Review on Efficient and Safe American HAKKO FR301-03/P ESD Portable Desoldering Tool with Precise Temperature Control in °F/°C by Timothy Johnson

I'm quite a layman. I have both a solder wick and "manual" suction tools. This thing is a revelation. Reviews saying this thing is difficult to clean or not worth the effort didn't study this tool to understand how it works, how to maintain and clean it etc. I love remodeling McIntosh amp covers. I have basic soldering skills and a decent under $100 station. Those are bee knees. You need to understand how it works and clean the solder pre-filter regularly, but to be honest I don't understand the reviews that say it's difficult to clean. I found it intuitive, non-clogging, and easy to clean/maintain. I completely redid the Mac amp, only about 50 capacitors and no problems, great performance. I cleaned the pre-filter about 4-5 times (once per option card in the amplifier). Yes, it's pricey, but worth it, even for an amateur noob like me. This allows me to avoid the expense of replacing a number of electronic components throughout the house, not to mention the savings of replacing the Mac amp again. I was also able to fix the circuit board for the HVAC gear and save $1,000! Next stop, surface mount repair station!