’t break the bank. It comes with a decent range of tips for all sorts of soldering jobs.
Setting the temperature is easy with the large dial on the front of the station. It shows the temperature in ° Fahrenheit as well as ° Celsius. It’s handy to have that information in front of you when working. Tilswall use a ceramic heating core that should help keep a stable temperature for longer.
With an adequate temperature range of 200 – 480° C, it’s not got the super-low range, but has an impressive top temperature for a soldering iron in this price range. They’ve even included a decent range of tips and some tin wire to help get you started. It’s an excellent budget starter kit.
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6. Katsu 2 in 1 852 D Electric Soldering Station
Best budget soldering station with hot air gun
- I’m a huge fan of 2-in-1 soldering stations. With a bit of practise, you can perform a lot of tasks with a quality heat gun. They’re not just for shrink wrapping tubing.
- It’s great that you can remove both the soldering iron and the heat gun. Compared with the Preciva 8786D I, when you’re not using an accessory, you can stow it away.
- The blinking light that tells you when the soldering iron tip is up to temperature is a useful feature. It’s little time saving features like this that make the best soldering stations.
- Compared with the more expensive Weller WE 1010, the LCD screen on this soldering station is backlit. It will help quick temperature readings, whatever the lighting.
- Some users have complained about the temperature display being inaccurate. It’s worth testing the temperature with a tip tester before long soldering jobs.
- Other users have also complained about the maximum heat settings for the soldering iron. It’s not clear what the maximum rated temperature is either.
- The heat gun lacks the power you get compared with the Preciva heat gun. It’s not quite as hot for melting lead solder parts.
- Digital Display
- Yes
- Power
- 750W (Hot Air Gun)
- Hot Air Gun
- Yes
- Max Temperature
- Not stated
- Temp Control
- Yes
- Temp Stability
- Not stated
- Wire Holder
- No
- Tips
- 1
- Build Quality
- 4
- Performance
- 4
- Ease of Use
- 4
- Value for Money
- 4
KATSU is one of those tool brands that make one of the best soldering kits that doesn’t cost a lot. It still includes some of the features you’d expect to find on the best soldering stations. The unit I looked at promises to heat up within a couple of minutes and maintain that temperature, even during constant use.
Because it’s a 2-in-1 tool, the 852 D soldering station also features a super-useful hot air gun. Used mainly to shrink wrap tubing, it’s a welcome addition to the best digital soldering stations, saving you upfront spend and valuable bench space. The dial is easy to use to set temperatures and the large, backlit LCD screens can be read, whatever the lighting. It’s one of the best soldering stations for the UK market if you want a solid and budget-friendly solution.
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Harry's Smart Buying Tips
Compare Product Features
Use the dropdown to sort the table by the feature you want to see.
Hakko FX-888D Soldering Station, 70W, AC, 26V
- 4.8
- Yes
- 70W
- No
- 50-480°C
- Yes
- +/-1°C
- No
- 1
Weller WE 1010 70W/230V WE Digital Soldering Station Kit
- 4.8
- Yes
- 70W
- No
- 100-450°C
- Yes
- +/-2°C
- No
- 1
Preciva 60W Professional Digital Soldering Station
- 4.3
- Yes
- 60W
- No
- 90-480°C
- Yes
- +/-2°C
- Yes
- 5
Preciva 8786D 2-in-1 Hot Air Gun Rework and Soldering Iron Station
- 4
- Yes
- 740W (Hot Air Gun)
- Yes
- 200-480°C
- Yes
- Not stated
- Yes
- 5
Tilswall Soldering Station 65W AC, 26V
- 4.5
- No
- 65W
- No
- 200-480°C
- Yes
- +/-1°C
- No
- 5
Katsu 2 in 1 852 D Electric Soldering Station
- 4
- Yes
- 750W (Hot Air Gun)
- Yes
- Not stated
- Yes
- Not stated
- No
- 1
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