Side by Side Comparison of: Weller vs Aoyue

Three very important aspects about this station that spell SAFETY are:1st..... The power buttom on the station itself is very convenient and makes you alert of it being on or off.2nd.... Power control knob that helps you control the amount of wattage/heat on the soldering tip.3rd..... The holder for the soldering tip is right there next to you.This is a very good setup for anyone who does quite a bit of soldering like me. Highly recommended.

I love things that are well made and work the way they should. This soldering iron station has enough of a range to do a lot of the things that I use a soldering iron for. My only recommendation is to buy a pencil tip at the same time you buy this soldering station. The tip it comes with is broad and not as easy to use in tight spaces as a pencil tip.

I use it from time to time as a light duty DIY dude, and it's leaps and bounds ahead of the craptastic radioshanty version I had before. The tip flows solder really well and cleans up really well. Temp control is great and the stand is great as well. Totally happy with my purchase!

This is my second soldering iron and the first soldering station. The first time I tried to save money and bought a $10 soldering gun without temperature settings or a holding station. How wrong I was about trying to save money on a soldering iron. First, you definitely need to have a temperature setting so that you can fine tune it to your application. e.g. Thicker wires require a hotter iron. Also, a big plug is the iron holder. I tried to use the one that came with the $10 iron, which was basically just a metal place with a cut out for a stand. Those things don't stay in place and caused me to burn my fingers more than several times. Before I purchased this guy I also found another one for about $10 less than this one with similar features, however, after looking into it and having used this iron now for a few weeks I say this is definitely worth the month. I also got a Solder Tip cleaning with a brass wool and a tip tinner to complete my setup. So if you're looking to get into soldering and want something that will last more than one use get this!

I use this soldering iron as a hobbyist to solder electronics for use with my Raspberry Pi and Arduino projects. I have found an adjustable-power soldering iron to be a must-have for this type of work. This unit performs well; the provided tip makes surprisingly short work of even some of the more cramped joints I've had to make; and the option to utilize other Weller tips has been helpful.

Intro:This is a really good mid-price range soldering iron that would be very satisfactory for the typical electronics hobbyist, maker, tinkerer, or DIY repairs enthusiast. Please note that this is a *soldering station*, not just a soldering iron, so it is superior to if you are just purchasing a *soldering iron*, which is just the "plug in pencil" part by itself. Weller is a professional grade soldering equipment company, they make soldering equipment that is even more superior to this one, so you can expect fairly high quality out of this soldering station as well.Advantages and features:-Really nice holder for the iron, reducing the chances of knocking it over or off the table during use (safer than cheaper soldering irons).-Nice comfort grip on the iron-You can buy high quality Weller tips to fit this iron of a wide range of shapes/sizes for different soldering jobs-On/off switch so you don't have to unplug it to shut it off. Switch glows when on, to remind you that it's on (good for safety).-The iron plugs into a socket on the station, so you could replace just the iron if it breaks/burns out/gets worn out, probably even with a non-Weller iron.-A nice sponge is included-Station has a nice tray for the sponge-Station has variable heat output with continuous adjustment knob (way better than having just an iron that doesn't have temperature adjustment)-Seems to have plenty of power for doing circuit board electronics soldering. I typically use the 3 or 4 setting, unless I'm soldering big stuff, and then I crank it up to 5, which is the max.Disadvantages to keep in mind, and why they aren't a huge deal:-Though you can adjust heat output, you can't control the temperature directly, and the probe doesn't actively increase/decrease its heat output to hold at constant temperature as you are working with it. But you would have to pay significantly more money to get this feature in a high quality soldering iron like this one.-The soldering iron tip that this iron comes with is a huge chisel tip, and will not be useful to most people who plan on soldering electronics with this iron. You can easily order replacement tips though that are more dart-like, and you'll have to do this as tips wear out anyways.Pro tips:Soldering iron tips are somewhat expensive (about $10 each), because they are one metal plated with another metal. Treat them with respect. Shut the iron off when not in use to reduce high temperature corrosion. Put some solder on the tip before shutting it off to protect it. Use the sponge and/or tip cleaner to keep the tip clean. Avoid the temptation to clean a tip with sandpaper, this will ruin it, because that removes the plating. If your tip starts not working very well, slap in a new one, and tell yourself that it's worth it. Try not to solder onto dirty metals and things not intended to be soldered.Summary/Final Buying Advice:If you are a hobbyist accustomed to using stand-alone soldering irons that have no station, or a cheap station that is just a sponge and a holder, and no switch and knob, treat yourself to this station, and you'll be very pleased. Things will go a lot better for you, you'll be more productive, less frustrated, and this station might even be safer for you to use, since with the stand-alone iron, you can easily knock it over onto your table or floor, and that's not good. This is almost a professional quality station, you can handle the price that it costs, so get it for yourself!!If you are a professional electronics technician, a very ambitious hobbyist, or have a larger budget than I do, you will probably want a temperature controlled iron/station. Expect to pay over double for it if it is of good Weller or comparable quality though. Its key advantage is that it will increase/decrease its heat output to hold a constant temperature as you are doing things with it that suck more and less heat off of it.

It's a pretty good backup or beginners station. They only put one screw in to hold the base together instead of the two it was designed for, and the knob is out of alignment right out of the box. I straightened the knob up and it works pretty well. 3-3.5 feels like around 300-350C-ish. Temperature recovery is adequate, but nothing like a temperature controlled iron. If I had paid $100 for it I would be disappointed, but for under $50 it's a killing machine.

I purchased this for my son who is an engineering student. I've used a variety of soldering irons over the years from super cheap ones from Radio Shack, to professional Metcal soldering stations. Obviously, this is not Metcal quality, but for the price it does a very nice job. The fact that you can modulate the temperature is great. It was a bit harder than normal to properly tin the tip, but other than that, it has done well.

I am using this to solder guitar electronics. Have used on 2 guitars with great results. Tip can turn quickly so keep clean and tinned in order to reduce oxidation. It seems consistent heat wise and is a great improvement over cheap pencil type I was using. Again, I use this as a hobbyist, so not sure durability for day-to-day extended use. Would recommend for hobbyist that wants a quality unit with some control. Cord does seem to get in the way at times and can be irritating so just make sure to set it up so it stays out of the way.

For a super novice solderer, such as I, I found it pretty great. It beat this super cheapo soldering iron I bought at a discount store. After my first experience with my cheapo soldering iron, I was very doubtful I'd be able to pull off a 3.5mm repair plug job, but I was able to do it with this soldering iron! It melted just enough around what I was soldering without leaving a goopy mess. Going by my experiences, for basic regular sized jobs, perhaps even older automotive/motorcycle electrical, I bet this thing can pull it off. I know that's what I'll probably end up using it for in the future. If a more constant/even temp is required, or a more hardcore job, then I'd probably buy a bit more expensive iron with more features, but for a newbie like me this station is a good start.

I got this to start out soldering on my guitar. I didn't want to get a cheap iron, and didn't want to spent $100 bucks on something i really didn't need. So at $40 this guy was the choice, and the reviews were good for most Weller products, so i gave it a shot. Some things about this guy seems a little cheap though when it arrived, like the plastic construction seems a little cheap, but not flimsy so it's not too bad, as long as you don't rough it around too much. The iron holder ( the spiral metal thing) can be a little tedious, and i worry about it falling since it's just sorta resting in a groove in the plastic. But i haven't had an issue so it should be ok in the future. I was a little confused by the sponge that came with it since it's completely flat. "Really?" i thought. But it expands perfectly and sits nice and snug in the little sponge holder.As for soldering, everything went great. It takes a little bit to warm up (i'm really impatient so probably only about 5 minutes depending on the temperature). It comes with a small chisel tip which is great for beginning, since you can easily get a good amount of solder on the tip and not worry about missing what you're trying to solder. The little heat adjustment knob is a great feature to have as well. I used it on 4 (out of 5) and was able to get sufficient heat to heat up a potentiometer plenty. It's also great for when you let the iron sit for a bit, since you can turn it down to about 2, and then crank it back up to whatever you were using before and not have to wait as long for it to heat up.This is a great choice for a beginner's iron if you're willing to spend the extra money. It's well worth the investment!

I bought one of these 5 years ago. It feels pretty cheap, but for what it is, it works well. I switch between the original tip and a thinner one depending on what needs to be done. I've done some surface-mount type soldering with this and so far haven't had issues I can attribute to the iron itself. I have not had any (noticeable) damage due to the non-ESD safe, ungrounded tip.However, I wish I had saved the $40 or so I spent on it and put that towards a temperature-controlled unit. I would advise the same for anyone thinking of buying this for PCB work. For this kind of soldering this feels like an unnecessary intermediate between a cheap soldering pencil and a temperature-controlled station.These days there are good offerings from reputable companies (including Weller itself) that cost less than $100 and offer a grounded (ESD-safe) and temperature-controlled tip. While this WLC100 lets you lower the temperature with the dial, it only dials down the power delivered to the tip. It does not keep the tip at a constant temperature.

If you are cheap and need a soldering iron for occasional use, this will work fine. It is not a quality piece of equipment. If I could go back and do it again, I would drop the extra money to get a quality piece of equipment. If you are looking for a piece of machinery that will perform, bump up your budget $30 and look again.

Unfortunately I was surprised to find out that the knob isn't a temperature control but simply adjusts power. This means that it can get way too hot when you put it down and yet doesn't recover the temperature quickly when you need to make several joints in quick succession.

1. Mine arrived with a missing screw in the base (1 of the 2). Hecho in Mexico. Will add pix.2. Takes forever to heat up-minutes.. I must be used to my 30 year old Weller TC202/TC201 WTCPN heating up in about 15-30 seconds.3. Ships with a smaller chisel tip. Reordered a conical for small work.

Design good for analogue. I have ownd similar one 20 years ago and it was less known brand still as reliable as Weller (still works, but when you have two locations you do do need two of them instead of traveling with station for hobbies).The only problem I have is that it was used. Do your really think I cannot recognize that tip was used and it is smeared in solder and resin? No it does not have in this from factory. Someone was already soldering with it and it should not be restocked with used tip. I could also see that box was resealed with some popular scotch tape an box was slighly torn from opening. I do not mind having lightly used soldering station (as long as it works), but then do not sell it as new. It is not right to advertise used equipment as new. Since I needed sharp tips for electronics I oredered two of them and replaced original (used) one anyway. Not big deal here, but just sales people integrity issue.I measure temparature of tip with laser gauge and it is sufficeint to melt electronic solder, but we will see how reliable the station is soon.

I only solder things here and there, so I haven't used it a ton yet, but it's been alright for what I've used it for so far. The tip is worthless. I read all the instructions about caring for the tip, and I followed them, but I can't get anything hot with it. Solder beads off and doesn't stick. I plan to get a new tip, and when I do, I'll probably be very happy with it for my hobby purposes.

The units heating and tips have stood up well. I had issue with the set screw that hold tips in barrel. Went 180 degrees and drill and taped a 6-32 set screw in. The barresl original 4-40 or what ever size it was does not have enough material to take many tip changes before it stripped out.The side plug-in for iron always seems on wrong side of bench, but that just my issue Low end power adjustment seems low to proportion of pot adjust. Handles nice, & wide selection of tips.Up date: purchased 2/2012, heater element failed 1-17-2016, moderate hobby use.

It's a little bit low on power, and its super hard to find replacement tips for it. It's an ok starter iron I guess, but I ended up buying a little bit higher quality Weller instead, I think even for hobbiests you're better off spending 25-50% more and getting a real high quality iron.

I've been using Weller products for years, and they have finally convinced me that they do not make any "professional grade" soldering equipment. This so-called "station" lasted me about 6 months, used it maybe a dozen times, and now it won't melt solder on any setting. Save your money on this one, do your research, buy something decent even if it costs a few bucks more..

It works, but the quality control is awful. It's supposed to have two screws on the base of the unit, there is one...really? It was that hard to overlook one of two screws? I understand it's a budget soldering iron, but come on.It takes a few minutes to heat up enough to melt light duty rosin core 60/40 solder, but once it heats up it worked fine. The cord for the base unit is very short, less than 48"...the cord on the iron itself is plenty long, much longer than the base cord.All in all, I'm disappointed in the product. But it is true I guess, you get what you pay for...I just expected more from Weller. Oh, when I went to register it, I couldn't...the unit doesn't have a serial number.:/ So I'll expect no love from Weller WHEN it breaks. It's cheap and made in Mexico, I'd seriously look for a higher end unit if you can.

Not sure if 2 stars are fair. I used it only once for 10 minutes and it worked as advertised. But will now no longer heat up a week later. Seemed to be the handle and not the electronics since it is still cold when plugged in directly. Past 30 day return and I don't have the time to have it repaired at this price point (and pay for shipping) So I'm out the full $$ on this one.

Beware: this is NOT temperature controlled. It is basically a 40W soldering iron powered through a dimmer circuit.

I ended up returning this. Very poor design. The wire on the wand is just lampcord, made of simple rubber and is rigid, so it gets in the way and easily gets tangled with the work you're doing - and its inflexibility can "steer" the soldering iron, which matters with delicate work. The wire is also too long and not heat-resistant, and it plugs into side of base with a bulky 110V AC plug. Some may like that feature as they may think it makes the wand portable to use w/o the base, but as far as I'm concerned I bought the base / wand combo for its precise heat, why would I want to split that up and get full heat? Also to hold the soldering tip there's a set screw (as opposed to a threaded compression fitting) - so the screw sticks out from the iron at the base of the tip, and the iron is constantly getting hung up on the wireframe coiled holder via that screw when drawn out of the base, dragging the station an inch or two towards me. Frustrating. I owned a more "pro" Weller station previously (got lost in a move), and simple things from that design would be nice in this unit - shorter, heat-resistant wire & more flexible wire, and nix the set screw. Sure they value-engineer lower cost soldering stations for a reason, but some design issues can't be THAT costly to implement (the screw for example, or wire length). Oh my what a rant, it's just a soldering iron. Good luck!

Wanted a "soldering" iron, instead I got a "suffering" iron. This thing works no better than an old $3.00 radio shack model. Also the tips are expensive.Hakko FX888D costs more, but it's the thing you want.

Worked for one day, then died. Quality leaves a lot to be desired. The plug on the side of the base unit pulls out almost completely when removing the soldering iron. This is not the same quality as the light-blue products from 30 years ago. Returning defective unit.

Since this was the #1 in category, I bought it. Oops, wish I hadn't. Soldered maybe 50 small wires and components with it in maybe 3 sessions and the unit is just maddening. Seems it either cooks the hell out of solder and wire insulation or it's not hot enough to melt anything. It's like someone switches a light switch on and off while trying to use it. I've played with the control and it doesn't really help much.The other disappointment - since day one, the tip has been dark gray and rough. Never been able to get it clean. I've tried a few different solders with it.

worked for about 5 hours now it's back to the old radio shack solder gun what a waste of money and I Thought Weller WAS a good product

It has taken me two hours to get two beads. It doesn't want to heat the solder.

Pile of junk. Used half a dozen times and now it either doesn't heat above 100 degrees on 3 or below and a smidge above 3 gets you the max temp causing solder to bead and run off the components you try to bring together. Frustration and waste of money. Well er is not on my list of accepted soldering irons.