When your Nintendo Switch starts to malfunction Joy-Con DriftFirst I did iFixit joystick replacement guideThe next thing I did was order. iFixit’s all-inclusive repair kitAnd the third thing I did was put both together and made a brand new or better Joy-Con in under 10 minutes. Zero drift issues since then. I have an iFixit kit in my handbag and backpack, at my desk and at each work station. I think it’s fair to say that I’m a big fan of both their “never accept broken” ethos and the high-quality solutions they provide to back it up. So I was super excited when a big box full of exciting goodies arrived last week (during the embargo)! I mentioned the backpack, a dozen-pound wearable hackerspace that has sustained me at countless hackathons, maker fairs and other tech events. But my portable cyber fortress was noticeably missing the ability to solder on the go. Imagine my delight when I opened the package, bearing the lovely iFixit logo, to find a sleek, lightweight, USB-C-powered soldering iron and a sturdy-looking battery.
I hate the term “unboxing” FixHub Power Series It was fun. The materials that came with it got me even more excited about all the things this thing can fix, with or without a wall outlet. There were some “Easter eggs” in the box that I won’t spoil so you can enjoy it to the fullest when it arrives. I felt confident and prepared to fix anything even before I knew how to power it.
Figuring out how to turn it on was actually the least easy part of the experience, and I literally had to fumble around looking for the little slider switch in my excitement. Other than that, everything is very intuitive and well thought out. The single button and jog dial, along with the little OLED display, make it easy to adjust settings and communicate information like temperature and remaining charge. A thoughtful clip makes it easy to attach the iron to a power bank, and there are handy magnets sprinkled throughout. The RGB LED ring indicates whether the iron is cold, hot, or in transition. The iron heats up quickly and cools down quickly, making it perfect for ad-hoc mobile use. The included tips are perfect for most electronic projects, and the solder and flux that arrived with mine worked great. I didn’t get a chance to use the wick, but based on the great quality of everything else I’ve reviewed, I expect this one to be great too.
My favorite thing about this kit, besides the quality, ease of use, and thoughtful design, is iFixit’s thorough approach, where the device itself is designed with disassembly and repair in mind. I didn’t want to open up this nice new gear just yet, but after reviewing the available exploded view and schematics, it’s clear that this may be the last soldering iron you’ll ever buy. It will be a welcome replacement for my previous solution, a desktop Hakko converted into a tackle box. iFixit’s information-rich approach reminded me fondly of the retro computers and other gear I own, whose manuals include full schematics and troubleshooting guides. It’s as if they suggest that it should be more than an inscrutable black box, destined to be thrown in a landfill as soon as it shows the slightest sign of a defect.
of iFixit FixHub Power Series Available from October 15thNumberbut is currently accepting pre-orders. Dedicated landing pageI can’t think of a better way to conclude this review than these profound words from iFixit CEO Kyle Wiens:
Solder is the glue of the modern age, and when people can handle solder, it’s a game changer. We systematically remove barriers to making it possible for people from all walks of life to fix things.
