Don't knock the Yihua. I've had mine for a few years, replaced the tip a couple times when it gets too scrungy, but it's been adequate for a modest volume of through-hole work (a few keyboards, recapping a couple stereo recievers, etc.)
Temperature control-- even in a rudimentary analogue way-- is a huge win over the $10 pencil irons. It's nice to know when you're up to temperature, and that it's not at a pad-lifting level.
You might also be able to find a local vendor. I tend to be fond of Circuit Specialists (circuitspecialists.com) because, pre-COVID, they were within driving distance so you didn't have to spend postage when you wanted $1.50 worth of LEDs. They're mail-order only right now, but you might have a similar vendor in your town. They have a lot of soldering products, some of which look suspiciously like rebadged Yihua gear.
Perhaps I use my gear more heavily than most! I chewed through both a YiHua and a Duratech over the course of 5 years before dropping the coin on the Hakko.
Temperature control-- even in a rudimentary analogue way-- is a huge win over the $10 pencil irons. It's nice to know when you're up to temperature, and that it's not at a pad-lifting level.
You might also be able to find a local vendor. I tend to be fond of Circuit Specialists (circuitspecialists.com) because, pre-COVID, they were within driving distance so you didn't have to spend postage when you wanted $1.50 worth of LEDs. They're mail-order only right now, but you might have a similar vendor in your town. They have a lot of soldering products, some of which look suspiciously like rebadged Yihua gear.