How to choose Chinese premium soldering stations - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: audionics
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: July 16, 2025, 11:52:43 am
content: I am a bit confused due to positive and negative posts,I am trying to find the best quality premium dual soldering station from China.I am looking at:I2C PDK 1200Aixun T420DAlso looking at the single stationGeboon TA305 and HA310Are there any others to consider?Which should I buy and why?Who has these and can help?

author: thm_w
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 16, 2025, 09:02:19 pm
content: T420D - $380I2C PDK 1200 - $330Geeboon TA305 - $150Geeboon TC22 - $100You can watch the SDG reviews and decide for yourself. If you stick with Aixun branded tips their station is probably the best quality, but if you use jbc tips it might cause issues.Geeboon is the best value by far, but single channel, unless you add the switch box or get a second base unit. Or get two TC22s, with the improved stand.https://www.eevblog.com/forum/reviews/any-opinions-on-the-aixun-t420d/https://www.eevblog.com/forum/reviews/any-opinions-on-the-i2c-pdk1200/https://www.eevblog.com/forum/reviews/geeboon-tc20a-240w-tc20b-380w-jbc-clone/

author: rf-loop
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 20, 2025, 10:09:02 am
content: Quote from: thm_w on July 16, 2025, 09:02:19 pmLast time when I live in China some moths I purchased Geeboon T22 (directly from Geeboon) with all possible handles (115/210/245/T12) and lot of different tips, nearly all also from Geeboon. These tips are good quality, least these some tips what I have now used. (note, I use Pb and Bismuth solder wires and pastes and keep care that separate tips for different solder alloys, specially for Pb. (Pb do not produce tin whiskers - safety)Not best available as expensive JBC tips but really not like available sheap "crap" tips.All these works well.Previously I have used my old Metcal and of course it is top class. But when I travel back to 1. home I also take T22 with me and after then I have not need touch my Metcal at all. It may tell something...Only crap part in this Geeboon T22 was this sleep signal cable between base unit and stand. (bad contact due to really total shit banana plugs, Difficult to understand why Geeboon use this total crap for this. Better silicon cable and good bananas do not cost "anything" in china)But all other things and quality is lot of more than can expect with this price.Also T22 base unit have lot of adjustments for configure it for special needs. Even PID parameters are adjustable (but need really know what to do and why)With defaul settings it works mostly well. I use 5s delayed sleep so it do not switch sleep immmediately when cleaning tip.When I have check tip temperature calibration ... well all have seen it is so near ok that I have not adjusted.I like it.Naturally it is not solder stations "rolls royce".And important... do not buy crap tips for save some pennies. If tip is crap - all is crap. Even if base unit is best possible it do not help anything if tips are crap. And there are crap tips available really lot of (most of cheap and low price tips are crap. Some crap tips sellers also use higher price and (amazing advertisements) they hope peoples think they are better because price... in China some marketing tricks are some times "fun"...Next time I go to China I do not pic-up this with me... I sure buy same again there and after then leave it there so I have same tools in both places. Price - quality - performance triangle is well in balance.

author: Cyclotron
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 25, 2025, 04:09:50 am
content: I recently acquired the HA310 and love it so far. I credit this videoI am amazed at the quality level and usability. I do us a JBC handle and JBC tips for that handle but I have GeeBoon tips on order to test after being impressed with the equipment so far. The unit came with a high power handle and tips that I have use for but most of my day to day work is with a 245.I can't imagine needing more power for any of my work.

author: Songhua
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: July 28, 2025, 01:20:11 am
content: I have a Geeboon TC22 which is amazing. It works very well. It supports T12, C115, C245 soldering iron tips but not C470 and it is powered by switch DC power supply. Max power can reach upto 240W.The voltage to the ground is less than 10 mV.And I don't have problems with the sleeping mode of T22.The HA310 supports T12, C115, C245 and C470 soldering iron tips and it is powered by Linear DC Power Supply. Max power can reach upto 350W.[ Specified attachment is not available ]The comparison is in Chinese but you will understand from the numbers. Or translate it using some apps.HA310 is the premium model and the voltage to the ground is less than 2 mV.And firmware is upgradable via its website. Also you can modify the PID and calibrate the temperature of it.If you want to have a soldering station once for all, go for HA310.

author: DiddlyJackSquat
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 05, 2025, 02:50:04 pm
content: I use a Aixun T3A-245 daily for the last 3 years and it's been fine though the upgraded stand is nice but I would have gone back in time and bought a Sugon/Aifen A9 (I used a handskit C245 before it as I wanted to try out the JBC types, a T12 before that)Though im not sure if aifen was available then.But yeah it would be either geeboon TC22 or Aifen A9 Pro 2023 if I were buying another one now. I can buy two geeboon TC22s for what i paid for the T3A... TC22 stand just is nowhere near as nice as the A9 pro nor the T3AI've been using 245 tips from only one specific store in china and its worked well with the T3A