If you are a DIY Electronics enthusiastic you know that one thing your toolbox cannot lack is a good battery powered soldering iron.
For generations the standard soldering iron has been an electric iron connected by a cord to some electric power source.
This meant that all soldering work was limited to only areas that had some electric power source.
Fortunately, in recent years there have been two developments that have allowed both professionals and hobbyists to break out of these limitations.
Cordless soldering irons can now be powered by either batteries or butane. These two classes of cordless portable soldering irons have brought a revolution to the DIY community.
Lithium-ion Battery Technology
The best choice for rechargeable soldering irons
With the advent of lithium-ion technology, the efficiency of electric storage batteries has been greatly increased.
Other standard alkaline and nickel-metal hydride batteries have also improved in efficiency.
Now with battery-powered soldering irons, you can choose between portable irons with replaceable AA batteries or you can choose an iron with a Li-Ion rechargeable battery.
Either of these battery options allow work to be maintained for a considerable length of time with the difference being that lithium-ion can be easily recharged.
These batteries powered soldering irons are easy to use, handy, nifty and cost almost the same as a good quality electric soldering gun.
Another handy feature of a battery powered soldering iron is that many of these tools come with a low energy use LED light which is great for enhanced vision while soldering in dark paces or to overcome shadows.
Disposable Battery-Powered Soldering Irons
The standard battery pack to power your soldering irons
The cordless soldering irons that run on disposable AA batteries usually have a battery pack that you install 4 AA batteries, and this pack is inserted into the iron.
A single set of 4 AA batteries can often give you longer running times than a rechargeable lithium-ion battery; as much as 1 to 2 hours of uninterrupted service.
While AA batteries are fairly cheap, it may be a bit annoying when you need to keep replacing them.
In the long run though, a rechargeable lithium-ion battery powered iron may be more cost effective
Precision Butane Powered Tools
Butane Soldering Irons
Another technology that has seen rapid growth in recent years is the development of precision butane-powered hand tools.
A butane fueled soldering gun produces a fine tipped flame in an enclosed housing that heats up the soldering tip.
Butane irons tend to give you slightly longer run times than battery powered irons, but still need to be refilled regularly.
Which is the best for me? Lithium-ion or Butane?
Three Points to consider: Power Source - Run Time - Cost.
Battery powered soldering irons and butane irons each have their own distinct advantages but generally the three main factors you will want to consider are the power source, the run time, and the cost of the tool.
Butane torches will give you higher operating temperatures and longer run times, but they also come with a much higher price tag.
On the other hand, there are battery powered soldering irons with very reasonable price tags, making them an excellent first choice for the DIY hobbyist.
Battery Soldering Irons - Final Scores
5 Best Battery Powered Soldering Irons
For this article we have chosen our top five battery powered soldering irons. We chose three Li-ion irons, and two that run on replaceable AA batteries.
We hope you will enjoy the “unplugged” convenience of one of these little tools.
1. Pro Iroda 25LK - Li-ion Soldering Iron Kit, USB rechargeable
This is a new iron that I found on the market coming from a company that has been selling both electric soldering irons, butane soldering irons, and other butane powered tools since 1988. This Iroda Pro-25L Li-ion Soldering Iron was getting rave reviews so we had to check it out.
One unique feature of this iron is that it can be recharged by using a USB cord. My first reaction was, “Can a USB charged battery really do the job of providing enough energy to run a soldering iron?”
The manufacturer claimed the battery would reach a full charge in 3.5 hours using the supplied micro-USB cable. After doing a few cycles of recharging from empty, connected to our PC, I was very impressed to see that the iron really did charge in the stated 3.5 hours charging time.
So next I wanted to see what kind of power output performance this little iron would give me.
The packaging claims it will reach 1100 degrees Fahrenheit in 8 Seconds.
So my first test was to see how long it would take for the iron to melt a bead of solder from the solder that is provided with the kit.
With the first startup, from a cold iron to melting the solder, it took approximately 15 seconds.
Wow, not bad! I then let the iron cool for about 1 minute and tried again.
The second time around, with the iron still warm, the iron melted the solder in about 5 to 6 seconds.
I continued this for a few more cycles and for each cycle it took about 5 to 8 seconds to melt the solder each. This was actually quite impressive and in line with the claims on the packaging.
I would have liked to simulate a normal working environment by making solder joints and letting the iron cool between joint, but instead, I decided to just tape down the power switch to the “On” position and see how long the tip would stay hot.
Of course, the tip got very hot, and I would not recommend you do this yourself, as it is not good for the tip. At 35 minutes the tip was still hot enough to melt solder, but gradually cooled off after that.
The LED turned off at 44 minutes. Surely the battery should hold a charge considerably longer than this with intermittent solder joints being made.
This whole kit comes as a set complete with: PRO 25L Rechargeable Torch, 3 Interchangeable Tips, including a Hot Air Blower Tip for heat shrink, micro-USB charging cable, 60/40 Rosin Solder Core Ø 1.0mm, Sponge for Cleanup, and a Safety Cap, all in a compact durable case.
Soldering tips are changed by unscrewing a plastic holding nut, with no tool needed. By rotating this holding section, the chisel tips can be rotated 360 degrees to any working position.
The side of the body has a dual-color indicator LED which lights red when charging, and green when charged. Next to this is a white LED light for to lighting up the work surface. This white LED also indicates that the heat button is being pressed.
One drawback is that this iron does not have a temperature regulator, so you need to manually regulate the tip temperature with the on/off switch.
Added up, I feel that this iroda Pro 25 L kit is a well-designed versatile iron and kit that clearly belongs in a class of its own. I put this iron at the top of the list.
- Versatile tool: Conical, Hot knife, & Heat shrink Tips
- Tool-free tip change
- Fast Heat up 8 seconds! (working temperature)
- Powerful 2900mAH Rechargeable battery with 40 minutes of run time
- Can run for about 1,100 joints on a full charge
- LED light for illuminating the workspace
- Can go up to 930°F in 35 seconds
- Sturdy feel, ergonomic handle
- 180 day Warranty
- No Temperature Regulator
2. Milwaukee M12 Cordless Soldering Iron
(Does not include Rechargeable Lithium-Ion Battery)
The first thing I liked about the Milwaukee M12 was the versatility and the comfort of the handle. The large slip resistant handle makes it quite easy to work with.
The tip can pivot into three separate positions allowing to work at different angles. It heats up very fast reaching maximum temperature in about eighteen seconds
Another convenient feature of this iron is that the tips can be changed quite easily without the need of a tool.
The M12 has an LED indicator light that not only turns green when the temperature is hot enough for soldering, but also lights up red to indicate when the tip has cooled off enough to be stored away
One negative point is they sell the tool alone without the battery. I guess they assume you already have one, but if you don’t, be sure to order a battery along with this tool. They do have a complete kit which you can buy that includes the battery the charger and soldering tips, but it is quite a bit more expensive than the iron alone.
This iron has a very sturdy design which I am sure will endure many long hour in the hands of any enthusiastic hobbyist. Milwaukee has been a trusted American toolmaker, but you will need to contact company to get warranty information for this item.
- Three-level stop pivoting head
- 18 seconds to the optimal temperature
- Tool-free tip change
- 40 minutes run time on a full charge
- Red link Intelligent heat indicator
- No warranty
- No Temperature Regulator
- Battery not included
3. Weller BL60MP Cordless Soldering Iron with Rechargeable Lithium-Ion Battery
Don’t let its size fool you though. Even with its compact size, it still can maintain a charge sufficient enough to give you 45 minutes of continuous soldering. One shortcoming though is that I did find that it takes a bit longer to heat up; about 30 seconds to reach 850 °F and a little longer to reach its maximum temperature of 950 °F. As there is not a temperature control, you need to turn the unit one and off to regulate the temperature.
One feature this soldering iron has not failed to leave out is an LED lighting system to improve visibility when working in dark places.
The manufacturer has great confidence in this iron as they back it up with an amazing 7 years warranty. You should be able to get in a lot of joints in that time.
- Conical soldering tip
- Rechargeable battery with 45 minutes of run time
- Tiny bright LED bulb for illuminating the workspace
- Can go up to 950°F in 35 seconds
- 7 years of warranty (but not for the battery)
- No Temperature Regulator
- Slower Heat up time
4.Hakko FX-901/P Cordless Soldering Iron (Requires Four AA Batteries)
Two things immediately caught my attention with this compact cordless AA battery powered soldering iron.
First was its compact ergonomic design which makes it fit nicely in your hand while working. This slick design also lets you conveniently slip it into your pocket when not in use. Its very small size makes this iron very suitable for small, delicate DIY projects.
Secondly, I was impressed that, in spite of its compact size, four AA alkaline batteries will give you enough power to do up to an amazing 120 Minutes of continuous soldering.
The for AA batteries are installed by placing them into the power capsule which conveniently slides into the irons handle. You can use either alkaline or nickel-metal hydride batteries, but of course you will need to use alkaline batteries to get the extended operating times.
The single composite tip that comes with the iron can be easily replaced if you damage the original tip.
For warranty information you will need to check with the seller or contact the manufacturer directly, as at the time of writing this article I could not find this information online.
- Small pen-sized machine for DIY projects
- Runs on 4 AA batteries that can be replaced easily
- Has a total maximum of 120 minutes (2 hours) or run time
- Though the company claims a lifetime warranty, the exact duration is not clearly mentioned
- No suitable for larger projects
- Could have had a higher operating temperature
5. Tooluxe Cordless Soldering Iron
Last on our list, and another AA battery powered model is the Tooluxe 40420L. This model also operates on four AA batteries.
One of the most obvious differences between this model and the Hakko FX-901/P is the heat output. According to the manufacturer this Tooluxe 40420L model heats up very quickly and can reach 1000 degrees Fahrenheit in just seven seconds. This is one of the fastest heating battery powered soldering irons that we looked at.
There is a downside though. Although the tip does heat up quickly, the tip is quite small so doesn’t hold a lot of heat. This makes working with larger wiring or larger objects much slower which may limit its use in some cases.
The feather in the hat of this Tooluxe 40420L Soldering Iron is its price tag. It was the lowest priced unit that we looked at, so this is a soldering iron that any beginner could try their hand at without having to did too deep into their pockets.
- Replaceable batteries based Cordless Soldering Iron
- Can run on 4 AA batteries
- Has a maximum temperature of 1000°F in 7 seconds of time
- Small tiny LED focus bulb under the tip
- Protective cap
- No warranty
- Poor Quality Rating on amazon
- No Proper mention of run time
| CORDLESS SOLDERING IRON | Heat up Time | RUN TIME | MAX TEMPERATURE | BUY NOW |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pro Iroda 25L | 8 seconds | 40 Minutes | 930 ° F | link |
| Milwaukee M12 | 18 seconds | 40 Minutes | missing info | link |
| Weller Cordless | 30 seconds | 45 Minutes | 950 ° F | link |
| Hakko Cordless | 30 seconds | 120 Minutes AA Battery | 600° F | link |
| Tooluxe Cordless | 7 seconds | missing info | 1000 ° F | link |
Conclusion
If you’re are going to go with a battery powered soldering iron, we first suggest that you go with one of the rechargeable Li-ion powered models. You will get better performance with a faster heat up and higher working temperatures which allow you to tackle a broader range of soldering projects. Recharging the tool will be just as convenient if not more that having to replace AA batteries, not to mention that you will be stuck if you forget to pick up batteries on your last shopping trip.
For overall performance, we recommend the Pro Iroda 25LK Kit. As a complete set, you will have a variety of working tips along with powerful iron that gives a good heat-up time and high working temperatures able to handle multiple tasks. It is a sturdy unit that you will be glad to have in your tool kit, or in your pocket when the need arises.
Theses are our picks. Did we miss any? Or do you have any questions for us? If so, feel free to write to us in the comments section below and we will write back to you as soon as possible.
Overall I have been pleasantly surprised by how useful the Iroda battery powered soldering iron has been for doing small soldering jobs. It heats up very quickly and the interchangeable tips are an added bonus. You wouldn’t expect to use it to solder battery cable, but for general work on electrical wiring and electronics it’s an excellent addition to the toolkit.
You can read my full review here:
https://menaduemail.wordpress.com/2021/03/22/battery-powered-soldering-irons/