The Best Soldering Irons – Top 5 Reviews and Buying Guide 2018

You can find many stores online that sell you soldering irons. Their prices vary from one store to another. While they all promise you good performance and service delivery, you want a soldering iron that comes with a good handle and fits your style of operation.

Whether going for a product or service, everybody wants value for their money. Soldering irons are no exceptions to this rule. Soldering stores understand that customers want quality; they strive to give you that.

If you are a hobbyist, you are definitely looking for a soldering iron pack that comes with accessories that are appropriate for use. Getting a soldering iron that suits your taste and preferences is important to enable you to perform an exemplary job. Most common specs to look for include the handle, quality, inches of its chord, the watt measure and temperature range.

We break down your options with a comparison table. Read on to get to know the different specs of a soldering iron.

Comparison table

Item	Watts	Temperature range (°F)	Check on Amazon
Weller WP25 Professional	25 watts	750	Check price here
Magento’s Superb Adjustable temperature soldering iron	60 watts	392-482	Check price here
Weller SP40NUS Soldering Iron	40 watts	900	Check price here
Soldering Iron with Ceramic Heating Element	15 watts	824	Check price here
Tabiger soldering iron kit	60 watts	392-842	Check price here

Weller WP25 Professional – Comfortable cushion grip

If you are just starting out in soldering, you want to try out this soldering iron. It’s your best option to consider before going for a soldering station. Though pricey, it has a better user experience compared to other cheaper irons in the market. This solder comes with high temperatures of 750 degrees that is not recommended for lead-based solder. However, this should not be a cause for concern as the joints fall within the usual soldering time of 2-5 seconds. You want to increase the longevity of its tip by covering it with a solder before turning it off. The Weller solder comes with a variety of tip shapes. You can choose between the chisel and the conical tip. I would recommend a chisel shape to a conical as it covers a large surface area which helps transfer heat faster.

Features

• 1/8” Iron-plated screwdriver tip
• Foam handle that remains cool after long use
• Tip retainer for holding the tip of the solder
• Stainless steel barrel
  

Pros

• Well-grounded irons that help protect sensitive electronics when they are big soldered
• 25 watts is suitable for joining component
• Perform a variety of soldering iron works
• Weller ST series tips
• Tip lasts for long before melting
• Stays hotter for long hours even in a cold environment
  

Cons

• The iron holder is big and not properly fitting
  

View price on Amazon

 

Magento’s Superb Adjustable temperature soldering iron –Combines safety and quality

The Magento superb soldering iron is a good fit for both professionals and hobbyist. It does not only deliver quality but comes with a smart design to suit you. Whether looking for a good grip or a superb heating element, it has got your needs covered. As a solder iron user, one of your primary concern is your safety when doing soldering. With this soldering iron you face no risk of burning self or the working bench. It heats up faster for soldering and can cool off within minutes after turning it off. You also got the advantage of an advanced stand and a design that comes with non-toxic material and metals.

Features

• A fully packaged kit containing all the materials you need
• Comes with a ceramic core induction technology that helps to regulate heat and adjust the temperatures for your soldering needs.
• Sophisticated heat reduction technology
• Carrying case for carrying soldier and its entire accessories
• High quality toxic free materials

Pros

• Comfortable to hold
• Wide temperature variation of 392-482
• Has six different soldering tips to give a wide user experience during application
• Sturdy stand for holding soldering iron

Cons

• Has the inability to select the right temperature for the material being soldered

 

View price on Amazon

 

Weller SP40NUS 40-Watt Soldering Iron –LED light for application illumination

The Weller SP40NUS will blow you off with its amazing features. It comes with three LED light that helps in accuracy and decreases application shadowing. You also have the advantage of a triangular handle that gives you maximum tip control during soldering. Be wary about using it on delicate electronics as it gives out a lot of heat that could damage them. Its handle is co-molded to provide you with a soft grip to that enables tip positioning.

Features

• Medium duty 40W soldering iron incorporated with the latest LED technology
• Handle triangular in shape for full tip control
• 3 LED Lights for application illumination
• Used on RC hobbies, audio equipment and other electronic components

Pros

• Lightweight with comfort grip
• Different shaped tips; pointed, chisel
• Quality product
• Melts solders instantly

Cons

• A poor quality tip that lasts after the first 30 minutes
• Flakes form on the tip giving you the extra work of removing them regularly
• Flakes cause insulation at the tip interfering with performance
• Iron gets hot too first
  

 

View price on Amazon

 

Pro Line 15 Watt Soldering Iron with Ceramic Heating Element – Ergonomic grip handle

When looking for a soldering iron, you want to get one that can take care of several of your soldering iron needs. The Pro Line 15 Watt soldering iron can take care of your basic as well as other versatile needs. As much as you want an iron that delivers on the job, comfort while using is also one of your key priorities. This soldering iron enables you to perform your task perfectly well as it has an ergonomic grip handle that gives you the comfort you need.

Features

• Pre-tinned which helps to save on time
• 15 watts
• A maximum temperature of 824° F
• The heating element is ceramic in nature enabling to heat up quickly
• Replaceable iron-clad with a chrome plated tip for durability.

Pros

• Ideal for small circuit board wiring
• A reliable storage case that is sturdy plastic
• Cord long and heavy for easy user-experience
• Heats up fast
• Low power
• Metal doo-dad for resting hot iron helping to avoid burns

Cons

• Tip fails to heat up easily if not cleaned
• Not hot enough to perform complex soldering tasks

 

View price on Amazon

 

Tabiger Soldering Iron Kit – Good heat regulator

The Tabiger soldering iron kit with a 60 watt has never been known to disappoint. It comes well-packaged to handle your soldering needs. Its packaging is done in a sturdy carry case that can accommodate most of the soldering iron tools including the soldering iron, solder sucker, 5 solder tips, a solder stand and a sponge for cleaning. With 60 watts of power, you don’t have to wait for more than 2-mins to start soldering anything.

Features

• Portable tool carry box
• High-pressure solder sucker
• Comes with 60 watts that enable fast heating; within 2-minutes
• Well-packed kit with several soldering accessories

Pros

• 5 soldering tips choose from
• Good heat control
• User-friendly to both beginners and intermediates
• Soldering iron heats up quickly

Cons

• Soldering iron cable short raising the need to purchase an extension cable

 

View price on Amazon

 

What qualities should you consider in getting the best soldering iron?

Temperature control

Whether a beginner, student or soldering hobbyist, you can’t underestimate the importance of temperature control on your work. Without the right temperature control, there is little you can do. Your work will end up shoddy.

You want to purchase a soldering iron that comes with a knob control box. Your alternative could be the push button control box. However, a push button control box is harder to use for temperature regulation.

Wattage rating

The wattage you choose depends on the soldering task you have at hand. Just as temperature control is important, wattage also matters in a soldering iron. Unlike temperature ranges that are same.

Wattage differs in different irons. Some come with higher watts of up to 75 while other irons stop at 65. For low to medium soldering tasks, pick watts that measure up to 65 watts. High tasks require more watts that range above 70.

Replaceable tip

If you are a buying a soldering iron, make sure to have extra soldering tips at hand just in case you may need more. Tips also work well if suited to the shape of the surface you are trying to solder. You can find them in chiselled or con shapes.

Soldering station

Depending on your budget, you may choose to buy only a soldering iron at $10 or less. The danger with buying a soldering iron only is that you might end up leaving many burn marks on your working bench. To avoid this, invest in a good soldering station that comes with a secure resting place for your soldering iron.

Verdict

If a student or a hobbyist, these soldering irons have got your needs covered to give you the best user experience. They are among the top soldering products in the market. For instance, you may be in search of a soldering iron that doesn’t puff your work environment. The Aoyue 968A iron comes with a built-in fume absorber that absorbs smoke reducing the cloudiness in your environment. Still, if you want a soldering iron that comes with a push temperature control button, the soldering program digital iron does it for you. It all boils down to what you are looking for. Best!