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Best Soldering Irons and Stations
Soldering is one of, if not the most important maker skill and using the best soldering iron is the smart way to produce your best work. The best GPUs, CPUs and even 3D printers have components soldered to printed circuit boards (PCBs). Whether you are a seasoned pro, or new to soldering, you need the right iron for the task at hand, be it robotics, data science projects or arcade cabinets. But what is the best soldering iron?
On my bench I have a full hot air rework and temperature controlled soldering station, but I will often reach for a USB type C powered, smart soldering iron for quick fixes — the cheap and practical Fnirsi HS-01 being my go to soldering iron. I’ve been soldering projects for well over 20 years, 15 years of that in a professional capacity and I know that a good soldering station is essential for larger soldering projects. But smart soldering irons are ideal for smaller projects, or for when you are on the move. They are quick to heat up and often have precision tips that we can use in surface mount projects.
I’ve personally tested more than 15 different soldering irons, measuring both their ease-of-use and the time it takes for them to get to an acceptable working temperature. Below, I’ve listed the best soldering irons, along with a guide to help you choose the right kind of soldering iron for your needs. This list is always changing, we’ve just reviewed a new precision soldering station for through hole and SMD soldering.
Best Soldering Irons and Stations
Best Overall
1. Pinecil V2 View Prime Day at AmazonView at Walmart
Best Smart Soldering Iron
The smart soldering iron scene started with the TS100 but then came the Pinecil which provides a smart temperature control system, DC and USB C power and user replaceable soldering tips. This little soldering iron provides total temperature control and rapidly heats up and cools down.
Smart soldering irons are ideal for electronics projects and kits. If you need to build up a PCB (Printed Circuit Board), fix some automotive or electric guitar wiring issues, or need to melt some heat press inserts into a 3D print.
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Best Soldering Station
2. Hakko FX-888D View Prime Day at AmazonCheck Walmart
Best Soldering Station
Hakko makes great soldering stations, despite looking a little child-like. The excellent build quality, thermal mass and ease of use make them the ideal choice for beginners and professionals alike. They are more expensive than others, but worth the extra spend.
Soldering stations are for those who will be spending hours soldering projects to life. You’re tied to a workbench, but with the power of a full controllable and thermally balanced soldering iron. If you’re constantly making jewelry, audio equipment or soldering electronics projects, a soldering station is a must buy!
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Best All-Rounder
3. Miniware TS101 View at WalmartView Prime Day at AmazonView Prime Day at Amazon
Best All-Rounder
The TS100 started the smart soldering scene, and the TS101 is the refinement of the original. Easily replaceable (TS100) tips, DC and USB power input and a comfortable grip make this a great soldering iron for your go-bag and your workshop.
A good all-rounder is the kind of soldering iron that we want by our side. It gets the job done and we don’t have to worry about anything. A good all-rounder is useful for soldering crafts, 3D printing, electronics and plastic welding. Just remember to keep the tip clean and your all-rounder soldering iron is ready for the next project.
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For Beginners
4. Tabiger Soldering Iron Kit View Prime Day at Amazon
Best Beginner Soldering Iron
When buying a cheap soldering iron kit they normally throw the kitchen sink in to make it a good deal. But this Tabiger kit represents a cheap entry to soldering, and it doesn’t suck. Basic temperature control, interchangeable tips, a stand and case make this ideal for beginners.
Beginner soldering irons also make great backup or “sacrificial” soldering irons for those “dirty” projects where we could damage the tip. Think automotive wiring, plastic welding as well as typical electronics projects. You don’t want to spend a fortune on a soldering iron that is there to save the wear and tear on your main soldering iron.
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Best Hot-Air Station
5. Yihua 995D+ Soldering Station View Prime Day at AmazonView Prime Day at Amazon
Best Hot-Air Rework Station
A solid performer that won’t break the bank! Hot air rework is essential for surface mount electronics and with this station you can do that and through-hole components. The soldering iron is comfortable and the hot air speed and temperature is at your control.
Hot-air rework stations are awesome for general electronic repairs. They heat the solder from a component, and enable us to remove the component without issue. They can also be used in crafts such as jewelry fabrication, plastic welding and 3D printing (removing strings from prints with a little heat is akin to magic)
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Best Soldering Gun
6. Weller 140W Soldering Gun View Prime Day at AmazonView at WalmartView Prime Day at Amazon
Best Soldering Gun
Weller makes great soldering tools and this 140W soldering gun is a solid performer which powers through big soldering jobs. It has two power settings, and can dump 480 degrees Celsius of heat in six seconds! It is a blunt instrument, for those big jobs.
Soldering guns have immense power, making them ideal for automotive soldering applications which typically use large gauge cables that soak up heat.
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Best for Travelling
7. Fnirsi HS-01 View at WalmartView Prime Day at Amazon
Best Travelling Soldering Iron
Slightly bigger than the TS101 but many times cheaper, the Finirsi HS-01 is the ideal soldering iron for your go-bag / work-kit. It heats up fast, cools down quickly and we have complete control over the temperature and soldering tip. Best of all it comes with an aluminum cover to protect the tip when on the move.
A travelling soldering iron has to be good at a lot of things. It is never the best all-round soldering iron, but they have the heat that you need to tackle a job. Electronics, jewlery, electric guitars, plastic welding and 3D printing projects will benefit from a travelling soldering iron.
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Best for Travelling
8. Ifixit Fixhub Portable Soldering Station View Prime Day at Amazon
Best for the Professional Maker
The Ifixit Fixhub Portable Soldering Station is a great all-rounder. In your home workspace, the makerspace and the garage, the Ifixit Fixhub Portable Soldering Station has the power and precision for all of your soldering needs. It feels like a Hakko soldering station, but portable. The mix of portability, power and precision it is going to make a dent on your wallet.
The iFixit Fixhub provides the power of a desktop soldering station. Heck we have the power to tackle automotive and industrial soldering projects. It also has the precision control necessary for general electronics and 3D printed projects.
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The Best Soldering Irons 2025
Why you can trust Tom’s Hardware Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.
Best Smart Soldering Iron
1. Pinecil V2
Best Smart Soldering Iron
Our expert review:
Specifications
Temperature: Max 450 degrees CelsiusPower: USB C PD and QC 3.0 12-20 Volts at 3 AmpsWattage: Variable based on power supplyDimensions: 155 x 12.8 x 16.2 mm (Body and tip)Today’s Best DealsView Prime Day at AmazonView at Walmart
Reasons to buy
+Low cost+Easy to use+High temperatures+Fast heat up
Reasons to avoid
–Not much different from V1
$26 isn’t a lot of money in the world of best soldering irons. It can buy you a cheap kit, loaded with accessories to sweeten the deal. Or it can buy you what is probably the most useful soldering iron a maker could have. We loved the Pinceil v2 so much we gave it an Innovation Award.