HakkoFA430-KIT1 Smoke Absorber with C1571

I have been eyeing this for years but it is just so expensive. I used Hakko's bench top smoke absorber for soldering but it was a pain to get it close enough to actually suck up the fumes. This one is a breeze, and much quieter to boot.With the flexible hose you can position it right above the area where you are working, and on low it will get much more than the bench top. Medium and you don't even have to have it hovering next to your work. I have no idea what high would do, I've never felt the need to use it.I was able to put the main unit under my desk and snake the flexible hose up through the grommet hole, which makes for amazing utility without taking up bench space. The hose ends were a bit of a pain to attach correctly, but no problems since.This unit has a real filter in it, not just carbon, so I feel better about the air cleaning it does too. I wear a P100 respirator while I solder as well, but I feel better about the rest of the air in the room.All in all, it is expensive but it is much nicer so I'd recommend it if you'll be using it often.

The smallest particle that is hazardous to your health from soldering with flux, is 3 times smaller than this can filter.HEPA is not enough (like they used to think) for indoor, unvented soldering - you need a MERV 20 or ULPA filter to get to this particle size. Anyone who tells you different has $ to loose in the industry (employee health, factory refitting, filter sales, etc).The lid doesn't fit perfectly (still seals around the filter). The fan is small and kinda noisy on high. The price is painful.And yet we are keeping it! Here is why:There is a dearth of competition in this arena and that is keeping prices high, nothing can be done about that until more people want one.All of the other issues we happen to have with it are mute, because we keep it outside. We can't hear the fan and the HEPA filter won't cause a false sense of security - because it's outside in a locked box. The filter is for the fumes before it hits the air outside. (If you're outside our lab and hear fan running, don't stand next to the box that say's WARNING: don't stand here)The included 2 3/8" hose in this kit is fantastic! It's very pliable and able to hold it's position very well. We have this hose going through the wall to the outside unit. A 2.5" hole saw is perfect for the job.The fan is strong and sucks fumes like a dope fiend.The 2 station setup is great (just need another hose).The size is very nice, can fit many of them in a small space.You can turn it on with the simple switch - so we plugged into an "alexa device" and now voice activate it.Replacement filters are under $100 for the HEPA and $15 for the pre-filter - not bad!Replacement parts are available.The cost to buy this or build your own version is actually fairly close - however that is changing and soon this will be out-classed buy a true ULPA filter system that cost's less. Soon.. not yet though :(

This is a great machine and the size makes it even better. It fits on the bottom shelf of my soldering/melting station. The hose is rigid and stays in place without any propping. The suction at low power is all I've ever needed. The two outputs make to perfect for the jewelers bench, one for the torch, one for the flex shaft.

As I hoped, Hakko FA430-KIT1 Smoke Absorber with C1571 is extremely quiet as it sucks the fumes away. If you put the machine on the floor, the hose is long enough to reach my soldering area. I am disappointed that you need to support or hang the hose if you want to position the opening over your soldering area instead of laying it on the workbench surface.

Fume extraction for soldering and dust extraction for woodworking are things that many hobbyists skip out on. The reason is easy to understand: they don't add new capabilities, and so aren't all that exciting. But these are SO important if you want to have functioning lungs when you age.I used to have one of the small desktop Hakko air filters. I thought that did ok, as long as it was right next to what I was soldering.I was wrong. This one is SO much better. I used to still get a fair bit of flux fume in my face with the old one, but this one took all of it away. Yes, that does mean solder and PCBs will cool a bit faster, but I'm happy to make that compromise.The only thing I don't like is the little fishnet thing wrapped around the nozzle. I understand why it's there, and why it needs to be as unobtrusive as possible, but it looks like it'll be easily destroyed. Not a huge deal. Additionally, I will say that the hose holds its shape well, but it's not going to hold up over your workspace by itself. It does need a little support. Again, not a big deal, but something I figured you'd want to know.