What's your favorite through-hole desoldering tool?

I've almost totally given up on solder suckers (spring or pumped) in favour of solder braid and flux.

They always seem to block at a crucial moment.

I might use one on a very large and soldery joint.

I was going to post a picture of the electric one (10 year old cheapy from CPC) but whe I found it (gathering dust on top of cupboard in the loo) I noticed that I'd removed most of the vac tube on it a few years ago to do an emergency repair on something more important - so I left it in peace.

I buy the braid on decent sized reels and keep at least three sizes.

MK

I use this:

https://cpc.farnell.com/duratool/d00672/desoldering-station-uk-eu-plug/dp/SD01384

It works pretty well and I've desoldered lots of stuff off prototype boards to reuse.  I think Multicomp Pro do a similar one but way more expensive (and it's probably the same underneath):

https://uk.farnell.com/multicomp-pro/mp740415-uk/desoldering-rework-station-240v/dp/3299957

I only have a couple of solder suckers like the ones pictured for $5. I often forget to arm them before applying the soldering iron. It is quite cumbersome to clean them. When I was young I had a JBC with a suction bulb that I liked better.

Like this one https://www.jbctools.com/0320500-20-de-long-life-tip-product-642.html

I could never work out how the cheap ones with seemingly plastic nozzles actually worked.  By the time you'd melted the solder moved the iron and put the pump in place, it had set again.  I presumed that the iron and the pump had to be in very close proximity but how then not to melt the nozzle??  Clearly I'm missing something, perhaps just technique.

My misadventures desoldering thru hole components is more a death sentence for the circuit board and nearby devices. 

I do what I can with solder wick and make a hack job of adding pigtails if I can for the modifications. 

That's the twin of mine !

MK

These are what I have:

The typical sucker, that I use for parts that have a lot of solder (like metal shielding, transformer pins).

The electrical one with the pear, I bought at a flea market. I rarely use it. It's not hot enough for unleaded. And not that good.

Then there's the Weller vacuum desolderer. It works well.

Most used: the roll of braid. It has flux in it.

I don't use mine that often. It really depends what I am trying to desolder. If it only has two leads then usually pretty easy to work out with just a soldering. If I can clip one of the leads then its super easy. And as you suggest I then clean up the pad/hole with solder braid.

LOL RIP in the loo!

I wish the braid spool was heat resistant perhaps other suppliers are:

That is surprisingly inexpensive! I wonder if I can find a local retailer...

Thanks for the tip!

Some of the cheaper ones aren't very effective at all and as you say you need to get the nozzle in really close. They often have such a powerful spring that makes them jump wildly in use.

The better ones have a much smoother action and much better suction so you can use them further from the soldering iron tip. They also tend to suck the molten solder right up into the body before it solidifies avoiding the tip from blocking. 

Some don't have a safety guard for the plunger, which can cause injury or damage in use.