Soldering Iron Recommendations

[Ripudio]

Hey, I'm not sure if this is the right place for this, but it seemed appropriate at the time. I'm about to get started but I thought I'd ask the experts: Do you have any recommendations on good (sub $100 is a must, ~$50 would be awesome) soldering irons for electronics work?

[Binge]

http://www.mcmelectronics.com/product/21-7945

Tenma soldering station.  You can sometimes find them for less than this.  Only get a more pricey setup if you know you want to start doing this stuff all the time.

They don't really ever get that much better... the nicer ones are just more sturdy and less prone to failure after lots and lots of use.

[strict]

Im sure theres plenty of better ones out there but I've been using a Weller WES50 for years and its never let me down in any way. Theres a newer digital version, the WES51, but my old analog temp control has always worked fine for me.

[JPG]

For a little more, I can say that I enjoy my hakko FX-888D. But I am no expert and it's the only one I ever tried.

[RickyJ]

Im sure theres plenty of better ones out there but I've been using a Weller WES50 for years and its never let me down in any way. Theres a newer digital version, the WES51, but my old analog temp control has always worked fine for me.

The digital one you're thinking of is the WESD51, the WES51 is the analog replacement for the WES50.  I've got two WES51's, the one I've had since 2005 has an intermittent poor cable connection, but it's had a life of being packed in a travel kit so I forgive it.  The temp knob got knocked off in my tool bag a couple years after I bought it, and Weller sent a free replacement knob.  They've been great workhorses.