The 8 Best Heat Gun For The Money - Reviews 2022
I hope you are not in the dark. It wouldn't surprise you that most DIY persons don't know much about heat guns. This 6000+ words review opens light to these persons about the best heat guns.
Why do I say this? Until recently, I was in LA, and friend of mine was struggling to get rid of old bumper stickers on his car. I asked him, for how long have you been doing this? Well, the answer wouldn't surprise you. For a very long time.
Comparison Table
Image | Name | Watt | Capacity | Weight | Dimension | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 1200 | 4100 BTU | 1.3 Lbs | 9.1 x 8.7 x 2.8 inches | ||
 | 1500 | 11000 RPM | 1 Lbs | 11.5 x 4.1 x 10.6 inches | ||
 | 1350 | 4600 BTU | 1.7 Lbs | 9.4 x 3 x 9.6 inches | ||
 | 1550 | 1100 Deg. F | 7 Lbs | 17.3 x 4.8 x 14.1 inches |
But to make my friend's work easier and other DIY persons, I decide to create a kick-buster heat gun review that answers all the question. If you are wondering what I told my friend. It told him to buy a heat gun. It will save his time, energy and most of all it will not make his job difficult.
8 Best Heat Gun 2022 Reviews
1. Wagner 0503008 HT 1000 1,200-Watt - Best Heat Gun for Paint Removal
This Wagner Heat Gun is capable of sending 1000 degrees Fahrenheit of hot air. That is enough for removing paint, loosening floor tiles, thawing from pipes and busting rusted bolts.
It is so light that you can operate with one hand with minimal effort. The Wagner 0503008 is ideal for DIYers, homeowners, handyman and part-time contractors. It comes with two temperature settings for defrosting freezers or loosening rusted bolts.
You can use the Wagner 0503008 to perform the following tasks: making candle, melting plastic, automotive vinyl wrap. The list is endless.
Check More Photos & Price at: amazon.com
Features:
- Portable and light, weighs 1.9 pounds.
- Comes with a hanging hook for safe storage.
- With 1200- watt you get lots of hot air that can pretty burn anything.
- Designed to withstand corrosion-resistant nozzle
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is the cord?
Its cord is short. I think it is 3 feet long. For that reason, you will need to buy an extension cord for it.
Does it need a battery?
No. This a 120 volt heat gun that you can plug it into any electric outlet.
Does Wagner 0503008 melt crayons?
Yes. This is a general purpose heat gun and it can pretty melt anything.
What I like
At a low setting the heat gun produces the perfect amount of heat for shrink wrap. The good thing is that it takes 10 seconds to heat up on a l0w setting.
Cons
Lack a cool down setting where the fan blows without heating the coil. I wish the company would have made a long cord. But you can buy an extension cord to solve this problem.
2. Porter Cable 1500HG N00 Watt - Best Heat Gun For Phone Repair
The porter cable PC 1500HG heat gun holds up well on its function. It is a high quality heat gun with adjustable temperature dial.
Comes ready made with a flat back which acts as a stand so that you can position the gun with the hot end pointing up.
This prevents you from burning the table you are working on. It also has a thick flexible well-made cord and a sturdy plug part.
With this heat gun you will have the ergonomics and in-hand feel. Comfortable heat gun, if you are going to work for extended hours.
Check More Photos and Price at: amazon.com
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the temperature ranges?
It has two temperature settings. Low fan speed (120 to 900 degrees). High speed, fan speed(130 to 1100 degrees)
Does it produce noisy?
Yes. It produces low noise unlike the hair dryers.
Which extension cord should I buy that can work with this heat gun?
You may need a heavy duty cord that will draw much power. Am talking of something with 14 or 12 gauge that is 50 feet or longer, but not 100 feet long.
Features:
- Comes with a temperature control dial
- 6-feet thick, high grade cord.
- Features a 1500 watt motor and dual fan speed selector.
This is a well-built heat gun-everything from temperature control dial to the nozzle and durable power cord. You will never throw your investment with this heat gun.
3. Black And Decker HG 1300 Dual Temperature - Best Heat Gun For Cosplay
This is a heat gun that is of capable of removing 8 layers of paint that are 10 years old. It melts and bubbles them in a second. Areas that you can use this heat gun are: plastic manipulation, surface mounts soldering, reflowing and eva foam.
That is my experience with Black and Decker HG 1300. It makes a job that would take days and months done in a few minutes and seconds. The one thing that I love with this heat gun is that at a low setting you have more than enough heat to do most the work.
Bottom line: This is a quality heat gun offered to you at a competitive price. For your convenience and needs, the heat gun has two different heat modes.
Check More Photos and Price at: amazon.com
Features:
- Two temperature settings(750 degrees and 1000 degrees)
- Well-constructed stand for easy cool down
- Lightweight designs for easy handling with one hand
- Capable of stripping paint, loosening rusted bolts and other heat gun applications.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this heat gun capable of re-soldering electronic components?
Yes it can but one problem. You could be heating a large area because of the temperature setting. I will advise you to use the soldering heat gun.
Does it work well with heat shrink?
Yes. For you to do this, you have to work on low setting.
4. DEWALT D26960K With LCD Display - Best Heavy Duty Heat Gun
This DEWALT D26960K variable temperature heat gun allows you to control the heat suit your needs. With this heat gun you get a wider range of heat intensities that most standard heat gun in the market.
Unlike other heat gun on the market, the Dewalt Company provides you with hard case and lots of accessories.
All those goodies that the Dewalt Company provides means that your investment is protected and you have lots of accessories for your heating needs.
Looking at other heat guns on the market, you will notice that they have a shorter cord.
Check More Photos and Price at: amazon.com
Features:
- Comes with an LCD display that makes it possible for you to adjust and monitor the temperature.
- Hanging ring that makes the storage of the heat gun easier.
- Kickstand support designed to make the heat gun stand upright without burning the surface you are working on.
- Powerful cord protector that makes it stay longer without tear and wear
>> Check Out More Features and Details Of This Product <<
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the maximum temperature for this gun?
The maximum temperature for DEWALT D26960K is 1,100 degrees when you set it at 17.7 CFM(high setting) and 750 degree when you set it at 8.5 CFM(low setting).
Will I get all those accessories?
Yes. But once you make the purchase.
Does it have an automatic cool down?
No. You have to turn the switch to low setting, then you give it some time to cool.
The DEWALT D26960K comes with a nice long power cord. That means you save more and you don't have to buy an extension cord.
5. 8975-6 11.6 Amp 570/1000-Degree - Best Heat Gun For Electronics
This is well designed heat gun that makes the DIYers job easier than it is supposed to be. On the quality side, brace yourself, because this heat gun is sturdy enough to last forever.
With a heat gun, you will have a nice flow of hot air that would do any job that you have with ease.
The Milwaukee 8975-6 11.6 AMP heat gun handles stay cool. Its nozzle cools down within a short period of time when turned off. It also comes with a wire flip-up stand for standing the heat gun up at the end, if you need both hands for holding an object.
Check More Photos and Price at: amazon.com
Features:
- Easy to operate.
- Cool handles and heat shields
- Durable and long lasting
- Features a dual temperature 570 and 1000 degrees F, 11.6 am motor.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to heat up?
It takes around 20 to 30 second to heat up
Can I use it for soldering and electronic reflow?
It depends with the area that you want you want to heat or you what you want to reflow. The problem with a heat gun is it is a non-focus heat source. To achieve good results, you may need a soldering gun because it is a more concentrated heat source.
6. NTE HG-300D-VP - Best Mini Heat Gun
Want to have more fun and joy when heat shrinking? Then you can't go wrong with this NTE HG-300D Mini heat gun. It heats up in a second and makes you do most of your shrinking on level one mode. Just to inform you, this Mini heat gun has two heat modes for your convenience.
The "hot and hotter.” Comes with a built-in metal stand that allows temporary placement in between the heat gun and prevents it from tipping over.
Check More Photos and Price at: amazon.com
Features:
- 2 speed setting that features quiet operation
- Lightweight enough for you to operate it with a single hand.
- Features a self-support stand.
If you are DIY person that deal with mostly wires, you will enjoy using this mini heat gun, because it was made for that purpose. You would be impressed by how quiet the heat gun is. You can talk with the person and still not hear any noise from the heat gun.
>> Check Out More Features and Details Of This Product <<
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the measurement of the cord?
It is a 6-foot long cord.
Does it produce noise?
Produces low noise
How much voltage does the NTE HG-3000 Mini Heat Gun need?
120v, 60hz and 350 watts
What I like
It has a thick, well-made cord. That length and makes it easier for you to wrap it around so that you can store it
Cons
The heat gun tilts to the sides. Also, there is a weird strong smell on the first few uses.
7. DEWALT D26950 - Best Heat Gun For Crafts
An incredible heat gun that is able to do most work at 1200 degree F and get super-hot quickly. On the operational side, it has an adjustable temperature that enables you to do most the work on low setting without taking too much power.
A 10-foot super thick cord that is long, bendable and durable. For that reason, you will not need an extension cord. With the purchase, you will also get different head attachments for concentrated heat.
The well-designed hand grip makes it easy to handle and operate the heat gun with one hand. In short the heat gun feels good on the hand, you won't struggle with it.
Check More Photos and Price at: amazon.com
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the diameter of the heat nozzle?
Has a narrow outer end when the nozzle is attached. The diameter is roughly 15/16 inches.
Does it come with extra nozzles?
Yes
What Watts does the Dewalt Heat Gun have?
According to the specification, it is 1550w
What I like
The cord has a hanging loop, an extensible feet on each side that makes laying on the heat gun on the upright position earlier
Cons
I wish the temperature control knob was calibrated
8. Master Appliance HG-75IB 750-1000 Degree - Best 120v Heat Gun
This is a heavy duty heat gun that not only heats quickly but also produces less noise. It is capable of stripping paint fast.
Comes with a nice removable stand that is sturdy enough to prevent the heat gun from tipping over. The master appliance HG-75IB heat gun has a long cord.
On the sides of the heat gun, you will see a black knob. When you rotate it, the slots of the chrome open or close easily to allow more or less hot air to flow.
Check More Photos and Price at: amazon.com
Features:
- High power and temperature settings.
- Powerful high speed universal motor
- It is listed by the UL and CUL listed.
- Perfect for shrinking tubing and packaging, bend plastics, dry and heat parts, strip paint and defrost frozen.
- High air flow rating: 23 CFM at 3000 FPM
Frequently Asked Questions
How does it operate?
It has a fan only mode. Has 3 switch positions, the off, the cold and the hot. It has a mechanical adjustment for temperature regulation which operates by limiting the amount of air flowing through the heating element.
Cons
The heat gun is heavy, especially when you work on vertical surfaces. It doesn't have dual temperature like the rest of the heat gun.
How To Choose Best Heat Guns
This short buying guide will help you narrow down your choice of the kind of heat you will need. If you have read most reviews, it may look like a specialist tool that only requires profession to use it. Hey, it is not. Now here is what you need to look for in a heat gun.
Temperature Settings
First, you need to know what kind of work or project you want to handle. For that reason different heat gun will come with different temperature level. The more expensive heat guns will have lots of settings. But for normal regular work such as paint stripping, you will need a heat gun that has two or dual temperature setting.
The more sophisticated heat guns which are ultra-expensive are best used by profession or in the industry. This kind of heat gun tends to have an LED temperature indicator for precision control.
Note on The Usage
As a DIY person, you need to use the heat gun at the right temperature. If the temperature is too low, then you won't be able to do most of your work. The required temperature to get most of the work done is 750 degrees. If the temperature is too high, you may burn or melt the object you are working on.
Nozzle Options
There is the standard wide mouth nozzle for general use. But we have different options depending on the project that you are working on.
How Heat Gun Works
There is no huge difference between a heat gun and hair dryer. They all work the same way, there is only a little difference. Now the only thing that you don't need to try is using the heat gun to dry your hair. So here is how they work.
Inside the heat gun there are two things. A heating element and a fan. When you put the heat gun on, the fan start rotating. And as a result air from the fan is directed to a heating element. Then the stream of hot air passes through the nozzle onto the body of the tool. When you increase the temperature, you are adjusting the temperature of the heating element.
For example, when it comes to stripping paint, the heated air is directed onto the surface. And what the hot air does is to soften the surface so that you can strip easily with a knife or a hook. That is how it works.
Types of Heat Guns
Before choosing the best heat guns, you need to know the different types that they come with. These types are meant to serves specific uses both at home and in different industries. Large industrial work will need a different heat gun. The same applies to little household work.
- Electric Hot Air Heat Gun: Most people are acquainted with this type of heat guns. They have an electric cord where you can plug it into any standard outlet. They are of categories; we have the cordless type and the one with a cord. Their temperature levels run from moderate to high level. They are used for household, craft and industrial needs.
- Gas Powered Heat Gun: This is another type of heat gun. The only difference that it has with an electric hot air heat gun is in the fuel option. The gas powered heat gun use fuel cell, butane cartridge and tank. Most come with an electric ignition that you can use to start the heat gun.
- Infrared Heat Gun: In simple layman term, this is a heat gun that is designed to emit infrared heat instead of hot air. It is a perfect for those that want to avoid the risk of inhaling toxic fumes. The other benefit of infrared heat gun is that they are cheaper compared to gas powered heat gun and electric hot air heat gun. For that reason, they are meant for small project. Their temperature level starts from 400 to 600 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Industrial Heat Gun: Big manufacturing, production and processing industry use this type of heat gun to do heavy duty work. The heat guns are large, powerful and more expensive. Their main source of fuel is electricity and gas. If you are involved in heavy duty construction work, you are better off using an industrial heat gun.
Purpose of Heat Gun
In this heat gun review, you have seen the different models. Now is the time to learn the purpose of a heat gun. The things that you can do with a heat gun are many. I will just name a few. But am sure there are 20 plus things this handy little can do.
- Shrink Wrapping: You can use a heat gun to shrink wrap, papers, plastics and anything else.
- Paint Stripping: If you have an old painting that is taking you ages to remove. Instead of you using paint solvent and other chemical reactants, you can use a heat gun to get rid of the paint.
- Soften Adhesives: Am sure you have a fridge at home, where you stick all those bumper stickers. You don't need to make your fridge ugly by manually getting the stickers out. All you need is a heat gun to soften the bumper sticker.
- Thaw Frozen Pipes: Winter times are hard time, especially if you are going to deal with frozen pipes that are blocking the water. Instead of calling a contractor to do this for you, with a few dollars, you can have a heat gun that can defrost the pipes. But you must be careful so that you don't apply much heat, because they can make the pipes burst.
- Desoldering: You can use it to solder electronic equipment.
Heat Gun Safety Tips
The last thing in your mind is injuring yourself with a heat gun. Because of their capability to send out a mass stream of hot air at 1,100 degrees, safety precaution needs to be adhered to during work. Here are the safety tips.
Wear the right gear
Before you soak yourself into any operation, you need to have the right gear at work. Some of the things you will need are gloves, respiratory mask and goggles to protect your eyes. You need to avoid loose clothing. Loose clothes do catch fire quickly If you have a sleeveless shirt, make sure that it is buttoned. Ladies need to pull back their hair or wear a proper hat that can hide their hair.
Location
Jobs that require the service of heat gun need to be done outside. Because you won't be inhaling fumes. Otherwise, if you are going to do it indoors, you need to make sure that it is a ventilated area. And also, you need to have a mask
General do's and don’ts
- Turn it off before you place it down.
- Make sure that it cool before storing
- It should never be used near inflammable material
- Never insert anything on the nozzle when it the heat gun is working.
- Never use it to strip lead paint.
Read the instructional manual properly
The heat gun will come with instruction on how to use it. Those alone are enough keeping you away from danger. The instruction manual will usually have some additional safety tips For example, when working with a heat gun, children must not be in the vicinity.
The other safety tips in the manual, is that you must never direct the heat gun on the object for too long. If you are not careful, you might damage the object. There is a proper angle that you must hold the heat gun so that you achieve the best result when you are heating the object.
How To Use A Heat Gun
How to use a heat gun? I get this question all the time. So in this section, I will make it simple for you to understand.
To defrost frozen objects.
During winter it is common for indoor pipes and other things to be frozen such that using becomes difficult. This is common with pipes. All you need is to use a heat gun to melt the ice that causes the blockage.
To repair objects.
You use a heat gun to repair plastic components. For instant, you can use it to make parts join together. You can also use it to mold and weld parts of any components not just plastic alone.
To soften things.
True, you can use it to soften things. For example, when candle wax drops on a hard surface it hardens quickly. Well, you may take a screw and remove it, but it will take you time and you may as well end up damaging the surface. So what is the alternative, a heat gun? It will melt the wax and then you get it out quick. You save time, energy and best of all, you don't damage the surface.
To strip.
If you are a DIY person, am sure you handle lots of painting and decorating project and tools like air compressor for painting and other DIY tools. You also know how important it is to rectify the surface for a new application. Well, with a heat gun you job becomes easier, all that is needed is to heat the area, and use a heat resistant tool to get rid of old layers of painting. After that, apply the new paint. For wallpapers, the same applies.
To Bend Objects
There are lots of tools for this, you can find in any hardware. But here is the reality; they take lots of time and energy. Apart from that you are still not sure if that object will bend correctly.
Heat gun makes this job easier, you need to direct the heat, then you bend the object slowly to the design that you want. Best used if you want to bend PVC pipes and any other pipes.
How To Use A Heat Gun For Soldering
Much care needs to be taken when soldering components using a heat gun. Because a heat gun doesn't produce concentrated heat like soldering guns. So before you get down to business, make sure that you have the right gear. By that I mean a protective glass, gloves and tweezers or a heat-resistant tool. For this operation, all the components on the boards needs to be held down. Why this? Because a heat gun emits lots of air that can damage the components.
When you want to add a single component on the board, you need to place a solder paste on the component. After that, you need to direct the heat onto the paste while holding the components with tweezers. You do that until it becomes shiny. To achieve the best result, it will take you a minute and then you can leave it to cool for 10 minutes.
Caution: There are solder pastes that contain lead and when used with a heat gun, they can produce toxic fumes. That is why for an operation like this, it is best done outside with protective mask.
What Is A Heat Gun For Crafts?
Like I said, what you do with a heat gun is limitless. Someone asked what is a heat gun for crafts? The question wasn't clear, but what I got is that what is the use of a heat gun in crafting?
To decorate candles.
With the use of a heat gun, you can the most beautiful candles. All you need is a little bit of creativity to put this to test. I will make this brief. There are several things that you need for this take place like, napkin design, a cover image and so on. But what I have seen so far is that you run the glue on the candle surface. Then you stick the napkin design. Finally, you take the heat gun and heat across, until the candle wax seeps to the surface of the cover design.
To style a silverware.
If you have new or old silverwares that need an extra touch of style, a heat gun will help. You begin by drilling a hole onto the silverware handle. Then, you take a heat gun and heat the handle middle for one minute. After that you can bend the silverware to any shape that you want.
How Hot Is A Heat Gun?
A heat gun is not that hot, but that doesn't mean that it can't burn you. The only difference between hot air from heat gun and real flame. Is that the flames from a heat gun is instantaneous, that means it can be turned off through a switch. It is a flawless flame that can burn anything when directed to an object for a longer time. Most heat guns have a minimum temperature of 120 degree Fahrenheit and a maximum temperature of 1,100 degrees.
At a temperature of 1,100 degrees the heat gun is super-hot and can cause a fire. But with a minimum temperature, which is not that hot, you can get most of the work done. How do you know if you are using too much heat? If you have placed your hand on the object, you will always feel the heat through your hand. If the warmth makes you feel uncomfortable, then you are using too much heat on the object
Final Verdicts
I know how long the best heat gun reviews is. But my hope was to address and answer everything that the first time buyer will have concerning heat guns. I wrote it for the love of the DIY persons. I will agree that it is not an important tool at home, but time and again you will bump into works or project that need a heat gun. I hope you enjoy this long review.
About The Author
David Hanley
Chief Editor
I am a contractor. I love my job to the moon and back. I like to try new tools that can ease my work and satisfy my clients. I am not a blogger, am a DIY person who wants to help my fellow friends.
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