Glue guns – they’re handy little things, aren’t they?
Whether you’re into crafts or aiming to complete that big DIY project that you’ve been meaning to do for weeks, a good-working hot glue gun may be just the key for getting the job done.
They’re easy to use, less messy, and hot glue dries quicker and stronger than standard glue.
But it’s worth shopping around first before you go investing. After all, you don’t want to purchase your new time-saving tool only to find out the nozzle is too big or it takes forever to heat up.
The last thing you want is to find out you’ve wasted both time and money on a hot glue gun that is just not right for the project you need it for.
Don’t worry – here are five hot glue guns that could be just what you’re looking for.
Best For Accuracy – Gorilla’s Mini Hot Glue Gun Kit
If you’re looking to glue down small bits and pieces, then Gorilla’s Mini Hot Glue Gun Kit is just what you are looking for.
This compact hot glue gun comes with dual temperature control, meaning that you can use the high temperatures to glue down harder materials like plastic and glass, but you are also able to switch to the low temperatures for use on more delicate materials like fabrics.
It’s small size also makes it easy to grip, and is lightweight so that you can use it with just one hand and organise your bits and pieces together easily with the other – so no more praying that they won’t fall over mid-glue.
It also comes with a precision nozzle; the tip of this glue gun is so fine that you can easily glue down small objects like beads in crazy and detailed patterns.
Plus, the lack of drips and leaking means that your project won’t be ruined with little blobs of dried glue here and there.
Pros:
- Great for accurate gluing
- Light and easy to hold
- Suitable for a wide range of materials
Cons:
- Too small for bigger projects
- Glue gun features: Dual temp, precision nozzle, easy squeeze trigger, enhanced safety features, built-in stand, wide base, Do not pull glue sticks from glue gun. If changing glue, feed remainder of glue stick through glue gun.
- Gorilla hot glue sticks: Weather resistant for indoor and outdoor use, safe for both high & low temperature glue guns, 45 second working time, impact tough
- Gorilla Mini Dual Temp Glue Gun uses mini sized glue sticks (. 27" Diameter)
- This set includes: (1) dual temp mini hot glue gun plus (1) 30 count 4" mini hot glue sticks
Best For Convenience – WORKPRO Cordless Hot Glue Gun
Cords are a nightmare.
They tie you down, trap you to a wall, and get all tangled up beneath your feet. What’s worse is that cord can get in the way of trying to angle your gun, and makes it difficult to get into those awkward corners that need attention.
To avoid this, you need a cordless hot glue gun that is easy to maneuver – and that is why we are recommending the WORKPRO Cordless Hot Glue Gun.
Completely cord-free, this allows you to take your hot glue gun anywhere to get the job done.
No more tripping over wires or having to move your project around just to get the nozzle where you need it to – the WORKPRO Cordless Hot Glue Gun allows you to take it wherever you need it to go.
It’s also handy for when you need a job done quickly – this glue gun can quick charge in two hours, can work for up to 110 minutes, and discharges glue faster than the average hot glue gun.
This means you can complete whatever fixes and touches you need to do faster with this glue gun than with any other.
Pros:
- Quick discharge of glue
- Cordless
- Good battery life
Cons:
- Very sensitive trigger
- Please read the product instruction carefully before using, this cordless glue gun is more innovative, which different from ordinary corded glue gun.
- 2 Min Fast Preheating - The glue gun features a fast 2 minutes warm-up time. In addition, the built-in MCH heater is more efficient than the traditional PTC system. A glue storage function in the chamber greatly improves the efficiency of discharging glue.
- Intelligent Safety System - Added smart linkage switch, it will power off automatically after 5 minutes of inactivity to protect the safety of the user and save energy simultaneously. Moreover, the glue gun has battery & heating indicators that you can always know the energy/working status of the glue gun. The surface is made of a flame retardant material to protect the hands from burns.
- Long Standby Time - The hot glue gun is equipped with an upgraded 2600mAh premium lithium-ion battery. Combined with the MCH system and the intelligent power-off system, it can work continuously for up to 25 minutes. It also comes with a quick charger that allows the battery to be fully charged only for 3 hours. Therefore you do not have to worry about long projects and tasks. Note: Please use a 5V/1A charger to charge the cordless hot melt glue gun.
- Fast Discharging of Glue - It discharges glue super fast. The amount of glue discharged by the WORKPRO glue gun in a minute is 0.18oz/5g, compared with 0.07oz/2g for a normal glue gun. In addition, the set comes with extra 20 premium mini hot melt adhesive glue sticks. The mini size is also perfect for DIY, home, office, Crafts, Arts & Home and Quick Repairs, Christmas Decorations/Gifts so on.
Best For Woodwork – Ryobi P305 ONE+ Glue Gun
Repurposing or fixing old wooden furniture means that you will probably need a reliable glue gun that can handle those heavy duty projects – and Ryobi’s P305 ONE+ Glue Gun does just that.
This is not the hot glue gun to give to your kids to stick down their crafts; this glue gun is built to stick furniture together permanently, as it heats up in under a minute and seamlessly moves through glue sticks so you won’t even notice a change in the flow of the glue.
It’s also cordless, so you’re not going to be tied down to a wall with your project just out of reach. Slap on Ryobi’s 18V lithium ion battery, and you’ll be set with up to three and a half hours of glue time.
That’s plenty of time to stick together all of your materials and get your project completed!
Pros:
- Heats up quickly
- Cordless
- Consistent flow
Cons:
- Battery is sold separately
- MAXIMUM CONTROL: The trigger of this glue gun is large enough to support two fingers, giving you full control over the glue stream to suit the needs of the job at hand
- SAFETY INDICATORS: You can tell when the tool is active or not with the useful LED indicator light. This way, you can keep you and your peers from getting burned on the job
- LONG RUN TIME: With a 4 amp hour battery, this tool can run for up to three and a half hours straight without the need of recharging
- COMFORTABLE, ERGONOMIC GRIP: The micro hex texture rubber grips found on other Ryobi products are found on this glue gun as well. With this grip, you can keep a firm hold on the tool and maneuver it with precision, even in slippery conditions
- ONE+ COMPATIBLE: This tool works with Ryobi’s 18V lithium ion and NiCad batteries. Compatible models include, but are not limited to, the P100, P102, P103, P104, P105, P107, and P108
Best Overall – Chandler Tool Hot Glue Gun
In the end, you’re most likely going to want a glue gun that can do it all, but one that is safe and easy to use. For the glue gun that we think does it all quite well, we recommend the Chandler Tool Hot Glue Gun.
This glue gun packs a punch with its sixty watt power, heating the glue up to a high enough temperature to meet all your crafts and DIY needs.
Its production is so high-quality that this glue gun does not drip, meaning your workstation is kept clean and the risk of burns is low. It also features two stands so you can hold his glue gun at a steady angle, whether it’s upright or pointing down.
It pretty much brings everything you need – it’s hot, it’s safe to use, and it gets the job (whatever that may be) done.
The only way to improve this glue gun would be if it was available as cordless, rather than with the five inches long cord that it currently is only available with.
Pros:
- High power to heat up glue quickly
- Two stands provide stability when not held
- Does not drip
Cons:
- Unavailable cordless
- ▶ Stand-Up Base - With a stand built right into the handle, our hot-glue gun is always standing up, ready for action! No more laying down on the job (and no more sticking to the table!)
- ▶ Heavy Duty - 60 watts of power & large-diameter glue sticks to knock out those big construction jobs that 10-20 watt mini craft guns and small-diameter glue sticks simply can’t
- ▶ Drip-Free - In addition to pioneering the stand-up base, Chandler Tool is the leader in no-drip technology. Less Waste. Less Mess. More work!
- ▶ Glue Included - 12 high quality 8” long clear full size (7/16”) glue sticks included. Beware other glue guns with mini (5/16”) or short (4”) low-quality glue sticks!
- ▶ Best quality - Sure, there are super cheap hot glue guns on the market, but you get what you pay for. Ours just might be the last glue gun you ever own
Best For Kids – E.Durable Mini Glue Gun Tool Kit
It’s always great to see kids getting creative, and why don’t you encourage that by giving the kid in question their very own glue gun?
Of course, safety comes first and we don’t want to risk kids seriously harming themselves when they should be having fun. That is why we recommend the E.Durable Mini Glue Gun Tool Kit for your youngsters.
This creative kit comes with a glue gun that is fixed at low temperature, so the risk of burns and injury is much lower than with other glue guns.
The low temperature also makes the E.Durable an ideal glue gun for paper projects like card-making and school project crafts.
It also comes with a silicone nozzle cover to further reduce the risk of burns, and a sturdy stand to keep the gun right and out of harm’s way. As it is built with kids in mind, the inside construction is also designed to prevent overheating and leakage.
Plus, this glue gun comes with colored glue sticks so your kids can get really creative.
But don’t let the low glue temperature fool you – this glue gun can still heat up in under five minutes, and is still versatile enough to be used for all kinds of quick-fixes and decorations.
So if you need to borrow it for some crafts of your own, I’m sure your kids won’t mind you borrowing it – as long as you ask first.
Pros:
- Built and designed for kids
- Great for finer materials like paper
- Comes with multi colored glue sticks
Cons:
- Not suitable for materials that require high temperature glue
- Enjoy DIY Craft - this Mini Glue Gun features better ergonomics design for diy, craft, artificial decoration. The Silicone Nozzle Cover and Low Temperature makes it Safe for people to use it, the compact size is comfortable, the stand keeps the glue gun upright
- Parent-Child Activities Helper - togeter with kids for School Projects and Crafts, Pasting delicate items like fabric, thermocol, foam, paper, Detailed or precise work such as beading, light weight embellishments, ornament detailed work, etc
- EASY and Comfort for Use - PRE-HEATING in 3-5 minutes only. Maintains constant temperature to ensure continuous glue flow when heated. Best for light wood, paper, plastic, fabric and foam materials
- SAFE & ENVIRONMENTAL - the inbuilt protection construction to prevent overheating and a fuse to prevent leakage for guaranteeing a safe use; its heater component is made of Positive Temperature Coefficient electric resistance (PTC); Trigger propulsion device controls glue flow to save glue sticks
- WIDELY APPLICATION - It’s an ideal Kid tool for home, office and school projects including metal, wood, glass, card, fabric, plastic, ceramics and so on. It can be used to stick the toy model, artistic flowers, Card Making, Christmas tree, decorations , the metals products, the wood products, card paper, electronics circuit plant etc,ideal tool for Minor Household Repairs, DIY projects, school projects, etc
Buyer’s Guide
If it’s a strong bond between materials you’re after, then a glue gun is the way to go. The heat allows the glue to stick between the materials as it cools, making it much faster and easier to use than regular glue.
This is what makes it handy to crafters and DIY enthusiasts alike, but the big difference and variety in products comes down to the heat and power of the glue gun.
This is why it is so important for you to decide what you are going to use your glue gun for prior to purchasing.
Watts And Power
When looking for a glue gun that is the right temperature for you, the best way to find out is to look at the wattage of the glue gun. The rule is the higher the wattage, the hotter the gun – and so the hotter the gun, the quicker the glue melts.
Low temperature glue guns are usually available with a wattage between ten and twenty watts, but the higher temperature glue guns can be sold with a wattage as high as one hundred watts.
This high wattage also means your glue stays hotter for longer, shortening the time between use so you aren’t sitting around waiting for your glue gun to heat up again.
You need to decide what you are going to use your glue gun for before you buy it. If you are more into crafts, then a lower wattage would be more preferable for you.
A glue gun with about twenty watts will be fine to use on materials like on paper or fabrics. However, if you see yourself using a glue gun to assemble or fix wooden furniture to reuse them, then a higher wattage glue gun would be advisable.
The higher heat allows for the glue to create a tougher bond between more solid materials, and thus they are less likely to fall apart. But if you see yourself doing both, then it might be worth investing in a glue gun with dual temperature control, allowing you to switch between high and low temperatures to suit your needs.
Cords VS Cordless
A lot of glue guns are available either with a cord, or without one. The benefits of the cordless are easy to see: they’re more maneuverable, easier to carry around, and you don’t have to be worried about cord lengths or tripping hazards.
Having a cordless glue gun also means you can take it outside for any projects in the garden or the garage.
Most cordless glue guns come with a rechargeable lithium ion battery, but some do require they be bought separately and thus come at more of a cost.
Safety Features
It goes without saying that the glue is hot. It’s a hot glue gun – and sometimes they can be a little hard to handle.
A glue gun built without the proper protective design can mean that hot glue can drip from the nozzle, and possibly burn your hand or leave blisters. The handle of the glue gun can also heat up, making it difficult to hold.
Before buying your glue gun, check to see if it comes with a heat-resistant sleeve that covers the tip of the gun. This means that the gun is less likely to drip, saving your poor fingers from some tough times.
A solid stand is also a plus – this means that you can stand the glue gun up between uses rather than laying it down, risking some glue to leak out and onto yourself or your work surface.
Warranty
So you’ve decided to bite the bullet and buy a glue gun. You’ve used it, you love it, but after so long you’ve noticed a few issues.
Even the best of glue guns can sometimes have a little fault – it’s best before making your final purchase to check if your glue gun comes with a warranty. That way, you can ensure that you have the product best for you without losing out.
And with that, you can take your handy new glue gun and glue away to your heart’s content.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I Need A High Temperature Or Low Temperature Glue Gun?
It all depends on what materials you are using. If you are using more fragile materials like paper or fabrics, a low temperature glue gun will be less likely to cause any damage.
A high temperature glue gun is more suitable to bond with harder materials like wood, metals, and plastics. However, some glue guns come with dual temperature controls, giving you the best of both worlds.
What Is The Best Glue Stick?
The best glue stick is one that fits into your glue gun. While most glue guns come with a set of glue sticks, it is best to check the diameter on your glue gun before you purchase any more as different glue guns come with different diameter sizes.
If you are looking for a tough glue that sticks really well, then Gorilla Hot Glue Sticks are probably the best known in the market for their toughness.