WEP 948-III 2-IN-1 ESD Safe Desoldering Station & Soldering Station with Desoldering Gun, Soldering Iron, Sleep Mode, Temperature Calibration with 28 Pcs Accessories

First - this is one of or maybe the only model that allows for simultaneous operation of both soldering iron and de-soldering gun. You can set sleep and timeout (off) times to preserve tips & elements. Setting independent operating temps for each device in C or F - shows set temperature and actual temperature - soldering iron comes up to temp almost instantly, the de-soldering gun takes a few minutes which is normal as industry goes and not at all a bother. Biggest complaint I have read is cleaning the de-soldering gun - YES u must clean it often, or every time you use it if you are removing large amounts of solder - this is common sense so long as u have any understanding of how this works - it isn't magic - of course it needs to be cleaned as has a more than adequate amount of suction that pulls in everything like small bits of wire, melted insulation, flux - I find the cleaning and operating INSTRUCTIONS very detailed, and thorough - for cleaning follow steps EXACTLY no shortcuts - a thorough cleaning involves powering on and off a couple of times because disassembly is needed at certain points to complete cleaning. I dont understand why some are having trouble cleaning the internal spring solder catch - this is the easiest part to clean, if solder is "stuck" at narrowest end just heat up the iron and touch that end and melt it off - Jezzzzzz. First time using it I literally filled that spring catch to almost the top with large chunks of molten solder (and the suction was STILL WORKING!! - not as strong but it didn't quit) If you miss a few cleanings and you "forgot" to at least clear the pathway through the ceramic heating element,u will have a bad clog - best best is to disassemble, remove glass & spring filter and turn temp all the way up, once it beeps telling u it is fully up to temp, start with smallest diameter cleaning tool to gently break through that stuck solder - gradually to largest (I remove the tip as well for this cleaning) - worst case if u cant loosen it you may have to replace heating element or entire gun (not a huge proce difference between the 2) but it was YOUR FAULT for not cleaning at LEAST the primary path from tip to filter spring every time u use it before powering it off - u can't let old crumply solder from hardening inside the heater element - this old solder especially if contaminated with other stuff does not melt & liquify as does fresh solder, in fact what I do is before I shut it down I apply clean new solder to the tip and activate suction several times before i give it the final "old in-out, in-out" with the largest cleaning rod in the kit. Then follow the thorough cleaning when it cools down. THE ONLY complaint is need more hole size & shape variety of desoldering tips, there are only a few sizes available and they all come with kit - see Hakko for their huge variety of tips NOT COMPATIBLE with this iron and I have been using the largest hole tip (have been doing all point to point desoldering as of late) and that tip has already lost its ability to be tinned (finish is gone) so it is a dull dark gray and may not last that much longer only after a month!! The soldering iron tips are fine no corrosion/oxidation yet - I run desolder at higher temp than soldering iron as per manufacturer's instructions I don't think the desoldering tips are manufactured as well as soldering iron tips. No failures yet.. OVERALL EXCELLENT VALUE and PERFORMANCE quite unexpected to be this excellent (based on what I think are INACCURATE or exaggerated reviews from people who think this price as "a lot of money" - no idea what they r talking about - this is a STEAL) - BTW I took several months researching every comparable combo or stand-alone desoldering iron - including the great but way overpriced Hakko, this purchase that I have been using almost every day for 6 weeks - it excellent - My experience is 20-23 years repairing electronics mostly vacuum tube and solid state Hi-Fi and instrument preamps/amps, tape decks, turntables, foot pedals - power supplies, test equipment etc...

I’ve been using this for a few years now and it’s never failed yet still working great and for the price it can’t be beat.

I'd been wanting a de-soldering station for my home bench for some time. The Pace system I used at a previous place of employment spoiled me.The de-soldering "gun" is easy to manage, breaks down for cleaning easily, and feels substantial. Heat control is intuitive and easy to set. Auto shutdown is nice to have when distractions occur, and it comes with an appropriate soldering iron and general use soldering tip. Suction on this system is acceptable but doesn't standout.I've found it easy to clean. The Iron, de-soldering iron holder works well. At first I questioned the placement of the iron behind the De-solder iron in a single holder, but I got used to the arrangement pretty quickly. The way the de-soldering iron sits in the holder is the only issue I might raise, as the knurled nut can get hung up if the flats get misaligned to it's slot in the sheet metal. Once the flats are lined up, it comes out easily enough.I couldn't justify the price of a new Pace or Hakko, or have the desire to play the used tools lottery with this equipment. Tip selection is limited. Instead of a myriad of soldering or de-soldering tips like Pace offers, you'll need to make due with the handful offered by WEP, or it's sister brands using the same Iron. It's pretty rare I need anything more exotic than the tip that came in the soldering iron. If WEP's QC is doing their job when preparing/accepting the tips, they should last some time.The station came with a cleaning kit, spare nozzles, a spare chamber tube, seals and filters. I haven't opened the bag as yet.The station will get a work-out over the next couple months. I'll follow up if I run into any issues.

As a hobbyist I can't give you a technical review, but I can tell you that I have a good background in engineering and using a variety of tools for over 50 years as a lifelong DIY'er. This unit is fairly well built. The iron side of the unit heats remarkably fast. If you turn it on and then sit down an get ready to solder it's ready to go. I think about 30 secs from ambient temp to 310C. The desolder unit takes a bit longer - about 3 mins but it has a lot more material to get up to temp. When it comes to desoldering; it works really well, quick melt and plenty of suction to draw up the solder. At first I had some issues with the nozzle clogging, but after 2-3 uses I got the hang of it and it's been flawless since. I learned to keep the trigger pulled a bit longer to clear the nozzle out. I don't write many reviews here at all, but I'd like to recommend this unit since the pricing is great. I bought a bag of extra tips when I ordered it... I saw some complaints on the cost because they weren't <$1 each, but whatever - get a bag because I think you'll want the sharper pointed tips if you are working circuit boards.

Is it a really cheap de-soldering station - Yes, but it really does a great job for what it is.These inexpensive soldering stations are not going to be the same as the workstation you may have used in the lab, but wow these punch above their price point! I was able to de-solder 18 caps (6 of which were SNAP) in no time flat, certainly faster than working with a manual pump and certainly leaps and bounds faster than working with braid.For the few projects I do around the house I could totally justify the expenseThe iron sucks, has bad thermal protection and if ran hot it is going to be uncomfortable to work with for any long termOne thing I will say you NEED to keep in mind to do before walking away from this is CLEAN IT WELL BEFORE YOU TURN IT OFF!Run the pump and use the long spring ended wire they give you, make sure it is clear before you power it off.