Hot Air Stations

Minimum Requirements:

You need a hot air station with the following features:

• Air flow setup with at least 20L/min
• Temperature setup up to 500°C
• Several nozzle sizes adaptable to SMD and BGA
• Saved presets (optional)
• Auto cool-down (optional)

Recommended models:

• Cheap:
  • Quick 861DW or 861DE
  • Quick TR1100 (small hose: SMD only, not usable for BGA)
  • Quick TR1300
  • Atten ST862D
• Expensive:
  • JBC JTSE
  • JBC TESE (small hose: SMD only, not usable for BGA)
  • Weller WTHA
  • Hakko FR810-B

Worst case

Combined hot air stations are generally not a good idea. Most of the time, you prefer to have one tool for one purpose. Having it combined will lead you to more potential problems.

Uknown Chinese brands are generally to avoid. If you have experience, you could get away with a chinese Aoyue or any other brand. To start with, today, we advise you to avoid this.

Avoid at all cost stations that have a blower and heater inside the handle. You should have a blower inside the station and the heater in the handle. It's easy to spot: The cable/pipe is large enough to convey air flux (it's not just an electric wire but a flexible pipe).

Could do the job

Aoyue stations with a blower in the station could do the job. They are not wery reliable and precise. If you have the choice, avoid it.

Best choice

Quick and Atten that have the blower inside the station seems to be a good choice in general. Quick 861DW was the way to go for a few years. Atten ST862 is the new best choice in a cost/performance ratio. If you have money, you can go for a JBC... It's just five times more expensive.