Milwaukee Tool 2488-21: Milwaukee M12 Soldering Iron Kits

I usually don't post reviews but the quality of this product is so bad I couldn't let it slide. I've had two of these melt after minimal use. I purchased the first one thinking Milwaukee always had excellent products and didn't even look at the reviews. But after a short period of use, the plastic collar that attaches the soldering tip melted. I returned it thinking it was just a dud and got a second one. Within 5 minutes, the second one melted in the same place.The plastic screw on collar can't withstand the heat and just melts. I've attached pictures for reference. The collar really needs to be metal for it to provide the quality that I've come to expect from Milwaukee (especially at the price of $200 for the tool with 2 battery's).

This iron heats quickly about 15 seconds, each battery will hold a charge for around 45 minutes in use. The charger will recharge the battery quickly even so we chose to purchase 2 extra batteries for no lag time.It is versatile with a pivoting head that allows you to reach nearly any angle with ease. ‘cordless’ yet capable of industrial as well as circuit board repair. If I hadn’t seen the circuit board repair I would not have believed it. Heat tip tops out between 660 to 750.As for ‘the collar’ issue we haven’t had a problem. If we do we will contact Milwaukee.In summery: Big jobs, small jobs you no longer have to lug any project back to the workroom. Take this iron along in its handy carry case to special events to fix what falls apart. Quick to heat easy ... MoreThis iron heats quickly about 15 seconds, each battery will hold a charge for around 45 minutes in use. The charger will recharge the battery quickly even so we chose to purchase 2 extra batteries for no lag time.It is versatile with a pivoting head that allows you to reach nearly any angle with ease. ‘cordless’ yet capable of industrial as well as circuit board repair. If I hadn’t seen the circuit board repair I would not have believed it. Heat tip tops out between 660 to 750.As for ‘the collar’ issue we haven’t had a problem. If we do we will contact Milwaukee.In summery: Big jobs, small jobs you no longer have to lug any project back to the workroom. Take this iron along in its handy carry case to special events to fix what falls apart. Quick to heat easy to use and versatile. Backed with Milwaukee’s good name and warranty.Acme Tools has the best price I found on the tool and charger combination. I always price compare / check out the business that is offering everything before making a purchase. (Internet safety & competitive prices)

I really like this soldering iron. You can't beat the convenience, and it heats up well enough for the toughest automotive connections, and is fine enough for my HAM radio work. My only disappointment was that recently when soldering some 10 gauge wire to an alligator clip for a jumper wire, I noticed that the plastic collet that the outer element screws into had started melting, and the outer element was bending to almost a 45 degree angle! I turned it off and gently moved it back to the correct position before the plastic cooled, but the thread in the plastic collet is now pretty much shot, and I am worried it will be weaker now, and just melt again. I would have expected some sort of heat resistant material in this critical fitting, but appears not. I didn't have ... MoreI really like this soldering iron. You can't beat the convenience, and it heats up well enough for the toughest automotive connections, and is fine enough for my HAM radio work. My only disappointment was that recently when soldering some 10 gauge wire to an alligator clip for a jumper wire, I noticed that the plastic collet that the outer element screws into had started melting, and the outer element was bending to almost a 45 degree angle! I turned it off and gently moved it back to the correct position before the plastic cooled, but the thread in the plastic collet is now pretty much shot, and I am worried it will be weaker now, and just melt again. I would have expected some sort of heat resistant material in this critical fitting, but appears not. I didn't have it on for more that maybe 10-15 mins, so I am now turning it on for just a few minutes and turning it off between processes, which is painful waiting for it to reheat and use unnecessary battery power.