Master Appliance, UT-100SI, Portable Heat Tool

The Good Stuff * The torch features almost instant gratification. Flip the torch on, press the ignite button, wait about 30 seconds, and you are ready to solder. * The torch puts out a lot of heat. I found it able to solder almost anything I throw at it. * The torch has a built in self igniter. I have never had a problem starting the torch. There is no need to remember matches or a lighter. * The torch has a built in stand feature. This is a handy addition for field work where traditional iron stands are unavailable. * The torch uses standard butane fuel. It has about a 2 hour run time on a full tank. Refills are easy to do and take about a minute maximum. You can use the torch almost anywhere. There is no need to worry about AC power or cumbersome cords. The (Not So) Bad Stuff * The exhaust port on the torch near the tip gets very hot. You learn very quickly to point the exhaust port away from your fingers when soldering equipment. * The torch puts out a lot of heat. Monitoring is needed to ensure the tip does not get too hot during usage. * The torch uses standard butane fuel. Butane refills cost money. The Wild Stuff * The torch self igniter makes a mild whistling sound when in use. It almost sounds like a jet engine spinning up. The Bottom Line This is a great soldering torch. It gets hot fast and stays that way. It can go almost anywhere. I would recommend this item to anyone who needs an ultra portable soldering tool.

This torch is AWESOME. Do not be scared of the price. If you want a durable, reliable, and long lasting torch than this is the one. I have been working with fire alarm systems for 6 years now. We use portable butane torches to test heat detectors when performing building confidence testing. Many guys at my company use cheap $20 butane torches from Radio Shack. The problem with these though is that they never put out enough heat and take too long to heat up. Not only that, but they're flimsy and you end up breaking and having to replace them every couple months. A few guys however, have this torch. My boss has used his for over 10 years and it still has been going strong, after being dropped hundreds of times over the years. I know most people won't be using this torch for fire alarm testing, but it is also an excellent soldering iron. Heats instantly and it's self-igniting. No burning your fingers trying to light it like cheaper torches. You just hit a button and it goes. Don't settle for a cheap torch. If you're considering getting this one, then just do it, it will last you a lifetime.

straight up the best soldering tool I have ever acquired...corded are nowhere near as versatile, and now they seem dated. I used a friend's master appliance soldering tool that he has had for over 20 years and couldn't believe the work I could do soldering and heat shrinking custom wiring on one of my trucks. buy it,try it, if you dont love it you can always send it back for a refund.

I use this iron almost every day. Is very dependable and heats quickly. Burns long on a single tank of fuel. Love this iron. After trying different manufacturer's models of gas powered in the past I was told about this one. Glad I was. By far superior to others. It is Master Appliance's top selling model of iron for a reason. Even lights on a windy day, as long as tool isn't too cold. But on cold days outside you can't get a plugged in model to heat up either! Great when 110VAC is unavailable. Great even when it is. I never even use a plug-in anymore. If you solder, buy this iron. You'll be glad you did.

This is my second tool of this brand the first one I used for About 20 years in my shop. I bought the second one, it has push button igniter , so you don't have to use a lighter. After I bought the second one I called master appliance and they repair them for 55.00 . So now I have two and I love the tools. Great product.

How esay to use and turn on great for electrical wiring in automotive.

In spite of their convenience we were about to give up on these tools. Unless they are ignited in just the right way, once they have been used for a few hours, they simply will not light. The trick is to to hold them upright with the gas volume set in the mid-range, and then press the igniter button and hold it down until the ceramic element starts to glow. Somehow this sequence failed to come through in the instructions. But now that we know how to do this, I will continue to buy these irons.

Had one for almost 20 years.. bought this one just for the heck of it.