A while ago in voltlog #186, I compared the TS100 soldering iron to the STM32 T12 based soldering station and the results were pretty interesting to watch, if you haven’t seen that video there will be a link in the video.
As we all know the market is flooded with counterfeit or replacements for hakko products. So I’ve always wondered how does a genuine T12 cartridge tip compare to a replacement or fake hakko tip. So today, we’re going to test a genuine T12 tip vs a replacement one. This is my genuine tip, I got it from an authorised reseller, the cost was $20, shipping excluded. As you might notice it says T15 on the packaging but don’t worry there is no difference between T12 and T15 tips, except they use a different part number depending of the markets. T15 for EU and US markets and T12 for Asia as far as I know.