With this soldering iron, you never know when you'll have enough heat to melt the solder. It's not just about waiting for things to get hot; In fact, it seems that the longer the iron is left on, the worse it gets. I've used this soldering iron to solder about 12 different wires and every time I use it I have to sit and wait and wonder when the solder is going to melt. Sometimes 10 seconds, sometimes a minute. Setting the temperature higher or lower doesn't seem to make a difference. Do not buy this product. Save $30 or $40 and buy something that actually works.