The 3 Best Budget Soldering Irons For All Your DIY Needs

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A soldering station can easily take up a good portion of your desk, but thanks to the arrival of affordable smart soldering pens that work with USB-C power, it's easier than ever to get into soldering as a hobbyist or for general repair. These days, there's no shortage of pen-style soldering irons available on storefronts like Amazon, but digging through their details can be pretty time-consuming, especially if you're unfamiliar with the different tip (cartridge) platforms competitors use. So rather than spending your hard-earned free time deep-diving into the entire subject, we've done the hard work for you to reveal the best options.

To cover as many use cases as possible while keeping things affordable, we have gathered three different pen-style soldering irons that sell at budget prices, each offering access to different tip platforms that can expand functionality. You can tote these irons around the house, rather than having to dedicate a desk for an entire station. Moreover, every iron in today's list offers a max temperature of at least 752°F, ensuring any leaded or lead-free soldering job is a cinch, from assembling a Raspberry Pi Zero project to fixing a dead HDMI port. After taking into account each iron's features, the value they offer, along with verified user reviews, we've come away with a worthy roundup of the best budget soldering irons to fulfill your daily DIY needs.

As one of the most affordable options on the market, Pine64's second-generation Pinecil is an easy recommendation for a budget soldering iron. Not only is it highly portable, but you also get fast heating along with both DC and PD ports. While no cables or wall charger are included with the Pinecil, if you already own a few USB-C fast-charging cables and a wall charger, like the one that may have come with your phone/tablet, you can use them since the PD port uses USB-C. This all adds up to an affordable price of $40, with portability and accessibility covered, complete with a comfy green grip.

What's also nice is that TS tips are readily available at affordable prices from both first and third-party sellers. So if you need to expand your tip selection beyond the ST-B2 (short) tip that comes with the device, you can grab them as singles for $12 a pop, or grab seven variations for $45. While the more established tip (cartridge) platforms (like JBC's C245 and C210 cartridges) offer a wider selection, TS tips are plenty capable for a variety of DIY projects around the house, from soldering small components on PCBs to fixing solder on a stained-glass window.

The Pinecil also heats in seconds, so you can spend your time soldering rather than waiting around for your tip to reach its desired temperature. And since the device can reach up to 752°F, you can ensure your heat transfer is just as snappy as heating the tip. On Amazon, users agree that the low price, compact size, and fast heating ensure this soldering iron is versatile enough for any job, including your next DIY project.

For a few dollars more than the Pinecil, you can snag a MINIWARE TS21 soldering iron that's compatible with C210 cartridges for as little as $48. There are various different tips available for C210, expanding your selection beyond the Pinecil, while remaining in a similar price zone. Plus, the TS21 comes with an LED built in, so you can see what you are soldering, handy for fixing a component or two in a dark space. Combine these benefits together, and you have a perfect choice for a budget soldering iron for your next DIY project.

However, the TS21 is powered via a single USB-C port as there's no secondary DC port like the Pinecil. On the bright side, though, it does come with a cable and a 65W power brick, so you can hit the ground running since this is more of an all-in-one kit compared to the Pine64, for only eight dollars more. While you only get one tip with the kit, it's a fairly versatile wedge that heats to 752°F in seconds. You even get a couple of shrink tubes to place around the iron for a comfy grip, similar to the Pinecil's, but with a few more color options.

If you require a slightly more robust platform for your tips, the MINIWARE TS21 edges out the Pinecil with support for C210 cartridges, while offering a small, portable pen-like size with a helpful flashlight. Even user reviews note its high portability and durability. While a couple of users have mentioned the iron doesn't always get as hot as they'd like.

For our last pick, we chose the FNIRSI HS-02A, which uses JBC's C245 cartridge standard and offers hundreds of different tips from first and third-party manufacturers, easily swapped in and out without the need for any extra equipment (like a screwdriver). Plus, this iron can reach a higher temperature than the last two units, at 842°F. While the kit is more expensive than the previous options at $84.99, you do get five cartridges, a USB-C cord, a 100W USB-C charging brick, and a small travel case to store your pen and components.

It's a complete package, backed by a well-supported cartridge platform. So if money is less of a priority than a soldering iron's platform size and maximum temperatures, the HS-02A is an easy one to recommend, especially when it's also highly praised across user and professional reviews. Verified customers on Amazon note its sturdy build, short tips (easy to heat), and lightweight design, which provides better control.

While there is only one charging port available — a single USB-C port — it pulls double duty, supporting DC and PD, with an included USB-C adapter if you wish to plug in a DC charging cable (which isn't included). Still, everything you need to get going comes with the kit, offering all of the benefits of a pen-based soldering iron, like portability, comfort, and precision, at a budget price with a large selection of tips to boot. If you plan to take on a lot of different DIY soldering projects, the FNIRSI HS-02A is a top choice that hits the sweet spot of features, price, and size.

For budget soldering iron options, we focused on price, keeping each iron selection under $100 to aim for maximum affordability, while also considering portability, available temperatures, and which tip (cartridge) platform is used, all while taking into account verified user reviews and leaning on BGR's expertise in electronics. This way, we came away with some incredibly worthwhile options that can get a typical DIY soldering job done quickly and cleanly without breaking the bank.