Soldering is a great skill. Whether you are taking your first steps, or you are a seasoned pro, I’ve compiled a list of the absolute essentials that you need to get started or upgrade your setup, and they are all on offer for Black Friday.
You need a good soldering iron, well, I’m suggesting a couple. One is smart, the other is fancy. Do you need help soldering? I’ve got the helping hands for you. You’ll need solder; I’ve got two that will do the job. I’ve also got two recommendations to protect your workbench from stray heat and your lungs from nasty fumes.
Here are a few of the standout deals from the Amazon Black Friday event, which is currently taking place. Our list of best overall picks continues below.
Solder wherever you go with the Fnirsi HS-01
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)
I paid for my Fnirsi HS-01 with my own money after spotting a deal about two years ago. Hands down, this is a great soldering iron for those of us who travel and need a soldering iron that we can take with us. The USB-C interface, when used with the included power supply or a power bank capable of 65W output, is ideal for easy soldering, eliminating the need to search for a DC jack and corresponding outlet. I’ll admit, the flexibility of both a DC and USB-C jack is nice to have, but there are now so many USB-C PD power banks, you aren’t in the same bind as nomadic soldering iron users were a few years ago.
Fnirsi HS-01: $59 at Amazon Read more Read less ▼ The Fnirsi HS-01 is a great soldering iron and well worth the money for those of us who solder in our workshop or in the field.
This kit comes obviously comes with the soldering iron, but we also get a 96W power supply for your country, a high-quality USB-C cable (it feels really weighty and doesn’t tangle), stand and finally a selection of soldering iron tips for precision soldering and larger tips for those times when we need to lay down the heat.
The soldering iron tips, which I paid extra for, but I found them to be great. They insert into the HS-01 with ease, locking into place using a collet. Please remember to do this when the soldering iron is cold. We’ve all seen the memes!
Controlling the Fnirsi HS-01 is all about the buttons and OLED screen. Set your temperature, and the HS-01 will get up to the target temperature in seconds. Are you left or right-handed? The HS-01 has you covered and can easily switch between the two.
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