To make the right choice of heat guns, you should bear in mind the nature of the tasks you want it to perform, the power it’ll consume and the cord length. If you’ll be using it for a variety of purposes, choosing one with a variable temperature option would be a good idea. Also bear in mind options that allow you to conveniently store the gun after use.
Heat Gun Frequently Asked Questions…
Question: Is it true that a heat gun has several applications and can be used anywhere?
Answer: Sure! So long as you have a power source.
Question: Can I use a heat gun to heat my morning coffee?
Answer: Are you going to be heating the coffee in your mouth or in a kettle? Don't you think a coffee maker or an electric kettle will be less dramatic and maybe more effective for that?
Question: Can I use a heat gun to bake?
Answer: Interesting question. Please, go ahead and give it a try. Do not fail to come back with your findings.
Question: On cold days, I find it difficult to use the bathroom because the ceramic seat is so cold, making it very uncomfortable to sit on. Can I use a heat gun to warm it up a bit?
Answer: Now that you mention it, it does indeed sound like a good idea. "Note to self - Try this at home later".
Question: Can I use a heat gun to kill houseflies? Sometimes they just gather in clusters, constituting a nuisance. I feel like a good blast of hot air should be able to kill or disperse them.
Answer: Get a fly swatter!
Though the above Q&A session is obviously fictitious, heat is an important element that everyone needs at home, and hence, the uses of a heat gun as a work tool is only limited by your imagination. It’s as versatile as your
ratchet set or
hammer.
There are many uses for a heat gun from shrink-wrapping to drying paints, melting wax and others you will surely come up with on your own. To give a very common example; after painting a piece of furniture or a section of your house using your
paint sprayer, a heat gun can help you dry this quickly. Like we noted earlier, there is so much a heat gun can be used for at home and at work.
In this guide, we will show you how to find the best heat gun for your exact needs. We will look at factors you need to consider and how these can affect your use of a heat gun.
Price
One of the factors to be considered when purchasing a heat gun is its price. From our research, we found that you can get a good heat gun for from between $20 and $65. Of course, there are some that cost more than this. It all depends on the features they possess.
Factors that can affect the price of a heat gun include the size of the heat gun, its power rating, its build and other features. A 500-watt heat gun is surely not likely to cost the same as a 1000-watt one. It is important that you choose a heat gun that will serve you well. To this end, we will advise that you to avoid cheap heat guns if you want something you can always rely on.
Features
Choosing a heat gun that will be right for your needs requires that you take some time to consider features of a heat gun and how they will impact your use of it. Once you are able to consider these features, you will be able to decide which features are important to you and then watch out for heat guns with those exact features. Some important features to consider include:
- Type
- Size
- Nozzle
- Temperature
- Temperature Control
- Fan Control
- Stand
- Digital Readout
Read on to learn more about each feature and how these will influence you purchase of a heat gun.
Construction and Design
There are four major types of heat guns and expectedly, they all have unique features that differentiate them.
- Electric Hot Air Heat Gun - Can be corded or cordless. It is the most common type of heat gun and is available in different sizes and power ratings.
- Gas-Powered Heat Gun - As the name suggests, it’s powered by gas. For this type of heat gun, the level of heat it can generate is directly proportional to its size.
- Infrared Heat Gun - This does not emit hot air but rather produces heat via infrared. They don’t get as hot as other heat guns, but they also do not produce toxic fumes when they melt dangerous materials.
- Industrial Heat Gun - These are generally bigger and more powerful than the other heat guns. They can be gas or electric-powered and are best for large scale projects.
That’s not all you need to consider, though, when it comes to heat guns.
Heat guns come in various sizes and these sizes are often indicative of their capabilities. Understandably, the large heat guns will be less portable and so will be harder to use in certain situations and space conditions. Smaller sized heat guns are usually preferable for home use and small scale repairs, while large heat guns are used industrially.
The nozzle is the portion of the heat gun through which the heat is let out. There are four main types of nozzles. These include fishtail nozzles, which are best for wide heat dispersal; cone nozzles, which focus the heat on specific points; glass protectors, which are useful for shielding heat from reaching unwanted areas; and spoon nozzles, which focus heat on a small area. Heat guns can have one of these nozzles or they can come with a couple of them and other accessories.
Performance and Ease of Use
In making a decision on which heat gun to choose, it is important to consider how much heat it can emit in relation to your needs and the type of tasks you plan to use it for. Heat guns can emit temperatures as high as 1400 degrees Fahrenheit, but such a one will rarely be necessary out of an industrial setting. It is however very important to make sure that a heat gun is powerful enough for your use before purchasing it.
It is important for a heat gun to be able to produce heat at more than one heat setting. This will make it more versatile and more applicable to a number of tasks. Most guns have more than one heat setting. This can simply be two heat settings or a variable heat setting. The variable heat setting is generally better as it means that the user can adjust the heat with more precision.
Most heat guns have a fan within that blows the heat being produced out of the gun itself. This fan determines how quickly the heat reaches its target. For more versatility in its usage, heat guns can sometimes have adjustable fan speeds. This will allow you decide how quickly heat is dispersed to meet your specific need at the time.
While in use, the heat gun will get a little hot. It is therefore a good idea to set it down to cool before storing it. This will ensure the safety of other items and help avoid any damage to the heat gun itself. In order to make this easier, some heat guns include stands where they can be placed to cool after use.
A digital readout is a very convenient feature in a heat gun. This will allow you see such information as the heat being emitted, the fan speed, the temperature of the gun itself and more. This is however a feature you won’t find in all heat guns and so if you want this, you must ensure the heat gun you choose has this feature.
You’ve read the review to the end—that’s great! We hope you’re better informed about choosing the best heat gun for your needs; if that’s the case, go on and place that order right away.
