The hunt for the perfect heat gun

[tintcracker]

So ive been on this monthly search for the perfect heat gun. Ive tried the basic wagner heat gun, a harbor freight cheapo, and also an ace hardware cheap heat gun. Theyve all lasted me no longer than two months at a time. And regardless of the warranty, mine were all too "abused" to exchange. Finally today i went to lowes and picked up a kobalt digital heat gun for 80 bucks, this gun has a 5 year "hassle free, no questions asked" warranty. Hopefully this is last heat gun i pay for.

As hard as i try to be careful with my tools, theyre bound to get dropped, wet, and used. They sure as heck dont make tools to last anymore so i need a warranty that will.

[vteckid]

I hear a lot of people on here like the Red Milkwakee and the Green makita. They are close to 100$ price.....personally my dad swears by the red milwakee. I like it, also have used the makita, the blower is less intense on the makita, depends what you preffer. Milwakee i believe has the strongest fan.

Alot of guys say the yellow wagner lasts a ling time?? Ive nevee used one.

[tintcracker]

My boss swears by the yellow wagner, but recently his haven't been lasting too long either. Maybe were just rough on ours. I would like to try the millwaukee or makita but haven't been able to find any locally. And I don't buy any hand power tools without being able to hold them and see how they feel. Like the dewalt heat guns, if id of bought one of them online id have returned it immediately, they're balanced funky and barely shrink side windows.

If this kobalt doesn't last, ill return it and try the millwaukee

[vteckid]

My boss swears by the yellow wagner, but recently his haven't been lasting too long either. Maybe were just rough on ours. I would like to try the millwaukee or makita but haven't been able to find any locally. And I don't buy any hand power tools without being able to hold them and see how they feel. Like the dewalt heat guns, if id of bought one of them online id have returned it immediately, they're balanced funky and barely shrink side windows.

If this kobalt doesn't last, ill return it and try the millwaukee

^^^^ this

You cant trust a power tool from a pic/description, as soon as you pick it up youll know if you will like using it daily. I have the same problem, i have to drive 30min to and hour to a good power tool place with different heat guns.

[jh812]

Red Milwaukee here. I mainly like it because it has a place on the back that you can set it on the ground. I think I paid 75 bucks. As long as they make those I will never have another heat gun. Also is pretty lightweight.

[Ryker]

wagner HT1100 for me...$25 at most places.  I use 2 of them at a time and get a year and a half or more out of them. 

 

I run them on low and standing up on end when I am not using them on high or when done with them to let them cool down some.  If you just throw your heat guns around then you should never expect them to last.  Extremely hot and fragile elements that break very easily when impacted....never were meant to stand up to that.

 

If people treated other things the way most tinters treat their heat guns then NOTHING would last any amount of time.

[Rjsi]

Kobalt like this one?  You paid $20 too much.. 

 

http://www.lowes.com/pd_494030-97-HG2000USK_0__?Ntt=kobalt+heat+gun&UserSearch=kobalt+heat+gun&productId=50157920&rpp=32

 

 

This is what I rock around with a Wagner as back up... I love this Kobalt, fan speed adjust, up to 1350 degrees, plenty of power to go for long.  On top a 5 yr warranty.  I take care of my heat guns, what mess them up is that we normally throw them on the ground once we are done using it, that impact starts to break apart the HOT heat elements inside, overtime they are done.  

[tintcracker]

Yep that's the one 69.99, 75 after tax. How much did you pay.

Im sure to never just throw me I heat gun on the ground I lower it to the ground using the cord. But my guns do get wet, not soaked. But wet, I haven't been zapped yet. The cool thing about this gun is the cooldown mode that runs the fan and not the heating element. That should help.

My latest gun the ace hardware special, had a thermal shutoff switch that completely pissed me off, id finish a rollup and when Id go to heat the top edge of the next window it wouldn't turn on. So I took it apart and bypassed the switch, it was just a peice of spring steel that once it reached a certain temp would spring open and break connection, I wasn't having that haha

[TTS]

Buy the best you can afford... Even if the things were 500.00 each they would be cheap considering its about the only tool over 5 bucks that a auto tinter needs to make a living...

[tintcracker]

That and a brain which is worth way more than 5 bucks