Good solder station?

[allmighty1]

I need a new soldering station. Before I buy another crap one I just thought I'd check.
Maybe one of these?
D00673 - DURATOOL - SOLDERING STATION, UK/EU PLUG | Farnell Ireland
AT60D-UK - TENMA - SOLDERING STATION, DIGITAL, UK | Farnell Ireland
Buy Soldering Stations RS DS50 Digital Soldering Station eu/uk RS DS50 online from RS for next day delivery.

I want to get something decent but keeping the price reasonable.
Thoughts anyone?

 

[tinitus]

I look at the solder iron and tip first

 

[allmighty1]

Do you think any of these are good?

 

[tomchr]

I suggest the Weller TCP or WTCP. The units by Metcal are awesome as well. Personally, I use the MX-500.

~Tom

 

[Salas]

You go buy ERSA i-Con Nano in my opinion. Forget those lesser ones. Don't think of the extra money, the soldering station is the tool you will use the most along your DMM.
Buy a good one, makes your work easier and better everyday.

An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.

P.S. Look in i-Con Pico too.

 

[PedroDaGr8]

JBC makes some amazing stations. Some of the best you can get.

 

[forr]

What about PACE and this one ;
8007-0514 - PACE - SOLDERING SYSTEM, ST50/TD100 | Farnell United Kingdom
?

 

[PedroDaGr8]

Pace is a bit behind the times. With the invention of the RF induction irons, heat up times are measured in 1-5seconds, with some like JBC, "overclocking" the iron to allow easy soldering even on heavy ground planes. The recent Weller series is a direct response to JBC, Metcal, Ersa, etc.

JBC example:
CD-2BB Digital Solder Kit

 

[Salas]

JBC has expensive tips. So does the 13.56 MHZ Metcal series. Those are the pure pro irons. Both are great. And they drive various accessories. Separate tray is best ergonomics.
If someone needs a VFM unit and economic spares, he should be looking for semi pro. Its a toss between OKI-Metcal PS-900 and Ersa Nano depending on wanting a Curie auto iron or a sensor iron with temp setting. Nano has the more agile handle. Hakko is overpriced in EU no contest. Weller and Pace are cumbersome in the entry level arena. Ersa Pico is great VFM to avoid the Chinese useless sub 100 Euro toy category. Thermaltronics TMT-2000S is PS900 equivalent but has an extra OR port. Worthy at 470 kHz.

 

[PedroDaGr8]

truthfully ersa is hard to come by here in the usa. So I know very little about them.

 

[Salas]

truthfully ersa is hard to come by here in the usa. So I know very little about them.

If the thread opener was in the USA I would also advise him a Hakko FX triple eight for instance. Great value there. The world markets differ for availability and value between makers for sure. For him to avoid getting a slow & heavy, plastic encased bad copy iron like those in his links he better google about the quick overview info we provided and decide. The iron quality is very important for fast, successful, and enjoyable work. Also a Kester roll of eutectic solder wire is a good partner. Some flux pen and liquid too.

P.S. Ersa is historic, also makes factory automation soldering machines. For handhelds has very nice quality tips and good enough modern stations. Not trailblazers but some are well positioned for features VS price.

 

[allmighty1]

Thanks guys. Nothing worse than buying a tool and finding that it's a piece of crap and you have to go out and buy a better one. Which is exactly what I've done.
So unless someome has a better idea I'm going to order this one......
I-CON NANO - ERSA - SOLDERING STATION, 60W EU-PLUG | Farnell Ireland

 

[Nikitas]

After weeks of head banging a few months ago trying to decide like you which one to buy, I got the ersa rds 80. No regrets, absolutely happy with it.

Problem these days is that we all buy online to save some money which results to physical shops to shut down, so we can't go give a close look. Not only soldering stations but all testing equipment. Deciding on an oscilloscope......that's struggle.......

 

[Nikitas]

By all means, get the nano! Initially that was my choice, and the second would be the rds. Then I got an offer for 60 euro discount for the rds and that's what I took.

 

[tinitus]

what is difference of Nano and new Pico ?

 

[AndrewT]

Check spares availability.
I am down to my last heater element for my station. Two blown in ~5years.

 

[brianco]

I have the Ersa Analogue 60 and am very happy with it. Less expensive than the digital readout 60 and totally reliable.
(My old Weller kept having very major breakdowns and required a new control board 4 times.)

 

[forr]

Pace is a bit behind the times. With the invention of the RF induction irons, heat up times are measured in 1-5seconds, with some like JBC, "overclocking" the iron to allow easy soldering even on heavy ground planes. The recent Weller series is a direct response to JBC, Metcal, Ersa, etc.

JBC example:
CD-2BB Digital Solder Kit

I was not aware of soldering irons using RF induction.
I've not seen this specified yet, or maybe missed to see it.
Are such irons reliable ?

Currently, I have a 936 Hakko, bought after having read nice comments and I am somewhat disappointed.
Formerly, I had a very old Pace and I felt it very comfortable in my hand and in delevering heat.

 

[brianco]

I have the Ersa Analogue 60 and am very happy with it. Less expensive than the digital readout 60 and totally reliable.
(My old Weller kept having very major breakdowns and required a new control board 4 times.)

Apologies....it is an Ersa Analogue 80A.

 

[allmighty1]

pico is €130 nano is €210. I keep reading the specs and cant find a reason to pay the extra for the nano. The nano must do something for the extra bread but what?