Weller WES51
John’s overall rating: 4.5/5
Build Quality: 4/5
Comfort: 4/5
Value for money: 5/5
The Weller WES51 Analog Soldering Station is without a doubt the all-round best value soldering station on the market. It is perfect for the home electronics enthusiast but the build-quality is such that you could even use it in an industrial workshop. The precise temperature controls give you the level of control you need to work cleanly and accurately no matter what the job. I have mainly used the Weller WES51 for repairing components and assembling new gadgets in my workshop at home but this unit compares very favorably with far more expensive soldering stations I have used in commercial and industrial assembly environments.
The Weller WES51 is currently on sale through this link to Amazon. 
Lets take a look at the features:
- Electronic temperature control, according to Weller it is accurate to within 9 degrees and it seemed spot-on to me. A temp. sensor in the tip keeps it right where you need it to be.
- Temperature lockout – stops you from accidentally setting it hotter than is advised for the component you are working on.
- Stainless heating element – extends the soldering iron’s life by minimizing corrosion.
- Comfort – I found the pencil to be really quite comfortable to grip for extended periods.
- Safety features – the WES51 has a handy inbuilt system to shut the power off if you leave it sitting idle for more than about 90 min.
- Free of static charges – dont accidentally zap those delicate components!
Things I didnt like about the WES51:
Really my only criticism of the Weller WES51 is that it is a little ugly, it has some retro-styling with a really basic on/off switch and big red LED. Other than that I honestly cant fault it and have been using one for several years with no problems. The only thing that has needed replacing is the tip but that is to be expected given how much I have used the thing. You can also easily upgrade to higher-quality tips if you are more serious about your hobby, or a professional.
Things I do like about the WES51:
The first thing I noticed was how solidly-built it is – it just feels like a high-quality tool that isn’t going to fall apart after a few months of use. Also, what I particularly love is how comfortable it is to use – if you have been using one of those $15 cheapie soldering irons you will definitely notice the difference the soft grip and ergonomic design makes! Especially when you are doing lots of fiddly, detailed work you will notice your hand cramping much less than it would doing the same work with a cheaper, lower-quality tool. Another thing I love about this soldering station is that Weller have a huge range of tips to suit all kinds of jobs, there is nothing worse than using an iron with a limited selection of tips that actually fit and all of them the wrong size for what you need!
Heres another review of the Weller WES51 that I found:
D. Mejic: This little Weller has quickly become a best friend on my list of electronic tools. IT heats up very quickly, has an excellent fit and comfortable feel to the iron in my hand, and is just the right size for delicate work. I use this Iron about 30 hours every month and it has proven to be extremely reliable… Click here to read the rest of his review.
I really cant fault this soldering station, as a complete package it represents crazy value for money and it is a real step up in features from the cheaper WLC100.
Take a look at the Weller WES51 on Amazon right now!
