Hakko has come out with a new digital soldering station that offers a few upgrades over their analog version. The new FX-888D features a password lock, preset mode with up to 5 saved temperature settings, and an adjustment mode for quicker calibration.
The Hakko FX-888 soldering station has become quite popular since it first came out two years ago, and it’s easy to see why. The FX-888’s controls are precise, the iron is very well built, and the whole kit is very affordably priced at about $85.
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I finally ditched my bare-bones Radio Shack 30W soldering iron for the FX-888 soldering station when it first came out. Many successful solder joints later I have zero regrets.
Digital Controls and Presets
Digital controls are definitely easier to use than an analog dial, especially if you switch temperature setting regularly, but it’s not exactly an essential feature. The preset feature could be handy, but if you mainly deal with one solder alloy and temperature savings there are negligible time and effort savings over keeping an analog dial locked-in where you need it.
Password Lock
I suppose this is more useful if you have multiple users at the same bench in an industrial setting. Applying a password allows you to lock in settings or prevent other users from switching modes (such as the calibration mode).
FX-888D Versus Analog FX-888
Switching from the analog FX-888 to the digital FX-888D will cost you an extra $10-12 or so. The FX-888D’s street price of $92 is still very affordable for what it offers.
Speaking as a home user of the FX-888, the FX-888D does not seem to be a substantial upgrade, unless of course you do work with multiple temperatures often. The upgrade from Hakko’s older 936 soldering station or other brands’ entry-level products is much more substantial.
If this digital model were available two years ago when the analog version first came out, I might have purchased it instead of the FX-888, but maybe not.
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Edit: It appears that Hakko is replacing the FX-888 with the FX-888D. As per their discontinued products list, the FX-888D is the successor to the FX-888. In other words, if you were waiting to upgrade to the FX-888 and prefer analog controls to digital, you might want to pick one up while you still can.
Shared Features
Like the analog FX-888, the FX-888D is ESD-safe and comes with the same iron (FX-8802) that accepts T18-sized soldering tips and nozzles.
Buy Now:
FX-888D(via Amazon)
FX-888D Package (Includes free micro cutters)
FX-888 (Analog)
More Info(via Hakko)
Dean in Des Moines
This looks too cute to be a serious tool.
Jeff
Is that 2 different tip cleaners? The one in the middle looks like the usual spun metal “sponge”. Is the black sponge on the bottom for cleaning the tip also or is it some sort of anti-static mat?
Stuart
On the digital version there are two, on the analog there are three, or at least there used to be three.
The brass ball is a standard cleaner and the black sponge can be lightly moistened for cleaning as well. There’s also a silicone wiper – apparently “optional” on the digital model – that can be used to scrape globs of extra solder off the tips.
hangfire
Finally, a product that I can make some educated comments on.
I purchased the analog FX-888 a little over a year ago. While I haven’t used it as extensively as a full-time technician, it is perfect for my various hobbies. It is very quick to warm up, but not one of the (more expensive) instant type. Basically, if you turn it on before you mount your board and grab your solder, by the time you’ve done this, even if you are fast… it is already hot.
There may not be a temperature readout, but temperature control and recovery is very fast, based on my non-scientific obesrvations of moving from soldering large heat sinks to tiny SMD pins and back again.
Stuart didn’t mention both are ESD safe (assuming your mains are properly grounded). Combined with an ESD mat grounded to the same outlet, you’re all set.
I’m not sure I agree that the digital is easier to set. For me, the dial is big fast and obvious. A personal preference issue.
Another bonus for both old and new versions is the large number of T-18 soldering tips available. Out of paranoia (I’ve owned discontinued/unsupported products before), I ordered every tip I imagined I’d need. More than a year later, they are all still available.
My analog version does in fact have 3 wipers – now – sponge, brass wool ball and silicon wiper (clipped onto the bottom edge of the “smile” opening that holds the brass wool). I say “now” because mine came without the silicone wiper, even though it was mentioned in the product manual. The Amazon affiliate I purchased from, B&D enterprises, instantly pulled one off of one in inventory, expressed it to me, and ordered more from the manufacturer in case other customers had the same problem. Great service!
About the only thing I don’t like is the toy-like day-glo color appearance. The base is solid and heavy and the iron itself handles well, at least for me. Some with big hands might want to add a collar to it.
I love everything about my FX-888 (except the colors), especially since it replaces an obscure old Weller model that I’ve never been able to find tips for.
Stuart
Thanks for the detailed feedback!
I have noticed that the silicone wiper appears “optional” in some cases. The image above shows the stand without the wiper, but it is does appear in Adafruit’s product sales page. If there are some packages of the FX-888D with and without wiper, perhaps the same is true with the FX-888.
And you are correct, both versions are designed to be ESD-safe. I made a note to edit this in but you beat me to the punch. Thanks for the reminder!
joe
i’ve been on the hunt for a soldering station lately. i like to fix things as a hobby but my radioshack welder is not cutting it. i don’t know if this is a good brand or not (x-tronic).
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003TC8EQS/ref=oh_o04_s00_i00_details
but looks like a good deal to me…i like that it has a heat gun since modern circuit boards can tolerate higher temps (not bubble, burnt). i.e. less use of the messy solder wick.
hp quality
Is calibration not required for new hakko soldering station for one year from the date of manufacturing or use?
Stuart
I’m not certain of that, but if you already have the calibration equipment, then calibration on a 1-year schedule would probably be recommended.
david
You said that the controls were easier to use on the digital rather than the analog. I disagree. The interface is cumbersome, and takes alot of time to adjust the temperature. It would be better is they just had up and down. I would rather have a dial that I can just turn to the desired temperature, rather than needing to select each digit in the readout. When I bought my fx-888d I thought that it would be awesome to have live temperature reading of the tip. Now I realise that it’s not that necessary. I should have gone for the analog version.
andy macka
Yup the digital controls are asinine, but OK once you know what they do. It only has 2 buttons, obviously men don’t like to read instructions so the first thing you do when you take it out the box is try to change the temp. Faced with a button with an up arrow and a button with Enter written on it, it’s obvious that you press the up arrow, but wait that doesn’t appear to do anything, ah you think, this is one of those deals were you have to hold the button down for a second or 2, and yes bingo holding the up arrow for 2 seconds gets you into the interface to change the temp. But that’s wrong you aren’t changing the temp you are changing the calibrations so you have now just knackered the calibration on your brand new solder station. To change the temp you need to hold down the enter button for 2 seconds, obviously (not). And to do all the rest of the stuff, the password, the presets, is god only knows. This up arrow calibration thing is a gotcha that must get at least 50% of new users, and Hakko really need to redesign this. Luckily there is a reset procedure, unluckily Hakko guard this gem like their lives depend on it. To reset to factory is some complex manipulation of the buttons, I can’t remember, but there is a great video on YouTube, which tells you what to do. Don’t let any of this put you off, as the Hakko 888D for just a wee bit more money, is night and day compared to all those Chinese cheapo knock off that proliferate. Don’t be a cheapskate put your hand in your pocket and buy a decent station, and if you are asking if there is a cheap alternative, this is the cheap alternative at $100, in the UK where I bought mine it’s £110, which is what $160-$170, but this is the starting price for the good stuff, all those other Radio Shack etc ones are just toys compared to this. As for the colour there is a silver version as well, but I like the yellow and blue as that is Hakko’s colours.