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expiredakvtest posted Feb 04, 2023 03:59 AM
expiredakvtest posted Feb 04, 2023 03:59 AM

Weller 5-30 Variable Wattage Precision Grip Soldering Iron Station

+ Free Shipping

$31

$72

56% off
Amazon
31 Comments 19,577 Views
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Deal Details
Amazon has Weller 5-30 Variable Wattage Precision Grip Soldering Iron Station (WLSK3012A) on sale for $30.63. Shipping is free.

Thanks to community member akvtest for finding this deal.

Features:
  • Variable wattage dial enables you to take on a wider range of applications
  • On-board secure safety rest
  • Built-in tip holder provides on-board storage
  • On-board cellulose sponge tip cleaner

Editor's Notes

Written by oceanlake
  • About this deal:
    • Our research indicates that this offer is $10.76 lower (26% savings) than the next best available price from a reputable merchant with prices starting from $41.39.
    • Refer to the forum thread for discussion of this deal.
  • About this product:
    • 1 Year Warranty
  • About this store:

Original Post

Written by akvtest
Community Notes
About the Poster
Deal Details
Community Notes
About the Poster
Amazon has Weller 5-30 Variable Wattage Precision Grip Soldering Iron Station (WLSK3012A) on sale for $30.63. Shipping is free.

Thanks to community member akvtest for finding this deal.

Features:
  • Variable wattage dial enables you to take on a wider range of applications
  • On-board secure safety rest
  • Built-in tip holder provides on-board storage
  • On-board cellulose sponge tip cleaner

Editor's Notes

Written by oceanlake
  • About this deal:
    • Our research indicates that this offer is $10.76 lower (26% savings) than the next best available price from a reputable merchant with prices starting from $41.39.
    • Refer to the forum thread for discussion of this deal.
  • About this product:
    • 1 Year Warranty
  • About this store:

Original Post

Written by akvtest

Community Voting

Deal Score
+27
Good Deal
Visit Amazon

Price Intelligence

Model: Weller Corded Soldering Iron 30 W 1 pk

Deal History 

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Current Prices

Sort: Lowest to Highest | Last Updated 9/16/2025, 11:57 PM
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Ace Hardware$74.99

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Top Comments

PeterK2406
23 Posts
38 Reputation
Ideally you should be soldiering at a certain temperature, and that temperature is controlled by the iron using a thermistor/sensor. This one doesn't have that feature.

I have several soldering irons. I do mostly small circuit board soldering. My favorite iron is the MINIWARE TS100. I also have a Pinecil, which I like but prefer the TS100.

If you're looking to do small soldering on circuit boards, there are better options then this one.
Earthwormjim
647 Posts
165 Reputation
You need specific temperatures to solder, not power levels. The idea of manually adjusting power is a bad idea, because you as a novice or even an experienced solderer have no idea how much power is actually needed for a particular joint.

The required power to solder should fluctuate constantly, to maintain the proper temperature. When you first contact what you are trying to solder, the iron needs a lot of power to heat things up. When everything is hot, the iron no longer needs as much power.

Having a power knob just means you will always have the wrong amounts of power. Either too little or too much. This is arguably worse than the non temperature regulated irons without a knob, because as a novice how are you supposed to know where the knob should go, when an expert wouldn't know either? You're paying extra for a useless knob, and paying more than irons with temperature regulation. Why buy this?!

You'll either have too low of temperatures from too low of power, or over heat what you are soldering from too high of power.

A person new to soldering needs all the help they can get, a tool like this is a hindrance to learning. At a minimum the iron any novice buys should offer temperature regulation. It doesn't need to be adjustable even, but the iron should be able to regulate to an ideal temperature, around 650-700 degrees F, and hold that temperature. The cost to get a temperature regulated iron over this piece of junk is negligible. There are plenty of temperature regulated irons on Amazon which will do an acceptable job in the sub $50 price range.

The pine64 someone posted in this thread is on par with the irons I use in my electronics lab designing power supplies with regards to temperature regulation, and it's less expensive than this useless Weller.

This iron is a waste of money unless maybe you want to use it for wood burning or other related crafts and not soldering.



That will not work except when the iron is just sitting idle. The temperatures will vary wildly while in actual use, since this doesn't have temperature regulation.

30 Comments

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Feb 04, 2023 09:27 AM
647 Posts
Joined Feb 2009
EarthwormjimFeb 04, 2023 09:27 AM
647 Posts
Variable wattage? Wtf that's a terrible idea. Do not waste money on an iron without temperature regulation.
3
Feb 04, 2023 01:47 PM
23 Posts
Joined Oct 2014
coconutstudioFeb 04, 2023 01:47 PM
23 Posts
Weller makes good iron. Still debating whether I should get this or Pinecil.
Feb 04, 2023 02:38 PM
86 Posts
Joined Jul 2018
welchm28Feb 04, 2023 02:38 PM
86 Posts
Quote from Earthwormjim :
Variable wattage? Wtf that's a terrible idea. Do not waste money on an iron without temperature regulation.
Care to explain to a soldering novice?
Feb 04, 2023 02:52 PM
23 Posts
Joined Nov 2018
PeterK2406Feb 04, 2023 02:52 PM
23 Posts

Our community has rated this post as helpful. If you agree, why not thank PeterK2406

Quote from welchm28 :
Care to explain to a soldering novice?
Ideally you should be soldiering at a certain temperature, and that temperature is controlled by the iron using a thermistor/sensor. This one doesn't have that feature.

I have several soldering irons. I do mostly small circuit board soldering. My favorite iron is the MINIWARE TS100. I also have a Pinecil, which I like but prefer the TS100.

If you're looking to do small soldering on circuit boards, there are better options then this one.
5
1
Feb 04, 2023 02:53 PM
23 Posts
Joined Nov 2018
PeterK2406Feb 04, 2023 02:53 PM
23 Posts

Our community has rated this post as helpful. If you agree, why not thank PeterK2406

Quote from coconutstudio :
Weller makes good iron. Still debating whether I should get this or Pinecil.
Go with the Pinecil (unless you're going to be soldering things that require a lot of heat, like large ground planes; the Pinecil struggles with that)
1
2
Feb 04, 2023 03:13 PM
375 Posts
Joined Aug 2009
fitz1899Feb 04, 2023 03:13 PM
375 Posts
Quote from PeterK2406 :
Go with the Pinecil (unless you're going to be soldering things that require a lot of heat, like large ground planes; the Pinecil struggles with that)
Yup. 100%
Also, get their USB-C cable and power brick.
1
Feb 04, 2023 03:24 PM
936 Posts
Joined Jun 2017
sportbikerider78Feb 04, 2023 03:24 PM
936 Posts
Quote from PeterK2406 :
Ideally you should be soldiering at a certain temperature, and that temperature is controlled by the iron using a thermistor/sensor. This one doesn't have that feature.

I have several soldering irons. I do mostly small circuit board soldering. My favorite iron is the MINIWARE TS100. I also have a Pinecil, which I like but prefer the TS100.

If you're looking to do small soldering on circuit boards, there are better options then this one.
Most people don't solder on PCBs. That's definitely some delicate stuff.
This would be fine for through hole or just soldering wires together.
1
2

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Feb 04, 2023 03:42 PM
552 Posts
Joined Jul 2008
EcoCheapFeb 04, 2023 03:42 PM
552 Posts
Quote from PeterK2406 :
Go with the Pinecil (unless you're going to be soldering things that require a lot of heat, like large ground planes; the Pinecil struggles with that)
I only see one pinecil on Amazon. Is this what you're referring to? PINECIL – Smart Mini Portable Soldering Iron, Small https://a.co/d/itnVzfa
1
Feb 04, 2023 04:06 PM
226 Posts
Joined May 2015
LZsoulFeb 04, 2023 04:06 PM
226 Posts

Our community has rated this post as helpful. If you agree, why not thank LZsoul

Quote from EcoCheap :
I only see one pinecil on Amazon. Is this what you're referring to? PINECIL – Smart Mini Portable Soldering Iron, Small https://a.co/d/itnVzfa
If you are in no rush, order from pine64 website for only $26, shipping will take about a month from China. Just got mine on Dec, very happy with it.
https://pine64.com/product/pineci...ring-iron/
2
3
Pro
Feb 04, 2023 06:13 PM
830 Posts
Joined Apr 2018
Tedusmc2009
Pro
Feb 04, 2023 06:13 PM
830 Posts
No worth the price.
Feb 04, 2023 06:15 PM
817 Posts
Joined Feb 2004
frerkFeb 04, 2023 06:15 PM
817 Posts
Quote from LZsoul :
If you are in no rush, order from pine64 website for only $26, shipping will take about a month from China. Just got mine on Dec, very happy with it.
https://pine64.com/product/pineci...ring-iron/
Including shipping that's only $2 less than Amazon for me. Any way to reduce shipping?
2
Feb 04, 2023 06:16 PM
262 Posts
Joined Apr 2014
notveryanonymousFeb 04, 2023 06:16 PM
262 Posts
Quote from fitz1899 :
Yup. 100%
Also, get their USB-C cable and power brick.
New to soldering also, what does the power brick do for a portable soldering iron?
Feb 04, 2023 06:34 PM
505 Posts
Joined Nov 2015
diggieFeb 04, 2023 06:34 PM
505 Posts
Quote from Earthwormjim :
Variable wattage? Wtf that's a terrible idea. Do not waste money on an iron without temperature regulation.
Did Weller start putting fuses in all their irons or is it still a lucky dip?
https://youtu.be/XUtj-bWHeKY
1
Feb 04, 2023 06:55 PM
543 Posts
Joined Sep 2007
nohoFeb 04, 2023 06:55 PM
543 Posts
Almost all of the reviews are 40 watt.

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Feb 04, 2023 07:03 PM
1,757 Posts
Joined Nov 2005
g10nyFeb 04, 2023 07:03 PM
1,757 Posts
Quote from Earthwormjim :
Variable wattage? Wtf that's a terrible idea. Do not waste money on an iron without temperature regulation.
I mean you could in theory calibrate the temperature using the power setting, though I doubt the crude build would allow for such fine-tuning.

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