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Hakko FX-888D Soldering Station (Genuine) $185.90 Delivered @ Mektronics

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Hakko FX-888D Soldering Station (Genuine) $185.90 Delivered @ Mektronics
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patzorz on 07/12/2020 - 13:17 mektronics.com.au (2906 clicks)
Last edited 07/12/2020 - 15:13 by 1 other user

38 in stock left seems like they are stocking up more xD
$169 excluding GST (sneaky buggers) + free shipping over $150
Includes Roll of Solder MC344
- Would recommend T18-C2 tip if you're using it for soldering keyboard switches.
- Should come with T18-D16 tip as default? correct me if im wrong.

Hakko FX-888D + ESD Mat
https://www.mektronics.com.au/hakko-fx-888d-digital-solderin…
- Probs better to just order an ESD Mat off ebay.

Hakko FX-888D Digital Soldering Station (Genuine) Features
Excellent thermal recovery - Heater output has been increased by 30% compared to that of the conventional models HAKKO 936/937. Also FX-888D delivers excellent thermal recovery by using T18 series tips for their terrific heat conductivity.This allows soldering at a lower set temperature and reducing the thermal impact on components as well as tip oxidation that can shorten tip life.

Small footprint - Compact station body requires a space of only 100 (W) x 120 (D) mm. What's more, points that come into contact with the floor are positioned as close to the outer edge of the body as possible to improve stability and make the station difficult to fall over

Simple and easy operation - With only two operation buttons of UP and ENTER in the centre, operation is simple and easy. Even if you're not familiar with operation of machines, you can operate it without difficulty.

Digital display - The FX-888D's digital display makes it easy to check the set temperature at a glance.

Password function - Settings can be locked using a password to prevent them from being changed unexpectedly. Of course, it is possible to restrict all setting changes or prevent users from switching to particular modes. It allows you to choose a style of usage best suited for your worksite.

Preset mode - This feature is very convenient when you want to change the set temperature to suit a particular workpiece, component, or tip shape. Simply select the desired temperature from a selection of preset temperatures registered in advance. (Up to 5 preset temperatures can be registered.) Preset mode can save your trouble and improve workability.

Electrical & Electronics FX-888D Hakko Soldering Iron Soldering Station

Related Stores

Mektronics Australia
Mektronics Australia

closed Comments

    • Jackson on 07/12/2020 - 14:36
      +1

      I assume the negs are for the lack of upvote?

      • deezus on 07/12/2020 - 14:39
        +5

        The negs are because he has edited from saying that he got his one of these for $15

        • Jackson on 07/12/2020 - 14:41
          +1

          Can you see edits? It's not like JV to change a comment

        • jv on 07/12/2020 - 14:49
          -3

          saying that he got his one of these for $15

          making stuff up again I see…

          • deezus on 07/12/2020 - 14:52

            @jv: Again? This is literally the first time I've ever interacted with you…

      • spiff on 07/12/2020 - 23:10

        Nah for being a loser

    • SeanyB on 07/12/2020 - 14:37

      Sorry JV, needs more bold.

  • cook99 on 07/12/2020 - 13:23
    +2

    Great bit of kit, no regrets upgrading from the $40 Jarcar one.

  • sunnypack on 07/12/2020 - 13:41
    +3

    Awesome soldering iron, I've bought two one for home and one for work. Can say very impressed with the quality. It's worked for 6 years straight, no issue.

    • cooni on 07/12/2020 - 14:24
      +23

      What’s your power bill like?!

    • oznik on 07/12/2020 - 20:11

      I have a hakko that's 30 years old, they are built like tanks

  • Jimothy Wongingtons on 07/12/2020 - 14:08

    dang got excited for a sec- thought it was a DE-soldering station. Our hakko one has just packed it in.

    • Manusdei on 07/12/2020 - 14:38

      https://www.mektronics.com.au/hakko-fm-204-desolder-station.…

      204 desolder station for $965 ex GST, seems a bunch of Hakko stuff is on sale.

      • SteveAndBelle on 07/12/2020 - 14:54

        I've had the 203 & 204 in my sights for a while and put together a spreadsheet on them and a heap of other gear a few months ago so I could get some idea of how much my new workshop will cost to fit-out. The 203 & 204 have been around this price (give or take literally a dollar here or there) since July 13th when I last saved my spreadsheet :) Still the best prices I could find but yeah not anything new.

        • Ragnarok1983 on 07/12/2020 - 15:39
          +1

          As much as I am a Hakko fanboy, i bought a yihua 948 desoldering station. Hard to justify $1000 for a hakko when it only gets used a few times a year.

          • SteveAndBelle on 07/12/2020 - 15:48
            +2

            @Ragnarok1983: Yeah, agreed but I'm planning on many hours a day, 7 days a week :) I still have my Hakko 926 I bought from Dick Smith in the 90s. I had to save up for it for many months and I really couldn't justify it at the time yet was told I'd be silly not to… but 30 years later and literally months if not years worth of non-stop use in total I don't regret it one bit as it still works as well as it did on the first day! I've also owned many cheapies including the $17 rip-offs from HobbyKing and although excellent value for money they still fall well short of the Hakkos. I probably don't need a 203 & 204 combo but I'm going to treat myself the same way I did 30 years ago. Fingers crossed their new stuff is just as good as their old stuff (from all reports it is!). Still hate the colour though, urgh.

            • Ragnarok1983 on 07/12/2020 - 19:37

              @SteveAndBelle: Agreed, I got a Hakko FX-950… 15 years of constant use and still on the original T12 tip. Also the tips range is fantastic.

          • ShipShapeRC on 07/12/2020 - 19:14

            @Ragnarok1983: The 948 looks good. I have had 2 x Yihua 936 and the base stations broke. The 948 looks metal. Much better.

    • superdoedoe on 07/12/2020 - 14:44

      hakko desoldering station is like x3 the price

  • macmanluke on 07/12/2020 - 14:09

    good price for a genuine!

    Id be tempted to upgrade from my clone but prob dont use it enough

  • Broden on 07/12/2020 - 14:15
    +9

    Present sorted for my 8 year old daughter, cheers OP

    • patzorz on 07/12/2020 - 14:20
      +7

      What a lucky daughter!

    • Jackson on 07/12/2020 - 14:37
      +1

      Why does Broden look like hoppa?

    • SEasternCry on 07/12/2020 - 14:56
      +1

      Yo! Wassup Broden :)

    • Ragnarok1983 on 07/12/2020 - 19:26

      Awesome way to get them started young.

    • Munki on 07/12/2020 - 20:55

      Also valentine's day sorted!

  • sickburn on 07/12/2020 - 14:20
    +2

    This is an awesome soldering station for the price, but the included conical tip isn't the greatest. I'd recommend a chisel tip for most general purpose work.

    • patzorz on 07/12/2020 - 14:21
      +2

      Recommend some Chisel tips :)

  • corbz on 07/12/2020 - 14:21
    +4

    Get a ts100 instead

    • patzorz on 07/12/2020 - 14:22

      TS100 are amazing! I've got one with a custom firmware

      • raybies on 07/12/2020 - 14:42
        +4

        What does the fw do different?

        • patzorz on 07/12/2020 - 15:11
          +1

          https://github.com/Ralim/ts100

          Have a read on the github page :)

          • raybies on 07/12/2020 - 15:34
            +1

            @patzorz: And ordered… now I can retire my portable gas soldering iron, that would catch on fire everytime I tried soldering something in a hard to reach place.

        • virtual81 on 07/12/2020 - 15:21
          +8

          The TS100 is open source hardware, thus replicating it is pretty easy.
          Miniware are the original, but assuming the design has been followed well they are all good.

          I have one and like it, but for it to work really well it must be run at 20 volts or more.
          Heat up and recovery are poor at 12v, but for small jobs it is functional.

          I'd extremely highly recommend a TS100 if someone wanted a good iron for occasional to moderate use.
          My only complaint is the hand grip is ballz, thus if using it more often you'd get annoyed by it.

          At 24v input it heats up in about 6 seconds from cold and has excellent power and thermal recovery.

          For a beginner on a budget one of these is the go, don't get anything cheaper.
          A good power supply is an old laptop charger, higher the voltage the better up to about 25v (many are 19v and it will work great).
          DO NOT expect good performance from 12v, moving from 12v to 24v is night and day.

          If you need an iron get any of these, and nothing less, most can be had under $100…
          TS100
          Hakko FX-888 or older model equivalent used.
          A good Hakko knockoff.

          Anything less than these will yield less bang for buck.

          More cash??…

          TS-80P
          If you have the cash the TS-80P is great, somehow in the real world performs on par with the TS-100 even though it has 1/2 the power (USB C Power delivery 30W)
          Ergonomics are significantly better too, and has the ability to eject tips without touching them, ideal for tip changing on the go.
          Note - TS-80 = 18W, needs QC3.0 power supply
          TS-80C = 30W from USB PD capable power supply and 18W ffrom QC3.0 power supply
          TS-80 is OK, but the 80P is the real go.

          JBC DIY
          If you're feeling clever, but still poor there are DIY temp controllers on Ali Express, Ebay etc that are compatible with a JBC handle.
          Get one of these, a JBC handle and a couple of JBC tips, probably as good performance wise as a real JBC station for a lot less.

          The JBC would have to be the nicest iron I've ever used by a kilometer.

          Dave Jones @ EEVBLOG reviewing the TS80P
          https://youtu.be/8xy3Jg_Wukg

          Dave Jones @ EEVBLOG JBC CD-2BB teardown
          https://youtu.be/PjEYI5WsLBI

          Dave Jones @ EEVBLOG — Weller VS Hakko
          https://youtu.be/tlKg6rSMPEs

      • 3per on 07/12/2020 - 15:05
        +2

        Do you have a link for the TS100. There's a lot of TS100 in Amazon and I'm unsure which one is the "genuine" TS100.

        • SEasternCry on 07/12/2020 - 18:05

          Doubt there is a "genuine" one. They are also not knock-offs persay because the original company Miniware, has open sourced their soldering irons.

          • pjetson on 07/12/2020 - 21:45

            @SEasternCry: What is "persay"?

            • SEasternCry on 07/12/2020 - 21:51

              @pjetson: google says "by or in itself or themselves; intrinsically."
              Just trying to point out they should be all genuine, but personally I'd support the original company, Miniware just because its their idea they made open sourced (free) so everyone can copy it.

      • picklewizard on 07/12/2020 - 16:11

        I LOVE my TS100. 12 seconds from cold to ready to solder.

    • Gmetal on 07/12/2020 - 17:47

      TS80 is another great option - works straight of a battery bank with USB C!

    • oznik on 07/12/2020 - 20:13

      I have ts100 and a hakko , the hakko is so much nicer to use

      • virtual81 on 07/12/2020 - 21:42
        +1

        Have had both side by side.
        If the TS-100 had the same ergonomics as the Hakko and a better range of tips it would be superior.

        Ultimately.. the limited tips and shitty ergonomics make the 957 and 888 both much more pleasant as a daily driver.

    • nuker on 07/12/2020 - 23:21

      or PX-988? 3x cheaper and more power ? https://old.reddit.com/r/AskElectronics/comments/8m3bml/px98…

  • smurfz on 07/12/2020 - 14:26

    Thanks OP. Been thinking about this for a while.

  • dokyung on 07/12/2020 - 14:27

    Got one thanks

  • dtpearson on 07/12/2020 - 14:30
    +4

    Completely different soldering iron I know, but I am loving my little TS80P soldering iron. Its powered by USB-C, is super lightweight and easy to use, heats up to 300degrees in 8 seconds and has an excellent small tip for fine work. They are only about $100ish from Aliexpress.

    https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000764937427.html?spm=a2g0o…

  • jastreb on 07/12/2020 - 14:32
    +2

    Forget this and go for a T12 soldering station. T18 tip stations are so 90s. Something like this.
    https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32803295956.html?spm=a2g0o.p…

    I have SET8. Its great

    • AustriaBargain on 07/12/2020 - 15:26

      Anywhere to buy this closer to Australia?

    • Leeroy Jenkins on 07/12/2020 - 20:17

      And remember to get genuine Hakko T12 tips and you are all set.

    • virtual81 on 07/12/2020 - 21:46

      This or the JBC knockoff.
      I prefer the JBC tips but any Iron where the heating element is part of the tip is a winner.

      Agreed, T18's are old hat.

  • Public21 on 07/12/2020 - 14:40

    It's good iron with a variety of tips.

    Worth the money if you do a lot of soldering work.

  • abb on 07/12/2020 - 14:52
    +1

    Chisel tips are the best for general purpose soldering, good tip, OP!

  • kaleidoscope on 07/12/2020 - 15:08

    rrp in title?

  • Mixhael on 07/12/2020 - 15:18
    +1

    Is this a decent soldering set for electronics? I want to resolder a micro usb port back onto a circuit board so I'm assuming I need a fine tip.

    If not any recommendations?

    • noongerz on 07/12/2020 - 15:41
      +2

      One of the best soldering stations for the hobbyist and professional use. I use this one at home.
      You might have an easier time buying the finer tip
      but with some solder wick and flux, you could manage just fine with the default tip that comes with it

      • Mixhael on 07/12/2020 - 15:52
        +3

        Thanks for the answer, I will probably need a finer tip as I'm not experienced at soldering. Any recommendations?

        Also was considering the TS80P that a commenter above recommended. It's appealing to me due to its small size but don't know the drawbacks of such a device compared to this.

        • noongerz on 07/12/2020 - 16:06
          +1

          I dont own the TS80P or have used a portable soldering iron but I've heard good reviews on it.
          The portability is definitely a pro of the TS80P over the hakko but in terms of power delivery, reliability and quality, the hakko wins.

          They're both quite good. If you're short on desk space and using the iron for small joints once in a while, get the TS80P or TS100.
          Otherwise, the hakko is the safer bet. Btw tips for the hakko are quite cheap, like $10

        • Charlie-xu on 07/12/2020 - 16:44

          I have a TS100. And bought a type c to dc 20v pd trigger cable. For me ts80p is a little bit expensive. And I can use pd charger or power bank to power up the soldering iron.

          • virtual81 on 07/12/2020 - 21:47

            @Charlie-xu: This isn't a bad solution to using a TS-100 from a power bank.
            Would work great @ 20v.
            Sadly does nothing for the ergonomics though.
            It's the one and only thing that puts me off the TS-100.

        • Mixhael on 07/12/2020 - 19:53
          +1

          I've decided from these comments and reddit that for my limited use case the portability and design of the TS80P will suit me just fine. Now to find a deal!

          Thanks for all the helpful comments guys :)

          • virtual81 on 07/12/2020 - 21:52
            +1

            @Mixhael: Coming from someone who had a Hakko 957, 888… someone who owns a nearly $1000 JBC, and someone who has a TS-100.
            You won't regret it.

            It's on my to buy list.
            For regular PCB soldering the TS-100 comes close to the JBC for thermal performance, but sucks for ergonomics.
            The TS-80P seems to fix the ergonomics quite a bit and sacrifices almost no performance even though 1/2 the power.
            Still no JBC pencil, but the shape looks to be much much more pleasant.
            I'm sure it will serve you well.

            • SEasternCry on 07/12/2020 - 21:55

              @virtual81: I'm also vying for the TS-80p due to better ergonomics, but it is a newcomer to the game whereas Hakko has been on the market for a while. Also, looking at the later comments in this post, it seems there are QC issues with it. Not sure whether to get a Hakko or TS80p due to this issue.
              How has your TS-100 been holding up?

              • virtual81 on 07/12/2020 - 23:14
                +2

                @SEasternCry: Don't get a Hakko 888, a few years ago I'd have said go for it, but combined tip/element irons are far superior.

                As for what to get… limit your choices to irons where the tip and element are combined.
                The Thermal performance and recovery of such units even at lower power levels are far superior.

                Even a knockoff of something that has a combined tips whilst using genuine tips to put in it would be great.

                The TS-80P is on my shopping list as a secondary iron.
                Not heard of any QC issues, but that said i haven't seen many write ups on it.
                If it's a manufacturing issue then trying to get a Mini (MIN) branded one might help, but with the way the Chinese counterfeit things… might not.

                The TS-100 is a brilliant unit thermally and electronically, but only at 20v or more.
                It's performance at 12v is poor, use only as an act of desperation.
                The TS-100 got some bad reviews from people who tried to run it at 12v… it's really not ideal.
                The tip to grip length and ergonomics of the TS-100 are my only complaints.
                If it's for occasional use you won't regret it.
                If it's for regular use get something you can use a JBC pencil with, They're under $100 i think, combine with a few tips and a controller you can plug the pencil into and you'll have an absolute top shelf experience.

                Marco Reps on Youtube did something similar…
                https://youtu.be/GYIiOkr6x9o
                Beware of the German Humour - It's no laughing matter.

                • SEasternCry on 08/12/2020 - 03:18

                  @virtual81: Das ist… sehr Gut! Ich will get das TS-100 because of price. Occasional use and will consider something like a T12 clone if stuff gets serious! Hopefully it will last a while :))

                  • virtual81 on 08/12/2020 - 12:00
                    +2

                    @SEasternCry: For occasional use you can't go wrong.
                    For extended use focus on ergonomics.
                    A genuine JBC handle and 'cartridges' run from a compatible 3rd party powersupply / controller would be the go then.
                    I suspect something running T12's might also be good.

                    Regarding a previous comment about Hakko having been around for a while, i sadly wouldn't consider that to mean anything.
                    These companies, Hakko, Weller etc were once the benchmark, but are now sad shells owned by larger nameless corps and whatever.

                    Dave Jones @ EEVBLOG had an issue with a Weller a while ago that revealed they no longer included a mains side fuse.
                    He absent mindedly plugged a 110v station into 230v… smoke came out, killing the unit when a fuse might have saved it.
                    Such an engineering failure of a product built for engineers and like is unforgivable.
                    Their reply was worse, they acknowledged it, but considered it their new standard, and it does pass all the required safety standards.
                    So basically they aren't planning on doing anything about it.

                    You have to wonder when once prestigious brands pull back quality and cut corners so badly how long they will last against Chinese units that at least manage to find a few cents to put basic protection in their stations.

                    • SEasternCry on 08/12/2020 - 12:32

                      @virtual81: Thanks for the reply! I suppose that's where open-sourced designs shine over the proprietary ones.

    • Praeto on 07/12/2020 - 18:07
      +1

      I bought this unit when I got into building quadcopters. It's a solid unit, and I've had no complaints after 4+ years of fairly frequent use.

    • Leeroy Jenkins on 07/12/2020 - 20:24
      +1

      A fine tip is prob the worst tip you could use to solder a usb port on a PCB. You'll need a lot of heat. Use something that can transfer more heat, a big beveled, chiseled or knife tip can all work fine.

      • Mixhael on 08/12/2020 - 14:15

        I was looking on Ali at the combo of fine tip + chisel tip for 100USD. I'm fine to pay that but I'm worried about fakes.

        • Leeroy Jenkins on 08/12/2020 - 19:16

          Are you talking about a Hakko 888D?

          • Mixhael on 08/12/2020 - 19:17

            @Leeroy Jenkins: Oh sorry I got some conversations mixed up. I was trying to get a TS-80P. Tips are horribly expensive though.

            • Leeroy Jenkins on 08/12/2020 - 19:20
              +1

              @Mixhael: I'm not aware of any fake TS80(P)s. The TS100 tips I had were pretty durable, so you won't be buying the often if you don't solder every day.

              However, you're almost guaranteed to get a fake if you are after Hakko 888d or Hakko 951, I mean from Aliexpress, even if they state the machines are genuine. That's just how it is in China. You'd have to go to the biggest legit sellers on Taobao (Aliexpress Chinese site) to get genuine ones.

  • AustriaBargain on 07/12/2020 - 15:25

    This looks like the kids we used back in school. I think they were Dick Smith sets actually in school.

  • Jekt on 07/12/2020 - 15:45
    +7

    Electrical here, unless you're doing soldering work on the daily, you do not need this.

    I've had plenty of success with the Yihua's from ebay or aliexpress. All you really need is something with variable temperature control, a decent tip (just use chisel type, greater surface area on the pad, can run at less heat, it'll last longer) and taking care to clean, flux, tin, repeat before and after every use.

    Keeping the tip constantly tinned and using some flux is really the only thing that matters…
    Get a ~150-200 microscope from Banggood if you're doing smd work. That's actually worth it.

    0.5kg of 0.6mm 63/37 will last you forever. Spend a little.
    Then some flux, use this all the time, as long as you intent to clean with some IPA after (not sure why you ever wouldn't). I use Rosin flux paste from Jaycar. Comes in a 50g tub. It'll also last forever. Branded pens of liquid flux is also an option.

    • Wally on 07/12/2020 - 16:38

      Would a cheap soldering kit like this etc be sufficient to unsolder/replace parts on a control board like in this video

      https://youtu.be/-MiH0MiNVxU?t=182

      Would I have to purchase a special tip to emulate that process?

    • fantombloo on 07/12/2020 - 19:15

      Why separate flux?

      IMO 0.8mm with a flux core is much more suitable for general work. 0.6mm is good for finer jobs - that'll be pretty fine pitch SMDs - otherwise with 0.6mm you just need to feed so much more solder (than 0.8mm) to get the same job done.

      • Leeroy Jenkins on 07/12/2020 - 20:28

        I'm not sure how much SMD work you do, but I wouldn't do it without flux ready on my side.

        There are things that I can do perfectly without extra flux, like drag soldering ICs, yeah, in this case a big gauge solder wire (I normally use 1mm) works better than smaller ones if we aren't using extra flux. But in general, I can't see myself doing any SMD repairs without flux, it's just a must have.

        • fantombloo on 08/12/2020 - 14:09

          For fine pitch SMD sure, flux is a good aid. But jekt talks about a more general use.

          I do down to 0.4mm QFPs with .8mm solder using flux only for touch-ups with braid.

    • Leeroy Jenkins on 07/12/2020 - 20:35

      unless you're doing soldering work on the daily, you do not need this.

      I have to agree with you on this. The yihua ones work absolutely fine even when daily used. There's just more quality and durability guarantee when getting a Genuine Hakko.

      If you want a better experience, just get genuine Hakko T18 tips. Those genuine tips have more heat capacity (walls are thicker) and the plating on the tip makes them maybe 5-10 times more durable than the shitty no-name ones from my personal experiences.

      • virtual81 on 07/12/2020 - 21:58
        +1

        Have to go against you.
        Anything with an element separate to the tip is old school.

        A genuine Hakko or other can be avoided, but at least use something where the tip and element are one piece.

        These TS-80's, 100's etc are one piece element/tips.
        JBS's tips (aka cartridges) are one piece.
        Hakko T12 tips.

        Get any knockoff you want, as long as it uses a combined element tip.

        I swore by T18's for 10+ years…. not i swear at them.

        You have to witness the difference yourself, the combined tip/element pays dividends particularly working on something with a large thermal mass.

        This is a great example… might not be realistic for ordinary work, but you appreciate this performance when the need arises.
        https://youtu.be/_Z9es-D9_8g?t=419

        • Leeroy Jenkins on 07/12/2020 - 23:07

          Thanks but you don't have to convince me mate. I have 2 generic T12 stations (Quicko 952 and 943, I use genuine Hakko T12 tips on both, I really have nothing bad to say about these little T12 units). My main iron is a Quick 205 induction heating iron. To be honest, the Quick 205 is just better than those 2, or T12 in general cuz of more heat capacity than T12 based irons.

          You mentioned TS100, but I will not buy any more Miniware products. My TS100 is already partially dead after 2 years of occasional use. I still need to sell my spare TS100 tips. TS100 is a hobby use iron. If your work doesn't depend on it, it's a great little iron, otherwise I'd stay away from it.

        • Leeroy Jenkins on 07/12/2020 - 23:38

          About T18 being "old technology", yes it has been a while since the release of the 888 iron, but it doesn't mean there's no reason to get them. T18 compatible irons are more affordable, tips are cheaper. They do a great job at regular tasks. TBH, there's nothing they can't do in all the repairs I've done. In places where they struggle a bit, a hot air gun can help solve the problem.

          T12 is great at detecting temperature change in the tips, and they heat up so quickly, but a Hakko T12 tip costs me $30+. That's why I only have 4 of them instead of a couple dozens. They also really aren't that better at handling big connectors and ground planes compared to T18 tips. This is speaking from personal experiences. I think it's because the tips don't have that much mass hence they give you a smaller heat reservoir per se. If you don't agree, I'm happy to hear about your experiences and why this is not the case.

          I mentioned Quick 205. It's a 150W iron that works with 26V (or 36V?) 400Khz on the output side. It's not cartridge style. Yes its tip is separated from the heating element, and it looks like "old technology", but the heating element doesn't heat up, only the tip does (energy efficiency!). The temp sensor is directly connected to the tip too. It handles demanding tasks better than the Quicko T12 stations from what I can tell. Am I gonna recommend it? No, because you can get 6-7 generic T12 stations for one of these. But if you want reliability and need to solder big and demanding tasks, yes I recommend it.

          JBC irons are another story though. I'd love to get one one day.

          • virtual81 on 08/12/2020 - 12:10

            @Leeroy Jenkins: Can't speak from experience with T12's, but 5 minutes with a JBC convinced me that the idea of a tip/element in one is a pretty good idea.
            If someone was going to spend the Bargain title price on an iron i'm pretty convinced they could find as good performance from another brand (even chinese) that has a combined tip.

            The one thing the 888 has that cannot be ignored for regular use is ergonomics.
            It is adequate for basic soldering and the ergonomics can't be under estimated.
            Having a purpose built ready stand ready to receive the pencil with barely a thought is not something to understate.
            I did production soldering for 18 months once and as much as i love my JBC, having a separate stand just for the iron, to place the stand wherever you like and not be bound to storing the pencil in the station toward the back of my desk is gold.

            JBC seems to be the ultimate, mine is an absolute joy.
            I suspect a JBC pencil and some cartridges with one of those open source / 3rd party power supply / control units would be a great setup.

            What I'd love to see more of are stands, very important for ergonomics and usability, and sleep/standby function that works with stands, important for extending the life of expensive tips.

  • dens on 07/12/2020 - 15:48

    Hah, I've literally been waiting for ages to see if they'd have black friday/cyber monday sales, and after seeing no movement at any retailer for weeks, pulled the trigger on this exact one with Mektronics, while on sale last week at $2 more ($171ex). They were tied with Oritech for price after GST previously but I guess this makes them cheaper, if only slightly (oritech is $170ex, including sidecutters rather than a roll of solder).

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