Whats a good solder sucker?

[Capa-Alpha]

Those 'Engineer' brand suckers are very good, but I'm on the side of using a powered sucker when you have more than few holes to do or when there are large thermal mass connectors involved. I find those almost impossible with a one shot sucker.

I totally agree. Lead-free solder and high density, high thermal mass pcb's make it almost impossible to use a cheap solder sucker without causing damage. I use a PACE MBT-350. It's expensive, but it can handle every board. See youtube video here:

[HighVoltage]

That Pace MBT 350 really looks nice
How much is it in base configuration?

[CJay]

Hi,

Can anyone recommend a good, manual spring plunger type solder sucker? In the past I've used some that were rubbish, and others that were brilliant. Both looked the same (at first glance anyway) so makes it difficult to try and pick a good one online.

I should add I'm UK based, so preferably a brand which is available over here.

Oh now that's a question, you'll get almost as many different answers as there are posts I reckon, it seems to be a personal taste thing.

I've used the RS green ones for almost 30 years now. I find them excellent, I've had a few vacuum pump based devices over the years but always gone back the the RS manual one.

I've worn out a few of them and have just had to replace mine but it has to have been over ten years old.

You can buy them from RS direct of course but they pop up on eBay roughly half the price from time to time

http://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/products/4794197/?grossPrice=Y&cm_mmc=UK-PLA-_-google-_-PLA_UK_EN_Tools-_-Soldering_And_Desoldering_Tools&mkwid=sVRL4CAPS_dc|pcrid|88057064643|pkw||pmt||prd|4794197&gclid=CjwKEAjwk6K8BRDM3aCSkdCtzSQSJAA3Vf384bTZATAowFLxM6wey9qt3VvtYFRU70ZrDF3LoOuLqBoCmpnw_wcB

[AKM]

What’s a good solder sucker? A one that doesn’t suck; or the one that sucks the most.

I’ve got Engineer SS-02, Goot GS-100 and Edsyn SS350. All work very well; pretty sure any decent brand name one will work and will last you a very long time. Just remember to clean it and re-grease the o-ring from time to time.

[Capa-Alpha]

That Pace MBT 350 really looks nice
How much is it in base configuration?

Pricey, but I didn't pay for it, my company did ... I got mine for about US$1500 with Soldering Iron, Desoldering Iron and Thermal Tweezer a few years ago. It did not come with tips, so add $100 for that. The station is AWESOME though, lots of add-on available, and performs on the highest mass, heat-sinking, lead-free assemblies you can throw at it!