Recommend to a Friend
Scuffed up more than I expected, and not intuitive
3.0
I ordered this unit, knowing it was open box, and possibly used, but when I got it, it was a bit more used than I expected it to be.
The main station itself looks okay, but it appears someone got some chemical on the bottom two buttons that ate into the plastic, and smudged the Hakko logo. The metal sponge holder/tip cleaner had a dent on the bottom, and one of the rubber feet had come off, leaving a hole in the bottom. Since I didn't have the same sized foam feet, I replaced all three of them, which cover the holes. The tip holder and the iron holder both have scratches and chips on them as well. Further, it didn't come with a set of instructions.
I can't complain too much, because I knew it may be in somewhat used condition, and none of it affected the way things work, but I didn't know it would be quite this used, and I think people need to know what they can expect from these B units.
As for the FX-951 itself, it works okay. It heats up very fast, and has stood up to every test I've thrown at it. It pours heat into the joint quite well, without having to turn the temperature up, and heats it up fast without the danger of heating things past my set point. I like how the sleeve and tip come off together, allowing for removing and replacing tips easily while they are still hot. I also like how there are multiple sleeve colors, allowing quick identification of tips.
I don't like the stupid key that is necessary to change settings. Never having seen one of these units in person before, I assumed that the card fit firmly in the slot, so it would stay put without pulling with some force. Instead, if you tip the unit forward, the key falls out easily. For people like me, who don't need to ensure that nobody messes with the settings, as I am the only person using it, it is much easier to keep the key in the unit at all times. I fear losing it though.
I sometimes have trouble getting a connection when I insert tips. When I noticed it, I removed and replaced the tip multiple times, flipping the tip 180 degrees as well. Finally, I decided to spin the tip in the iron, and it came to life. The tips I have are all brand new, ordered from TEquipment.NET, and not knock off Hakko crap from ebay. Visually, there is nothing wrong with them. I haven't tried pulling the handle apart to see if there is something wrong with the connections inside the handle, but for a unit that costs what this does, I don't expect to have to fiddle with changing tips.
Finally, the most annoying thing about this unit is that you will never be able to set it without a manual, which was not included in the box with mine. Even with the manual, which I downloaded, the way it is laid out is a little confusing, and it took me a while to figure out how to even get to the settings menu. Once I figured that out, I still had to keep the manual open, because there is no way to know which setting is which without reading it in the manual. So, any time I need to change things in the future, I'll again have to bring out the manual. In these days where small displays are relatively inexpensive, there is no reason to stick with 7 segment LEDs. Put a display in there where you can show a full description of what is being set. There is enough space inside that this can be done as well. Cost of materials might go up by $3 per unit, but it would be much easier.
Overall, even though there are annoyances, I like the unit. Once it is set, there is little reason to change things, so the menu problem doesn't annoy me every day. Now that I know to spin the tips if they aren't working, that doesn't cause much problem. Most of the problems are cosmetic, although there are some user friendliness issues. The main thing is that it works well, and as long as people are informed about how bad the damage may be to these ahead of time, and not just some vague list of possibilities, the damage could be overlooked.
Verified Purchase
Timm Simpkins on
Aug 24, 2018
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