When I used to work in a full-line consumer electronics service center we had these on every workbench. During that time I came to have a great appreciation for this type of tip cleaner. That said, this Hakko tip cleaner is even better than the ones we had at the service center due to the container they are in. It captures all the little bits of solder it clean off and has a lid to keep them from spilling in the event it gets knocked over. This design is really a lifesaver, and if you've ever had one of this type of tip cleaner fall over that was one that didn't have the cap with the access hole in it, well, you'll really appreciate it as when a few thousand tiny flakes of solder fall into something you're working on, that is not a good day, and with this model that just won't happen. There is one caveat to this item, but it is easy to workaround. The container is too light so it is easy to accidentally knock over. But, if you just toss a few coins or some other flat piece of metal into the bottom that has some heft to it, that is mitigated. Also as mentioned already, even though it is easily knocked over without adding some weight, it isn't the day killer that an open top one is due to the clever lid. This type of tip cleaner is not only very effective at keeping your tip nice and clean, it also doesn't cause much if any thermal loss, so there is no appreciable waiting period after cleaning your tip for thermal recovery as there is using a wet sponge. This is a godsend when working on a project/repair that requires many soldering joints and a real time saver.
One other thing to note is that some people have complained that the enclosure for the cleaning pad is made from plastic and expressing concern that a 500degF iron contacting it would melt it. Wile it is made from plastic, even a 900degF iron will not melt it. There are many different types of plastic in the world and not all melt easily. This is one type that certainly does not melt easily. I tested this by holding my iron against it while set to 900degF and held it there for about 2 min. There were no marks or softening of the plastic, and certainly no melting or burning! I thought it would be useful to note this for anyone who may have concerns about the enclosure being plastic. Again, just make sure you weight it down and you're golden.
Also, some have mentioned that they may be better off using a copper kitchen scrubbie. This is NOT the case, copper tends to oxidize very badly and rapidly. The brass alloy used to make these resists oxidation well and certainly does not grow all the nasties that a pure copper scrub pad would. The other option some have mentioned is using a green scrub pad instead... which while that does work, it is far inferior to the cleaning provided by this.
All in all, I HIGHLY recommend this item to anyone who does more than a very minimal amount of soldering.
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This item: Hakko 599B-02 Solder Tip Cleaning Wire and Holder, 1 PACK
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Reviews with images
Bigger than expected but works well
It goes without saying that having a clean tip makes the soldering process much cleaner, and aids in having a decent-looking work. This product is an essential tool for me. It does the job very well.The residual solder is dropped into the detachable base after each cleaning. Fortunately, you can take the canister off with ease, so you can clean the debris accumulated over time. Because the brass sponge is actually softer than the tip itself, there is no risk of damaging it. The whole metal housing is very lightweight, which can be annoying for some as it can tip over during use. It does have some anti-slip foams at the base, but they don't work very well. However, I got around this problem by mounting it onto my compact soldering station with screws. The material of which this product is made of is thin, as a matter of fact, you can bend it very easily with your hands. Not a big deal though, but I'd rather get something on the thicker side.When I got it in my hands, I didn't expect it to be that big. I was concerned about the size because as I mentioned previously, it was going to be mounted on a fixed base with limited space. Even so, I got the cleaner to fit right the way I wanted. Slightly bigger than I would like to, but it's not a hassle when soldering. See the pictures I uploaded if you're interested in the measurements of this product.Last but not least, it's worth mentioning that you can take the whole thing apart with ease since neither the base nor the housing has threaded surfaces to be held tightly in place. Rather they're both secured only by the pressure that they exert against each other. At first, this disappointed me, but I later noticed that this was advantageous for my setup. Since I have it installed on a fixed base, it lets me rotate it at my own convenience.
Top reviews from the United States
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Reviewed in the United States on April 8, 2013
Top reviews from other countries
Juan Carlos Ramirez Ramirez
Excelente producto
Reviewed in Mexico on December 27, 2020Style: 1 PACKVerified Purchase
Cecil
Perfect although a little expensive.9
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 2, 2021Style: 1 PACKVerified Purchase
Souveek Kumar Bose
If you do any soldering, get this
Reviewed in India on September 8, 2021Style: 1 PACKVerified Purchase
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