Every tinkerer worth his salt needs a good soldering iron. It’s the cornerstone of electronics work, whether you’re repairing a vintage radio, building a new breakout board for your Raspberry Pi, or just putting together a kit. But with so many options out there, from dirt-cheap pencil irons to sophisticated soldering stations, choosing the right one can be a bit daunting. I’ve spent the better part of 40 years with a soldering iron in my hand, and in my “retirement,” I’ve put a good number of them through their paces on my bench. This review focuses on what really matters for the home tinkerer, not the production line.
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