the cl1481 uses a handpicked (and thermodynamically calculated) heater that tops out at about 400C and sits at 350C during usage. it is literally hand-built (by Jesus; you can call and talk to him if you want
) to work perfectly with 63/37 solder, and kester 44 RA specifically, actually, without the added cost and complexity of a temperature regulator. further, it is extremely high quality, and will basically last you the rest of your life.
i used to highly recommend the 888/d, fwiw, until i learned two things: actual cost of production, and that it was possible for me to kill 2 units in one year from a slightly above average duty cycle.
another point of fact: despite being rated for nearly 2x the wattage and carrying DC over the pencil wire, the heater on the cl1481 is about 2x as large. the heater is the most expensive part of a soldering iron, the most delicate, and most important.
it is also designed for significantly more durability. it uses a clever system wherein it is externally sheathed to increase durability, but uses the hollow internals to make contact with its tips, which further increases structural integrity while heated without sacrificing much thermal efficiency. it's basically a smaller edsyn 951sx, which has been a stalwart of assembly lines for the last 20-30-some odd years for good reason: reliable, indestructible, accurate.
