Which Heat Gun Brand Wins?
In our test we compared 18 heat gun options head to head. Craftsman (corded) came out on top. See the measured results, the runner-up, the budget pick, and a link to the full test video.
Craftsman (corded)
Price shown in test: $55
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Makita (corded)
Price shown in test: $157
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Seekone (corded)
Price shown in test: $23
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The quick take
The short version of why each pick lands where it does, built straight from the measured results.
“If I had to choose just one heat gun, I would definitely go with the Craftsman. It's a great value at $55, and it performs extremely well.”
Best in 1 of 7 measurements, including Average finish.
Placed top three in 2 of 7 measurements.
The measured results
Every number below is read straight from the test. Products are listed in the order they finished.
Glue stick melt time
- 1Craftsman Corded1 minute 2 seconds
moved into the lead over the Seekone
- 2Makita Corded1 minute 5 seconds2nd
second place behind the Craftsman
- 3Hercules Corded (Harbor Freight)1 minute 10 seconds
- 4Wagner Corded1 minute 10 seconds
2 seconds faster than the Black and Decker
- 5Seekone Corded1 minute 6 seconds
moved into the lead at that point in the sequence
- 6Scorch Marker Corded1 minute 7 seconds2nd
1 second slower than the Seekone, moved into second place at that point in the sequence
- 7Black & Decker Corded1 minute 12 seconds2nd
moved into second place behind the Seekone at that point in the sequence
- 8Porter Cable Corded1 minute 17 seconds
about 10 seconds slower than the Scorch Marker
- 9Warrior Corded (Harbor Freight)1 minute 21 seconds
fastest yet at that point in the sequence when first introduced
- 10Wen Corded1 minute 23 seconds
2 seconds slower than the Warrior
- 11Milwaukee Corded1 minute 30 seconds
same as the DeWalt corded
- 12DeWalt Corded1 minute 30 seconds
not nearly as fast as some other brands
- 13Makita Cordless (genuine, works with Makita batteries)2 minutes 9 seconds
(129 seconds), fastest of all six cordless units
- 14DeWalt Cordless (genuine)2 minutes 16 seconds2nd
(136 seconds), second fastest of all six cordless units
- 15Milwaukee Cordless (genuine, M18 battery powered)2 minutes 44 seconds
(164 seconds), about 45 seconds faster than the knockoff Milwaukee
- 16Knockoff DeWalt Cordless2 minutes 38 seconds
(158 seconds), moved into the lead among cordless units at that point in the sequence
- 17Knockoff Makita Cordless2 minutes 51 seconds
(171 seconds)
- 18Knockoff Milwaukee Cordless3 minutes 28 seconds
(208 seconds), slowest of all six cordless units
Aluminum heat after 3 minutes
- 1Craftsman Corded443.5 degrees F
- 2Makita Corded441.3 degrees F
about the same as the Craftsman and Hercules
- 3Hercules Corded (Harbor Freight)440.4 degrees F
almost as hot as the Craftsman
- 4Wagner Corded380.3 degrees F
moved into the lead at that point in the sequence
- 5Seekone Corded354.4 degrees F
moved into the lead at that point in the sequence
- 6Scorch Marker Corded403.9 degrees F
moved into the lead at that point in the sequence
- 7Black & Decker Corded355 degrees F2nd
second place at that point in the sequence
- 8Porter Cable Corded357.3 degrees F
about average
- 9Warrior Corded (Harbor Freight)314.2 degrees F
moved into the lead at that point when first tested
- 10Wen Corded363.6 degrees F
moved into the lead at that point in the sequence
- 11Milwaukee Corded364.5 degrees F
performing about the same as the DeWalt corded
- 12DeWalt Corded360.5 degrees F
really struggling at the 2 minute mark
- 13Makita Cordless (genuine, works with Makita batteries)222.4 degrees F2nd
second place behind the genuine DeWalt cordless
- 14DeWalt Cordless (genuine)224.6 degrees F
moved into the lead among cordless units at that point
- 15Milwaukee Cordless (genuine, M18 battery powered)201 degrees F
- 16Knockoff DeWalt Cordless192 degrees F2nd
moved into second place among cordless units at that point
- 17Knockoff Makita Cordless176.4 degrees F
really struggled
- 18Knockoff Milwaukee Cordless186.4 degrees F
Maximum temperature
- 1Craftsman Corded1,279 degrees F
by far the hottest yet
- 2Makita Corded1,176 degrees F
- 3Hercules Corded (Harbor Freight)1,246 degrees F
- 4Wagner Corded1,120 degrees F
the hottest yet at that point in the sequence
- 5Seekone Cordedjust over940 degrees F
- 6Scorch Marker Cordedjust over1,000 degrees F
- 7Black & Decker Corded1,016 degrees F
about the same as the Warrior
- 8Porter Cable Corded1,036 degrees F
- 9Warrior Corded (Harbor Freight)1,020 degrees F
- 10Wen Cordedjust over886 degrees F
- 11Milwaukee Corded1,044 degrees F
- 12DeWalt Cordedalmost900 degrees F
continues to struggle
- 13Makita Cordless (genuine, works with Makita batteries)926.1 degrees F
highest of all six cordless units
- 14DeWalt Cordless (genuine)919.2 degrees F
- 15Milwaukee Cordless (genuine, M18 battery powered)917.6 degrees F
a lot better than the knockoff Milwaukee
- 16Knockoff DeWalt Cordless827.4 degrees F
about 90 degrees cooler than the genuine Milwaukee
- 17Knockoff Makita Cordless779.5 degrees F
- 18Knockoff Milwaukee Cordless783.3 degrees F
ran out of steam
Noise level
- 1Craftsman Corded72.4 dB
- 2Makita Corded73.9 dB
- 3Hercules Corded (Harbor Freight)73.1 dB
- 4Wagner Corded72.9 dB
- 5Seekone Corded78.1 dB
- 6Scorch Marker Corded79 dB
almost as loud as the Black and Decker
- 7Black & Decker Corded80 dB
the loudest yet at that point
- 8Porter Cable Corded76.5 dB
- 9Warrior Corded (Harbor Freight)79.4 dB
quite a bit louder than the cordless heat guns
- 10Wen Corded73.9 dB
a lot less noisy than the Seekone
- 11Milwaukee Corded72.8 dB
about the same as the Hercules
- 12DeWalt Corded75.8 dB
a little louder than the Hercules
- 13Makita Cordless (genuine, works with Makita batteries)69.7 dB
- 14DeWalt Cordless (genuine)64.5 dB
quietest corded or cordless unit measured up to that point
- 15Milwaukee Cordless (genuine, M18 battery powered)68.9 dB
a lot less noise than the knockoff Milwaukee
- 16Knockoff DeWalt Cordless73.1 dB
- 17Knockoff Makita Cordless72.6 dB
- 18Knockoff Milwaukee Cordless72.9 dB
Weight
- 1Craftsman Corded1.565 lb
- 2Makita Corded1.565 lb
- 3Hercules Corded (Harbor Freight)1.675 lb
- 4Wagner Corded0.875 lb
- 5Seekone Corded
very close to 1 lb
- 6Scorch Marker Cordedjust over1 lb
- 7Black & Decker Corded0.97 lb
the lightest yet at that point
- 8Porter Cable Corded1.59 lb
- 9Warrior Corded (Harbor Freight)1.025 lb
- 10Wen Corded1.2 lb
- 11Milwaukee Corded1.415 lb
- 12DeWalt Corded1.83 lb
- 13Makita Cordless (genuine, works with Makita batteries)1.48 lb
- 14DeWalt Cordless (genuine)1.175 lb
- 15Milwaukee Cordless (genuine, M18 battery powered)1.64 lb
almost half a pound more than the knockoff Milwaukee
- 16Knockoff DeWalt Cordless1.165 lb
- 17Knockoff Makita Cordlessjust over1 lb
- 18Knockoff Milwaukee Cordless1.22 lb
Power draw
- 1Craftsman Corded
performed better than advertised at 1590 W (rated 1500 W)
- 2Makita Cordedjust over1,730 W
- 3Hercules Corded (Harbor Freight)just over1,730 W
- 4Wagner Corded
only about 1,237 to 1,238 W, notably less energy than other corded units
- 5Seekone Corded
claimed 1800 W but came up short at around 1590 W
- 6Scorch Marker Corded
the most powerful yet at that point, around 1619 W
- 7Black & Decker Cordedjust over1500 W
- 8Porter Cable Corded1521 W
about 100 W less than the Scorch Marker
- 9Warrior Corded (Harbor Freight)
claimed 1500 W or 11 amps, did better than advertised at 1516 W
- 10Wen Cordedjust over1500 W
claimed, 1510 W actual
- 11Milwaukee Cordedjust over1,500 W
about the same as the DeWalt corded
- 12DeWalt Corded1520 W
pretty close to average
- 13Makita Cordless (genuine, works with Makita batteries)not tested
- 14DeWalt Cordless (genuine)not tested
- 15Milwaukee Cordless (genuine, M18 battery powered)not tested
- 16Knockoff DeWalt Cordlessnot tested
- 17Knockoff Makita Cordlessnot tested
- 18Knockoff Milwaukee Cordlessnot tested
All measurements (3 more)+
Average finish
- 2Makita Corded22nd
second place overall among corded heat guns
- 3Hercules Corded (Harbor Freight)2.753rd
third overall among corded heat guns
- 1Craftsman Cordednot tested
- 4Wagner Cordednot tested
- 5Seekone Cordednot tested
- 6Scorch Marker Cordednot tested
- 7Black & Decker Cordednot tested
- 8Porter Cable Cordednot tested
- 9Warrior Corded (Harbor Freight)not tested
- 10Wen Cordednot tested
- 11Milwaukee Cordednot tested
- 12DeWalt Cordednot tested
- 13Makita Cordless (genuine, works with Makita batteries)not tested
- 14DeWalt Cordless (genuine)not tested
- 15Milwaukee Cordless (genuine, M18 battery powered)not tested
- 16Knockoff DeWalt Cordlessnot tested
- 17Knockoff Makita Cordlessnot tested
- 18Knockoff Milwaukee Cordlessnot tested
Average finish (narrator's own multi-category ranking system)
- 1Craftsman Corded1.5
best of all corded heat guns
- 2Makita Cordednot tested
- 3Hercules Corded (Harbor Freight)not tested
- 4Wagner Cordednot tested
- 5Seekone Cordednot tested
- 6Scorch Marker Cordednot tested
- 7Black & Decker Cordednot tested
- 8Porter Cable Cordednot tested
- 9Warrior Corded (Harbor Freight)not tested
- 10Wen Cordednot tested
- 11Milwaukee Cordednot tested
- 12DeWalt Cordednot tested
- 13Makita Cordless (genuine, works with Makita batteries)not tested
- 14DeWalt Cordless (genuine)not tested
- 15Milwaukee Cordless (genuine, M18 battery powered)not tested
- 16Knockoff DeWalt Cordlessnot tested
- 17Knockoff Makita Cordlessnot tested
- 18Knockoff Milwaukee Cordlessnot tested
Power cord length
- 3Hercules Corded (Harbor Freight)10 ft
the longest of any heat gun tested
- 1Craftsman Cordednot tested
- 2Makita Cordednot tested
- 4Wagner Cordednot tested
- 5Seekone Cordednot tested
- 6Scorch Marker Cordednot tested
- 7Black & Decker Cordednot tested
- 8Porter Cable Cordednot tested
- 9Warrior Corded (Harbor Freight)not tested
- 10Wen Cordednot tested
- 11Milwaukee Cordednot tested
- 12DeWalt Cordednot tested
- 13Makita Cordless (genuine, works with Makita batteries)not tested
- 14DeWalt Cordless (genuine)not tested
- 15Milwaukee Cordless (genuine, M18 battery powered)not tested
- 16Knockoff DeWalt Cordlessnot tested
- 17Knockoff Makita Cordlessnot tested
- 18Knockoff Milwaukee Cordlessnot tested
How it was tested
- melting a glue stick placed 1 inch from the nozzle (timed, run separately for the six cordless heat guns and the twelve corded heat guns)
- heating a piece of aluminum with a temperature probe, readings taken at 1, 2, and 3 minutes
- maximum temperature each heat gun can reach
- noise level in decibels
- power consumption in watts (corded units) versus manufacturer claims
- bending PVC pipe: cordless Milwaukee versus corded Makita only, a smaller side comparison
“If I had to choose just one heat gun, I would definitely go with the Craftsman. It's a great value at $55, and it performs extremely well.”
Brand head-to-head scoreboards featuring this test
Data notes and caveats
This is a dual-lane comparison (title: Corded vs Cordless) rather than one single leaderboard. The corded lane (12 units) has its own narrator-declared average finish ranking: Craftsman 1st (1.5), Makita 2nd (2), Hercules 3rd (2.75); positions 4 through 12 in the products list above are ordered by glue stick melt time (the one metric given as an explicit, fully comparable number for every corded unit), since the video does not state a full average finish ranking beyond the top three. The cordless lane (6 units: genuine and knockoff Milwaukee, DeWalt, and Makita) has its own separate result: genuine Makita cordless fastest, genuine DeWalt cordless second, with all three genuine units explicitly stated to outperform their knockoff counterparts overall on aluminum heat and max temperature even where one knockoff (DeWalt) had a faster single glue-melt time. Top-level winner/runnerUp/budgetPick fields reflect the corded lane, which the narrator frames as the primary buying recommendation ("if I had to choose just one heat gun"); the cordless lane's own winner (genuine Makita cordless) and runner-up (genuine DeWalt cordless) are preserved in those two products' notes for a build that may want to split cordless and corded into separate rankings. A 13th product, the Master brand heat gun ($185, the most expensive unit purchased), is excluded from products[] because it arrived broken out of the box and was explicitly taken out of the competition before any test data was collected; it is not part of the description's Products Tested list either.
