Review on Stahl Tools SSVT Temperature Controlled Soldering Iron by Aaron Carney

I have very limited experience with soldering and my first attempt at a new iron failed miserably when I decided to buy it from Radio Shack. What an epic fail! It was unbalanced, too big for the project I needed it for, and smelled like a chemical plant every time I used it. So I started searching for the best on Revain and came across this little gem. Now I know not to expect high quality for only $18, but this thing just screams quality for the price. The price has since gone up to $25, but even at this price it's still a great buy. The iron itself is small and perfect for small soldering jobs. It is well balanced and feels good in the hand. The rubber sleeve that slides over it feels great and really helps make it comfortable while providing decent heat protection for your fingers. The tip comes out very well with the set screw and I've been using it for over 20 hours and it still holds the solder perfectly. Of course, the cleaning sponge helps a lot to extend the life of the tip and makes tinning easier. I went ahead and bought 4 packs of replacement heads with different head sizes for another $5 which was a bargain. If you buy them separately, they're $10, so save a few bucks and stock up on extras. The station is only plastic, but works well. The spring holder keeps the iron in place when not in use and is cool to the touch. The switch is sturdy but has a standard lightbulb to light it up, so don't expect it to last forever. I would have thought that in the days when everyone goes 'green' they would use an LED switch, but oh well, that's okay. The temperature control also works as it should and allows you to set the right temperature. However, there is some guesswork as they are displayed in Celsius, forcing you to do some math to find the right setting. The iron tip doesn't give temperature feedback, which I didn't expect for $18, but it still does the job well. My iron also smoked a bit for the first 20 minutes of use, but that went away quickly and hasn't happened since. My only complaint is that the iron cord had to be made with a quick release buckle for storage. Overall, it's great value for money and the delivery time was average. You can listen to all the haters doing nothing but compare it to the more expensive Weller, or you can accept it for what it is. Great soldering iron for the money. I gave it one star because the iron's cord really had to be unplugged from the station and the LED switch used. I buy switches all the time and often incandescent bulbs are more expensive. It is not known why Stahl Tools chose not to use LEDs with a longer service life. The reasons I removed the star may seem petty to some, but in that sense I'm picky. I still recommend this to anyone who needs a reliable temperature controlled soldering station. Don't forget to save the tips of these "canned food"!