Milwaukee 2488-20 M12 12V Soldering Iron

The idea of a cordless soldering iron is enticing. Most soldering irons are thin and light weight to give you better control when working with precise soldering or smaller job areas. However the M12 battery makes the tool heavier and bulky for detail work. Sometimes you can use a normal soldering iron by holding it like a pen or pencil. You can't do this with the big battery holder grip. This is slightly offset by the adjustable angle tip which will allow you a bit more control as a pseudo pistol grip. But it is still bigger and heavier than a normal soldering iron. Using the standard battery which weighs less than the extended larger capacity batteries is probably the best battery to use with this tool. Larger capacity batteries with the wider base will make the tool stand up more securely and safely but will be more awkward to hold than the basic battery.Another thing that I find awkward is the color activation light. When you first turn on the soldering iron, the light will turn green to show that the tool is on. When you turn the tool off, the light changes to red and stays on until the tool has cooled off completely so you don't accidentally burn yourself while it is still hot. I found this a little confusing at first because even though the light was green, I couldn't tell when it was hot enough to use the tool. Perhaps a three or four stage light would be more helpful. Green to tell you it's on. Red when it is hot enough to use. Yellow to show that it's turned off and cooling down. And finally no light when it is safe to touch or put away the tool.Still, the soldering iron worked as expected. For those who are heavily invested in the Milwaukee M12 series, this will make a useful addition for basic soldering tasks. Just be aware of these peculiar traits that it has.