After years of working with soldering guns and pens, I got myself a Loner a few years ago. A thermostatically controlled soldering station is an incredible improvement over both a basic soldering pen and one of those soldering stations where you can adjust the temperature of the tip with a dial, but without thermostatic control the temperature of the tip won't stay where you want it to be es.. This loner has been running for about six years with his first spare head and now with his second. Tips and parts are easily accessible. I bought a second one this year to use in repairing remote equipment that cannot be shipped to my place of work. I highly recommend this thermostatically temperature controlled soldering station!