Desoldering pump

A desoldering pump is a small handheld tool used in electronics repair. It looks like a large syringe with a plunger on one end and a narrow nozzle on the other. The main job of this tool is to remove melted solder, which is the shiny metal that holds electronic parts in place on a circuit board. It works by creating suction—when you press the plunger down and release it, it pulls the liquid solder up and away from the component you're trying to remove or fix.

People use desoldering pumps when they need to take apart or replace electronic parts without damaging the circuit board. For example, if a button on a remote control stops working, the old button might need to be taken off so a new one can be put in its place. Since solder acts like a strong glue, simply pulling the part off could break the board or the part itself. The desoldering pump safely sucks away the melted solder, freeing the part so it can be lifted away easily. It’s a simple, affordable way to undo soldering mistakes or salvage useful components from old devices.

You might see a desoldering pump used when fixing common household gadgets. Imagine an old video game controller where one of the buttons isn’t responding. A repair person would heat the solder joints holding that button in place with a soldering iron, then use the desoldering pump to quickly suck the molten solder away. Once the solder is gone, the faulty button can be lifted off and replaced. The same tool could help someone rescue a working USB port from a broken laptop or remove a damaged speaker from a radio. It’s especially handy for hobbyists who enjoy building or repairing electronics at home.