Which budget to mid-range Soldering station to get? HAKKO or Aoyue or Other???

[ashyboy]

Hi,

New to this, though have been watching the videos and reading forums the last week, and still can't quite conclude! (sorry if this has come up yet again)
TO START: I'm a hobby DIY synthesiser keyboard builder (well, en-route anyway!) if that makes a difference to my decision.

I'm trying to buy my first soldering iron. I think I've whittled it down, but am open to suggestion.

-Hakko FX-888d
-Hakko FX-951 (bit more expensive)
-Aoyue 968A+ (most expensive of the 3)
-Anything else I should consider/definitely get instead of one of the above?

It would seem the FX-888d has improved enough from the FX-888, that it's basically on-par with the FX-951?
I also noted that the main difference between the 2x HAKKO's, is one is a Ceramic heater, the other a composite heater... How would this effect me?
 
I like that the Aoyue is a 3in1 but may be this isn't the way to go, and I should just consider buying a heat gun etc as separates?


Thanks in advance to any input at all

[strobot]

I have two of those: the FX-888 is a good value and performs very well.  The 968A+ iron is pretty crappy and the Aoyue tips are shit.  Just buy a dedicated hot air station instead of the combo IMO.

[nardev]

Buy the cheapest one, will do everything you need for a long time

[sacherjj]

They purchased a FX-951 where I am working now, just before I arrived.  At first, the iron being half the weight of others I had used was odd.  Now, I can't imagine working with a larger iron, especially on really small SMD work.  If I didn't have a decent iron at home yet, I would buy the 951.

[nanofrog]

Based on this list, I'd go with either of the Hakko's.

If the money's available and you'll be doing a lot of soldering, the FX-951 could offer some advantages over the FX-888. Unlike the FX-888D, it places the heater & sensor in the tip itself (gets it closer to the actual working point of the tip), which allows for a tighter control loop. It also has additional features the FX-888D doesn't, such as setback and sleep when the iron is placed in the stand (very useful, as it helps extend the life of the tips). BTW, it's the least expensive name brand station to provide this (based on US pricing). Tips for the FX-951 will be more expensive though, so you'll have to take that into account.

If you won't be soldering all that much, or your consumables budget is really tight, the FX-888D would get you up and running with a decent station at a low cost.

If money is no object however, then you might want to consider a JBC compact station (also uses an AIO tip construction similar to that of the FX-951, but has better performance). Quite a bit more expensive though (~$424USD for the 120V version <comes with 2x tips>; http://www.janelonline.com/jbc-tools-soldering-station-cd-1bc-p/jbc-tools-cd-1bc.htm).

[ddavidebor]

Hakko, the other are cinese crap.

[hedgewallace]

I would go with the Hakko FX-888D.
Compact, Reliable, and many tips available.
Because of the new digital version, the old analogue version (FX-888) aren't being manufactured anymore. You could find the older analogue units for a bit cheaper.

[ddavidebor]

for a bit more...

[ashyboy]

Brilliant, so I think it's pretty unanimous on the HAKKO - thank you so much on this one!

So now just one little problem between the 2...

On the HAKKO website "spec" section of each, one is described as a Ceramic heater, the other a Composite heater... How would this effect me?

Cheers again!
Ash.

[nanofrog]

Brilliant, so I think it's pretty unanimous on the HAKKO - thank you so much on this one!

So now just one little problem between the 2...

On the HAKKO website "spec" section of each, one is described as a Ceramic heater, the other a Composite heater... How would this effect me?

The ceramic heater (& sensor) is part of the iron in the FX-888D.

The composite tips for the FX-951 place the heater & sensor in the tip itself, not the iron (heater or sensor die, just replace the tip rather than repair or replace the iron). It allows for a tighter control loop, which gives you better performance (faster heating & tighter control over the temps <less overshoot>).

It also has additional features over the simpler FX-888D, such as setback temperature and sleep when the iron is placed in the stand (stand has a switch that connects to the station), which helps extend tip life (really helpful IMHO). Tips are more expensive than those for the FX-888D, but not horrible (10.95GBP - 13.69GBP for the more common profiles; most expensive is 47.99GBP for the 40mm spatula).

http://dancap.co.uk/ sells Hakko in the UK, and where the pricing came from (prices don't include VAT or shipping). IIRC, the 98.98GBP FX-888D ends up at 135GBP according to UK members that have purchased from them. FX-951 is listed for 179.98GBP, so probably somewhere in the neighborhood of 235GBP.

[ashyboy]

Thanks mojo-chan + nanofrog - perfect responses.

What about buying one of these 2? Why are these so much cheaper? Am I at risk of buying a fake??? Even with taxes, these would be far cheaper than buying in the UK. 

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/220V-HAKKO-FX-951-fx951-951-Solder-Soldering-Iron-Station/654129045.html

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Free-shipping-ESD-lead-free-220V-digital-HAKKO-FX-951-Soldering-Station-hakko-fx-951-rework/874421666.html

[nanofrog]

Thanks mojo-chan + nanofrog - perfect responses.

What about buying one of these 2? Why are these so much cheaper? Am I at risk of buying a fake??? Even with taxes, these would be far cheaper than buying in the UK. 

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/220V-HAKKO-FX-951-fx951-951-Solder-Soldering-Iron-Station/654129045.html

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Free-shipping-ESD-lead-free-220V-digital-HAKKO-FX-951-Soldering-Station-hakko-fx-951-rework/874421666.html

Fakes.

The genuine article has a much better (and different) iron than either of those, and if you open it, it uses a custom chip IIRC. Not even sure if the fakes connect the stand to the station for the setback & sleep functions (can't tell if there's a wire to make the connection in the photos).

Check the following to see what the actual iron looks like (http://www.hakko.com/english/products/hakko_fm2027_2028.html). You'll see how cheap the ones you linked are in comparison (not even close to the real thing).

Best to buy from a genuine Hakko dealer IMHO, as Hakko is highly faked, including tips.

[amyk]

In my experience the Atten 936s are pretty good...

[John Coloccia]

For hobby use, the biggest advantage to the 951 is the ability to easily change tips when it's hot.  I frequently go back and forth between my "normal" tip, and a large tip.  I do it even more often now that I have my JBC and it's utterly trivial to change tips.

I have a visceral dislike of the 888D.  It's a fine station and it will perform like a champion, but the crappy, two button interface makes my skin crawl.  I much prefer the 888 but they're mostly gone.

[BravoV]

Regarding fake Hakko tip -> Genuine vs fake Hakko solder tip comparison

Also those dodgy Hakko ceramic heater -> Hakko 936 ceramic heater A1321 vs fake comparison , especially great posts made by nukie. 

[edwardcurrentclamps]

For the soldering station go Hakko. Get the newest one you can afford with a digital display. For aliexpress!!! Got to be careful. I ordered some stuff stating 'original' in the item description and sure enough the items that arrived were Chinese fakes. Sometimes you just have to pay a bit more to get the quality you want. Saving money is not always the right decision if you make an investment in something that will accompany you for a long time.
Buying stuff in the UK seems generally rather expensive. If you have a look around Europe you will sure find an desired item for less. Get it, change the plug and of you go!

[ashyboy]

Really appreciate the few messages since my last post, taken it all on board

Spoke to the 2 UK dealers, one being cheaper (dancap as someone mentioned before) at £242 for: 2x tips, 230v HAKKO FX-951-66 station + stand (and that includes delivery).

For whatever reason, he doesn't take Paypal, Debit or Credit card???
Only bank transfer or cheque.

But anyway, looks like it's the Hakko FX-951.

Thank you for all the help, great to see people putting in the effort on a forum instead of loose comments like "HA - they're all shit" or something similarly unhelpful lol.

[John Coloccia]

The 951 is a a great choice.  My last iron was it's predecessor, the FP-101.  I've had that for 10 years and I've only recent found a station I like better...the JBC.  I like Pace's system very much as well, but that really comes alive with it's large rework station, and that makes no sense for basic work.

[Maturola]

my $0.2 here..

I got the Aoyue 968A+, and I couldn't be happier, it had performed very well, not issues at all.

[nctnico]

Then you never held a proper soldering iron in your hands. I have the Aoyue SMD tweezers and they are a complete waste of money. The tips are utter crap.

[nanofrog]

Then you never held a proper soldering iron in your hands. I have the Aoyue SMD tweezers and they are a complete waste of money. The tips are utter crap.

I suspect the irons are better than the tweezers FWIW. Can't recall anyone say they love their Chinese copies of Hakko tweezers. 

That said, if at all possible, I prefer a name brand station given how frequently they're used. Makes the small details that improve usability and reliability stand out IMHO.

[nctnico]

A good soldering iron makes all the difference in the world. IMHO it is THE tool you should spend most money on (relatively speaking). Forget about scopes, multimeters, function generators, etc. Every project you built will be a breeze with a good soldering iron. Whether its through hole or small SMT; a good iron and several good quality tips in different sizes provide excellent value for money.

[true]

Then you never held a proper soldering iron in your hands. I have the Aoyue SMD tweezers and they are a complete waste of money. The tips are utter crap.

Pencil-type irons aren't tweezers.

That said, my go-to general bench iron is an Atten rebrand (this CSI model) and other than some shoddy construction I had to fix it performs admirably. The quick temp recall works well and the reported temp is fairly accurate. Overall I'd say it's about as good as my FX-888. Granted, I had to mod the handle to fit the holder, and the handle isn't as comfortable, but I've been using it for about a year and it still heats up fast and works well

People are quick to recommend the most expensive here. Consider your use case and if the extra expense will buy you anything worthwhile. While I would love a JBC, I instead put my money towards prototyping parts and test gear. If you are soldering everyday maybe you'll want a better iron.

[andyjh]

No one seems to have mentioned Antex soldering irons here,  I have been using Antex irons for over 30 years - I really like their thin compact design. At the moment I use the 690SD,  I'm not saying it's better or cheaper than anything else,  but just thought I would mention Antex, in case they get overlooked.   

[poorchava]

You could try Ersa I-CON nano. It's a reputable company, and I'd expect decent quality even if they're being manufactured in China.

I'm using Xytronic LF1600, it costed like 100€. Does it do the job? Yes. Is is perfect? No at all. Am I willing to pay 5-6 times more for Metcal or JBC? Hell no!

If you plan on having your iron on 24/7, for example in 3-shift production environment then Metcals and JBCs are justified, otherwise I don't think so.