What's the difference between a cheap and expensive soldering iron?

Question

Accepted Answer

The core heating function is similar across price points — the differences that matter are temperature control precision, heat recovery speed, build quality and long-term parts availability. A cheap fixed-temperature iron heats to roughly one point and stays there; a more expensive digital iron or station holds an exact, adjustable temperature and recovers faster after a joint. At the top end, you're also paying for an established tip ecosystem and a manufacturer that will still be selling replacement parts in five years.