The item heats up quickly and the cord to the iron is very flexible, making it much easier to move around during the project. It comes with a soldering bit which I didn't use as I like to use solder that comes in a tube. It's very light and made out of plastic, but I don't see that as a problem as all the work is done by the iron itself. When switched on, the system heats up to 392 degrees. I've never had to use a digital thermometer since I had the plugins and it got hot, but it's nice to have one. I was able to solder a few wires and had no problems. The iron holder works well and its small size is good as it doesn't take up much bench space. If you're a hobbyist like me but don't want to spend all that money on a soldering iron that you use a few times a year, it's worth it.