If you find yourself tinkering with electronics, you'll quickly realize your limitations, and the only way to overcome them is with a soldering iron. You don't need to be a professional to get your hands on one, either. Most people with steady hands can pick up soldering relatively quickly. So, whether you're new to soldering or simply a hobbyist, there are plenty of options that aren't beyond your reach or your wallet.

Best Soldering Iron Overall: YIHUA 8786D

The YIHUA 8786D is our top pick, not just because of its performance but its versatility as well. It’s equipped with both a soldering iron and a hot air gun, with the latter being extremely helpful for projects that call for a rework.

It goes further than a well-rounded station; the YIHUA 8786D also provides a series of soldering tips, hot air gun nozzles, lead-free solder, and a sponge tray. In practice, that means you have everything you need to get started on a vast array of projects.

Equally important are the small yet significant features the YIHUA 8786D has built right in, like an anti-static, ESD-safe design. It even has fail-safe protection, which kicks in when the station senses a heating problem and shuts off the machine automatically.

Best Budget Soldering Iron: Weller WLC100

While the Weller WLC100 lacks sophistication, that's to its benefit and not a hindrance. It’s a very inviting option for beginners on a tight budget.

The design of the Weller WLC100 has simplicity baked right into it. Its interface is entirely analog—a simple power switch and a small dial for adjusting the temperature. You can crank it up to 900 degrees Fahrenheit, but more importantly, maintain whatever temperature you set it to.

It's also quite compact, so you won't have to go to great lengths to carve out a workspace. That makes it equally easy to store, so long as you remember to turn it off and let it cool down.

Best Soldering Iron for Beginners: Hakko FX888D-23BY

Another standout option among beginner-friendly soldering irons is the Hakko FX888D-23BY. You trade off some of that analog feel the Weller WLC100 offers for digital, and that’s mighty helpful for making fine adjustments to the temperature.

Additionally, the Hakko FX888D-23BY separates its holder from the machine. But it has all the necessary accessories, like a sponge and cleaning wire, so you can always swap out the holder for something more substantial without getting rid of the main machine.

What you’ll like most is the digital readout itself. You can finely tune the temperature and even switch between Celsius and Fahrenheit. Alternatively, there are five pre-programmed temp settings, accessible with the press of a button, so the guesswork isn’t left completely up to you.

Best Portable Soldering Iron: Pinecil V2

Taking an entire soldering set with you is a cumbersome experience, especially if your task doesn’t call for any major reworks. If you don't frequently take on projects that involve high-thermal capacity boards, the Pinecil V2 is perfect for small jobs on the go.

The hardware of the Pinecil V2 is packed into a form factor no bigger than a marker, with the ability to separate the base and tip. Given how easy it is to slip into a coat pocket or toolbox, the Pinecil V2 is by far the most portable.

What makes the Pinecil V2 particularly special is its software, which goes beyond just setting the temperature. You’ve got boost temperature settings, motion sensitivity, calibration, safety features like standby mode and shutdown timeout, as well as the option to set whether the soldering iron immediately heats up or not once it has power.

Best Soldering Iron with Temperature Control: X-Tronic 4010-PRO-X

If you’ve grown comfortable soldering and are looking to upgrade, the X-Tronic 4010-PRO-X is your ticket to a semi-professional workstation. Despite having more working parts, it’s still quite easy to use, if not more so than lesser options.

It comes with several quality-of-life features that make the X-Tronic 4010-PRO-X a joy to use. There’s a cord holder that eliminates your cable as a hazard, buttons that are clearly labeled, and a non-slip silicone mat that holds the machine in place and doubles as a place for your accessories.

Speaking of accessories, the X-Tronic 4010-PRO-X doubles as a sort of starter pack for any aspiring technician, from tips to an anti-static grounding clip. It even comes with an iron holder for cleaning tips with brass wool, conveniently placed above the wet sponge.

FAQ

Q: What would I use a soldering iron for?

Generally speaking, soldering irons are perfect for melting metals like tin, which you'll often find in electronics. If you look closely at the bottom of a motherboard, you'll notice small flecks of silvery metal—that's tin, and it's used to hold the circuitry in place. In the event you need to perform a repair job, those spots are heated up with a soldering iron (turning to more of a liquid), and the circuitry is removed and replaced.

Q: What is the number one rule of soldering?

Never turn on your soldering iron until you're ready and your space is clear. You're wielding a tool that gets incredibly hot, and the last thing you want is to burn yourself or cause a fire. If you're new to soldering, there are plenty of other soldering basics to know about, too!

Q: Why is my solder balling up?

Solder balling up tends to come from bad wetting techniques, low-quality flux and solder, and the lack of proper maintenance. It's important to clean your soldering iron on a regular basis to avoid buildup.

Q: Do I need an expensive soldering iron?

Not necessarily. What matters most is how often you'll use a soldering iron and its purpose. Are you interested in learning how to solder? In that case, a cheaper soldering iron might be right for you for the sake of practice before moving to a proper workstation. There are also accessories, like tips, and the ability to finely tune the heat to your specifications, which is a lot easier to do with a more expensive soldering iron. If you aren't sure where you stand, there are many factors to consider when buying a new soldering iron.

Q: What's the difference between a soldering iron and a soldering gun?

The biggest difference is that soldering guns are much hotter than soldering irons, which is to be expected considering soldering guns are used far more frequently in heavy-duty projects, like sheet metal and stained glass. With a soldering iron, it doesn't need to be as hot since one of its main uses is for electronics, like repairing motherboards. You'll also notice that a soldering gun is shaped like a gun (and heavier), while a soldering iron is more like a pen (and lighter).