TS 100 Soldering iron review

I've procrastinated over buying one of these for probably a year as I have read lots of good things about both this one, the TS100 and it's sibling the TS80 but I could never quite decide which one I wanted. I knew that either where reported to be excellent soldering irons but I couldn't decide if I wanted one that I could use with some kind of USB C power pack for mobile use or one that I could use with a LiPo battery. The LiPo option clouded further by the fact that with the TS100 most people used  a 4 cell or larger LiPo and the largest ones I have is are my collection of 3 cell 2200 mah ones I use in the quadcopters. I somewhere had the idea that these wouldn't supply enough voltage. My mind was only made up when I read that the TS100 will work with a 3 cell absolutely fine, albeit with the caveat it will take a little longer to heat up. As it happens it will heat up to 300 degrees on a 3s LiPo in around 15 seconds... So for the odd quick repair in the field it's certainly useable. 

I bought my TS100 with the 'I' tip which is a fine point suitable for SMD work. I tend to use a fine tip for most work with other irons but I may well pick up a larger chisel tip at some point for this iron. The 'I' tip supplied is great, tinned easily and is super precise. Indoors at the workbench I use  a 19 volt Toshiba laptop power supply and it will heat to 300-400 degrees in seconds. It's astonishingly quick. I haven't upgraded the firmware as yet (all manner of custom firmwares are available) but already I can operate and change the temperature using the 2 buttons with one hand whilst usually holding whatever I am trying to solder with the other!

The tips are fitted using a pair of small allen bolts to retain them and the TS100 was supplied with the correct size allen key. The supplied cardboard box with fitted foam meant the TS100 arrived very well protected but the tip isn't inserted when in the box so the box isn't a long term storage or transportation solution. I'll have to make something at some point, or indeed, download one of the myriad of cases the community have designed for this iron to 3d print. 

I probably have around 5 hours of time in soldering a wide variety of stuff with this in the last 2 weeks and I have to say can't find much at all to be critical of with this iron!