Heat Guns

A welcome addition to the toolbox of professional tradesmen, home DIYers and beginners alike, you might be surprised by just how versatile the heat gun is. Integral to a variety of key home applications including paint-stripping, wallpaper removal, shrink-wrapping, glue-softening and more, there are plenty of reasons why heat guns make a handy tool for just about any home or trade user.

At RS, we stock a huge variety of heat guns and accessories from some of the best heat gun manufacturers in the game. With an extensive range of Master Appliance heat guns and Steinel heat guns from which to choose - as well as further options from the likes of NTE Electronics, Apex Tools, Alpha Wire and more - we've got all your needs covered.

What is a heat gun?

A heat gun is a handheld device that produces a concentrated stream of hot air - typically in the temperature range of 100-700 degree C (roughly 200-1300 degree F) depending on the type of gun. Utilizing an elongated body with a handle and trigger fixed at a right angle, heat guns carry a basic structure similar to that of a handgun or hair dryer.

Heat guns typically use an electrical element as their heat source, but devices that use a gas flame are also available. In your average electric heat gun, a fan will be used to pull hot air through the body of the device across the electrical element and out through a nozzle which controls the air stream.

Lightweight, easy-to-use, instant-acting, and generally safe to operate, heat guns have largely replaced traditional heating tools like paraffin and bottled-gas blowtorches as the primary heating device in trade and DIY use. This is down to their improved and control and efficacy in more delicate heating tasks like paint-stripping, with modern heat guns less likely to cause damage to the working material.

What are heat guns used for?

One of the main strengths of the heat gun lies in its versatility. From an industry standpoint, heat guns are used across a wide variety of applications relating to construction, engineering, chemistry, physics, materials science, and electronics. Heat guns are regularly used in an array of everyday trade and home DIY tasks, including:

• Paint-stripping
• Wallpaper removal
• Glue-/putty-/wax-softening
• Shrink-wrapping
• Soldering and desoldering
• Drying out paint, varnish or damp wood
• Plastic welding and bending, and repair of plastic components

The above are just a few of the fundamental uses for heat guns. Indeed, many users utilize their heat guns for all sorts of more unorthodox tasks thanks to their simplicity of action.

What are the different types of heat gun?

There are two basic types of heat gun in terms of power source: electric and gas. Electric heat guns are much more widely used in today's market due to their ease of use, increased adaptability and generally being safer to operate.

Virtually all modern devices are variable temperature heat guns, which allow the user to shift between temperatures as required for different heating applications. Additionally, you'll also find that many variable-temperature heat guns come with adjustable power settings and interchangeable nozzles in order to offer suitable versatility.

There are four primary types of heat gun available:

• Infrared heat guns - which use infrared heat instead of hot air. Typically capable of 400-600 degree C (700-1,100 degree F), infrared heat guns are affordable and a good choice to avoid the toxic fumes produced by traditional heat guns.
• Industrial heat guns - fit for more challenging applications as they provide stronger air streams, common uses for industrial devices include tasks in engineering, construction, automotive and retail packaging. Ceramic heating elements mean that they can reach temperatures up to 1,000 degree C (1,830 degree F).
• Corded heat guns - which use a power cord to an electrical power source.
• Cordless heat guns - which use a battery power source for increased portability.

You can also make use of specialist nozzles that allow for different applications, including:

• Reducer nozzles - ideal for soldering jobs and bending plastic tubing.
• Reflector nozzles - ideal for soldering copper pipes, applying heat-shrink tubing and bending plastic tubing.
• Surface nozzles - ideal for paint, vinyl and floor removal tasks.
• Glass protection nozzles - ideal for stripping paint on a window to avoid damage to the class.
• Slot nozzles - ideal for welding PVC.
• Welding nozzles - ideal for plastic welding.

Our Steinel heat gun kits feature a number of interchangeable nozzles for use across a spectrum of trade and DIY tasks.

Get everything you need with RS

With an extensive range spanning basic heat guns for home DIY through to professional mini heat guns and Master Appliance and Steinel heat gun kits, we've got everything you need for your next project right here at RS. As one of North America's leading suppliers of electronics, we're proud to supply a range fit for professional and home users alike.

Need some help? Our customer service team is always on hand to help out with any question you might have. Don't forget to take a look at our expert content hub, too, where you'll find plenty of useful advice from our experts on how to get the best from the RS range.