The easiest method I have EVER found is to VERY carefully pry off the pin separator and them heat each pin to melt the solder and I usually just bang them against my left leg. The pin is knocked out and usually most of the solder.
I do it this way because that causes the pin and hole to be heated the least amount. If I really need the hole clean, I have an old towel I put on my leg and heat a second time to melt the solder and it will 9 of 10 times completely clean the hole.
The exception being pins soldered to the ground plane even with thermal relief's... are harder to clean. The other method I use is to again remove the pin separator and heat the pin and with a pair of needle nose pliers pull the pin and then use a solder sucker or wick to clean the hole, Either way you don't have the pin heated for more than 3 or 4 seconds for both the pin removal and the subsequent solder removal.
This is compared to as much as 15 seconds to heat both the pin and the solder wick or to re-heat the pin if the solder sucker or wick doesn't work the first time.
Speaking of solder wick I sometimes "make" my own.
A very useful thing to have on the bench is a soldering flux sold by Radio Shack Part# 64-022. It is make by Kester and packaged for Radio Shack. It is a rosin flux in a petroleum jelly base.
Perfect for SMT components (it's purpose, I think) I've used the commercial product from Kester and the Radio Shack product and there is no difference.
Great for "dipping" an SMT part into (With Tweezers) as it is Very messy if you let it get away from you... Dip the part and solder it to one pre-tinned pad then solder the other one.
The shield from RG174 or '316 co-ax is perfect for solder wick on the cheap. Dip a piece of shield braid into the flux and go remove solder. It is also great for solder rework/removal.
I recently bought a 220Vac Hakko soldering iron from Electrodragom. A discontinued 936 to replace my severely aging 926 and it is a great iron. I made the purchase because I had a 110 to 220 V step up transformer in my junk bin and I don''t think it would take much at all to convert it to 120Vac. The iron cost me $50.00, a "New Hakko 888 is $85.00+ and that yellow/purple colored case looks horrible.
I would rather work with the nice black and gold 936 case than the new 888... regardless of the price... it even uses the same parts as (Mostly) the 926/36 (iron and controller)
I am sure I can buy an appropriate transformer for $10-$15.00.
Bosity (Ebay) or Uxwell has 900/26/36 series tips @ $1.00 ea (10 for $9.95 Free Shipping).
They are a great assortment for conventional SMT, Repair and Production.
The kit contains several tips fine enough for MSOP a 'knife blade' for flicking SMT resistors and caps off the board as well as the conical chisel types that are best for production (better heat flow) and they are Identical to the $6 - $7.00 tips sold in the United States.
Doc