Are generic soldering stations worth it for occasional hobby use?
I’m looking at generic soldering stations from Amazon, AliExpress, Alibaba and similar sites and trying to decide if they are actually worth buying or just a false economy.
I only do occasional repairs and I’m not a professional, so I don’t need industrial-level gear, just something reliable and consistent for hobby use.
There are lots of cheap options, including basic models and T12-style stations, but I’m unsure about long-term reliability, temperature stability, and tip quality. Some people say they work fine for light use, others say they fail quickly.
For those who have bought these generic stations, are they good enough for occasional use or better to invest in a known brand from the start?