I’ve got some soldering to do (Christmas present that requires soldering!!) and so need a Soldering Iron. It’s a few years since I’ve needed to do any soldering, but as with most stuff there’s a slightly baffling selection online, please recommend me a good budget soldering iron for an amateur (I’ll also need solder so a beginner kit may be good). Thanks.

If I were you I’d go for a butane one. The one I had (since lost in a move) used standard, compressed, lighter fuel.

I think it came from screw fix. It was much better than the ones I’d used at college and the lack of cable was a real bonus.

I hope that helps.

I’ve got one very similar to this

http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/pro-iroda-solder-pro-70-gas-soldering-iron-n95ap

Very useful, heats up quickly and can use anywhere as it’s not a corded electric. Be careful if you’re soldering near something flammable though!

A mid sized Antex for around £10-£15 will do the job. Best to get a stand as well or you will burn something you shouldn’t. This is good for the money, too: http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/50-w-solder-station-n78ar Has a built in stand and a good range of temperatures.

Are we talking silver soldering or soldering as in PCB’s. If electrical Antex are great. Use good fluxed solder.

Plug in mains if you can work at a bench/table something like the Antex is good, otherwise for playing with automotive use a gas one is invaluable as you don’t have the cable in the way, and you can do shrink wrap with it as well.

Depends what you want it for.

I got a controllable job form Maplin which is great. With the right temp/tip I can go from soldering SMD onto home made pads (lower heat, smaller tip, fiddly) to soldering leads onto the back of pots (lots of heat needed).

This one – http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/60w-professional-lcd-solder-station-with-esd-protection-a55kj

I wouldn’t use a gas iron unless I was outside or needed portability. Get yourself a solder sucker and some braid while you’re down there. You may need a heat shunt depending on what it is your soldering.

If you don’t want to spend that much, the Antec 18w will do you nicely.

Depends what you want it for

I want it for soldering PCB’s -my wife got me a Useless Box Kit, but I also plan on using it while getting my old remote control car working for the boy.

get a maplin one for that sort of thing, I wouldn’t use a gas as they are hard to control, but guessing that the pcb is a pth then an electric one will be fine I’ve used the maplin ones and they are not brilliant but do what you need.

JEngledow – Member
Depends what you want it for
I want it for soldering PCB’s -my wife got me a Useless Box Kit, but I also plan on using it while getting my old remote control car working for the boy.

POSTED 2 HOURS AGO # REPORT-POST

That’s Awesome 😀

The £20 maplin job will be perfect. Pickup some solder, braide, a solder sucker and a heat sink while you’re there. Assuming you have wire strippers you’re ready to crack on. A stand for the iron would be good too.