Are you tired of searching for the best desoldering stations that ensure damage-free removal of electronic components?
Look no further! In this comprehensive buyer’s guide, I’ll help you provide top hot air rework station recommendations that have the ability to safely and efficiently remove components from a circuit board. After doing 18 hours of product research and 48 hours of honest testing, I’ve found that Hakko FR301 is the best desoldering station for repairing a circuit board, salvaging parts, or simply reworking jobs.
We’ll cover what Desoldering Station does, who it’s for, and individual tools’ features, pros, and cons. So you want to make sure before making the final purchase decision.
In this article, I have reviewed and shortlisted the 5 best budget desoldering stations based on performance, features, and price. Below is the Quick Comparison Table of Our Top 3 best budget hot air rework stations, So that you can find your best suitable options.
I weed out faulty products and handpicked the best-of-lot tools. I was more excited when buying more tools to review them. I rented some tools I borrowed and a few I have already owned.
There are tons of Desoldering stations available in the market. Therefore, finding the best desoldering stations is challenging, especially for a beginner. So to find out the best options, I decided to undertake extensive research.
You’ll be pleased to know that I Individually tested tools; based on the accuracy, ease to use, and customer feedback and ratings, I have listed down and recommended them for hobbyists, DIY-ers, and beginners alike.
Choosing the Best Desoldering Stations for every budget
As per my personal experience, I found Hakko FR301 best desoldering station. Hakko FR301 is the best because it is of high quality, easy to use, reasonably priced, and quite efficient in the field. Many field professionals have tried it, and they are really happy with the tool’s performance.
Here, I have itemized reviews of Best Desoldering Stations to buy suitable best soldering station options.
1. Hakko FR301 Best Desoldering Gun
It is one of the Best desoldering guns I used when I was a soldering expert in a multinational company. I found it easy to use because of this Portable Desoldering Tool With Precise Temperature control.
One of the things I noticed is the Hakko FR301 ESD Safe Portable Desoldering Tool. Hakko has to be the most well-designed and all-around best desoldering station. This Portable Desoldering Tool has all you need with Precise Temperature Control and performance.
What I like best about this Hakko FR301 is having advanced Temperature Settings. Temperature adjustment is possible for the HAKKO FR-301 between 350°C and 500°C. It is a wide range and covers almost all project repairing and rework activities. It has a Filter Pipe recovery chamber for smoothing or filtering Easy-to-clean solder waste and helps minimize maintenance.
I can describe this desoldering heat gun as the best thermal performance available in the marketplace. It’s a futuristic innovation with well-designed features. The Hakko FR301 Safe Portable Desoldering Tool features a Unique pump design that helps lower vibration and noise. But it feels smooth, confident, and satisfying without lowering the vacuum pressure and flow. I used his best desoldering stations, and I never faced using them.
Key Features:
- Anti-Clogging Design.
- The tool is designed to be electrostatic discharge (ESD) safe.
- The FR301 utilizes a ceramic heating element that heats up rapidly.
Furthermore, I appreciate that the fantastic features and thermal permanence are good. This tool is ideal for quick productivity through-hole component desoldering production lines. This best soldering desoldering station is designed with an Ergonomic grip to minimize stress. You can use it for a long time without any fatigue.
What I Like/Dislike about Hakko FR301
Like:
- There is a nozzle for every application.
- Changing nozzles is easy and safe with the nozzle wrench.
- Reduced solder clogging By improved heating core.
- It’s easy to maintain the filter and use high thermal efficiency.
Dislike:
- Desoldering station using a simple stand.
- A little bit expensive but features high-quality materials.
2. Yihua 853D 2A Air Rework Soldering Iron
Once, I worked as a field engineer, and the contractor asked me to work on This tool. I used it to solder faulty telecom boards. When I used it, I found it quick to heat and more convenient.
I also liked the YIHUA 853D 2A Soldering Iron Station is the most affordable price as it comes with 3 in 1 design. YIHUA 853D SMD soldering and desoldering station consists of a rework station, soldering station, and DC stabilized power supply.
I noticed that this equipment works on PID Temperature Control Technology, which compensates for temperature gaps quickly for accurate temperature settings. Exclusive No Air Protection helps if the hot air fan stops working unusually. This feature automatically cuts the power supply to keep the core heating point safe and secure.
Key Features:
- It features a digital display.
- offer adjustable temperature settings.
- The soldering station usually comes with a high-quality soldering iron.
I also appreciate that this three-in-one system allows you to vacuum, desolder, and solder. 1 Year US Warranty can also be considered to buy the best desoldering station. It’s ultimately one of the best soldering desoldering stations on the market,
What I Like/Dislike about YIHUA 853D
Like:
- The 5-volt USB charging system.
- It heats up fast and maintains a consistent temperature.
- Delivered with a wide range of accessories.
Dislike:
- There is nothing specific to mention.
3. aoyue desoldering gun
When I started the Aoyue family tools, the Aoyue best desoldering stations were full of features. They can be used for various advanced-quality electronics repair and rework projects. From the way it feels to its easy-to-use features and performance, this SMD soldering desoldering station with necessary accessories has all you need.
However, I noticed the main difference is that this is delivered with accessories. The Aoyue SMD soldering and desoldering station comes with various accessories like removal pins, cleaning drills, desoldering cleaning gel, and a few more to make the process easier and more accurate.
Well, I love these best desoldering stations. Some key highlights include this product’s 80 Watts digital soldering gun with digitally calibrated temperature control for precision jobs.
Key Features:
- Digital calibrated temperature control with 80-watt rated desoldering gun. This best soldering desoldering station featured Wide temperature range adjustments.
- True Ambidextrous Design, SMD Soldering, and Desoldering Station are CE Certified and ESD Safe to ensure safety.
- Aoyue Desoldering Station Configured with auto-sleep mode saves power when ideal for saving energy and increasing the life of the device.
This desoldering station has a wide temperature adjustment range and can be set anywhere between 302 and 716 degrees. Aoyue’s best budget desoldering station offers ease-of-use functions and multiple features at an affordable price.
What I Like/Dislike about Aoyue:
Like:
- Digital controls are simple to toggle.
- Ergonomic grip Benchtop design.
- Configured with auto-sleep mode.
Dislike:
- A knockoff of popular brands.
- Further No such specific to mention here.
4. Zhongdi Vacuum Desoldering Rework Station
Zhongli Desoldering Station is a brilliant vacuum desoldering station for all kinds of rework and repairs of electronic projects. If you’re looking for the best budget desoldering station with multiple features, the Zhongdi Desoldering Station is perfect.
The design is excellent, and It comes with a crystal-clear LCD. You can set desired temperature settings and monitor variations in practical ways. Dedicated buttons.
The vacuum desoldering station can maintain a temperature range between 180 degrees and 380 degrees and is equipped with dual LCD temperature control for better control and dedicated buttons for tune-up switching between Fahrenheit and Celsius.
Key Features:
- Wide temperature range settings with accuracy due to Premium ceramic heating element.
- Clear and intelligent display monitor to set the desired temperature and monitoring.
- More effective in lead-free soldering lightweight commercial uses.
- This best budget desoldering station comes with a 6-month warranty
- Easy to operate SMD Soldering and Desoldering Station.
Some of the key features include this product that it has 2 has two lines, one for power and another for vacuum directed to the station. It consists of a transparent display to set input and other crucial settings. Zhongli SMD soldering and desoldering station temperature can be done by up and down the adjustment buttons. This system is specially designed for lead-free soldering.
What I Like/Dislike about Zhongli:
Like:
- Weighs less than 6 pounds.
- Wide temperature level variety.
- Wide temperature range.
- The high-quality ceramic heating element.
Dislike:
- Come up with less no of accessories.
- Product warranty is comparatively less.
5. Anesty Best Budget Desoldering Station
My next pick is a much more affordable Professional Removal Rework Station specially designed for lead-free. Anesty Best desoldering guns are rapidly heating and powerful equipment for all soldering/desoldering electronic components.
Of course, quick heating and strong power are convenient for frequent welding. More critical is that the Anesty vacuum desoldering station is a single hand-operated device with a heating element for fast and accurate temperature control and adjustments.
Key Features:
- Single hand-operated Portable instrument and best soldering desoldering station.
- Built-in PCT heating element that allows you to control the temperature very accurately.
- Wide range of temperature settings for various types of desoldering maintenance work
- Ergonomic Desoldering Station for continuous working hours.
Other than that, it’s a solid all-around piece of equipment with a pretty standard-built body. The machine has a 0.1 mm large tip suitable for best desoldering station mobile applications. This device is an advanced microprocessor-controlled that triggers the gun automatically.
What I Like/Dislike about Anesty:
Like:
- High-quality PCT heating element
- Sixty-day money-back guarantee.
- Wide variety of temperature level settings.
Dislike:
- Sometimes the pointer clogs what is claimed by some users.
6. Aoyue 701A++ Best desoldering stations
Aoyue 701A++ is Dual Function equipment that consists of an independent solder iron and a desoldering station. The Aoyue 701A++ is a safe comfort in operation even with all these electronic functions. It is also a good option for the best budget desoldering station.
This vacuum desoldering station comes with accessories and the required filters to save money by extra buying. It is an Ergonomic SMD Soldering and Desoldering Station with a lengthy cord. Those extremely durable 70-watt high-powered best desoldering stations are the second product in our list of the same brand.
Aoyue 701A++ is another Aoyue product on our list with affordable prices and multiple perfect features. This vacuum desoldering station 70-watt heating element can set a range of temperatures between 392 and 896 degrees. Digital Control and Calibrated Life Heater The desoldering station comes with a Smoke Absorber to absorb dangerous Smoke and prevent a user from harmful health impacts.
Key Features:
- Feature replaceable tips for the desoldering iron.
- Desoldering stations usually come with adjustable temperatures.
- Includes a stand or holder for securely placing the desoldering iron.
This excellent gadget with several advanced features allows zero-crossing circuitry. So this device is CE Certified and fully capable of preventing electrical surges. There are a lot of excellent, unique functions on this Desoldering Station that give you a lot of control over the temperature.
What I Like/Dislike about Aoyue:
Like:
- Digital display and controls.
- Desoldering Station with the 70-watt heating element.
- Delivered with a wide range of accessories.
Dislike:
- Not suitable for those who already own a working soldering station.
7. YIHUA 853D 2A SMD Best Hot Air Desoldering Station
YIHUA 853D 2A Soldering Iron Station is the most affordable as it comes with 3 in 1 design. YIHUA 853D SMD soldering and desoldering station consists of a rework station, soldering station, and DC stabilized power supply.
This best desoldering station works on PID Temperature Control Technology, compensating quickly for accurate temperature settings for temperature gaps. Exclusive No Air Protection helps if the hot air fan stops working unusually. This feature automatically cuts the power supply to keep the core heating point safe and secure.
Key Features:
- Precise temperature control.
- Built-in Safety Features.
- Come up with additional soldering accessories.
A three-in-one system allows you to vacuum, desolder, and solder. One-year US Warranty can also be considered to buy the best desoldering station. It’s ultimately one of the best soldering desoldering stations on the market,
What I Like/Dislike about YIHUA 853D:
Like:
- The 5-volt USB charging system.
- It heats up fast and maintains a consistent temperature.
- Delivered with a wide range of accessories.
Dislike:
- There is nothing specific to mention.
What we look for
Since hardware is so essential, there are hundreds of options out there. So, I know what you need, and I have compiled a list of the best budget desoldering stations. In the last section, I will finally answer all crucial aspects and factors required before buying the best soldering desoldering station.
- Type of station – This equipment is divided into hot air rework and desoldering. The hot air rework station uses hot air to melt and remove the solder. The desoldering station uses vacuum heat up and sucks up the molten solder. Comparing both tools, the desoldering station is preferred due to better performance.
- Suction Power – The suction power of any desoldering station measured vacuum to remove molten solder from the circuitry. The quick heating and strong power make the Desoldering Stations perfect for dedicated jobs.
- Warranty – Because the Desoldering Station is a pricy product. While selecting the machine, I considered the warranty of the product provided by the manufacturer. I will help repair or replace free of cost in case of failure. Usually, the provided warranty is one year. You can also consider better options.
SMD Soldering and Desoldering Station helps carefully remove the solder without disturbing other mounted components. The electric desoldering gun is one piece of equipment you can’t do without. The best soldering desoldering station first heating the solder and vacuuming to complete the job.
What to Look for When Buying a Best Soldering Station
Buying Best Desoldering Stations is challenging, even if you have read about many of them. A desoldering station is categorized under the pro-section when troubleshooting and repairing any printed circuit board assembly. Due to the advanced technical era, electronic devices are getting more compact. So repairing and reworking tasks require accurate and simplified jobs.
It will become more difficult if you are a beginner because you are unfamiliar with all the features and functions. So that is why we decided to review the 5 Best Desoldering Stations Review 2021, put together all itemized lists, and find the most suitable options.
What is a Desoldering station?
It is an excellent option with a variety of Multiple features. Desoldering stations use heating elements, air pumps, and soldering irons to melt and remove solder wherever you want. Desoldering stations require more power, and sometimes there is a risk of voltage leak damage involved.
Compared to Hot-Air Rework, the cost of Desoldering Stations is significantly lower, so you can save money. The size of the Desoldering Stations is cooperatively compact due to the ease to transport from here to there. How to use the SMD Rework station? Please check out this video tutorial here.
What’s the Difference Between Hot-Air Rework and Desoldering Stations?
Are you planning to buy a rework station? And confused Between Hot-Air Rework and Desoldering Stations? Which one is best for you as both are great options, and the difference between rework stations isn’t significant because both are used to remove and rework solder applications? This section will find out which one best suits your needs and budget.
Hot-Air Rework
A hot air gun or hot air station is used to heat devices and melt the solder, enabling you to remove, pick up, and position the components. Hot-air rework stations can be convenient and best-suitable for small jobs. It will save you a great deal of time to repair electronic gadgets quickly.
Choosing the right and best Hot-Air Rework station can do soldering and desoldering work in one go. Another benefit of using a Hot-Air Rework station is that you can simultaneously desolder several components from an electronic circuit board.
For most purposes, the Hot-Air Rework is a good option. But when comparing tools, the downside is that the cost of the Hot-Air Rework is very high compared to the Desoldering Stations. So, This can be an expensive purchase. Also, Hot-Air Reworks stations are very bulky and difficult to move from one place to another.
Desoldering Stations
A variety of features make this an excellent option. Solder removal stations melt and remove solder wherever you want using heating elements, air pumps, and soldering irons. Stations for desoldering require more power, and there is sometimes a risk of voltage leaks.
Compared to Hot-Air Rework, the cost of Desoldering Stations is significantly lower, so you can save money. The size of the Desoldering Stations is cooperatively compact due to the ease to transport from here to there.
What do you do if the solder won’t melt?
The solder won’t melt if you face a problem during the reworking process. To resolve this issue, there are mainly two factors that need to be considered.
Firstly, You need to check the tip of the soldering iron.
Sometimes, the high-temperature soldering tip was oxidized or covered with unwanted particles. So it is crucial to clean the tip properly and to tin it timely basis. The second possibility is that the set temperature of the device is on the lower side and needs to be adjusted as per requirements.
What is the meaning of desoldering?
Desoldering removes solder and components from a circuit board for troubleshooting. The soldered joint is removed by heating solder, Suching through the vacuum pump to absorb molten solder from the circuit board.
This method commonly removes components from a circuit board for troubleshooting, repair, replacement, and salvage.
What is desoldering wick used for?
Several tools are available to perform the soldering desoldering activity.SMD Soldering and Desoldering Station are very common for this. Another essential tool is Desoldering braid or desoldering wick. It is a pre-fluxed copper braid that is used to remove the molten.
To use a solder wick, place the end of the soldered connection of the wick over the solder that you are trying to remove. After that, heated solder tip over it with a soldering iron until it melts and is wicked into the braid by capillary action.
How to Desolder and solder BGA and CSP Components
The methods for removing and installing BGA and CSP components are described here. For removing BGA and CSP components, follow the latest revision of the standard document IPC-7711/21; chapter 3.9.1.
De-Soldering/ Removal Method Of BGA and CSP
Equipment required– Best SMD Soldering and Desoldering Station, Gas focusing nozzle sized to the BGA dimensions, Bake-out oven ( optional), and Cleaner.
Procedure– If needed, bake out moisture from PBA; see comments below. Clean the work area from any contamination, oxide, or residue. Next, Place the PBA in the BGA repair machine’s workboard holder.
Install the correct nozzle. Check that the nozzle does not damage any components around the BGA/CSP that shall be removed. The set system controls the right time and temperature profile for recommendations on programming a reflow profile in a BGA repair machine.
Now, Align the nozzle to the component location. Start the program sequence for the removal process. The BGA machine’s bottom heating cycle starts. The nozzle is brought into a reflow position. After that, The top heater reflow cycle starts. After the solder joints have melted, the machine removes the component. Clean as applicable and inspect per quality requirements.
Remarks– See the IPC/JEDEC J-STD-033 standard for information about moisture-sensitive packages. Bake the PBA if conditions require baking. OBS! Surrounding components on both sides of the PBA may be subjected to hot air temperatures that could cause damage and should be evaluated for needed bake-out times.
The HAKKO FR301 is chock full of features and can be used in advanced high-performance applications, including heavy industrial jobs. Due to its compact and lightweight, this tool is straightforward to carry from one place to another. This best desoldering station can be used on the workbench or in the field.
Soldering Method Of BGA and CSP
For installation of BGA and CSP components, follow the recommendation below.
Procedure– If needed, bake out moisture from PBA. Apply tacky flux or solder paste. Ensure that the correct nozzle is installed and that this nozzle does not damage any components around the component that shall be placed and soldered. Place the PBA in the work-board holder in the BGA-repair machine.
Set the hot gas reflow system to the time and temperature profile for recommendations on programming a reflow profile in a BGA-repair machine. Using the BGA-repair machine’s component placing aids (e.g., vacuum pick-up tool). Start the program sequence for the place and solder process.
The BGA repair machine places the component. The BGA repair machine’s bottom heating cycle starts. The top heater reflow cycle starts. Upon completion of the reflow cycle, the nozzle will be raised. Allow components to cool down before board removal from the work platform. Clean as applicable and inspect per workmanship requirements.
Remarks– See the IPC/JEDEC J-STD-033 standard for information about moisture-sensitive packages. Bake the PBA if conditions require baking. OBS! Surrounding components on both sides of the PBA may be subjected to hot air temperatures that could cause damage and should be evaluated for needed bake-out times. An X-ray is required to inspect the solder joints.
Applying solder paste to the PCB soldering pads is only recommended for CBGAs. The recommended method for other BGAs or CSPs is to dip the bumps in tacky flux.
This best desoldering station offers a Microchip and a proprietary software control system that allows you to control the temperature. And provides an interface with a large LED Display. The Aoyue 701A++ Desoldering Station is an affordable option equipped with Smoke absorbers to keep fumes away.
Those are some great features, and This tool is digital calibration and configurable with an auto-sleep function. You can adjust this function from 1-60 minutes accordingly. This Desoldering Station also has an optional sponge holder to clean the tip for longer and fit any available irons.
The list of Included Components and extra accessories that you will receive are three desoldering tips, a Spare Spring, Desoldering Station, a Smoke Absorber, Desoldering iron, Cleaning Tools, 6 Spare Filters, a Tube of Grease, a Power Cord, and a User manual.
Conclusion – Wrapping it up
Out of the 5 Best Desoldering Stations Review 2020, our best pick is Aoyue 474A++ Digital Desoldering Station due to its affordable price and essay-to-use function.
You can consider other SMD soldering and desoldering station options according to your requirements and budget. We have chosen all equipment based on ease of use, Suction Power of vacuum unit, type of soldering station, Temperature Setting, Warranty period, and no of Accessories delivered.
Desoldering Stations Comparison Table
Here’s a comparison table of the top 7 best desoldering stations available on the market
| Desoldering Station | Power | Temperature Range | Vacuum Power | Nozzle Compatibility | Additional Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hakko FR-301 | 140W | 300°C – 500°C | 15W | Compatible with Hakko | Digital temperature display, Quick-change nozzle system |
| X-Tronic Model 9020X-XTS | 75W | 160°C – 480°C | N/A | Compatible with X-Tronic | LCD display, Temperature stability, Sleep mode |
| Aoyue 474A++ | 70W | 200°C – 480°C | 15W | Compatible with Aoyue | Auto-sleep function, Digital temperature calibration |
| Yihua 968DB+ | 90W | 100°C – 480°C | 23W | Compatible with Yihua | Digital temperature display, Air gun with multiple tips |
Hakko FR301 Desoldering Gun Review
Sources
Electronics Stack Exchange electronics.stackexchange.com
Electronics Tutorials electronics-tutorials.ws
Technical and DIY Websites instructables.com adafruit.com
EEVblog Forum
resources at SparkFun Tutorials.
Hakko: www.hakko.com
Weller: www.weller-tools.com
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