Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

If you're buying this soldering iron, chances are you're a beginner. Maybe this will be your first time ever soldering anything, and -- like me two weeks ago -- you know nothing. Since the item includes zero instructions, here's a bit of info I hope you find useful. (1) This is *not* a piece of worthless junk, as some reviewers assert. It's a fine-enough product if you're new at this and are not ready to dish out ~$100 for a really good soldering station. It's good to learn on. (2) Google "tinning" and watch a few videos on soldering tip maintenance before you first use this. Without proper maintenance, it will seem like the soldering iron has stopped working (not getting hot enough = not melting nothin') after a few days. But it's working fine; the tip needs to be tinned and cleaned. (3) What the heck is that little sponge for? It's to wipe off the soldering iron's tip to keep it clean while you work. Make sure the sponge is moist! I was an idiot and used it completely dry until ... see #2. Also consider spending $10 on the following item, which is a different and slightly more effective way to clean the tip: "Hakko 599B-02 Wire-type soldering iron tip cleaner." (4) This iron has a little temperature dial that goes from 200 to 450 degrees Celcius. Hotter is better, so might as well crank it up to 11 for full soldering superpower, right? Wrong. For most applications, 300-350 will work just fine. Hotter than that is overkill, and ... see #2. [UPDATE] Having used this for a few weeks now, it seems like the weak link is the solder wire that comes with this product. Throw that wire away and buy this: Kester Solder 60/40 .062 DIA. 1LB SPOOL. It's like night and day. My soldered connections no longer look all brittle and crumped up. They are as silvery and full-bodied as Fabio on a tropical photo shoot.