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

I didnt know soldering could be this much fun. If you have never used a nice soldering iron before (like me), this thing is genuinely amazing. Soldering is hard, even with a good soldering iron like this, but the last thing that you want is for some cheap soldering iron to be adding to the inherent difficulty of soldering. This thing does the opposite of that. It makes soldering a lot easier and more fun. That might sound kinda crazy if you havent used one, but this really makes soldering a lot more pleasant. It heats up very quickly, and maintains its temperature very exactly. It maintains its temperature so well that even when I spend a bit too long heating something up, it doesnt damage anything. Thanks to the awesome temperature stability, it melts solder amazingly well without oxidizing it too quickly, I didnt know I could make solder joints this nice. I cant properly explain just how nice this thing is. You have to try one. Its just a joy to use. A nice soldering iron like this makes a huge difference, its night and day versus a cheap soldering iron. The base is very sturdy, the soldering iron itself is comfortable, it comes with a wedge shaped tip standard (which is much better than those needle point tips). I also like how small the whole thing is. It takes up a very minimal amount of desk space which is good if (like me) you dont have much desk space to spare. I personally enjoy the unique colors and design, but Im sure not everyone will like them. They actually look nicer in person than they do in the pictures. I also enjoy that the soldering iron holder is separate, and it feels like its made out of metal and some kind of ceramic stuff, its great. I really cant say enough good things about this. Soldering is still hard, but this thing makes it a lot better. I enjoy using it so much that I actually find myself getting sad when Im done with something and have nothing else to solder, which never used to happen before. Of course, if youve read anything about these, then you probably know the user interface leaves a bit to be desired. Its even stranger in person than the instructions make it out to be. But thats a minor flaw overall. Once you set it the way you want it, you pretty much dont have to pay attention to that anymore. Still, itd be nice if in a future version they made a better user interface for this thing. The user interface is its only real flaw.

Sturdy well made unit and easy to use.

This unit works perfect for my need. Heats up quickly and I never have a problem with it.

After experiencing Radio Shack and similar soldering irons for 35 years, I was accustomed to long heating times, overheating, and never finding replacement tips. I splurged on this Hakko using an Amazon gift card, and I have to say it was a real joy to use this soldering station. Tip is up to temperature in literally seconds, defaults and stays at 750F (which can be changed), and youre in-and-out on circuit board items, no longer lifting traces or burning components by accident.

Good for just about anyone as long as the price works for you, feels like it should cost more

So everyone raves about this gun. I bought it a few years ago and used it one time. Worked great. Tried to use it again temp reads 800 but will barely melt solder. Tried multiple tips thinking that had to be the problem. Used a thermal heat gun to measure tip and shaft temp. Read 180-200 deg even though unit stated it was 800. Gonna try a different unit -- bummer because I spent 120 bucks on this thing

I Like the digital temperature display and it does warm up fast. I changed out the tip that came with it for a larger one for the type of projects I am doing. The small tip does work well for finer detailed projects.

I always believe good tools are never a bad investment. Soldering irons are no different. You get what you pay for and I think if anyone is serious about soldering they should invest in at least a $100 soldering stations with genuine tips. I used a cheap $25 kit the school provided for a summer project and it was frustrating to work with because I was constantly fighting the iron. With the FX-888d I control the tool and it does exactly what it is supposed to do. The kit comes with a T18-D16, perfect medium ground for THM DIY boards you can buy off Amazon. I use lead free solder too and have no problems getting shiny, low wetting angle joints at 350C - 370C with this iron. The heat transfer is noticeable better than a cheaper kit w/ knockoff tips. Do yourself a favor, save $25-$45 you will spend on a cheap station and save for this kit or the Weller counterpart. I find the extra $75-$100 will pay for itself over and over again over the years with quality soldering joints, long lasting tips, and a well built, high quality soldering station.

Update to original review: Ive pulled my old Weller back out of storage. The specific issue is that this Hakko isnt nearly as good for soldering quad copter power leads. The leads tend to be 12 or 14 gauge (I match the leads on the battery I intend to use). It is the ground wires that are most difficult because the circuit boards tend to have heavy ground planes. Sure, I can do the job with the Hakko, but it got annoying after the Nth time. That old Weller makes it fast and easy. Sadly, I hear that the new Wellers dont match up to the old ones. Other than those power leads, almost everything else I do is a lighter job for which the Hakko works fine. ------- Its amazing how the price of these things has changed over the years. This Hakko is replacing my 30 year old Weller. That old Weller doesnt have temperature adjustment and its one temperature was dropping. It was time for a replacement. This Hakko station does everything I want and that brass wool thing is great for tip cleaning. Still getting used to the adjustable temp though. Basically though. its a soldering iron. No surprises there. Flip the switch, it gets hot, melts solder, etc. No drama. The soldering iron is more like a pencil. No problem because it gets hot fast and gets the job done. If I were doing a lot of soldering - as in it were my job, Id have probably gotten another Weller but with adjustable temp. They are more industrial and my old one lasted me 30 years. Thats a strong recommendation. For now, though, I may solder for a few hours on the occasional weekend when Im assembling a quadcopter or arduino gadget. No need for the expensive industrial tooling.

This soldering station is a dream! Coming from a cheapie Radio Shack station, the difference is night and day. It reaches full temperature (650 f) in under 10 seconds and more importantly it stays hot while using it. People complaining about the lack of analog controls havent spent the time to properly set the iron up. Its designed to be used with presets. For example, I have 3 presets: 650, 700, and 750. Cycling between them is extremely easy. Having a digital display to show you what temp the iron is is really nice too. Spend 5 minutes to set your iron up before you complain about it! The soldering iron stand is 100% ceramic and metal. I expected most of it to be plastic, but its not so you dont have to worry about melting anything accidentally. The brass sponge is extremely effective at cleaning the tip. I havent used the wet sponge yet. The power control base unit is super sturdy and just the right weight to not move around during use. The cord for the soldering pen is extremely flexible and stays out of the way. Also to note that my iron came with a fine chisel tip, which I actually prefer. Some might prefer a round tip (but you shouldnt really) so be aware of that and order a replacement tip. Altogether, this is the perfect iron for any level of skill or experience. At work we have very high end ($600+) stations and in my opinion this is every bit as good. There isnt a thing I would improve about it. Its rare to find a flawless consumer product, and this truly is one.