Rechargeable soldering iron suggestions?

[MiteyF]

I've got a fairly nice (albeit Chinese) soldering station, and I have it all mounted in a metal box that also holds my clamps, flux, solder, sponge, solder sucker etc etc. It's a nice little setup, but I'm realizing that 90% of the time when I need to solder something, it's only 2 or 3 wires, and by the time I get the big *** box out of the drawer, plug everything in, let it heat up... it's a couple of minutes of setup and a couple of seconds of soldering.

I've only tried one or two butane soldering irons (and not fancy ones), but they were almost impossible to hold a temp, and after a year or two they inevitably ended up leaking butane somewhere and went in the bin.

I've also found myself fairly regularly needing to take my soldering iron someplace, such as on a moored boat, where 120 power isn't always as easy to get to, and often in tight engine compartments etc, and find the big soldering station a royal PITA in those situations.

There's a plethora of rechargeable soldering irons on the market, but I'm looking for recommendations on one that will last a little while without breaking the bank (I really don't solder that often). Ideally, digital temp control (which seems like the standard nowadays), small(ish) but can still pack a bit of a punch for soldering slightly larger gauge wire, and USB-C recharging would be ideal. I don't need a whole lot of battery life most of the time, and if it's USB-C, I'll probably always be able to find a charger someplace close to give the battery a little boost.

Anybody had one for a little while they can recommend? Thanks in advance.

 

[loganb]

The Milwaukee M12 soldering iron is very handy for this. I use it a surprising amount

 

[MiteyF]

Hard to tell, but it looks like the Milwaukee doesn't have adjustable temp, and I don't have any other Milwaukee tools (only Dewalt and Hilti in the box currently), so I'd be into a whole nother battery/charger system which I really don't like the idea of honestly.

 

[loganb]

Hard to tell, but it looks like the Milwaukee doesn't have adjustable temp, and I don't have any other Milwaukee tools (only Dewalt and Hilti in the box currently), so I'd be into a whole nother battery/charger system which I really don't like the idea of honestly.

Correct, lab of adjustable temp on the Milwaukee is my main complaint. Just makes you be a bit more careful, or i drag out the adjustable corded unit

 

[N8sToolz]

I have a TS101 that I can run off an Anker battery USB C. I actually enjoy using it too.

I always hated butane ones and the Milwaukee one is okay.

 

[BobsYourUncle69]

I bought a Cheapie that runs on my makita 18v battery. Few months , so far so good

 

[MiteyF]

N8, I've read about the TS100's (and 80's), but it's really not "rechargeable", so I sort of gave up on that search. Small, sure, but doesn't remove the 120v necessity.

I guess the models that run off of drill batteries are looking like the best bet right now. Not really "cordless", but still portable I suppose.

 

[dscheidt]

There are a bunch of ts101 clones that will run off of USB-c power banks, as well as some non ts101 styles that work that way. I've used, but don't own, a 'pinecil' one. I replaced a cap with it, not exactly a hard test, but it worked fine, and was hot in 20 seconds.

 

[dcg9381]

I mainly use portable butane for solder... But I just read that there is a Makita accessory I don't have.

 

[Tactile]

B.IRON's Revolutionary Battery-Powered System | JBC Soldering

Discover B.IRON battery-powered system for high-precision soldering and freedom of movement. Combine it with our advanced soldering stations for unmatched efficiency.

www.jbctools.com

The price may make you freak out but they are good. I have one of their desktop, mains powered models and they are the best I have used.

 

[BroncoAZ]

The Milwaukee M12 soldering iron is very handy for this. I use it a surprising amount

I have one and don’t love it. I used it recently to repair some mice chewed thermistor wires in my shop mini split and it was fine. On normal 16 or 14 gauge wires it just doesn’t have enough heat to effectively get the job done.

i have a cheap Hakko knockoff soldering station I got from a hobby site years back that is awesome, and my Glock sized Weller that still works fine. I’d like to have something small and battery powered for boat work. I know the butane ones can make the heat, but they seem more dangerous than I want. I’d also like a battery powered heat gun for shrink tube, but the reviews on the M18 aren’t great.

I just peeked on Amazon. This one uses a M18 battery.

https://www.amazon.com/Deackimei-Milwaukee-18V-Battery-Temperature/dp/B0CM95RBLL/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[whateg01]

I bought one from Amazon that fits DeWalt batteries because that's the battery system I'm on. Temperature control seems very good. Heats up quickly. In fact the first time I used it, I thought, that can't be right. Surely it's not already to temp, but it was. I don't know what it has for a low voltage cutoff so I am careful to turn it off as soon as I might be done so I don't forget it. (Especially on the bench, I might leave the AC powered iron on all day.) That Milwaukee almost certainly won't over discharge a battery.

Says it's no longer available, but this is the one I bought. Paid $43 two years ago.

https://a.co/d/gNbkgAh

 

[engineer2]

I bought one on Amazon that uses any 18V Makita battery. I really like it for portability. Uses standard T12 soldering tips.
I'm sure they make them for whatever battery platform you have.

 

[strength_and_power]

I have one and don’t love it. I used it recently to repair some mice chewed thermistor wires in my shop mini split and it was fine. On normal 16 or 14 gauge wires it just doesn’t have enough heat to effectively get the job done.

i have a cheap Hakko knockoff soldering station I got from a hobby site years back that is awesome, and my Glock sized Weller that still works fine. I’d like to have something small and battery powered for boat work. I know the butane ones can make the heat, but they seem more dangerous than I want. I’d also like a battery powered heat gun for shrink tube, but the reviews on the M18 aren’t great.

I just peeked on Amazon. This one uses a M18 battery.

https://www.amazon.com/Deackimei-Milwaukee-18V-Battery-Temperature/dp/B0CM95RBLL/?tag=atomicindus08-20

A M18 heat gun is in my box and it has pretty much stayed there since I got it. Definitely a bit lacking in the heat department.

 

[mreisner]

Pricey, but I really like mine. Heats up quick and lots of power, 3 heat settings I believe.

 

[richfinn]

A M18 heat gun is in my box and it has pretty much stayed there since I got it. Definitely a bit lacking in the heat department.

I have one for heat shrinking, works better with the deflector I find, very slow going without as you are wasting most of the heat.

 

[BroncoAZ]

I have one for heat shrinking, works better with the deflector I find, very slow going without as you are wasting most of the heat.

I watched a review video last night of the battery heat guns, basically all of them struggled to shrink the crimp and shrink connectors I use. It seemed like 30 seconds per connector

 

[MiteyF]

I find it pretty tricky to figure out what's going on with that b-iron (I don't even know what parts you'd have to order to make a functional kit), but I DO know I can't afford it! It took me a while to notice the "control temp and settings via bluetooth app". Needing to use my phone to get my tools to work would absolutely infuriate me.

The Snap On is probably fairly nice (although I hate that form factor), but another battery system is a no-go, and I don't buy Snap-On anyways. Thank you though!

As far as portable heat guns, I had the Dewalt 20v one... for all of 5 minutes, before I returned that sorry POS. If I need portable heat, 90% of the time a torch will be better. I'll keep my torches and leave the cordless heat guns for somebody else.

 

[Citation]

What about a soldering iron powered by a USB-C cord? There are a number of small irons that are based on knock off Hakko or Weller iron tips. I have a Fnirsi USB powered iron. Pinecil is another common one. They are all powered via a USB-C connector. The only thing you need to do is make sure you get a USB power bank that can output at least 12V and preferably 20V. For most of my small wire soldering a 20W (12V*1.5A) battery bank is fine. These are easy to find for around $20 or even as low as $10. I also recently bought a 65W bank that can output 20V*3A. So even though these irons are "corded", with a battery bank they become portable.

Here are amazon listing for two example irons. Other than being a Fnirsi brand, I have no comment on the rest of the material in these listings, just included as examples.

Amazon.com

Amazon.com

I have both of these power banks. I paid $10 and $20 vs the list prices

Amazon.com

Amazon.com

 

[richfinn]

I watched a review video last night of the battery heat guns, basically all of them struggled to shrink the crimp and shrink connectors I use. It seemed like 30 seconds per connector

Yep, it's a needs must thing for me as a mobile tech I'm afraid. I use a Portasol or Iroda butane torch mostly, but if it's a bunch of wiring in a harness I will use the Milwaukee to prevent any scorching/melting other wires.

 

[BroncoAZ]

Yep, it's a needs must thing for me as a mobile tech I'm afraid. I use a Portasol or Iroda butane torch mostly, but if it's a bunch of wiring in a harness I will use the Milwaukee to prevent any scorching/melting other wires.

Some of my wiring repairs are done in the bilges of boats where an open flame is ill advised. My last was bilge pump wiring next to the 100 gallon gas tank. I’ll turn on the blowers or use my M18 fan to remove any gas fumes, but the possibility of bad **** is never fully removed.

 

[Steve_P]

I have this one as I'm primarily DeWalt. I assume that they make one for all the major battery platforms. For heat shrink, I haven't used a corded heat gun or a Portasol since I bought the DeWalt 20V heat gun.

Amazon.com

 

[senlow]

Iso-Tip makes a great portable soldering iron. They are compact, unlike some of the other options.

Cordless, Portable Soldering Irons | Welcome to Iso-Tip

Not all cordless soldering irons and tips are the same. Experience high temps at the push of a button, anywhere when you use Iso-Tip. Finish the job before other irons heat up!

iso-tip.com

 

[MiteyF]

The Iso-Tip looks fairly nice, but no adjustable temp. Browsing the website, I was a little blown away by this pic.

https://iso-tip.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/20191205_123152.jpg

An incandescent bulb in a cordless tool? In 2025?

 

[f121]

I watched a review video last night of the battery heat guns, basically all of them struggled to shrink the crimp and shrink connectors I use. It seemed like 30 seconds per connector

I’ve never found anything that works well with those. If it’s hot enough to melt the solder, it sets the heat shrink on fire. If it’s cool enough to do the heat shrink, it doesn’t slow the solder and a good tug will pull the wires apart.

I've got a fairly nice (albeit Chinese) soldering station, and I have it all mounted in a metal box that also holds my clamps, flux, solder, sponge, solder sucker etc etc.

Interested to see this setup. My soldering stuff is..around.

Working mobile I use butane, both portasol and snap on butane irons work well, apart from when it’s below freezing. Buying a usb iron would probably go powerprobe, but only because I trust the brand.

 

[Rinspeed]

I watched a review video last night of the battery heat guns, basically all of them struggled to shrink the crimp and shrink connectors I use. It seemed like 30 seconds per connector

Just me opinion but there are some things that it just seems goofy as hell to want battery operated. A soldering iron and heat gun would be close to the top of the list.

 

[f121]

Just me opinion but there are some things that it just seems goofy as hell to want battery operated. A soldering iron and heat gun would be close to the top of the list.

One less trailing wire, catching on stuff and getting tangled up, when soldering in an engine bay is very welcome. Just wish it was a bit hotter

 

[bwringer]

I have a bunch of Ryobi tools, and this soldering iron setup seems very interesting:

RYOBI ONE+ 18V Hybrid Soldering Station (Tool-Only) P3100 - The Home Depot

Keep your work space neat and clean with the selection of this highly durable RYOBI large size ONE Hybrid Soldering Station.

www.homedepot.com

Adjustable temps, and it can run from a Ryobi battery or from an extension cord. Handy.

However, it's a base connected to a separate iron type of setup, not an entirely handheld unit.

Also, there's a distinction between something you can use on larger stuff like automative and speaker wiring and the smaller soldering irons suitable for small electronics work.

 

[BroncoAZ]

I’ve never found anything that works well with those. If it’s hot enough to melt the solder, it sets the heat shrink on fire. If it’s cool enough to do the heat shrink, it doesn’t slow the solder and a good tug will pull the wires apart.

These connectors are crimped, not soldered, so no issues overheating them unless you really overdo it and completely melt the shrink section or the wire.

Just me opinion but there are some things that it just seems goofy as hell to want battery operated. A soldering iron and heat gun would be close to the top of the list.

When the boat is at the end of the dock and the nearest power is 150’ away the battery makes sense. Maybe I’d be better off with a 110v inverter that hooks to the boat battery, but for the heat gun it still wouldn’t be small.

 

[MiteyF]

Interested to see this setup. My soldering stuff is..around.

Coincidentally, I just had to solder a wire to put a new stereo in my car, so I took a few pics. (Note, I said *A* wire, which is why we are here...)

It's not pretty, but it's a lot more handy than having stuff all over, like you say. I got the metal box for free a decade ago or so, cut it apart and welded on a couple little hinges so the front opens up. Cut a spot out in the rear that the power cord will fit through. 3d printed a holder for the tips. I can just pull this out of the toolbox, thumbscrew to open it up, plug the cord into the back of the box and the wall, and we're all ready to go. Clamps, tinning stuff, flux, 2 spools of solder etc. Better than having stuff all over, but not great for onesie-twosie work, or mobile work on the boat etc.

 

[Rinspeed]

When the boat is at the end of the dock and the nearest power is 150’ away the battery makes sense. Maybe I’d be better off with a 110v inverter that hooks to the boat battery, but for the heat gun it still wouldn’t be small.

OK, you got me.

 

[MiteyF]

Just me opinion but there are some things that it just seems goofy as hell to want battery operated. A soldering iron and heat gun would be close to the top of the list.

You obviously always work in a shop, or near outlets. Try working in the lazarette of a boat, upside down in the dark and wet, and see how well your corded tools are treating you.

 

[whateg01]

Just me opinion but there are some things that it just seems goofy as hell to want battery operated. A soldering iron and heat gun would be close to the top of the list.

I'm sure they'll never catch on. Kinda like cordless drills.

 

[Jim greengo]

Butane soldering iron.

 

[MiteyF]

Butane soldering iron.

As stated in first post:

I've only tried one or two butane soldering irons (and not fancy ones), but they were almost impossible to hold a temp, and after a year or two they inevitably ended up leaking butane somewhere and went in the bin.

If you've got a recommendation for a good one, I'd be happy to look, otherwise...

 

[WWheeler]

I bought a Chinese-brand Deackimei Cordless Soldering Iron Station on Amazon that works on a Dewalt 20V Max Battery and I luv it! It works great. When I got it about 8 months ago it was $35. Looks like it's went up about 50% since then. wow [edit: I didn't see the 20% off coupon that can be applied - so not that bad.]

It comes with a few Hakko T-12 style soldering tips that are OK, but it works MUCH better with the genuine Hakko tips I ordered for it from amazon.jp.

 

[Jim greengo]

As stated in first post:



If you've got a recommendation for a good one, I'd be happy to look, otherwise...

I had a snap on version 30 years ago,I'm sure it was just rebadged from somebody else.
Never had a problem with it for doing small jobs .

 

[Hohn]

B.IRON's Revolutionary Battery-Powered System | JBC Soldering

Discover B.IRON battery-powered system for high-precision soldering and freedom of movement. Combine it with our advanced soldering stations for unmatched efficiency.

www.jbctools.com

The price may make you freak out but they are good. I have one of their desktop, mains powered models and they are the best I have used.

JBCs are the Ferraris of soldering stations.

I’m more of a Hakko guy because they perform well enough for me and are reasonable cost with durable tips (tip life is one weak area of the higher performance JBC tips). The Hakko cordless product is an also-ran that I do not recommend. It’s effectively an obsolete product they should drop from their line.

 

[no704]

I’ve had a few radio shack beautane soldering irons with a changeable tip, iron, heat, or flame. We’re really nice small units. Unfortunately haven’t been able to find any new.

 

[no704]

I stand corrected. Have gotten a little pricey. But hands down the best for electrical soldering. I used to solder wires 7 hours a day.