Like many hobbyists, I rely on a good soldering iron. I’ve been soldering since the 3rd grade, and I’ve had quite a few soldering irons over the years. I’m currently using a Weller soldering station that I’ve had over 20 years (still going strong), so when I had a chance to try a new Weller soldering iron with built-in LEDs, I jumped at the opportunity. I received the 25W Standard Duty soldering iron.
Billed as a high-performance soldering iron for hobbyists, the new Weller soldering irons also received a red dot award for product design.
- Three LED lights for limited application shadowing
- Round Co-molded soft grip handle design for easy tip positioning
- Triangular handle area for maximum tip control
- Stainless steel barrel and heater
- UL listed – cUL version available
- Excellent quality consumer iron 8 1/4″ (210mm) long
- Light duty iron, (25watts) for joining 16 AWG wire or smaller
- Use on small electrical/electronic assemblies, appliance repair, etc.
- IMPORTANT: Use only Weller® tips
Inside the packaging you’ll find the soldering iron, a little user’s guide, and an iron stand to keep the hot tip off your work surface.
Made in Mexico, if you’re curious.
Here’s the iron resting on the stand.
This soldering iron features a rubberized grip and a three-sided shape in the middle.
Here you can see the three white LEDs that light up your work area. Pretty neat! There’s no on-off switch, which is just fine. Bonus: When the lights are on, the iron is also on! Yes, I’ve burned myself brushing my hand against a still-hot iron!
You’ll also notice the triangular shape a little better here. This really helps prevent the iron from rolling away at the worst possible time. Fantastic!
I found the new Weller SP25NUS LED-lit soldering iron comfortable and practical. Sure, the included stand is a little light-weight, but at a price of $14.99 to $27.99 (about $16.99 as shown) for the soldering iron, you can afford to get a decent soldering iron stand. I won’t be giving up my veteran Weller soldering station, but this will be my go-to second soldering iron.
You can keep up with Weller through their social media pages: Twitter (@WellerBrand) and Facebook.
Product Information
| Price: | $14.99 to $27.99 ($16.99 as shown) |
| Manufacturer: | Weller |
| Pros: |
|
| Cons: |
|
Gadgeteer Comment Policy - Please read before commenting
http://www.apexhandtools.com/brands/CF_Files/model_detail.cfm?upc=037103169372
for the price, I have never been able to beat the price/performance or a gas iron. Unless I’m sitting at a station for hour on end soldering, I will never go back to electric. 80% of all my solder jobs are 1-2 minutes tops. Pull out the portasol, click, solder, turn off, cap, and walk away.
BTW, the “cold solder” is junk. I tried to like it. JUNK
I just purchased this iron with some hesitation based on so many people complaining about Weller’s QC going downhill. Have you had any problems with this iron since you wrote this review? Also, was this iron given to you by Weller? I ask because your opening statement implies this. “I received the 25W Standard Duty soldering iron.”