Tool · Tips and cartridges
Soldering tip system finder
Pick a tip system to see the handles and stations it fits, the jobs it suits and what to check before buying tips, from manufacturer documentation.
Short answer
Choose a tip system in the finder on this page to see its key facts, then follow the link to its full page: the handles and stations it fits, the jobs its maker designs it for, and the catches to check before you buy tips. Not sure which system you have? Read the model name on the handle and the part number on a tip, then match them in the table below.
Which system do you have?
| Your handle, iron or tip says | Tip system |
|---|---|
| T245 handle, or C245 cartridges | C245[1] |
| T210, B.100 or B.500 handle, or C210 cartridges | C210[2] |
| NT115 nano handle, or C115 cartridges | C115[3] |
| FM-2027 or FM-2028 iron, or T12 / T15 tips | T12[4] |
| FX-8801 iron (FX-888D or FX-888DX), or T18 tips | Hakko T18[5] |
| Pinecil, TS100 or TS101 | TS100-style[6][7] |
Some marketplace stations use T12-format handles under their own brand name; the KSGER station in our 120 V station picks is one.
Watch for these exceptions:
- The FX-888DX works with three handpieces. Only the FX-8801 iron takes T18 tips; the FX-8805 large iron uses T19 tips and the FX-8806 uses new T32 tips.[8]
- TS101 tips are not TS80 tips. Oscar Liang's review says TS101 tips are compatible with the TS100 but not with the TS80 or TS80P.[7]
- Pinecil versions differ. The Pinecil V2 also takes Pine64's short tips; the V1 takes only normal-length TS100-style tips.[6]
What each system page shows
- What it fits: the original maker's handles and irons, from its documentation.
- What the maker designs it for, with power figures where the maker publishes them, such as JBC's 40 W peak for the T210 handle and 150 W peak for the T245.[9][1]
- 120 V and North America: how the system is sold here, such as Hakko's T15 part numbers.
- Compatible and clone parts, plus catches such as regional naming and discontinued models.
- Kit picks: catalog products that fit the system, with the variant to choose, where we have one.
Where the data comes from
Every confirmed field on a system page carries its source. Manufacturer documentation comes first: JBC's handle and cartridge pages, Hakko's specification and tip pages, and Pine64's Pinecil documentation. Independent sources, such as published reviews, fill gaps and are named as such. When no source we checked confirms a value, the field says "Not confirmed" instead of guessing, and figures taken from marketplace listings are labeled as the seller's claims.
Maker specifications describe the maker's own parts. JBC's power ratings do not tell you how a compatible handle from another brand performs, and Hakko's own cartridges for North America carry T15 part numbers, so a marketplace "T12" tip is a T12-format part unless the seller shows otherwise.[10] The tips and cartridges overview explains shapes and tip care, and the T12 vs C245 guide compares the two most common systems.
Choose your tip system to see the key facts. Each one links to its source on the full page.
Questions
How do I find out which tip system my station uses?
Read the model on the handle and the part number on a tip. JBC names its handles after the cartridge family (T245 for C245, T210 for C210), and Hakko lists T12 and T15 cartridges for its FM-2027 and FM-2028 irons.[1][9][4]
Do T18 tips fit every FX-888DX handpiece?
No. American Hakko lists T18 tips for the FX-8801 iron, T19 tips for the FX-8805 large iron and new T32 tips for the FX-8806.[8]
Do TS101 tips fit a TS80?
Not according to Oscar Liang's TS101 review, which says TS101 tips are compatible with the TS100 but not with the TS80 or TS80P.[7]
Why do some fields say 'Not confirmed'?
We show a value only when a manufacturer page or a named independent source states it. When none does, the field says so instead of repeating a listing claim as fact.