I am a big fan of USB soldering irons because they can usually be operated on power banks and are therefore “portable”. It can simply be practical to be able to use your soldering iron “anywhere”, whether at your desk, in the garden or on the go.
The first generation of USB soldering irons were usually limited to an output of 10-18W. OK, but tight, especially for slightly larger solder joints.
I recently introduced you to a better model, the TS101, which offered up to 45W of power via USB PD.
However, I have now stumbled upon an even better and cheaper model! The KAIWEETS mini soldering iron set is available for under €100 and offers a 65W USB C soldering iron, 6 different tips and a matching silicone USB C cable as well as a power supply included in the scope of delivery.
It sounds very exciting, and it is! But let’s take a look at the whole thing in the full test!
The KAIWEETS mini soldering iron set in the test
The KAIWEETS Mini soldering iron is still a fairly compact soldering iron, but compared to the TS101 it is a bit larger.
I don’t see this as a disadvantage! The KAIWEETS has a length of 124 mm without the tip or approx. 180 mm with the tip. The diameter at the thickest point is 19 mm.
Fortunately, the soldering iron fits very well in the hand. This even has a nice rubber coating on the fingertips.
The soldering iron also has two buttons and a display. The display shows you information such as the current temperature and the “performance” or utilization.
You can also set the temperature via the display, between 80 and 420 degrees.
Scope of delivery (outstanding)
Another highlight of the KAIWEETS mini soldering iron is the scope of delivery:
KAIWEETS Mini soldering iron 6x different soldering tips holder with cleaning sponge USB C cable (silicone coating) USB power supply with 2x ports
The 6x different tips for the soldering iron are great! Most soldering irons only have a “pointed tip”, but we also have flat tips etc. included in the scope of delivery, which are often even better.
power adapter
The KAIWEETS mini soldering iron set comes with a USB C power supply, with 1x USB C and 1x USB A.
At first glance, this is a pretty decent “universal” USB C charger, which according to the label even uses GaN technology. The model name is RY-U65A.
First of all, we have a 65W USB C port (Power Delivery) – 5V/3A, 9V/3A, 12V/3A, 15V/3A, 20V/3.25A.
But the charger also has a USB-A output with 30W (Quick Charge and Super Charge), 5V/4.5A, 9V/3A, 12V/2.5A, 15V/2A, 20V/1.5A.
I haven’t done a full test on the charger, but this one seems decent.
Silicone Cable?
The charging cable also seems to be decent. Frankly, I’m not entirely sure here, but this one appears to be made of silicone! Great, because it would be a little more resistant if you accidentally hit it with the soldering iron.
How well does the soldering iron work in practice?
We can keep it short here! The KAIWEETS Mini Soldering Iron works great! First of all, it heats up extremely quickly.
According to the display, the soldering iron goes from room temperature to 300 degrees in around 3 seconds. According to the display, the soldering iron goes from room temperature to 400 degrees in around 20 seconds.
The soldering iron really has a lot of “power”. Small solder joints are of course no problem.
But the KAIWEETS can also solder larger soldering points or larger cables. I tried a maximum of 4mm² cable and the soldering iron managed this well!
So I think the performance will be more than enough for you too!
Also with power banks?
Yes, the KAIWEETS mini soldering iron also works with power banks and also with USB C sources that have less than 65W power.
5V sources and Quick Charge do NOT work! Here the soldering iron only reports “low voltage”.
USB Power Delivery chargers or power banks from 18W (9V voltage level) are ok! However, with an 18/20W USB PD power supply, the soldering iron has a very difficult time reaching temperatures above 300 degrees, let alone maintaining them with larger soldering joints.
So yes, smaller power supplies or power banks are OK, but I would recommend 30W or more!
Conclusion
I can only recommend the KAIWEETS mini soldering iron set! Great scope of delivery, great quality and super practical.
I think this “unproblematic” and small form factor of USB soldering irons is great, just like the portability of a power bank. The KAIWEETS mini soldering iron has a surprising amount of power and also sits wonderfully in the hand.
Added to this is the flexibility of the USB connection. This can accept up to 65W, but can also work with 18W, albeit a little weaker.
In short, I can only recommend this set!