Hakko FX-888D - Real vs. Counterfeit - how to spot a fake 

I could tell right away which one was fake. The real one was real, and the fake one had a big piece of tape that said Fake on it.

I remember sweating bullets watching this the first time, Thank god I got a real one.

Sometimes the effort counterfeiters put into these is amazing. At a certain point you have to wonder why they don't just take their effort and put it into an original product. If this thing could be under a different name, and have 90% of the functionality&quality/usefulness of the Hakko, but cost a significant amount less, you'd imagine they'd sell pretty well. Instead they put their effort into trying to scam people instead. Kind of baffling. Like low effort unsafe crappy fakes make sense. Make the cheapest piece of crap possible, and scam people for maximum profit. But these? Is the profit margin really that high? Like you can make a product that's so identical and not a complete unsafe dysfunctional piece of garbage and still make enough money to justify it? What an odd niche.

Just checked my Hakko FX-888D...and it is real! Bought it on eBay...big sigh.

Thanks mate. I used to build power supplies (with a Hakko iron) in Australia for use in many different countries. Our own non-CE versions (with the tick ✓) for shipment outside of complied countries looked like these fakes with similar compromises made in earthing, fusing and build quality. But they were legit. Maybe one is for CE spec for domestic UK, US, AU, market and the other "fake" one may have been for 3rd world production facilities as it has the old N✓ . The two builds are consistent with CE vs N✓ standard and earthing for end-use-environment, typically where an old ELCB should function (CE is getting dated). Wouldn't be the first OEM request of a manufacturer, I would think.

Thanks for this video. Just bought one from Amazon and now just checked to make sure it's genuine. Seems exactly like your genuine, even the box!

Did you happen to measure the height of the enclosures. It may be just the lens but the fake looks a slight bit taller from the video. Also the yellow area on the fake appears to be a different width each side of the display.

Shop on eBay and hope I get a fake, then get money back and still have a decent iron.

Aussie version has a "Roo Bar" option and the sponge should be moistened with contents a VB stubby !

I can't believe this about Famous Hakko having his cousin, hahaha. I hope that cousin is as good as his own, FX888, let's see, .😊

The label size is not an indication. I have a genuine station, and the label is small. It does have the Hakko name and logo and CE mark, however, which the fake does not.

I am in the UK and I am looking at buying one of these very soon. I can see why people are tempted to buy them cheaply from eBay etc because they are very expensive here in the UK when compared to elsewhere for some reason. For example, the going rate for a Hakko FX-888D on Amazon UK is currently around £179. That equates to roughly US $223 or AU $350. If I buy the same thing via Amazon UK but it's shipped from Amazon US then it'll only be £133 including shipping to the UK and that comes with a Hakko 599B tip cleaner thrown in as well, but it's no good because the power connector and voltage are wrong. If it ships from Amazon EU then it's something like £127 with the correct voltage but the wrong power connector. I guess I'll just have to suck it up and pay the rip-off UK price for it, but even if it comes directly from Amazon I'm still wary that it may be a fake. Hopefully your video should help me spot one if it is, although I'm sure their fakery has probably improved somewhat in the 6 years since you posted it. Thanks.

My mom bought me a pair of Nikes when I was a kid. 3 days later the sole was peeling off and the smell was terrible. I realized the label said "Mike" and the logo was backward. Smh be careful out there!

Lol if u can't open the box ..u can at least smell the box it comes in

Fakes are fun when you know they are fake, like buying a $25 "Rolex" or $20 Nike shoes on the street in Bangkok, but there's nothing funny or cute about fakes that are intended to fool consumers

You used to be able to tell from the connector. It wasn’t black. But they have gotten better and better- constantly improving the counterfeit. If they spent the same amount of time making their own quality product they might make more money

Hi Lawrence, do you still have your 240V model Hakko FX-888D? If yes, could I ask for the value of the varistor soldered on the FX-888D P.W.B (fuse board on the transformer)?

Looks legit, if they are fake they would be using cheaper PCB boards with horrible soldering job, I'm guessing they are for different markets and you bought one made for a different country.

You have a super nice voice dude, thanks for the overview/comparison.

I gess the real questions is.. .. does it work ok? (similar that original)

Thanks for the video!👍, I just purchased one and just waiting for it to arrive. Thanks to this, I will be able to see if it’s genuine or not.

Mine was bought in 2013. It has the smaller label underneath but all other genuine features listed in this video - including the fuse board, same temperature control board, pliable soldering iron handle rubber, metal insert in the stand etc. Even same wire colors inside + ground sticker and also the flat screws mentioned. I would say that I think the both label types are possible over the years. Maybe the newer ones have the bigger style and more markings due newer EU (or other market ?) regulations or something which were not in effect earlier?

Good to know that both thermometers do what they are supposed to do. All the differences you pointed out, especially the color differences of the back label and the On-button are dead giveaways of fakes. Hakko will always use the same "Hakko blue". The sensor packaging is actually showing a lot of differences: on the back, there are more symbols next to and under the Hakko logo and there are more symbols next to the bar code, on the front, "Lead free" is printed more boldly than on the fake one where the font looks very skinny. Last but no least, the patent number on the fake product does not mean that they paid for it - they probably based their product on it, though, as they always do :-) Very good review, thanks :-) . You just forgot to test the real Hakko sensor on the the fake thermometer - i wonder if it also was about 5C off (higher).

the fake one has an brighter red led display on the case and the grip has a slightly different shade of grey on the solder tool

Man I just bought one of these on Amazon and I was worried about getting a fake, then I looked up the person who I was actually buying it from on there and it turns out they were a real authorized dealer. Then I learned about commingling, then I see this shit. I even ordered a T18 chisel tip for it off Amazon, because I can't find one anywhere else, now I'm hoping that isn't fake. Wish there was a way to tell the difference in fake tips or not *on top of waiting to see if my Amazon one is fake*

Id love to find a source for the temp control board in the fake, I have an original with a burned out custom IC, and Id rather replace it with a board that uses easily obtainable parts.

Two different model numbers: "...06BY" vs. "...21BY".

A genuine hakko soldering station will come with tips that are solid copper (plated with chrome) and non magnetic except at the pointy end where they are intentionally plated with a small amount of iron. Most counterfeit or inexpensive off-brand soldering stations (including the cheapest "red line" equipment from Weller) come with tips that are solid iron from one end to the other, and you can easily tell the difference by use of a magnet. I conducted some tests of various tips on my channel. Iron has poor heat transfer material compared to copper, Which means it may take so long to solder connections that you can damage circuit boards; And the iron tip's being pharaoh magnetic can also set up electric currents in the circuit board and possibly damage sensitive components. If your iron has cheap steel or iron tips in it, change them over to high quality name brand tips that are made of copper and the performance will improve. (PS, The reason that Hakko and other quality tips made of copper have iron plating at the pointy end is because bare copper would easily be dissolved and eaten away by molten solder and flux; the iron plating will wet to the solder but resists being dissolved).

I bought mine in 2014 and my label on the bottom is small with a different safety certificate logo specifying it's the US. but everything else is as you say. So there may be some differences from year to year, from region to region

I just bought one from Amazon. I appreciate the video. I hate flee Bay sellers! You have to worry about stuff like this. Ebay itself is great. The just have to figure out how to authorize big name brands like Amazon. Take care

I'll never buy anything on eBay that's solid chances are you're either broken or not working. buy good products from the manufacturer. buy once cry once.

I have purposedly bought a fake one, but it has better quality than the fake shown here. It has worked well for quite a long time :D

Wait, if they return you money for the fake and not letting you return it then aren't you getting the knock off for free? So in reality its 50% CHEAPER! LOL! Making me wonder if taking advantage of a knock-off selling jackass and getting one for free is the right idea, already got jacked by banggood trying to get a deal buying a digital iron with "great reviews" that died in 2 uses. (Handskit makes complete trash products!)

Thanks for your video ,that's why I like ebay,I run into several had sellers but what or pay pal take care of you .someday I want to buy a hakko ,but after this video I will be more careful .

I bought one off eBay and it seems to be an improved version of your fake. The screws where the power board attaches are flat like your genuine, it does have the fuse daughterboard like the genuine one but like the fake has the atmel ic. They have either gotten exceptionally good at reproducing or maybe it’s just a low cost variant for the Chinese market? Weird.

Once your Hakko is out of warranty and it shits itself forget about getting a circuit diagram for it... Hakko will NOT supply it because its confidential.... Lol really Hakko, its a frigging soldering iron and not a rocket you muppets. People don't waste your money on this overpriced junk. Hakko was great in the 90's but got money hungry

Thanks for this, was worried mine was counterfeit, its real, just with a broken heating element 😅

I just bought one in Nov 2023 (not from ebay or aliexpress). The only differnce I see i the smaller sticker on the bottom. I doesnt look like the on in this video but it's much smaller than the on the real one. The rest of the details are the same as the real one in this vid.

Mine all checks out except the label which is small like the fake one, the insides are correct too

but the genuine cable say´s bahoing

nice video but . anyone noticed the cable of the gun is a different color?.the fake is black and the original Grey? and the one on sell in Amazon come exactly like the fake one looks...so you said you buy yours in element 14. but we need the link of the web to see the difference of your and the Amazon....so please write the link if the web to. buy it

0:38 The Hakko logo in the upper corner is a bit lower on the fake box. No need to smell the box anymore ;)

Hi, Lawerence, I was wondering if you knew where I could still buy a Genuine Hakko FX-888D board itself. Thanks! I hope you're still active. :)

The big question is who sold this to you on ebay? That would help alot of us

No "in-video" commercials.. You RoCk!

Thank you. What a relief to have several checks. Have an awesome day

they were both made in china but different companies and for sale in different countries

I have one that when I reset it now I only get 450°

Are they really made in Japan, I just purchase one but it says made in Malaysia just wanted to know if that makes it a fake one?

China might use your tips to make a better fake. The sticker can easily be improved at least.

I cant tell if mine is fake, the labels on the bottom seem fake like on your fake one but the chip inside is small and there are no labels on the connector. The strain relief on the handle seems soft too. One thing that wasn't clear in the video to me, is the base of the iron stand supposed to be all metal on the genuine? My one is plastic with metal plate insert.

You mentioned that the outside of the main unit feels not as silky smooth on the fake as on the real one. Smoother things are usually shinier. And sure enough, looking at them in the video (paused at 2:39), I note that the fake doesn't have the same shine across the front edge. It just looks rather dull. Also, being an artist myself with an eye for color, is it my imagination, or are the colors of the main unit slightly different? For example, maybe the gray surrounding the digital readout is darker on the real one? The blue and yellow seem to be slightly off on the fake, just a hair brighter, maybe. I took my hypothesis re: shine and color differences over to Flea Bay, and believe that I have spotted some fakes. The shine difference is the giveaway I think. BTW, this turns out to be about the only clue that you can spot in photos, as everything else requires seeing the box, feeling the parts, or looking inside or on the bottom.

Mine is a genuine and has the small sticker on the bottom. Made in 2013. Otherwise was the same as the genuine showed in the video.

Very helpful, thanks!

Exactly what I was looking for. Cheers!

Why would anyone, who can make an almost perfect copy of a product, doesn't simply make their own branded product.

Did you ever think it may have come from a different Hakko factory located in another country.?. Its construction can be a bit different if thats the case. Cars are the same , Mitsi lancer 2 different indicator stalks, Look identical until you remove it for replacement then you find out its from the Indian factory not the Japanese one. Its why they ask for the VIN No.

I love having a Micro Center near me...

Thanks for the video!

RU-vidrs: "Here's how to tell the difference between a counterfeit" Counterfeiters: "Thanks for the knowledge! We'll take any advice to improve our fakes we can get."

detailed video good job. Knock off good if it was branded orig name like "Krappo" and set at $33.66.

I heard somewere it's not a fake but simply an official version for the chinese marked. BTW I have used one of them for 5 years, worked perfectly good.

I heard you have to get some sort of official certificate from counterfeit testing professional to prove your claim. otherwise no refunds. And getting such certificate can get expensive.

I think the T18 tip that ships with the genuine FX888D is a little larger than the clone. I don't have the ability to confirm but believe the fake ships with old 900M tips that also have a chamfer near the mating point with the heater element. So you need to take out the tip to confirm this. Please post measurements with calipers/micrometer if you have one of each.

Hey man, I’m trying to find a real one for South America with a EU plug and 220v. Do you know where could I order one? Thank you so much in advance!

What about an authorized Hakko on EBAY? I found a site that sells the FX-888D for about $100. I asked them about it, and they claimed to be authorized Hakko dealer, and that I could get credit if it proved not to be. Would you trust this?...'seems' legit!

I bough t a fake one.....did some jobs on some fake boards was paid fake money....Now I'm a fake millionaire

I found you don’t need to dismantle your newly purchased Hako in order to identify it as real or fake. Get a bright torch with a nicely focussed beam and shine it through the vents on the top of the casing. You will need to move the beam about slightly to get the angle right to illuminate the interior. Look very closely through the vent gaps, and if your Hako is genuine you will see the green ‘daughter-board’, albeit somewhat blurred. If you don’t see this then of course you have a fake.

I bought a FR301 de-soldering gun on Amazon (sent back with no problem). first clue, everything was in Mandarin (I don't speak it so not sure) so I returned it as a fake. I contacted Hakko via email and then was sent their phone number. There is no number on their website (it's a secret) and the one that came with the 301 was an out of country number. Hakko checked the serial number and said they had no record of the serial number but it still may not be fake (head scratch- an international company that does not keep a database of inventory?). I sent pictures per their request and to date have not heard back.

Its easy to tell them apart, Chinese clones do not bother stating the correct region voltage, all of them are either 110 or 220V while when you buy a genuine one you get the correct voltage localization, like 230V (Europe) or 240V (Australia) .

Isn't the color of the power cord a give-away? And the label on the bottom is way different, right?

i checked the element 14 and the price is ~$300 while locally i can get one for ~$130. what's the reasonable price for the genuine ones?

0:41 you can tell by the box by the position of the hakko logo, as well as the shape of the station; the fake one's logo is situated further down and the station has more of a curve on the left side of it. thanks so much for this video!

Theres an obvious difference in the cord itself. Looks like the cord on the fake is black and the cord on genuine is grey and seems thicker.

Differences may occur depending on the year of production and the country of production.

Mine was a genuine one. But I think that is usually the case when buying from within the EU. Very strict laws on that!

oh wow!

I was holding someone that got a fake hakko and how did it do as far as soldering they seem.to be ok.?but I am sure real is always the way to go since you have both I say get some use our of the fake.

That grey sleeve grip on the fake iron is longer, covers the front knurled nut and is trimmed badly at each end

It's actually pretty easy, there's *FAKE* written in red on the fake one 😑

LOL..original Hakko was made in malaysia..all this time i thought it was imported

And here I am searching for irons and up comes my next door neighbour letting me know about the fakes to look out for. Thanks for the heads up buddy. I might stick with Antex instead unless you throw the spare fake over the fence instead mate! 🤗

I guess I am kinda lucky that there is a store near where I live called Fry's Electronics and got that unit with a coupon.

I notice the fake was labeled 220V not 240 like the original

How much was the fake and the real Hakko ??

Yes its real that some irons are fake!, But I have a JBC station right on my table and it works great.. just bought from amazon

Thank you for the piece of mind I just got :)

I'm like oh noo. fortunately it checked out, whew!

Wow, that’s pretty good knock off. I have the real one. What was the price difference and does it work well, or didn’t you try it out.

Thanks for your comparison, I was about to buy this unit two times and both of them were fake.

The power cord is completely different, cheap thin one on the fake, It would be interesting to open them up and see internal differences.

The C-Tick mark is actually an RCM mark, the replacement for the C-Tick, but much the same purpose. I think it also replaced the A-Tick.

Thanks for that, just bought one and made sure it was genuine. Very nice unit.

That is an impressive fake, well spotted.

Just got one off Amazon... Ripping it apart tonight to check.

Perhaps Hakko should lower its price. Obviously if the counterfeit is so much cheaper and performing just as well, Hakko has been making too much profit.

Hi, thanks for this video, it appears that I have the true version, not a fake, but my display keeps blinking H-E . Do you know why? Thank you very much.

I have a fake one from China. My cousin gave it to me as a present, when I was there. What do you think about the combination: fake station with original soldier iron? that could work well, right?

What web site did you get the cake from

Does it work the same or different