I use an Aoyue 968 3 in one station has been very reliable and they are reasonably priced .
I think I bought it from this uk company
http://www.pcb-soldering.co.uk/index.phpI use chip quik to remove smd components if there is a risk of heat damage to near by components or blowing small smd's off at the same time.
you can order a free sample at the bottom of this link if you want to try it out
http://www.chipquik.com/Bazaa
i know this thread is pretty old but the 968 is a really good machine for the price. i used one for 360 consoles for a long time. just upgraded to an achi ir machine and sold the 968.