Temperature controlled soldering iron.

[bertbass]

Seen a few questions about soldering irons in the past few weeks and have just seen this, [url="http://www.lidl.co.uk/cps/rde/xchg//SID-D71569C6-A4943F79/lidl_uk/hs.xsl/index_38195.htm?offerdate=&idcheck=true&ar2=&id=459&country=GB&zipcode=TN37+6RA&city=Hastings&district=&street=Bohemia+Road&ar=1&nf=TRUE"]http://www.lidl.co.uk/cps/rde/xchg//lidl_uk/hs.xsl/index_38195.htm?offerdate=&ar2=[/url] and thought that someone might be interested.

Edited January 21, 2013 by bertbass

[Beer of the Bass]

I wonder if they're any good? I've been put off tools from Lidl since buying a staple gun which no brand or size of staples I can find works with, though the supplied ones worked fine.

[Blademan_98]

For £9 is has to be worth a punt.

Mine cost £20 from Maplin and is good enough for my needs. I would have rather spent half that

[jaydentaku]

3 year guarantee.

I wouldn't touch it personally. But then, I have three.

[neepheid]

I'll be popping in for one on Thursday. At the moment I'm going between two irons - a 25W for delicate stuff and a 40W one for doing big stuff like pot casings. The 25W just doesn't have the oomph for pot casings, and the 40W is a bit savage for the small stuff. This would eliminate that nonsense.

[thepurpleblob]

To be pedantic, it does't actually say that it's temperature controlled. I know it's adjustable but for under a tenner I doubt it has the requisite theremistor in the tip...

[danthevan]

If its the gas 'kit' then stay away, theyre absolute crap (link wouldnt work on ipad)

Edit: just seen its a leccy one. Probably just on a timer rather than thermostatically controlled

Edited January 21, 2013 by danthevan

[thepurpleblob]

It's not a gas one, no. I've not had good experiences with any of the Parkside stuff. I bought one of their Dremel copies and the motor stalls if you stare it it hard enough!

Spend the money once and by the right thing. A real temperature controlled station will set you back the thick end of a hundred quid probably but it will actually work and you'll get spares

[bobbass4k]

My dad swears by Aldi tools, at least for the little stuff (screwdrivers, scokets etc.). Apparently they're cheap tools from Germany, but the German minimum standards are higher than ours, so they're actually really good. Not sure if Lidl are the same though.

[thepurpleblob]

I agree - I've had some good stuff from Aldi but some junk as well. I've used a set of ratchet spanners and an air impact gun for a couple of years with no bother at all. Stuff like drill bits and screwdriver bits are, as ever, made from monkey metal.