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With a heat gun in your toolbox, you’ll be able to melt plastic, loosen rusted nails, and strip paint with ease.
While perhaps not a must-have in your toolbox, a heat gun is certainly handy for certain tasks. When it comes to stripping paint, removing rusted bolts, and shrinking vinyl, a heat gun will get the job done faster and with less effort thanks to its high temperature. Most are also relatively inexpensive; you can get a basic corded model from reputable brand for about $30.
Heat guns actually operate very similarly to a hair dryer, using a fan that blows air over a heated filament. The difference, however, is that heat guns can hit 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit, making them ideal for large home improvement tasks. They’re also frequently used in crafting, for things like setting resin or shrink wraps (and can be confused with hot glue guns).
There are corded, cordless, and gas-powered heat guns, sold solo and with attachments in sets, though finding a high-quality option among a sea of mediocre ones isn't always straightforward. Here are our top recommendations for the best heat guns on the market.
Looking for more tools for small DIY projects? Check out our stories on the best hand saws, brad nailers, and electric scissors.
The first thing to think about when purchasing a heat gun is its power source. Heat guns often have a power cord that can be plugged into a standard outlet, but if you’re planning to use the tool somewhere that outlets aren’t available, you may want to opt for a cordless, battery-powered model. (Keep in mind that cordless models have a limited runtime before they need to be recharged.) Alternatively, there are select gas-powered heat guns, which typically run on butane.
You’ll also want to consider the heat gun's temperature range, which can go as high as 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit. Applications like paint stripping require extremely high temperatures, but if you’re just planning to craft with the tool, you might be fine with a model that only reaches 200 or 300 degrees Fahrenheit Additionally, some models allow you to select a specific temperature, while others just offer high and low settings. Other factors to think about include whether the heat gun has different fan speeds and whether it comes with any attachments.
To find the best heat guns for a wide range of applications, we looked at models from a variety of brands. We prioritized products with at least a 4-star rating from reviewers and evaluated each model for its temperature range, ease of use, and useful features, like a built-in stand or included attachments. Once we narrowed down our selection, we sorted products into categories based on their ideal use case, aiming to include a variety of heat guns to suit different applications and budgets.
This well-designed heat gun is ideal for a variety of uses, and it’s hard to beat its low price. It has two fan speeds, as well as a variable temperature control dial, and its temperature can be set to an extremely wide range—between 120 and 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit.
The heat gun weighs only 2 pounds and comes with several attachments, including two concentrator nozzles, a deflector nozzle, and a reflector nozzle. Its handle has an ergonomic design that makes it easy to operate for long periods of time, and it heats up quickly, letting you get right to work. The main downside is the length of its power cord, which is shorter than most at 5 feet.
For small-scale applications, the Homidic Heat Gun is a budget-friendly choice. This miniature heat gun only heats up to around 200 degrees Fahrenheit, but it’s still useful for heating things like shrink film, embossing powder, and resin for craft projects.
The compact design has a nonslip grip for safety, and there’s a built-in stand that flips down to keep the hot nozzle off your work surface. The gun has a 6.5-foot power cord, allowing you to work further from an outlet, and air vents on the back of the device keep it from overheating. However, the brand recommends only using this heat gun for 10 minutes at a time.
Some heat guns only give you two temperatures to choose from, but with this model from Diafield, you can adjust the temperature dial to achieve the exact temperature you need. It ranges from as low as 122 degrees Fahrenheit all the way up to 1,202 degrees Fahrenheit, and it also offers two fan speeds to suit various tasks.
This heat gun warms up quickly and can be used in just a few seconds, and if you need to put it down during use, it can be rested on its back to protect your work surface. The tool comes with four different nozzle attachments, and the brand says the product typically lasts for around 800 hours of use.
If you’re working in a location where there’s no outlet nearby, the DeWalt Cordless Heat Gun is the way to go. It’s powered by the brand’s 20-volt rechargeable batteries, and it can run for up to 42 minutes per charge.
The heat gun has a high/low temperature switch, and it’s able to reach temperatures of up to 990 degrees Fahrenheit. There's also a lock-on button for hands-free operation, and an LED light on the base helps you to see the item you’re working on.
The tool comes with a flat nozzle and hook nozzle attachment, as well as a battery and charger, and it’s ideal for those who already own DeWalt battery-powered tools.
This heat gun from Makita has a LCD screen that allows you to adjust its temperature in 50-degree increments for more precise heat output control. The high-end heat gun has a wide temperature range of 122 to 1,202 degrees Fahrenheit, and it has three air flow settings—high, low, and cooling.
Other highlights include an ergonomic, rubberized handle that’s comfortable to hold, as well as an integrated rear stand that lets you prop it up on its back. The power cord for the device is over 6.5 feet long, and there’s even a built-in tether notch (though, the tether itself is sold separately).
The Chandler Mini Heat Gun is ideal for craft applications—it has a compact design that’s easy to store, and it has two temperature settings for different tasks. On the low setting, it reaches around 392 degrees Fahrenheit, while the high setting gets up to 572 degrees Fahrenheit.
The heat gun also features an insulated body and clear nozzle to protect your hands during use. It's available in two colors, and there’s even a metal kickstand that allows you to rest it on the table between tasks. The short 5-foot-long power cord may be a drawback for some.
The unique angled shape of the Wagner Spraytech HT400 Heat Gun makes it a versatile tool to add to your workshop. It can be held in several ways, including a palm or pencil grip, and it also has a retractable stand that lets you operate it hands-free.
The compact heat gun weighs less than 1 pound, and it has two temperature settings—450 or 680 degrees Fahrenheit. The concentrated nozzle is ideal for precise tasks, and the tool is attached to a 6-foot power cord. Cool-touch side bars will keep your fingers safe during operation, but be aware that the unit may smoke a little upon first use.
If you’re looking for a heat gun for high-temperature applications, the Black+Decker model is an affordable option. It has a basic design with just high and low settings, but it delivers a powerful blast of heat at either 750 or 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit.
The lightweight tool is powered by a 1,350-watt motor, and its corded design offers unlimited runtime for those tedious jobs. It features a three-position side handle for a comfortable grip, and when you need to put it down, you can simply flip out the built-in stand and rest it on its back.
The tool is ideal for stripping paint, loosening rusted bolts, and other jobs that require high temperatures, and it’s hard to beat its reasonable price. It also gets an average 4.8 stars from more than 6,000 customer, though it may produce
If you’re working on something small, such as a computer board, this hot air rework station offers three small, precise nozzles that measure 8mm, 5mm, and 3.2mm. The tool has an LED screen that allows you to adjust the temperature, and there’s a cradle on the side to store it when it’s not in use.
You can set this heat to a wide range of temperatures between 212 and 932 degrees Fahrenheit, and there are eight air speed settings to choose from, as well. The gun heats up quickly, reaching its maximum temperature in as little as 5 seconds, and when you put the tool back into its cradle, it automatically starts cooling down.
This 3-in-1 heat gun is powered by butane gas, allowing you to use it anywhere without worrying about power cords or dying batteries. The multi-function tool can be used as a mini torch, flameless heat gun, and soldering iron, and it runs for up to 90 minutes each time you fill the fuel chamber. As a heat gun, the tool is able to reach temperatures as high as 1,022 degrees Fahrenheit, and as a torch, it creates a flame that burns as hot as 2,372 degrees Fahrenheit. Despite achieving these high temperatures, this heat gun is extremely compact and comes with a protective cap for easy storage. It can be used for a wide range of tasks, from soldering wires to toasting creme brulee, and it’s quite affordable, as well.