Hakko FR300-05/P Desoldering Tool

Although the urge to make a joke about how it totally sucks but that's a good thing crossed my mind, I'm too happy with it to even go there. It solved my biggest issue in recapping older PC Boards-desoldering. I used it non stop for about five hours this evening after it arrived today with zero issues and an ease of use that makes me wonder WTF I didn't get one sooner. I'll never use a solder sucker again!. You should at least be a regular hobbyist or have enough projects lined up to justify the $$$ buy, but the ability to straighten out pins while you remove the solder in one step makes it beyond worth it just in hassle factor alone. Decent weight, great balance and button positioning makes me think pro's will and do use it. Yes the cheap stand/holder is kind of an afterthought, but since the gun is hot full time and what would be the normal trigger position on a soldering iron fires up the suction I can see where it could be easy to forget it's on while laying on its side on your bench and the accidents that would occur.I don't know other desoldering tools out there for half price or less in some cases really compare-I do know there's no excuses on this one, and if you're into any kind of refurbing or restoration work I see no need of spending more. Highest rating

My 808 had a bad heater one day, so I upgraded to the FR300. It hurt to pay about twice as much as the old 808, but I got a few years from it and was spoiled. This sucker is SO much better! Lighter. Quieter. Faster warm up time. Power switch. Easy adjustable temp control. Just a more efficient tool all around. Glad I didn't order the replacement heater for the 808. The upgrade price was worth it. Ordered the 2 larger size tips to go with it.Update - after about 6 weeks of daily use: The unit now powers up, gets hot but does not vacuum. I'm hoping to get a replacement from the seller asap.2nd update - I sent the unit back to Hakko as sending back to the seller was a big hassle, and Hakko's customer service is 2nd to none. They emailed a UPS return label and after a few days called to let me know there was no charge (repaired under warranty). In the meantime, I breathed some new life into the 808 and bought a new heater from them.Final opinion: whatever the problems are with the pump, Hakko's customer service is the best I have seen in a long time. So refreshing these days!

I used just once and its already broke, it is not heating anymore. And the new heating cust $60.

Worked great for a 5min test run, then never heated up again.

It works just fine. Yes you should clean the unit often, but that is not very much work. I do clean it after every use. Doing so makes working with it a snap. The smaller the nozzle the more likely it will clog. The 1.0mm nozzle tends to clog. Adding the 1.6mm nozzle is a big plus. It has not clogged on me yet after several uses.The complaints about not seeing the indicator light when you are working with has some validity, I do not find it a problem. Having it blink when it reaches the temperature you set is a big plus. No guessing about when it is ready to use.The main negative (otherwise a 5 star) is that it would be nice if they provided or even sold a decent stand. The device that it comes with is near worthless. Using a soldering iron stand (what Hakko sells) is ok but not the best way to go. it doesn't support the unit very well. The weight is all in the back and it wants to droop.

I've been using this tool for about a week now and I just wanna say that it was really better than the previous 808. Although it's not w/o faults.PROS:*Unlike most Hakko products this thing actually comes with a tip (1mm size)*It really feels good holding this gun thanks to it's shape and weight; ideal for long rework sessions*You can now finally adjust the heat through the knob selector at the bottom of the handle*Maintenance is super easy. The tools you need to clean are included in the case.*Hot swapping tips is a lot easier than the 808*They added an ON/OFF switch which is a pretty big deal*The pump is now quieter (although a pump is pump, it still makes a lot of noise)*Longer power cord*Made in JapanCONS:*This tool comes with a "stand" and a flimsy circular alloy/aluminum tube to put around the heating element when your putting it back inside the carrying case (so you don't melt the case). Both of this items are literally just a piece of metal bent in shape, they do the job that they're supposed to do but I expected something a little bit better specially considering the price of this thing.*They did include an ON-OFF switch at the back of the handle but the power indicator is at the front. This means that you're still gonna be 2nd guessing if you've turned it off after work, specially if you have this mounted on a stand since you won't be able to see the led.*The position of the power cord. It's right below the handle near the temperature selector knob. If you're planning on mounting this thing on an iron holder like the 633-01, you're gonna have to move the stand closer at the edge of the table. Granted that pretty much most of the other power tools have their power cords located at the same spot.*Holy balls are the tips expensive. Right now they cost around $40 here on Amazon (from other sellers). I would recommend buying them directly from Hakko's website at around $17 dollars each. You have to pay for shipping so buy them in bulk.This tool is really expensive but this will SAVE you A LOT of time when you're working on PCB's with hundreds on DIPs and through hole components (tested it on double layered board). The craftsmanship you'd expect from Hakko carries over to this tool and I personally like they're blue w/ yellow accent color scheme. Lastly I would suggest getting the 1.3 mm tip (will handle all your standard size DIPs and through hole components) and the 1.6 mm for desoldering bigger wires like 20 AWG wires and above.UPDATE:The heating element failed on mine after a month of use (got mine on November) so I e-mailed their customer service. Not only did they pay for shipping (from PA to CA; both ways) but they replaced the heating element under warranty and gave me a new tip!I was going to knock down the rating to 4 stars but the new heating element they've put on mine is still working after 8 months of use.Looking at other reviews, it seems like some models are affected by premature heating element failures (not confirmed) so that's something to consider when buying.