The "cheap crap" 858D+ design seems really good to me. Yes, they're almost all (all?) made of Chinesium and a fire hazard. HOWEVER... What would happen if someone built an 858D clone with real, brand-name, parts? With real firmware, all the safety sensing and such. I think it's a really good clever design that only lacks some polish. Something in the $100US range.
I own the Weller. I own the Quick. I own several 858 clones. I compare them all. The 858 in terms of price versus performance is king! This design is elegant and price effective. They just need to use better quality parts and firmware. Then it would beat the best.
Yes, the Weller and Quick are faster in absolute terms but they're using actual 700+W/1000W elements whereas the Chinese parts are using 500W/600W parts probably due to safety design concerns. All things being equal I think the 858 design would destroy everything else.
Am I missing something?