How to pick the perfect hot glue gun (that also just happens to look like a sci-fi blaster)

Talk about tech tools and people usually think about screwdrivers, multimeters, USB testers, thermal cameras and such.

You don’t normally think about hot glue guns.

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But I’ve found that I use mine a lot for all sorts of things, from tacking cabling into place inside PCs to weatherproofing housings for gadgets that are going to live outdoors. And outside of tech, hot glue guns have so many applications, from craft projects to home repair to model making.

Pretty much any project that doesn’t require a high level of strength or heat resistance, as long as it’s not going to be damaged by the application of the hot glue — which, as the name suggests, is pretty hot (temperatures can range from a scolding 250°F/120°C to a searing 430°F/220°C — is a candidate for hot glue.

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Hot glue guns come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, and most tend to look like a Buck Rogers ray gun. But it’s not the design that matters; it’s how it performs.

I’m looking for three things:

• A hot glue gun that heats up rapidly
• Has enough power to deliver all the hot glue I need without stopping to heat up
• Doesn’t sear my hands when holding it

I did some testing, tried out several different glue guns, and settled on one — the Seekone 60/100W dual power glue gun. 

Seekone 60/100W dual power glue gun tech specs

The heat gun is made from heat resistant ABS and features a copper nozzle

• High-tech ceramic PTC thermal heating system to ensure 3-5 min fast preheating time
• High-strength, durable grip
• Adjustable 60W/100W – use 60W for small project, 100W with high temperature for large project
• 110-240V universal voltage

Note: There are rechargeable hot glue guns out there. One type is the hot glue pen that’s aimed at those who want to do crafts (and are a bit underpowered for what we want here), and there are also the glue guns that take power tool batteries, which are great for contractors or DIYers who want to standardize on power sources, but I find them a bit too big and bulky for my use.

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OK, so yes, it looks like a ray gun, and is a little bulkier than my previous hot glue gun (which suffered an untimely death), but this is not a bad thing. The fact that it’s bigger means it fits my hand better, and the bigger trigger is a lot easier to use, especially for those longer jobs.

First, let me clarify the “dual power” feature of this glue gun. Think of the wattage as a measure of how quickly it can melt the glue stick and dispense molten hot glue from the front. For small projects that need a dab or two, the low-power 60W mode is idea, but for when you want rivers of hot glue, flick it to the high-power 100W mode and away you go.

This glue gun heats up fast, stays hot, and has no problem keeping up with the job at hand. When switched to the 100W mode, I could put glue sticks through this at a rate of one every 40 seconds or so, and at no point did I need to slow down or stop to let it heat up (which is a problem with a lot of hot glue guns on the market).

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There’s also an indicator light to tell you when it’s on — a handy safety feature!

During testing I had this glue gun running for a couple of hours, over which time I put through it a couple of dozen glue sticks, and it was comfortable and easy to use.

It also remained nice and cool in the hand, which also contributes to the overall comfort of using this glue gun.

The copper nozzle does a good job of controlling the flow of the hot glue and making sure it goes where you want it to go, and only where you want it to go.

And that glue is hot! Here it’s coming out of the nozzle at around 390°F/200°C

I recommend working with hot glue on a silicone mat. Not only is this heat-resistant and will protect the surface below from damage, but it’s also super easy to pick off any glue spills — it just peels off.

Oh, and here’s a handy tip — if you need to press undo on your hot gluing and need to get the set hot glue off something, a few drops of isopropyl alcohol will make it release.

For under $20 not only are you getting a really good, robust hot glue gun, but you also get 20 hot glue sticks to get you started, making the Seekone 60/100W dual power glue gun a total winner in my eyes, and a great glue gun for someone who wants something as little more powerful than a hobbyist glue gun.