In this case of soldering I agree, as the tool really does make it easier. Generally for most hobbies I tell people to buy the "cheapest" they can find and if they use it until it breaks then buy the most expensive one you can afford.
I think this might work for some subset of hobbies (can't think of any), but anything that requires some learning or training to improve, crappy tools will hold your progress back and might cause you to drop out. From ping pong balls to guitars...
For working on cars, the standard advice is to buy a basic wrench and socket set from harbour freight, any specialty (non electrical) tools from there as you need them, and then upgrade the few things that end up not being adequate.
It's kind of interesting how handling this well varies from hobby to hobby and is tricky to balance from person to person. There's the argument that you don't want to spend too much until you get a feel for how interested you are but there's also the effect of quality of tools on enjoyment/annoyance/learning curve that has a big effect on interest a lot of the time. I guess, you're always just gonna wanna google around to get a better idea, but sometimes there's not great googleable info.
this is fantastic advice for creative outlets, cottage crafts, and low-impact outdoor activities. but it's dangerous in hobbies like soldering or sports, where tools can seriously impact the safety of the operator, or render the operator's work dysfunctional