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At their simplest, soldering irons are a basic tool designed to heat up just enough to melt a filler called solder, which is then used to join metal items together. More complex soldering irons come with temperature adjustment, base stations and a range of tips for different applications, with some variants being battery or gas-powered.
While soldering irons are most often used for wiring electronics, different tips and accessories can transform them into a multi-tool with applications including crafts, jewellery-making, automotive wiring, wood burning and more. Here are some of the best soldering irons available in Australia, for every different application.
Our editorial team selected the products on this list based on real customer reviews from Amazon Australia, as well as reviews aggregated by Google Reviews from numerous retail sites in Australia and worldwide. For each category, we selected parameters based on our research and selected the products with the highest review scores within those parameters.
While Dremel is most well-known for its rotary tools, its Versatip gas-powered soldering iron is the best-reviewed soldering iron on Amazon Australia, boasting an average rating of 4.8 stars from 62 customer reviews. This soldering iron is an all-rounder, boasting different tips that can turn the tool into a hot knife, mini-blowtorch, mini-heat gun, wood burner and more.
The Dremel tool's butane gas-burning operation makes it cordless and portable, without the need for recharging like battery-powered options. The tool uses a butane lighter fluid which is easy to find and top up, running for 30-60 minutes on one 17ml refill. The tip heats up quickly on the ignition, cutting the time needed on your projects.
While the large form-factor may be too bulky for fine work, the Dremel Versatip is a versatile tool for most applications, featuring a variable temperature setting for heat-sensitive electronics. Reviewers largely praise the Versatip's versatility and ease of use, including the high degree of heat control and the functionality of its various alternative tooltips.
This has been a great tool so far, I've used it for a range of different projects, it feels good to use and is a lot of fun."
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While cheap soldering irons are easy to find in your local hardware store, it's harder to find a reliable tool at low prices. For those looking for something simple, the Sansai electric soldering iron is the best-reviewed tool under $30, with Google's aggregate review page scoring the soldering iron an average of 4.8 stars from 21 reviews.
Coming in at under $20, the Sansai skips the bells and whistles, offering a simple and reliable soldering iron on a budget. It comes with the basics needed for soldering, including a standard soldering coil and a metal stand. At 30W, the Sansai's wattage is in the low-to-mid-range for electronics, enough for most home repair jobs and hobbyist uses.
Reviewers praise the Sansai tool for being quick to heat up and easy to use, with many commenting on its solid build quality for its low price point.
Works excellently and perfect for those little solder joins."
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When it comes to soldering, Hakko's distinctive blue-and-yellow soldering station is the best of the best, boasting an impressive 4.9-star rating out of 414 reviews aggregated by Google Reviews. Reviews by electronics experts also agree the Hakko is the best you can get, though it does come with a price tag to match.
The Hakko FX888D is a soldering station rather than a standalone iron, giving pro users a digital display, precise temperature controls, and an iron holder with multiple tip-cleaning attachments. Hakko's soldering station is designed for precise soldering, with the company guaranteeing temperature stability within 1°C, and temperature control ranging from 200°C all the way up to 480°C. The station even allows users to program presets for their most-used settings.
Reviewers praised Hakko's build quality, ease of use, and fast-heating tips, with users saying the tip reached the required temperature in under half a minute. Hakko offers a number of different tips and even different soldering accessories to attach to the station, though these require additional purchases.
Hakko is the standard of the home soldering units and with good reason. The soldering iron has a quick release and comfortable grip. This station also comes with a combination holder and cleaning area with a sponge and brass coil. There are lots of reasons to like this unit."
The WEP 60W soldering iron kit includes everything a beginner could need, at a low, entry-level price. The WEP is popular with its buyers, boasting an average score of 4.7 stars from the 35 reviews indexed by Google Reviews. The kit includes many extras that will be useful for beginners, including a stand, a wire tip cleaner, multiple tips, tweezers, a roll of solder, and even a desolder pump for removing the previous solder joins. The whole kit comes in at under $30, making the purchase accessible for users trying out soldering for the first time.
The iron itself includes an analogue temperature control knob ranging from 200-480°C, with a wattage of 60W, guaranteeing better temperature stability than lower-powered irons.
Reviewers praised the WEP for its value for money, as well as the compact form of the soldering iron making it easy to handle for fiddly work. Other users praised how quickly the tip heats up when turned on.
Great product, very light which makes iron great to use compared to others, adjustable temperature allows surface mount work to be easy, tips accommodate any soldering job and being able to turn iron off makes it safe and simple to use."
While the Dremel Versatip gas-powered soldering iron featured above is one good option for a cordless soldering iron, the Ryobi One+ iron is another popular take on the cordless form. The Ryobi boasts an average rating of 4.8 stars out of 177 reviews aggregated by Google Reviews.
Ryobi's One+ soldering iron takes a different approach to the cordless type of soldering iron, featuring a battery pack with a stand connected to a traditional-style soldering iron tip. While the design does actually include a cord, it doesn't require a connection to a power outlet, making it a great choice for fiddly repairs on the go, as the iron itself is much smaller and easier to maneuverer than most battery-powered soldering irons.
The soldering iron is part of Ryobi's One+ modular tool range, meaning the battery pack and charger will have to be bought separately by anyone who doesn't already own a tool in the One+ range. A fully charged battery will run the soldering iron for up to 200 minutes.
Reviewers praised the Ryobi's good level of heat, and how quickly it reached its working temperature of 480°C. Reviewers also appreciated a safety feature that alerted users when the iron was cooled down enough to handle and store.
I could have not been happier with this purchase. It heats up fast and maintains heat , while working on my projects. I also like the fact that when you are done it lets you know when the iron has cooled down enough to handle and store."
While those keen to make an investment in a soldering station can opt for the Hakko featured above, users looking for more value for money can go for the well-reviewed WEP 60W Digital Soldering Station. The WEP is the best-reviewed station after the premium-priced Hakko, with an average of 4.5 stars from 80 user ratings on eBay.
The WEP station is broadly adjustable, with the temperature able to be set anywhere between 90°C for low-temperature soldering, all the way up to the upper end of 480°C. The soldering iron comes with a handful of extra tips, as well as wire and sponge cleaning pads under the stand for keeping those tips clean. The station also has a built-in safety feature that will detect inactivity, and reduce the temperature all the way down to 90°C if the iron isn't used for over 10 minutes.
While the build quality reportedly isn't as solid as irons from more well-known brands, reviewers consistently describe the station as being great value for money, matching up with far more expensive stations. Reviewers praised the fast heating and easy-to-understand controls, with many recommending the WEP for situations where extra-low temperatures are needed.
An excellent Iron. Light and easy to operate. Incredible value given the extra tips. The station works just as described and is great for modelling purposes that require low melt solder."
The Uy Chan digital soldering iron is one of Amazon's top-selling soldering irons, as well as boasting an average review score of 4.6 stars from 322 ratings on Amazon. The soldering iron is a hybrid between traditional soldering irons and soldering stations, featuring the traditional form factor with a small screen and controls built into the body.
With an adjustable temperature and a fine, manoeuvrable pen, the Uy Chan iron is perfect for people needing to do fine electronics work. The iron comes with a small stand with a cleaning pad for tips, as well as a roll of solder to start you off. Its features include a sleep mode that will turn the heat down during inactivity, as well as an automated overheating warning.
The soldering iron can be connected to a PC via micro-USB to program-specific functions and pre-sets thanks to third-party firmware. It can also be used in the field by connecting to a portable battery with a 12-24V output. The temperature is adjustable all the way from 100°C to 400°C.
While the product doesn't come with an Australian power cord, the reviews suggest its unique functions are well worth the effort of sourcing a new IEC C5 power cable for Australian outlets.
Just got this today and am blown away! Out of the box it performs perfectly. Very fast heatup time. You can put custom firmware on it for an even better UI + data readout."
While soldering irons can be vital for any hobbies requiring electronics, as well as crafty pursuits such as jewellery-making, it can also be useful to have a soldering iron around the house to repair small electronics. Repair of common devices like earbuds can be accomplished quickly and easily with the help of a soldering iron and an online tutorial – though DIY electrical work involving AC power is illegal in Australia and best left to professionals. Soldering irons are also useful for crafters working with synthetic textiles, as a way to neatly cut and seal edges of fabrics, papers and other materials.
Soldering tools and supplies as low as $11.91
Soldering equipment and supplies as low as $1.50
Soldering iron, stations and supplies as low as $13.99
Soldering stations as low as $43.95
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