The best soldering irons, compared.
Top pick: YIHUA 928D-IV USB-C Best value: XODMAO 60 W gun kit – £11.99 with 4.4 from 1,437 reviews, a switch and a UK plug on the listing. A dial, not closed-loop control. Updated October 2026.
A soldering iron here is a mains pencil, a gun-style iron, a bench station, or a cordless kit for solder on wires, connectors and circuit boards. Judge the temperature control the listing writes, wattage against the joint, the tips, a stand that stays upright, and the UK plug and fuse. Thin tips that miss the heater are the known weak point. Rosin flux fume still needs ventilation when soldering is regular. How to choose control, wattage and format is on the [soldering iron buying guide](/hub/soldering-and-welding/soldering-iron/sub/soldering-iron-buying-guide).
A soldering iron here is a mains pencil, a gun-style iron, a bench station, or a cordless kit for solder on wires, connectors and circuit boards.
42 products checked · 64 hrs invested · +21,400 readers
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
How long is the session?
The YIHUA 928D-IV is a compact USB-C cartridge iron, 18.5 cm long in the bullets, not a mains bench station, even though this table files it under that format. It costs £39.99, lists C235 tips, a 1.5 m Type-C lead, a stand and 90–450°C, and the screen is said to show temperature, power, voltage and the charging protocol. Nine reviews average 4.8, which looks excellent and means very little at that count. Buyers say it heats in seconds from USB-C, that a supply should be at least 12 V and better at 19 V, and that a 60 W or higher port is what the listing asks for. One person changed a capacitor from a ladder. There is no stored criticism. The limit is the sample and the power source: without a strong Type-C supply the iron is a handle and a lead. It suits someone who already carries PD chargers, and it does not replace a 110 W mains station for connectors that sink heat.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You already own a 60 W USB-C charger or power bank and want a short cartridge iron away from a mains socket.
Less suitable: You expected a mains station with helping hands, or you have no high-power Type-C source.
Specifications
Common questions
Is the YIHUA 928D-IV a bench station?
The table filed it as a bench station. The bullets describe a compact USB-C cartridge iron, 18.5 cm long, with C235 tips and a 1.5 m Type-C lead. It is not the 110 W mains station.
Does the 928D-IV listing mention UK power?
A UK plug or 230 V line is mentioned in the captured text. The iron itself runs from USB-C. The listing asks for a 60 W or higher Type-C source, and a reviewer wanted 19 V rather than 12 V.
How many reviews does the 928D-IV have?
Nine reviews average 4.8. That looks high and means very little at that count. No criticism was stored. Without a strong USB-C supply the iron is a handle and a lead.
HANDSKIT’s AI-series 90W gun adds an LCD and a 180–480°C button range at £15.99, but the amazon.co.uk line is only 4.6 from 34 reviews, so the stars are a thin sample beside the pencil kits with thousands of comments. One buyer tinned speaker wires, cleaned tips on the damp sponge and swapped tips easily. Another praised the screen and the kit case. A third could not hold temperature — solder melted, then it did not — and sent the iron back. A review notes a UK fused plug, which matters because cheaper irons sometimes arrive with the wrong fuse, but 34 comments cannot show how often that plug is actually correct. The same file says the kit is decent for a quick fix and not a main iron, and that wire cutters and pliers are missing. Treat it as a gun-grip variant with too little history to outrank the SI series pencil.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a gun grip and an LCD for occasional speaker-wire or small fixes, and you accept a small review sample.
Less suitable: You want your main iron, or you need hundreds of UK reviews before you trust heat holding.
Specifications
Common questions
Is the HANDSKIT AI series a station or a gun?
The listing classifies it as a mains gun-style kit with an LCD and a stated range of 180–480°C. It is not a bench station.
Does the AI series listing name a UK plug?
Yes. The captured text mentions a UK plug or 230 V, and one review notes a UK fused plug. Thirty-four comments cannot show how often that plug is correct.
How deep is the AI series review sample?
The amazon.co.uk line is 4.6 from 34 reviews. One iron would not hold temperature and was returned. That sample is too thin to treat the gun as a main iron.
HANDSKIT’s L series 90W is the row with the deepest review pile in this comparison, 4.5 from 4,255 amazon.co.uk reviews, at £15.97. Buyers describe a beginner kit that heats within seconds and that has been used on e-bike battery and controller connections. The title prints 180–480°C while the stored upper-temperature field says 450°C, so check the live listing before you plan a high-temperature job. Criticism is concrete: a side cutter snapped, the stand toppled with the iron in it, and one buyer says the number on the display is not the temperature at the tip. Another unit switched itself off before it heated, and a first delivery arrived with parts missing. One review records a blown fuse the moment it was switched on at a normal socket. Choose this listing when you want the largest comment sample on a HANDSKIT pencil; skip it if a stable stand is non-negotiable.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want the largest HANDSKIT comment sample and a pencil you can switch off at the handle.
Less suitable: You need a stand that stays put, or you want the listing temperature and the stored upper limit to match.
Specifications
Common questions
Is the HANDSKIT L series a station or a pencil?
The listing classifies it as a mains pencil kit with an on/off switch. It is not a separate bench station.
Does the L series listing name a UK plug?
A UK plug is not clearly stated in this capture. One review records a blown fuse at a normal socket. Confirm the plug and fuse on amazon.co.uk before you order.
Why do the temperature figures disagree?
The title prints 180–480°C. The stored upper-temperature field says 450°C. A buyer also says the number on the display is not the temperature at the tip. Check the live listing before a high-temperature job.
The HANDSKIT SI Series 90W is the pencil kit with the strongest mix of price and review depth in this table: £13.50 on amazon.co.uk, 4.5 from 3,165 reviews, and a listing range of 180–480°C on an LCD. Reviewers who already own stations still describe a fast heat-up and a case that holds the extras for occasional jobs, including car electrics. One long-time electronics repairer used the supplied fine chisel tip around 320°C on small and moderate boards. The same file is not a clean bill of health. Included solder failed for at least one buyer, who had to buy wire before the iron was usable, and another found thin tips that did not contact the heater, so the tip stayed cold even at the top setting. A further review says the kit only shows its best after better tips are fitted. The listing does not state PID control, so treat the screen as an adjustable set-point rather than a proven closed-loop station. It is the top pick here for short mains sessions when you accept tip quality as the weak point.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a cheap mains pencil for occasional electronics and wire joints, and you will swap a poor tip.
Less suitable: You need a stable bench station, or you plan to rely on the solder that arrives in the box.
Specifications
Common questions
Is the HANDSKIT SI Series a station or a pencil?
The listing classifies it as a mains pencil kit, not a separate temperature base. Check the live amazon.co.uk page if you need a bench station.
Does the SI Series listing name a UK plug?
A UK plug is not clearly stated in this capture. Confirm the plug type on amazon.co.uk before you order.
Can the SI Series be used on circuit boards?
The listing and a UK review target electronics work. One repairer used the fine chisel tip around 320°C on small and moderate boards. Use the lowest practical temperature and ventilate flux fumes.
The XODMAO 60 W gun is the best value row in this set: £11.99, 4.4 from 1,437 reviews, an on/off switch, and a UK plug named on the listing. The stated range is 200–450°C, with five tips, wire, tweezers and a metal stand in the bullets, and the ceramic heater is claimed to reach temperature in about 15 seconds. UK buyers have used it for a radio aerial wire and as a second iron bought for a grandchild, and the on/off lamp is praised because you can see the gun is live. The stand is the recurring fault: unsteady, flimsy, and not really holding the iron’s weight. One buyer measured the cable at 140 cm against a 150 cm claim and called the whole kit cheap even at about £10. Another says you only get the fast heat-up if you start at maximum and then turn it down, otherwise a minimum setting can take three or four minutes to melt solder. Take it for short hobby joints, and do not treat the dial as station-grade control.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want the cheapest well-reviewed kit for short wire and hobby joints, with a switch you can see.
Less suitable: You need stable temperature on a circuit board, or you expected a stand that will not tip.
Specifications
Common questions
Is the XODMAO a station or a gun?
The listing classifies it as a mains gun-style kit with a dial, not a closed-loop station. The stated range is 200–450°C.
Does the XODMAO listing name a UK plug?
Yes. A UK plug or 230 V is named in the captured listing text, and the iron has an on/off switch.
Can the XODMAO gun be used on circuit boards?
Bullets target electronics-style work, but the dial is not station-grade control. One review says a minimum setting can take three or four minutes to melt solder unless you start at maximum. Ventilate flux fumes.
Beizkna’s F936 80W LCD kit sits at £15.99 with 4.4 from 1,050 reviews, and the capture ranks it first in amazon.co.uk Soldering Irons. A buyer who measured the draw reported about 80 W, which matches the listing, and several comments praise a fast heat-up and a readable temperature gauge. The finest tip struggled to melt and hold solder, while the other tips were described as fine after a first use. The stand is repeatedly called too small to be safe, one person comparing it to a matchbox, and the screen moves when the buttons are pressed. A stained-glass buyer found the iron heated but was not up to copper-foil work. It weighs 450 g in the file, which some reviewers feel as a light, cheap handle. It suits small electrical jobs if you add a proper stand, and it is a poor choice for glass or for any tip you cannot afford to bin.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want an 80 W LCD pencil for small electrical jobs and you will replace the tiny stand.
Less suitable: You solder stained glass, or you need the stand that ships in the box to be safe on its own.
Specifications
Common questions
Is the Beizkna F936 a station or a pencil?
The listing classifies it as a mains pencil kit with an LCD, not a separate temperature base. The stored upper limit is 520°C.
Does the Beizkna listing name a UK plug?
A UK plug is not clearly stated in this capture. Confirm the plug type on amazon.co.uk before you order.
Can the Beizkna be used on circuit boards?
Reviews praise a fast heat-up for small electrical jobs. The finest tip struggled to melt solder, and one stained-glass buyer found it was not up to copper-foil work. Ventilate flux fumes.
The YIHUA 926LED-IV is the bench station with a real review history in this table: £57.99, 110 W, 90–480°C, PID named in the bullets, a Type-G plug rated for 230 V, and 4.4 from 878 reviews. The box is meant to stay assembled, with four helping hands, an LED magnifier, a solder dispenser and 35 g of lead-free wire, and sleep can be set to 5, 10 or 30 minutes or off. A year-long user reported no trouble, and the side-or-top spool holder is praised. Failures are just as specific: one station would not rise above 90°C after the first session, and a small tip would not melt solder until a larger tip was fitted. Tinning at the suggested 250°C was too cool for one buyer until about 350°C, and another maxed out around 300°C and could not manage TX60 and EC5 plugs. Supplied tips oxidise quickly for some owners, helping hands wander, and at least one box arrived without the magnifier. Choose it for weekly bench work if you will verify the tip yourself, and do not buy it as a guaranteed replacement for a tired station without a returns plan.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You solder most weeks at a bench and want helping hands and a UK plug on a 110 W station.
Less suitable: You only tin a few wires a year, or you need high-current RC connectors without checking the tip first.
Specifications
Common questions
Is the YIHUA 926LED-IV a bench station?
Yes. The listing classifies it as a bench station, 110 W, with PID named and a range of 90–480°C. It is meant to stay on the bench.
Does the 926LED-IV have a UK plug?
Yes. The captured text names a Type-G plug rated for 230 V. Confirm the live box still shows that plug before you order.
What failed in UK reviews of the 926LED-IV?
One unit would not rise above 90°C after the first session. A small tip would not melt solder until a larger tip was fitted. One buyer could not get past about 300°C for TX60 and EC5 plugs.
This HANDSKIT 90W pencil is the listing that names PID, PWM and a calibration offset from −99°C to +99°C, plus six 900M tips, wick, a desoldering pump and a 15-minute sleep, at £13.99. The amazon.co.uk line is 4.4 from 827 reviews, a smaller sample than the SI and L series rows. A car-electrics buyer called it the nearest thing to a station they could carry off site and described the gauge as accurate to about 10%, which is a personal check, not a certificate. The stand is called shaky but usable, and one iron lasted a year and then stopped. Buttons are stiff enough that accidental temperature changes look unlikely, according to one review. The bullets claim about 20 seconds to working temperature; that is a listing line, not a timed test in this file. Buy it when you want the PID wording and the extra desoldering tools in one HANDSKIT box, and skip it if you need the 3,000-review sample of the cheaper SI series.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want PID wording and desoldering tools in a portable 90 W pencil for site work.
Less suitable: You want the deepest HANDSKIT review sample, or a stand that reviewers call solid.
Specifications
Common questions
Is the HANDSKIT 926 series a station?
The listing classifies it as a mains pencil kit, even though the bullets name PID, PWM and a calibration offset. It is not a separate bench base.
Does the 926 series listing name a UK plug?
A UK plug is not clearly stated in this capture. Confirm the plug type on amazon.co.uk before you order.
What extra tools are in the 926 series box?
The bullets name six 900M tips, wick, a desoldering pump and a 15-minute sleep. The 20-second heat-up line is a listing claim, not a timed test in this file.
BILIPLE’s 21-in-1 set lists a 90 W iron, an LED display stepped in 1°C from 180–480°C, a large accessory pile including a multimeter, and a price of £24.56. The amazon.co.uk line is 4.3 from 15 reviews, so almost every claim is still a bullet rather than buyer experience. The one useful comment says there is a lot of gear for the money and that the included stand is not great, with budget left over for a better stand or helping hands. No criticism themes were stored for this listing. That absence is not praise; it is a small sample. Buy the set only if the extra tools are the point and you already expect to replace the stand. Skip it when a HANDSKIT pencil at about £14 has thousands of reviews for less money.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a crowded tool kit in one box and you will replace the stand.
Less suitable: You are buying your first iron and want review depth more than extra gadgets.
Specifications
Common questions
Is the BILIPLE set a station or a pencil?
The listing classifies it as a mains pencil kit, a 21-piece set with a 90 W iron and an LED display from 180–480°C. It is not a bench station.
Does the BILIPLE listing name a UK plug?
A UK plug is not clearly stated in this capture. Confirm the plug type on amazon.co.uk before you order.
How many reviews does the BILIPLE set have?
The amazon.co.uk line is 4.3 from 15 reviews. The useful comment says the stand is not great. No criticism themes were stored beyond that, which is a small sample, not a clean bill of health.
The WEP 926LED V3 is the cheaper station in the batch at £39.99, with PID stated, a title that says 130 W max and UK, an upper listing of 480°C, and sleep mode. The review line is only 4.2 from 20 comments, which is too small to treat as a settled reputation. Praise is that it heats quickly from cold and holds the selected temperature, and one model-maker used it for wooden plank bending. The hard comments are a ceramic tip that breaks easily, and a Father’s Day unit that did not heat at all, discovered after the return window had closed. Weight in the file is 970 g. It can be the station to try when £58 for the YIHUA 926 feels steep and you will test heat on day one, and it is the wrong economy buy if you want several hundred UK reviews before you trust a bench unit.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a bench station under £40 and you will prove it heats on the day it arrives.
Less suitable: You want a station reputation built on hundreds of UK reviews, or you cannot risk a dead unit.
Specifications
Common questions
Is the WEP 926LED V3 a bench station?
Yes. The listing classifies it as a bench station with PID stated, sleep mode and an upper listing of 480°C. The review line is 4.2 from 20 comments.
Does the WEP listing name a UK plug?
A UK plug is not clearly stated in this capture, though the title says UK. Confirm the plug on amazon.co.uk before you order.
What is the WEP wattage?
The title says 130 W max. The stored wattage field is blank, so treat 130 W as a title claim. One unit did not heat at all, found after the return window had closed.
LeaderPro’s Si-120W is the cheapest row at £9.99, with a 120 W ceramic claim, an LED screen, 180–500°C, an on/off switch, a UK plug in the package list, five tips, 10 g of solder and a 15-minute hibernation mode in the bullets. The capture has no star rating and no review text, so none of those features has a UK buyer behind it in this file. Item weight is listed at 200 g. A best-seller rank of 10 in Soldering Irons only shows that the page is being viewed, not that the iron holds temperature. It can be a speculative spare if you will return it the moment the tip or the plug is wrong. It is not the best value pick, because the XODMAO gun at £11.99 has 1,437 reviews and this listing has none.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You will treat a £9.99 iron as a returnable spare and check the plug and tip on day one.
Less suitable: You want review evidence before you buy, or you are choosing the best value kit in this table.
Specifications
Common questions
Is the LeaderPro a station or a pencil?
The listing classifies it as a mains pencil kit, with a stated 120 W ceramic heater and a range of 180–500°C. It is not a bench station.
Does the LeaderPro listing name a UK plug?
Yes. A UK plug is named in the package list, with an on/off switch. There is no review text in this capture to show the plug or the fuse is correct.
Why is the LeaderPro not the best value?
It is the cheapest row at £9.99, but this capture has no star rating and no review text. The XODMAO gun at £11.99 has 4.4 from 1,437 reviews. A sales rank is not evidence that the iron holds temperature.
The Seesii S01 is the only cordless pen in the table, at £84.99, with a 2,600 mAh battery, a foldable stand and a listing limit of 16 W whether you run it on the battery or on the charging lead. The stated range is 200–450°C, and the bullets claim about seven seconds to working temperature. This file has no amazon.co.uk star line and no review bodies, so that seven-second line is untested here. At 635 g it is not a pocket novelty, and 16 W is not a substitute for a 90 W mains pencil when a connector or ground plane soaks the heat. Consider it only for light joints away from a socket, after you have seen fresh UK reviews. Skip it for bench electronics or for any job you would normally do with the HANDSKIT 90 W kits.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You need a light joint away from a socket and you will wait for UK reviews before you rely on it.
Less suitable: You are repairing boards or connectors at a bench, or you expected 90 W of mains recovery.
Specifications
Common questions
Is the Seesii S01 a station or a pen?
The listing classifies it as a cordless pen, with a 2,600 mAh battery and a foldable stand. It is not a mains bench station.
Does the Seesii listing name a UK plug?
A UK plug is not clearly stated in this capture. The iron is battery powered, with a charging lead. Confirm the charger plug on amazon.co.uk before you order.
How much power does the Seesii listing claim?
The listing caps both battery and lead modes at 16 W, with a stated range of 200–450°C. There is no star line in this capture. A seven-second heat-up is a bullet, not a checked time. 16 W is not a substitute for a 90 W mains pencil.
Twelve amazon.co.uk listings were scored for this page. Weights sum to 100. Shelf date 20 October 2026. Stars, review counts, wattage and temperature wording come from those listings. A PID line is what the page claims, not a measured tip. There was no lab test, and none of these pages is a Health and Safety Executive assessment of fume control. A title temperature that disagrees with the stored upper limit, a dead-on-arrival report, and a listing with no star line sit outside the 100 as deductions.
Amazon line
40%Stars and review count on amazon.co.uk for that ASIN. No review line scores near the floor. A count under 50 cannot carry this block alone. A count under 20 is a sample-size warning in the written assessment.
Format fit
20%A mains pencil or a stated bench station scores for the job it claims. A cordless 16 W pen does not score as a 90 W pencil. A USB-C mini iron filed as a bench station does not receive the full station mark.
Temperature control as written
15%PID or closed-loop wording on the listing scores higher than a bare power dial. The points are for what the page claims, not for a measured tip.
Kit and plug
10%Tips, stand, solder, and a UK plug or on/off switch when the listing actually names them. Points come off for a stand that reviews call unusable.
Shelf price
15%GBP on amazon.co.uk against review depth, not against the highest wattage in a title. LeaderPro at £9.99 is cheaper and has no star line, so it does not take the value award.
The checks run in this order: control type, format, wattage and recovery, then the kit, the stand and the UK plug. The table is the twelve stored listings. Heat-up seconds and peak tip temperatures stay seller claims. None of these irons was timed in a lab for this page.
A soldering iron in this UK comparison is a handheld mains pencil, a gun-style iron, a bench station, or an occasional cordless kit. You use it to melt solder on wires, connectors and circuit boards. It is not a hot-air-only rework station. Shoppers on amazon.co.uk in this October 2026 batch run from first-time DIY buyers to electronics hobbyists, choosing between kits around £10 with several tips and stations around £58 to £85 with digital control and helping hands.
UK reviews on budget kits often note that adjustable does not mean a closed loop. Read the listing for PID or closed-loop wording before you buy an iron for lead-free electronics joints. An LCD set-point is still a claim, not a measured tip.
Several UK reviews criticise an incorrect 13 A fuse on a low-wattage iron. Plugs are BS 1363. Where this capture does not name a UK plug, confirm it on the live amazon.co.uk listing before you order.
Rosin-cored flux fume can cause occupational asthma. HSE expects COSHH controls for regular soldering, including local exhaust, the lowest adequate tip temperature, and keeping your head out of the plume. A hobby room is not fume-free.
Closed-loop temperature control, the sort named on a station or some LCD irons, is the better fit for repeatable electronics joints. A power dial can tin a wire. UK reviews on budget kits often say adjustable does not mean thermostatic. In this table, PID is named on the HANDSKIT 926-series pencil, the YIHUA 926LED-IV and the WEP 926LED V3. The top-pick HANDSKIT SI series shows an LCD set-point from 180–480°C and does not state PID. Treat that screen as an adjustable set-point.
Compare the tips, the stand, any solder in the box, and desoldering tools. The HANDSKIT 926-series bullets name six 900M tips, wick and a pump. The YIHUA 928D-IV is a C235 cartridge iron on USB-C, not the 110 W mains station that shares the brand. Several HANDSKIT pencils look alike and differ by LCD, gun grip and review count. The L series has 4,255 reviews. The SI series has 3,165. The AI-series gun has 34. Do not buy the thin sample because the brand matches. Stands are the recurring fault.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You solder now and then, the joints are small, and the session is short. The XODMAO 60 W gun is the best value at about £11.99, with 4.4 from 1,437 reviews, a switch and a UK plug named on the listing. The stand is unsteady, and the dial is not closed-loop control.
You want a mains pencil with an LCD set-point and the strongest mix of price and review depth. The HANDSKIT SI Series 90W is the top pick at about £13.50, with 4.5 from 3,165 reviews. Thin tips that miss the heater are the known weak point.
You solder most weeks and want helping hands on a station with a UK plug. The YIHUA 926LED-IV is 110 W at about £57.99, with 4.4 from 878 reviews and PID named on the listing. Verify the tip on day one. One unit would not rise above 90°C.
The top pick is the HANDSKIT SI Series 90W pencil at about £13.50, with 4.5 from 3,165 reviews and an LCD range of 180–480°C. Tip contact is the known weak point, and the listing does not state PID. The best value is the XODMAO 60 W gun at about £11.99, with 4.4 from 1,437 reviews, an on/off switch and a UK plug named on the listing. It is a dial, not a station. LeaderPro at about £9.99 is cheaper and has no star line in this file, so it does not take the value award.
XODMAO 60 W gun kit
£11.99 with 4.4 from 1,437 reviews, a switch and a UK plug on the listing. A dial, not closed-loop control.
Editorial
Peter F. is the editor for DIY & tools at productscompared.co.uk. Comparisons in this category are checked against amazon.co.uk listings, review evidence and public UK sources.
Guides on what to look for, how to use a product, and common mistakes.
Sources taken from the research digest. Listings were scored on 20 October 2026. This page did not run a lab test.
This article contains affiliate links. If you buy through these links we may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you. Prices, stars and review counts come from stored amazon.co.uk listings. We did not run a lab test.
