Checklist · 12 picks · 4 categories

soldering checklist

Edited by Zach · updated Nov 1, 2026 · How I pick

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Cheapest way in Tabiger Soldering Iron Kit Best for dipping your toe in without buying anything else$15-25Shop on Amazon
Best smart iron Pinecil V2 Best for a first iron that you won't outgrow$25-50Shop on Amazon
Starter multimeter Klein Tools MM320KIT Digital Multimeter Test Kit Best for starting an electrical toolkit from scratch$50-100Shop on Amazon

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Soldering looks scary until you've done three joints, and then you start eyeing every broken gadget in the house.

You don't need a pro bench to get there. A cheap kit or a USB-C smart iron handles keyboard mods, controller repairs and small electronics kits, and a multimeter tells you whether your joint actually worked. A station only earns its desk space once you're soldering for hours. Tom's Hardware's reviewer has run more than 15 irons through the same PCB kit, timing how fast each one gets to working temperature, and Bob Vila's team used the multimeters and stations published. When you want a project, there's a Pico kit and two Raspberry Pi boards to build on. Each card shows the drawback the reviewers called out, so you know about the missing stand before it's hot in your hand.

Who this is not for. Skip this if you're fixing shelves and doors, not circuit boards; the First Toolkit list is the one you want.

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The must-haves

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01 The iron

the first pick is the one I would start with

Compare these 3

Pick	Tier	Price	Best for	Evidence
Tabiger Soldering Iron Kit	budget	$15-25	dipping your toe in without buying anything else	1 outlet
Pinecil V2	mid	$25-50	a first iron that you won't outgrow	1 outlet
Miniware TS101	splurge	$50-100	long sessions where comfort matters	1 outlet

Best soldering iron

budget pick · Kit with case

Tabiger Soldering Iron Kit

Best for dipping your toe in without buying anything else

Tom's Hardware's best soldering iron for beginners: a cheap entry to soldering, with basic temperature control, interchangeable tips, a stand and a case.

Heads up. Exudes cheapness, and the tip burns out; Tom's Hardware saw it scorch quite quickly

1 outlet. Tom's Hardware best Soldering Iron for Beginners.

$15-25

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mid pick · 155 mm long

Pinecil V2

Best for a first iron that you won't outgrow

Tom's Hardware's best smart soldering iron: it hit 350°C in 20 seconds on a 20V USB-C adapter, and the site calls it the ideal iron for younger or inexperienced makers.

Heads up. Not much different from the V1, and it doesn't come with a stand

1 outlet. Tom's Hardware best smart soldering iron.

$25-50

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splurge pick · 170 mm long

Miniware TS101

Best for long sessions where comfort matters

Tom's Hardware's best all rounder: a refinement of the TS100 with DC and USB power, and the iron it would choose if soldering all day long.

Heads up. Twice the price of its leading competitor, the Pinecil V2

1 outlet. Tom's Hardware best all rounder.

$50-100

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02 Bench setup

Compare these 3

Pick	Tier	Price	Best for	Evidence
Weller WLC100 40-Watt Soldering Station	budget	$50-100	a dedicated bench without a digital readout	1 outlet
Yihua 995D+ Soldering Station	mid	$100-150	repairing boards and removing surface-mount parts	1 outlet
Hakko FX-888D	splurge	$100-150	spending hours at a bench on bigger projects	1 outlet

Best soldering station

budget pick · Benchtop

Weller WLC100 40-Watt Soldering Station

Best for a dedicated bench without a digital readout

Bob Vila's best bang for the buck: a low-cost station with five temperature settings and a built-in tip cleaning station.

Heads up. No precise digital temperature control, and the included ST3 tip is too bulky for fine circuit-board work

1 outlet. Bob Vila best Bang For The Buck soldering station.

$50-100

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mid pick · Benchtop

Yihua 995D+ Soldering Station

Best for repairing boards and removing surface-mount parts

Tom's Hardware's best hot air rework station: brand-name performance for a fraction of the price, with an iron and a hot air gun for removing components.

Heads up. The user interface isn't intuitive

1 outlet. Tom's Hardware best Hot Air Rework Station.

$100-150

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splurge pick · Station 100 x 120 x 120 mm

Hakko FX-888D

Best for spending hours at a bench on bigger projects

Tom's Hardware's best soldering station: excellent build quality, thermal mass and ease of use make it the ideal choice for beginners and professionals alike.

Heads up. Expensive compared to others, and it looks a little "Fisher Price"

1 outlet. Tom's Hardware best soldering station.

$100-150

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03 Check your work

Compare these 3

Pick	Tier	Price	Best for	Evidence
Klein Tools MM320KIT Digital Multimeter Test Kit	budget	$50-100	starting an electrical toolkit from scratch	1 outlet
Extech EX330 12-Function Mini Multimeter	mid	$50-100	more functions in a small meter	1 outlet
Fluke 107 Pocket Digital Multimeter	splurge	$150-200	simple readings with a backlight	1 outlet

Best multimeter

budget pick · Kit

Klein Tools MM320KIT Digital Multimeter Test Kit

Best for starting an electrical toolkit from scratch

Bob Vila's best starter kit: a massive screen plus many of the tools its reviewers once bought separately for their own electrical kits.

Heads up. No backlight, which makes it hard to read in low light

1 outlet. Bob Vila best Starter Kit multimeter.

$50-100

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mid pick · Mini

Extech EX330 12-Function Mini Multimeter

Best for more functions in a small meter

Bob Vila's runner-up: a large screen, a built-in noncontact tester and a thermocouple kit in a mini meter.

Heads up. No backlight for dark spaces

1 outlet. Bob Vila runner-Up multimeter.

$50-100

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splurge pick · Pocket

Fluke 107 Pocket Digital Multimeter

Best for simple readings with a backlight

Bob Vila's best for basic DIY: a simple design with plenty of basic functionality, a large backlit display and a magnetic strap for hands-free use.

Heads up. No carrying case and no spot to snap the leads into

1 outlet. Bob Vila best for Basic DIY multimeter.

$150-200

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04 First project

Compare these 3

Pick	Tier	Price	Best for	Evidence
Uctronics Raspberry Pi Pico Starter Kit	budget	$25-50	learning electronics with no soldering on day one	Limited evidence
Raspberry Pi 5	mid	$50-100	home servers, retro consoles and weekend projects	1 outlet
Raspberry Pi 500	splurge	$100-150	a whole computer tucked inside a keyboard	1 outlet

Best raspberry pi

budget pick · 7.5 x 3.5 x 2 in box

Uctronics Raspberry Pi Pico Starter Kit

Best for learning electronics with no soldering on day one

Tom's Hardware's verdict in its 2021 review: a fun and easy-to-use kit that grows with your confidence, built to follow the official Pico book.

Heads up. The Pico's GPIO soldering was a little off on the review unit, and the included LCD display differs from the book

Limited evidence. No outlet has named this one yet. It is here as a reasonable option, not a reviewed one.

$25-50

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mid pick · Credit-card size

Raspberry Pi 5

Best for home servers, retro consoles and weekend projects

A Tom's Hardware Editor's Choice: significantly faster than the Pi before it for almost the same price, with dual camera and display support.

Heads up. Needs active cooling, and some older HATs need software updates

1 outlet. Tom's Hardware editor's Choice Raspberry Pi 5.

$50-100

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splurge pick · Keyboard

Raspberry Pi 500

Best for a whole computer tucked inside a keyboard

A Tom's Hardware Editor's Choice: the power of a Raspberry Pi 5 built into a keyboard, with excellent thermals and an easy overclock to 3 GHz.

Heads up. GPIO access is awkward, there's no NVMe storage and no camera or Touch Display connections

1 outlet. Tom's Hardware editor's Choice Raspberry Pi 500.

$100-150

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means three independent outlets recommend a pick, means one, and limited evidence means none has yet. I research these picks. I have not tested them myself. How I pick · Broken link, wrong price range or an outdated pick? Tell me

Questions people ask

Should a beginner get a soldering iron or a station?

Start with an iron. Tom's Hardware says a simple iron gives you the confidence to start without tweaking settings, and that smart irons give precise temperature control without dominating the bench. It points to stations for people who need the best thermal balance and will spend hours soldering.

What temperature should I solder at?

It's partly personal preference. Tom's Hardware normally solders at 350°C and says some people prefer much higher. It bumped the cheap Tabiger iron and the Hakko up to 400°C when the solder wasn't flowing well.

Does the Pinecil come with everything I need?

Not quite. Tom's Hardware says the Pinecil V2 doesn't come with a stand, though one costs just a little extra, and its fastest heat-up was on a 20V USB-C power adapter. It also says to always supervise learners with any new tool.

soldering checklist

plan my budget pick an amount ↓

The must-haves