evian Natural Spring Water Spider-Man Edition, 10.48 Fl. Oz (Pack of 24)

When used correctly, it works very well.I have read many negative reviews, that seem to indicate user error: If your iron tips get pitted or chip from heat, it most often indicates that it's been left plugged in and heated for long periods of time. If you want them to last for many years, then I suggest use it for no more than about 10 minutes at a time before unplugging it to go do something else. Don't leave it heated in-between uses or when you go do another task.If you use one of these and you get a lot of solder splatter on your pc boards, then you are likely not squeezing and holding the bulb BEFORE heating the solder that is to be removed.If yours gets clogged, then you are not expelling the solder from it after each removal.I have had none of those issues. It works perfectly, still looks new and not discolored after using to salvage over 6 rotary encoders, 8 stepper motors and 9 small transistors. The last time I had one of these, was when I purchased from a Radio Shack store while in college in 1991, and it lasted over 15 years with the original tip, before being lost in a move. I hope this one lasts as long or longer, and with proper usage and care, I have no reason to believe that it wouldn't.As for convenience and comparison to other desoldering tools: While I was in college, I could salvage or remove nearly twice as many components as the majority of my classes who used the more common removal tools that required using a second hand to hold a soldering iron, and even the instructor switch to using this type of desoldering tool when he saw how quick and easily it worked.

Just after 8 non continuos hours of work the tip is starting to break apart it started as a small hole and now it is a crack. The rest of the iron is well made and works greatLooking for replacement tips they cost 8.54$ as you can verify at this Amazon link:https://www.amazon.com/ECG-JT-103-Replacement-J-045-DS-Soldering/dp/B0195UZP1Y/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8The fact that a replacement tip last so little and sells for 42% of the whole cost of the desolder, makes me wonder if their real business is to hook you in overpriced tips.I invite you to view the price and reviews of the tips before you make the mistake I made.

Good for a few uses. Doesn't get hot enough at first, but then gets TOO hot. The tip decided to explode and shatter while working on a board thus ruining the de-soldering iron and the board I was working on. NTE Electronics, you owe me $65 -- the device was used properly and it went completely insane and could have easily caused some serious health injuries or other damage.Reached out to the company and got an email from the VP himself offering a replacement + tips for the trouble. Still unhappy about what happened, but you can't beat that kind of service. Will likely continue using this item as long as it doesn't fail so spectacularly in the future.Reviewed has been edited and change to 4 star. I wish I could do 3.5, however.See photos.

I gave this only 3 stars because you really have to LEARN how to use this. At first, you will find yourself moving the head off the area you are desoldering (typically a plated through hole) when you attempt to either squeeze or release the bulb. No dice.So, after much frustration, I was successful in using this tool. The secrets are:1. Make sure you are pressing hard against the PCB. This will reduce the chances of movement when you activate the air movement2. Make sure the tip is perpendicular to the PCB in both x and y axis.3. Squeeze with your OTHER HAND. This means you have to have a PCB holder so you have both hands free.4. Make sure the PCB holder is screwed down TIGHT.If you can successfully squeeze or release w/o moving, both options work will - it only changes where you find the solder (on the workbench, or in the unit). Seems to me on the workbench is better, so I squeeze. With my OTHER HAND.OK, so if you follow this and practice, it actually WORKS.

For little microcontroller projects, I have been de-soldering components from obsolete motherboards (Ethernet and USB ports, etc).I had been doing that using a regular soldering iron with a separate solder sucker tool.. not only did this require 2 hands, but the solder would start to cool between the time I moved the iron out and moved the suction tool in. This tool fixes this timing problem, plus I can operate the combined tool with ONE hand, plus I avoid wear and tear on my much nicer soldering iron. After you remove all the old solder, some parts with multiple legs will continue to stick... sometimes you can use the sides/top of the head to heat a few legs at a time, making removal easier (but note, the head is not meant for this... it's only sufficiently hot as a side effect of the tip. It works fine this way for me but with this trick your mileage may vary).Be sure you have a piece of scrap cardboard nearby so you can safely eject the liquid solder. You don't want to leave it in as it will stop flowing so easily once the flux burns out of it. Mine has not clogged yet after 10 hours of use.