Thermaltronics TMT-2000S-PM Soldering System w/SHP-PM 100-240VAC interchangeable for Metcal MFR-1110

I am outfitting my new home lab and I have been sick of roasting my SMT parts trying to solder to pins connected to fat ground planes. So I finally decided to splurge and get a Curie technology iron at the home lab since I has amazed at the performance of the Metcals at work (compared to my old tech Hakko 9xx's). I did a bunch of research and looked at a number of used Ebay Metcals - but by the time I added the handle and cradle I was over 300$ for beat up production irons. Metcal's cheapie doesn't seem to have an auto off so knowing myself that was a non-starter. The Thermaltronics looked like a great Iron at a fraction of the cost of the Metcal/OKI, JBC or Hakko curie technology irons. For 300$ I got a complete system with 6 tips and a tip tinner. It also has Auto off which you often miss in the Metcals at this price point. I found everything to be top build quality from the handle to the main unit to the dock.It heats quick, and best of all, can solder a large plane around SMT components. I can add tweezers later if I like (and a desoldering and / or auto solder feeder as well although all of these are pricey).It was tricky to tell whether to buy the K, SM or PM versions. I wrote an email to the support number link at Thermaltronics and was pleasantly surprised to get an email back the next morning (this support guy (Joseph Li) was likely overseas judging by the time he wrote it). I will summarize his excellent and super thorough response (honestly - his quick and thorough support was the reason I pulled the trigger and bought the system).The 9000s vs 2000s series is largely differentiated by 13.56Mhz vs 470 Khz and tip style. The 13.56Mhz 9000 heats up faster and has a tighter feedback loop reducing overshoots - HOWEVER for my hobby needs that is a 'who cares' - especially in light of the cost differential. The 9000 takes M series tips (Metcal compatible).As for the difference in the 2000s versions - it is purely in the handle and tips - the K tips are lowest prices, good heat transfer, but larger physically, and geared to more of a production environment. The PM series tips are best for rework or production, have a smaller tip body and the tips are slightly more expensive (it is nominal IMO). The S tips are backwards compatible with an older Metcal standard and perform basically like K tips. The P and K tips may exhibit better reliability than the SM.If price is a secondary concern - go 9000s if you are on a budget the 2000s series is very attractive.Warranty is fully active buying through the Thermaltronics store on Amazon.They might or might not put a 'starter' tip in your box. It isn't included in the packing list but I think one was added since there was one in the main box and 5 separate of other types and I only ordered 5 and ended up with 6. Your Mileage may vary but there was some negative feedback about no tips from someone who didn't read the 'what's included' but then again - most won't so it is good marketing to pop a 11$ freebie tip in the box. Again - they don't say they include a tip so I would buy several just in case. They run 11-20$ for typical tips.I am very happy with this purchase and would buy again.

Great iron. Heats up quickly and maintains its heat.

A solid entry-level soldering station built around curie-point technology. Heats up super quick and can put a lot of heat into boards with power planes or lots of metal parts. Uses the P series tips. Build quality is excellent. I have one of these for home use and it's every bit as good as the Metcal stations I use at work.

Note: I'd actually recommend the Thermaltronics TMT-2000S-SM model over this one; it is identical but comes with a different handpiece for which the manufacturer carries a larger selection of tips here.Things I like:+ Very good performance, rapid and even heating. Works very well even for fine lead-free SMD.+ Lowest price for a cartridge-heater soldering station.+ Great selection and availability of branded and compatible tips and accessories (see note above).Things I neither like nor dislike:= Minor fitment issues with Metcal branded tips, which are particularly hard to remove when hot as the fit is very tight. Could be because both tip and handpiece are new.= No temperature control, by design. I don't really see this as a problem, but it should be mentionned.= No tip is included, and this isn't clearly indicated (one is pictured in the photos, but absent from the product sheet / packing list).Things I dislike:- Heater is completely off when handpiece is idle in the stand. It takes a few seconds to get back to working temperature.- No light indicator when the station is ON but idle (handpiece in stand). I keep forgetting to turn it off after use. Can be a problem if hand piece is then accidentally moved, disabling the sleep mode.- Hand piece cable is a bit stiff and bulky, hand piece itself could be improved (a bit larger than I'd like, hard plastic grip isn't the most comfortable...)The low price, excellent performance and high availability of parts more than make up for these few annoyances and means that this soldering station is easy to recommend for jobs that require more than what a cheaper iron / soldering station can offfer.