What Soldering Iron to buy?

[calamari]

Anyone here experienced with electronics and stuff?

I am going to start working with small electronic projects and I'm gathering the tools I will need. A soldering iron and a dremel are the things in my to-do list, but tomorrow I really want to get a soldering iron. My budget is maybe $15 or so, but i'm unsure about the iron to get. anyone?

[groff22]

I picked up a kit at RadioShack/Source for about 15$ CAD. Came with solder, screwdrivers, iron, a stand, pick, and seems to work alright.

[Stephen072774]

I'm partial to the old straight ones that look like a screwdriver, they're the cheap ones.

[Onlypastrana199]

I'm partial to the old straight ones that look like a screwdriver, they're the cheap ones.

+1 but if ur solderin components or something smaller is better

[Dom]

Buy the ColdHeat kit from Costco....it's the coolest toy ever.  It heats up instantly as well as cools down instantly so you dont have to wait for it to heat up or cool down...I really wouldn't waste my time or money with anything else unless I were doing something like stained glass that requires sustained high temperatures.

[GeeP]

Somewhere around 15-25 watts for most wiring applications.  
7.5 to 15 watts for PCB work.

Radio shack still sells a good selection.

[Mandres]

I've heard nothing but negative feedback about the "cold-heat" soldering irons.  I would avoid those entirely for any kind of serious work. Get a standard 15-30 watt pencil iron from Radio Shack or anywhere really.  $15 should be plenty.

[calamari]

I've heard nothing but negative feedback about the "cold-heat" soldering irons.  I would avoid those entirely for any kind of serious work. Get a standard 15-30 watt pencil iron from Radio Shack or anywhere really.  $15 should be plenty.

exactly, at least the consumer reviews at radioshack website for this product are not very good ones. (look cool anyway) 

thank you all for your answers, I will be getting the old style (pen style?) soldering iron now. I'll let you know the project soon 

[Jace009gs]

I got a 15 watter from Radio Shack for like $9 or something that I used in soldering the track sections together on my model railroad a few years ago. It worked but I'd opt for the 25 watt one. It tooooooookkkkkk forever for the" pen" to heat up. And with regular solder it really didn't get hot enough to do a good job....it only really connected with rosin core solder.

Don't forget a spool of solder and some flux.

FYI-ignore the above if your Tim Allen the tool man in which case you need to get yourself an oxygen tourch or a mig welder works wonders too

[calamari]

I was going to get a butane powered iron, but as I was gonna pay for it, I learned that radioshack doesn't sell butane for them 
took it back, grabbed an old style pen 25 watt with stand and tools and iron (all for $7), and when I got home and opened the iron, it was actually a 40 watt soldering iron  I guess someone made a mistake packaging some irons.

[yamahonkawazuki]

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?parentPage=search&cp=2032058&f=Taxonomy%2FRSK%2F2032058&productId=2062746&categoryId=2032058&kw=cold+heat&kwCatId=2032058&tab=custRatings