Decided it's time for a good soldering iron. One that last and works smooth and heats up fast. None of the "Oh I'll mow the lawn while I wait for my iron to heat up!"
So I ordered the following Hakko model for $65 CAD.
Its a Japanese version at 100v/50hz but works fine with American 120v/60hz. Its US 2 prong. Anyone using this particular model?
Looks like a good unit. Beefy looking and good grip size. Yeah I’ll be a solder pro now! 
Hakko and Weller are the brands I trust. Still have a wes51 two decades later. The fx-600 would probably be a bit bulky for fine work but for casual stuff is probably fine. Get some tips on different sizes and tweezers. Having the right tip makes all the difference from 10AWG wire to 0402 SMD. And a steady hand. I used to solder 4pin bga’s out of desperation but I doubt I could now.
Yes good tip so I went and got a flat tip to go allow with the included one. A pointy and flat tip should be enough for general use.
Can’t go wrong with a genuine Haako. There’s so many clones out there though that range from adequate to terrible/junk. This is a good iron since those M900 style tips are so cheap and there are a lot of sizes/choices. A good iron makes all the difference! I died and went to heaven when I switched from my Radio Shack 15/30W to my China special T12.
I haven’t tried the FX600 iron, but I upgraded from a 15W Harbor Freight iron to an FX888D soldering station a year or two ago.
A quality iron that heats up quickly, maintains a set temperature well, and has a good quality tip makes it far easier to get good solder joints.
I think you’ll be very happy you upgraded.
There is a US version with 120v/60hz at Amazon. One of the main reasons I got the Japanese market one is because the cord is softer and therefore way easier to use. The US version uses 3 prong but the cord is really stiff.