They are closer to $40-60 after shipping, not $25. I have been using a $10 Weller for a lot of years, with proper technique I have never been able to notice a difference in my joints or difficulty in soldering. I prefer my Weller for some jobs because it simply has more thermal mass. Stuff like repairing the connections on a 3D printer hotbed would be impossible with a Pinecil.
They are closer to $40-60 after shipping, not $25. I have been using a $10 Weller for a lot of years, with proper technique I have never been able to notice a difference in my joints or difficulty in soldering. I prefer my Weller for some jobs because it simply has more thermal mass. Stuff like repairing the connections on a 3D printer hotbed would be impossible with a Pinecil.