Good hot melt glue gun?

[Simon]

they won't even say what power it is.

[unknownparticle]

I use a Bosch PKP 18E and it's excellent, very reasonably priced too.  I also have an Aldi Workzone product which I use for jobs where mess isn't a problem, oozes like hell, gets bloody hot but it gets the job done in certain circumstances.  Thats been going for about 6 years so far and still works!

[tooki]

I use a Bosch PKP 18E and it's excellent, very reasonably priced too.

FYI, that appears to be a cosmetically customized version of the Steinel 3002.

[benryanau]

DREMEL - Be aware.. I thought my hotmelt combat loadout was complete when I found the Dremel gun.. a few days in something in the trigger-feed linkage inside went *snap*.
Turned out to be all plastic levers and pivot pins, never got round to RMA - still have it in box just too disappointed to bother. Plus, can't polish a turd.
Aldi had one I now use with a dock, tips, boosted warmup - good enough.

[bingo600]

I use a Bosch PKP 18E and it's excellent, very reasonably priced too. 

I use the Bosch too , my first decent one.

[Psi]

Hi,

Not so long ago I purchased an Arrow 100W glue gun to replace a previous crappy gun. The Arrow gun constantly oozed when on and made a mess of your work. Then after no more than 8 hours use the heater poped and now it just blows the plug top fuze when turned on.

I've also had bad luck with glue guns.  My first one lasted 12 years.
The first replacement leaked everywhere.
Next replacement (this time Bosch, not a non-name budget brand) also failed within 2 weeks. It got blocked and i had to take it to bits to clean it out. It never worked right again.
3rd replacement was a mid range, high temp glue gun.  It leaks a tiny bit, but works well enough.  I put a triac dimmer inline so i could lower the temp a bit. It's still working today.

(and before anyone complains, yes, i know ceramic elements self regulate to a set temp and are not designed to be used with a dimmer.  Sue me, it works. so i dont care)

[Electro Detective]

Years ago I bought a used unloved WAGNER Glue-Matic 3304 Made In Germany as a cheap backup.

It outlasted and outperformed everything, and I haven't needed a second glue gun, because it just works every time.

That said, I noticed not all glue sticks behave the same, and upon recommendation tried a box of Bosch badged glue sticks/rods,
that for me have worked great, and still have a few to go. It's a winner combo and I won't use or try anything else, till either or both fail.   

Not sure if the WAGNER Glue-Matic 3304 is still available, but others like the DeWalt (B+D) look similar-ish,
and better be good for the big dollars they want for MIC re-badged generic products 

A good glue gun with quality glue sticks and clean prepped surface saves time,
and does ok for non critical isolation and component hold downs,
just watch out the lava hot glue doesn't trash the component/s 

fwiw I don't leave mine powered on till I'm sure it's going to be used, same deal with the soldering department,
all are on a power board/strip with individual switches, and a Master timer to switch the lot off in case I forget.
Keeps the power bill down too.. 


EDIT: This blue model Steinel Gluematic 3002 looks identical to the black WAGNER 3304  =   
www.steinel.de/en/domestic-users/hot-air-gluing/hot-melt-glue-applicators/gluematic-3002-333317.html

PDF specs and parts list too  www.steinel.net/Customized/uploads/PDFs/GF_3002_Data.pdf

I don't think I'll see one downunder, though there may be a re-badge of the Steinel kicking around the tool shops and Bunnings, Mitre 10,
Total Tools, Sydney Tools, Just Tools etc 

Found it in .au land > www.mektronics.com.au/steinel-gluematic3002-glue-gun-200w-box.html

Accessories www.mektronics.com.au/power-tools/glue-guns-accessories

[Andrew LB]

You know you're bored to death due to the COVID19 quarantine when you actually read a thread about hot glue guns and just for the hell of it, dig yours out of a box in the garage to clean up and see if it still works. It's a Parker GR-60 rated at 40 watts (380'f) from the 1980's and made in USA. It's got a nice weight to it, tough high temp plastic (even did an AvE* and gave it a rub with the soldering iron and no melting at 300'c). And yes, it still works. Took a while to get hot, but i can't expect too much for being 40w. Back in the box she goes. One of these days i may buy a decent modern gun like that Steinel 3002 just to see if its good enough to be useful to me.

*in case you don't know who i'm talking about, look him up on youtube. Best tool reviews and tear-downs on the internet.