What Brand Is Harbor Freight's Most Affordable Soldering Iron & What Does It Cost?

When it comes to potentially dangerous workshop equipment, it's generally not a great idea to cut corners. The last thing you want is a half-baked soldering iron that either barely heats up or gets so hot you can't even hold it. A soldering iron with all of the bells and whistles, not to mention safety features, usually costs somewhere in the range of $25 to $60. But what if we told you that you could get a soldering iron for a fraction of that price range, even at the lowest end? You might dismiss such a price as an aforementioned corner-cut, but don't be so hasty.

Over at hardware retailer chain Harbor Freight, home of tools ranging from tiny ratchets to entire bandsaw saw mills, there's a particular soldering iron available for sale for an absolutely paltry $5.99. That's less than it would cost to buy lunch from a diner. It'd be understandable to be extremely skeptical of a soldering iron that costs a fifth as much as its contemporaries, but considering this tool has a healthy 4.4 out of 5 user rating on Harbor Freight's digital storefront, there may be something cooking here. So, what's the deal with this soldering iron?

The cheap soldering iron available at Harbor Freight is part of the Chicago Electric brand. Chicago Electric is one of Harbor Freight's in-house brands, offering a variety of electrician tools and workshop appliances, though the brand really shines in the field of welding tools and safety equipment. Since soldering is kind of like welding's proverbial little sibling, it makes sense for the brand to offer such a thing.

Harbor Freight bills the Chicago Electric soldering iron as a "featherweight" model, meaning that it's both light in literal weight and ideal for small-scale soldering jobs. It weighs less than a pound, so its pencil-style handle is easy to hold and maneuver. While it only has 30 watts of power, it can reach operating temperatures of up to 735 degrees Fahrenheit, delivered via chrome-plated steel tip. That's more than enough for quick metal bonding on small projects or working with circuitry. The device also comes bundled with a little foldable pen stand to keep the tip off of your work surface while it's hot.

If you're still concerned about build quality, it's worth noting that this soldering iron is UL safety certified, which means it is certifiably safe to own and operate in its intended purpose, cheap though it may be.