[cmjones01]

I'm one of those people who does electronics for a living, and am lucky enough to have a Metcal MX500 and a good selection of bits. It makes light work of everything from 0.5mm pitch surface-mount components to 50mm2 (300 amp rated) cables. It does have the auto-off function, which is fortunate because professional electronics design involves surprisingly little soldering!

However, that's a high-end piece of kit which is way beyond most people's needs and budget. For home use, I'd recommend the Antex mains-powered irons every time. Their combination of light weight, high temperature, sheer effectiveness of getting heat in to the joint, and easy parts availability is unbeatable. My top tip: make sure you get the proper Antex stand, which has the bit in contact with the metal 'spring' of the stand. It stops the iron overheating when it's resting, and makes the bits and elements last much longer.

All the other mains-powered irons I've ever tried, from no-name far eastern cheapies to Weller ones, haven't been as good as the trusty yellow Antex XS25 which lives in my 'portable' tool case. I grew up with an Antex CS, which eventually fell to pieces after innumerable replacement bits and several replacement elements. I also have an Antex temperature-controlled soldering station, a 690SD, at home which conveniently takes the same bits as the XS25. It's not in the same league as the Metcal but it's still very effective, reliable, and routinely gets used for work on surface-mount PCBs as well.

Chris