Quote Originally Posted by Bloozcat
That Hakko must be another big Japanese conglomerate. They make a bunch of optics for a lot of big names in the industry as well. They seem to market very few under their own name, though. I do know them to produce quality stuff. I'll have to check out one of their soldering irons.
One reason that I recommend the Hakko 936 is that it is inexpensive, sturdy, and works well. There certainly are others worth considering, especially Weller's temperature controlled station. It tends to be a bit more expensive than the Hakko, but I've seen tips for Weller irons at my local electronics store. I don't have any direct experience with the Weller.

The Hakko does offer tremendous bang for the buck, especially when you can get one on sale.

tung