Soldering: T12 or 900 series ?

[NoxMorbis]

I have a chance to snag free for review a T12 soldering station, the new YIHUA 948DB+ II. I currently have a station that uses the 900 type tips. It's a full transformer type station. The Yihua is a digital station, much small, and I've always wanted one.

YIHUA 948DB+ II

I'm only invested in the 900 tips to about 30 bucks (Hakko tips). Should I change over to the T12 station and tips, in the longer run?

 

[JeffS7444]

Beats me, but I have a genuine Hakko FX951, and those newer types of tips combining heating element and temperature sensor into a single unit work great. I paid around $300, so if you are getting similar for free, or ~$80 max, it seems to me like a no-brainer.

 

[NoxMorbis]

Beats me, but I have a genuine Hakko FX951, and those newer types of tips combining heating element and temperature sensor into a single unit work great. I paid around $300, so if you are getting similar for free, or ~$80 max, it seems to me like a no-brainer.

Yeah I just ordered one of the Hakko cartridges tonight, a 1.2mm chisel, which I use the most. I'll probably buy a Yihua cartridge and compare them, unless it comes with that size, which I doubt and only if it is ridiculously cheap. I got the Hakko cartridge for 15 bucks on Amazon, shipped. I tried several knock off 900 tips and they were grossly gross. I've been reading about the T12 vs 900 style, and I think it's really the way to go. Some people say the T12 makes the 900 series seem really bad, but others say the 900 series are still just fine. I'm going to go with the T12 forward. I really only need about 4-5 different cartridges anyway.