Hakko FX951 Professional Thermally Controlled Soldering Station & Soldering Iron with Tip Set Kit – Compact 75W High Power - Interchangeable Composite Tips – 91 Varieties (5 Included) - UK Plug

Product Information

Many seasoned professionals argue that it ultimately comes down to a matter of personal preference. However, the Hakko FX-951 has proven to be a reliable and durable choice for electronics enthusiasts and professionals alike. The Hakko FX-951 soldering station uses standard HAKKO T18 series tips. These tips are interchangeable with other soldering stations that use the same style tip, such as the JBC CD-1DE and Weller WES51. What sets the Hakko FX-951 apart from other soldering stations?

Specialist “Slot” or Concave shape for through hole soldering. It is effective to avoid insufficient PTH fill. A red LED on the handle lights up when the iron is hot. Hakko missed the opportunity to turn the LED green when the iron reached its operating temperature, which is an essential feature for anyone who cannot hear the buzzer. Deaf users will have to rely on their instincts. A traditional soldering iron takes from 5 to 10 minutes to heat up to a temperature sufficient for reliable melting of the solder and soldering. One feature that sets the Hakko FX-951 apart is its temperature control knob, which allows for precise temperature adjustment in increments of 10°F (5°C). It also features a digital display for easy reading of the current temperature setting. Another standout feature is its fast heat-up time, reaching 350°F (177°C) in just 15 seconds.In general, the Hakko soldering stations are known for being reliable and durable. Many users praise their ergonomic design and ease of use. The included chisel tip also provides a precise and clean solder joint, making it perfect for delicate projects such as circuit board repair. Are Weller and Hakko tips interchangeable? Forget switching the unit from the factory default Fahrenheit to Celsius without the aid of the manual. The process involves holding buttons while turning the unit on. Configuring the sleep mode is even more insane. Another option is to use a brass wire tip cleaner, which can be gently rubbed on the tip of the iron to remove any buildup.

Thermal capacity is more than adequate for general-purpose soldering. The limits of this soldering station lie exactly where you’d expect them to be judged solely by the transformer’s 75 Watt power output. Only parts with high thermal capacity give this iron trouble. Small joints are ready for soldering in under a second. Improve solderability and wettability with the HAKKO N 2system. *Requires a variety of equipment in addition to the N 2soldering iron. The angle of the iron holder can be changed freely so that the iron holder accommodates soldering in both a standing and a sitting position. The control panel is needlessly complicated. Simply changing the temperature requires three buttons to accomplish. The * button selects the digit to change and the Up and Down buttons move it. The # button is used to set the temperature offset based on the thermal capacity of the tip mounted in the iron. The story changes when working with large parts like voltage regulars. The iron takes considerably longer to heat up those parts compared to the best irons on the market.The FX-951 is not a particularly powerful soldering station. Rated at 75 Watts it is just barely more powerful than Hakko’s own entry-level station, the FX-888D. All of it adds up to the good, but ultimately mediocre performance. It takes the unit ~20 seconds to reach 350 degrees Celsius from a cold start. Recovery from sleep mode takes 5-10 seconds depending on how much time the iron had to cool. Recovery time between joints is excellent on small parts. You can move from joint to joint without noticing a drop in performance. Every joint will heat up as fast as the one before. This type has a shape like a cone or column cut at a slant, which allows users to select the cut surface size depending on the workpiece. The FX-951 is very much defined by its iron, the FM-2027. Getting heat where it needs to go has never been this easy. The small wand almost feels like an extension of your hand. The power cable barely weighs it down. Few irons in the industry can match the handling of Hakko’s latest iron. This is one of the best irons for soldering small parts you can find on the market.

Powerful thermal recovery allows soldering at lower temperature settings. Line-up includes 85 types of standard soldering tips. Thermal Recovery Graph The iron is the most compelling reason to choose the FX-951 over other mid-market soldering stations. The wand is one of the smallest and lightest on the market. From a purely mechanical point of view, this soldering iron is one of the easiest to handle in the industry.Additionally, the Hakko FX-951 has a slim, compact design and can easily fit on crowded workbenches. It also comes with a convenient storage compartment for extra tips. Accuracy - Pace is the most temperature accurate station with minimal overshoot and no calibration. Metcal has no overshoot, no calibration, but tips have wide inherent tolerances. JBC has good accuracy but on the maximum performance profile overshoots. Overall, the Hakko FX-951 soldering station offers precise temperature control, fast heat-up time, and a compact design for an efficient and comfortable soldering experience. Useful Video: Hakko FX-951 Soldering Station One way to clean a Hakko soldering iron is by using a damp sponge. Make sure to wipe off any excess residue and then dry the tip before starting to solder again.

Speed - Metcal wins on heating efficiency. Pace and JBC seem to have similar performance at ~80% of set temp. As they approach set temp the JBC overshoots before settling, the Pace undershoots before settling (both by design). Since the profiles and tip plating are different between the two stations/irons the JBC appears to have a slight edge. All three stations are fast comparatively (2-4 seconds on low mass tips). Hakko offers a wide variety of tips for use with the FX-951. Due to their size, the tips are 1.5 to 2 times more expensive than the tips used on entry-level soldering stations. The iron is compatible with Hakko’s professional soldering station, the FM-203, should you choose to upgrade in the future. Performance Based on my experience with the Hakko FX-951 soldering station, we can confidently say that they are indeed a reliable and high-quality brand. The temperature control on this particular model is very precise and allows for easy adjustments while soldering. It also has a convenient sleep function to conserve energy when not in use. Which is better – Weller or Hakko? Can be used in combination with the HAKKO 490 smoke cleaner or the HAKKO 494 smoke absorbing system for line-production. It is actually both, you preset the temperature, then can see the temp climb as the tip heats up, and it holds very accurately at the set temp. There are several modes it can display and it tells you when sleep mode is active as well. Does Hakko FX-951 come with the wire for the sleep mode function?The iron holder that comes with the kit is made out of painted metal. A yellow ceramic insert secures the iron without the possibility of anything melting or catching fire. A switch built into the holder puts the soldering station into sleep mode when the iron is positioned in the cradle. This reduces energy consumption and improves tip life at the expense of having to wait for the iron to heat up after taking a break. The Pace and JBC are very close in power. While the Metcal is lower (80W on paper), due to heating efficiency I'll give it the benefit of the doubt and call it equal to the others. Under normal soldering these stations aren't going to see anywhere near their peak power output for any length of time. The FX-951-66 soldering station comes with the items shown in the photograph EXCEPT for the solder chisel (the part that actually gets hot), which is sold separately. It includes the base station controller with A/C power cord and transformer, chisel handle/pen with an electrical cord to the base station controller, soldering pen holder, and soldering chisel holder that holds up to 12 chisels.