FX888D-23BY Digital Soldering Station by Hakko vs Model #3020-XTS Digital Display Soldering Iron Station by X-Tronic
When comparing FX888D-23BY Digital Soldering Station by Hakko vs Model #3020-XTS Digital Display Soldering Iron Station by X-Tronic, the Slant community recommends FX888D-23BY Digital Soldering Station by Hakko for most people. In the question“What's the best soldering iron for small electronics?” FX888D-23BY Digital Soldering Station by Hakko is ranked 2nd while Model #3020-XTS Digital Display Soldering Iron Station by X-Tronic is ranked 5th. The most important reason people chose FX888D-23BY Digital Soldering Station by Hakko is:
The high wattage and high-quality ceramic heating element enables this soldering iron to heat up quickly. It reaches 300 degrees Fahrenheit in under 1 minute, and heats consistently for long periods. This makes it well-suited for big projects that require extended soldering.
Specs
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Pros
Pro Suited for heavy-duty use
The high wattage and high-quality ceramic heating element enables this soldering iron to heat up quickly. It reaches 300 degrees Fahrenheit in under 1 minute, and heats consistently for long periods. This makes it well-suited for big projects that require extended soldering.
Pro Well suited for tasks that demand precision
Temperature is displayed on a digital monitor, and the powerful heating element keeps it constant regardless of how long or how intensely the soldering iron is used.
Pro You can choose how the temperature is displayed
You can pick whether the temperature on the screen is displayed in degrees Fahrenheit or Celsius.
Pro Brass tip cleaner saves time and power
Besides the wet sponge that most soldering irons are equipped with, this one also has brass wiring. It easily cleans the pencil tip from extra solder and, unlike the wet sponge, doesn't cool it down . This saves extra power and time that are needed to heat it back up to the original temperature.
Pro Suited for heavy-duty use
The high wattage allows this soldering iron to give consistent heat for long periods. This makes it well-suited for big projects that require extended soldering.
Pro Economical to use and maintain
After 10 minutes of inactivity, sleep mode automatically kicks in and decreases the temperature of the tip. It helps to save power and prolongs the life-time of the tip by decreasing the rate of corrosion.
Pro Convenient solder holder
You can place your coiled solder on the special holder. It's much more convenient than having to hold and unravel it with your hands.
Pro Hardy stainless steel pencil stand
The spring stand lets you conveniently rest the pencil when you're not using it.
Pro Brass tip cleaner saves time and power
Besides the wet sponge that most soldering irons are equipped with, this one has brass wiring. It easily cleans the tip and, unlike the sponge, doesn't cool it down. This saves extra power and time necessary for the tip to reheat.
Pro Responsive controls
The tip temperature can be adjusted from 392 to 896 °F. It heats up and cools down quickly thanks to the high-quality ceramic heat element. The digital screen that displays temperature makes it easy to monitor and adjust the heat output.
Cons
Con Displayed temperature is sometimes off
The lack of a sensor on the tip of the soldering pencil mean that temperature displayed on the screen isn't always accurate, which can make noticing changes in heat output difficult.
Con Unintuitive controls
Switching between all the settings and modes is realized by pressing the only two buttons on the housing in a plethora of different combinations. This means that using this soldering station can be confusing. To explore all the features you will have to rely heavily on the manual.
Con Fragile handle
The plastic handle heats up and cracks after heavy use.
Con The sponge is too thin
The wet sponge that is used to clean the tip of the iron is thin and wears out quickly. It will have to be replaced frequently.