Ryobi Hybrid Soldering Station Review Overview
To me, soldering is kind of a lost art. Not many folks need to solder nowadays unless you have a specific use case for either occupation, hobby, or project. On that same sentiment, soldering comes in a few different forms, one of which involving a soldering iron, or soldering gun. In most plumbing circles, soldering is still active in copper pipe. However, for that trade, usually a torch is used to fuse the solder joint, rather than a soldering gun or iron.
With that being said, one may ask why someone needs a soldering iron, or even a complete station. The answer is fairly simple – anything involving jewelry, intricate work, or for me, electronics. A complete soldering station is an all in one solution when working around things that require precision when soldering. Where a bulky soldering gun, or a simple plug-and-play soldering iron may not excel, a complete station does the job.
The reason behind this is pretty simple – temperature control, and ease of use. Being able to control the temperature of your soldering iron is key in managing the flow of the solder, depending on your method. Another advantage is ergonomics, and ease of operation. Having a solder coil, a place to easily drop hot irons, and a method of cleaning the tips can make things much easier during a precision job. With all of this being said, the Ryobi Hybrid Soldering Station Excels in all of these areas, and more. I’ve been so excited to own and use this soldering station, given its versatility and features. Hopefully I can pass the same on to you.
Ryobi Hybrid Soldering Station Review Features
First and foremost, the design of the iron is ergonomic, yet simple
The solder coil makes it very easy to sit down, locate, and safety remove the iron even when having attention on your workpiece
The temperature adjustment range is 300 (F) to 900 (F), making it perfect for managing the solder joints on your project
The Ryobi is equipped to take the ONE+ 18v batteries, making this the most unique set-up on the market for being mobile. If you opt to use it bench-top without a battery, you can also plug the unit into the wall! The hybrid feature makes this a more dynamic solution.
Onboard, tip storage is key for switching irons during projects.
The cleaning sponge is a great addition to the unit and makes getting slag off of the iron tips very easy
The cord is 3ft in total, giving quite a bit of freedom to move around away from the unit during projects
Ryobi Hybrid Soldering Station Review Performance
I have to humbly admit, being an electronics nerd, I’ve done my fair share of soldering. Over the years, and growing up though, I’ve mostly used set temperature irons. So with that being said, variable temperature alone was so nice to have!
When testing this unit out, and usually casually since, it has exceeded expectations. I solder a pretty fair amount of PCB’s and small electronic components, and the tips, ergonomics, and temp control are exactly what I would suggest for this type of work. All in all, precision is key, and this unit delivers. When the unit cools down, an LED that is lit “when hot” shuts off, and I can know when to safely walk away from the station. This was a great feature and one that made operation just that much easier. From an operators perspective, I couldn’t ask any more from Ryobi. Tending to the battery and bench-top crowd with precision and ergonomics in mind is an overall win!
Ryobi Hybrid Soldering Station Review Value
The Home Depot has the RYOBI 18-Volt ONE+ Hybrid Soldering Station (Tool-Only)
priced at $79. When you consider the overall features, reliability, and innovation of the unit, that’s a very fair price. I’ve known some controls technicians in my life that would love to have this unit on their truck because of the battery option! With that in mind, compared to other stations of a similar type, the Ryobi is one of the less expensive, yet feature-packed options in its class.
The best part about the Ryobi is exactly the value it brings to professionals and hobbyists. The unit being mobile makes things many worlds different, and the station caters to the various soldering needs of someone in the market. I would recommend this item to almost anyone that solders on a regular basis over other brands that can run double the price.
Ryobi Hybrid Soldering Station Review Final Thoughts
To close things out, this tool simply makes my hobby easier – which makes me very happy. The feature-packed, innovation-minded, and safe operation is a triple win for me. I would hope that professionals and hobbyists see this value too. The price really makes things a game-changer, especially if you’re already in the Ryobi battery environment. And of course if not, you can always plug it in!
Look for this unit to make things easier on your precision soldering projects, and any project involving the skill in general. It has easily replaced my old soldering irons and sent them into storage, that is for sure!
*This is part of the THDPRoSpective program
The Weller WLC100 is one of my favorite soldering stations for light soldering work. This set is a lightweight and quality product for general soldering projects. In fact, it comes with a soldering station, copper ti, iron holder, and cleaning pad for convenient use.
When using this soldering station, I notice that it does take some time to reach working temperatures. However, since it is only a 40-watt soldering iron, that is no wonder.