Best Heat Gun in Australia [Top 4 Picks 2023]

Decorating and renovating your own home can be a fun and rewarding experience; however, it can start to become tedious when it comes time to strip that old paint off the walls and windows. That’s when the power of a heat gun becomes invaluable and shaves hours off the time you’d otherwise spend scraping paint.

Heat guns are often used for paint stripping, decal application, car vinyl wrapping, heat shrinking, and even light soldering. 

Ready to find your new heat gun? Read on as we break down the details of the best heat guns in Australia.

Best Heat Gun in Australia – Buyers Guide

Heat guns are powerful tools with a surprisingly wide variety of applications. In the following buying guide we’ll dive into the details of what makes the best heat gun.

Some of the key features to look for in your next heat gun should be:

Temperature control – Most heat guns will come with a variable temperature control. Having the ability to set the temperature on a heat gun ensures you never burn anything again. Temperature control gives you total flexibility to find the precise setting for your job.

Temperature range – Finding a heat gun with the appropriate temperature range for your job is critical to success. According to experts, a heat gun needs to reach at least 500°C to remove paint effectively. However, care must be taken not to burn the underlying plasterboard or timber [1].

Nozzles – Different heat gun nozzles are designed for different jobs. The thinner nozzles direct a higher concentration of hot air onto a specific area, whereas the broader nozzles allow you to work on a larger surface. Using the proper nozzle for the job will yield far better results.

Safety – Heat guns can be hazardous if used incorrectly. Following safety precautions is paramount to successfully using the tool. A thermal cut-out feature will protect the device from overheating and also help protect the user. 

Do you know what is the most powerful heat gun? Check our guide to get the answer.

The other key consideration is what substances you’ll be using the heat gun on and the fumes it will off-gas while working; wearing a mask and protective goggles is a must. Houses built before the 1970s often have lead paintwork. WorkSafe suggests that a half-face respirator with a P2 particulate filter should be used if smoke is present. Toxic fumes from lead paint can be generated at temperatures as low as 200ºC [2], and proper preparation for low heat paint removal is critical.

Although heat guns are commonly advertised for removing paint, they are also capable of a few extra things you may not have even thought about.

• Softening silicone and caulking around windows and frames for easy removal
• Heating tile adhesive for easy removal
• Speed dry a patch of plaster
• Speed up the curing of epoxy compounds
• Soldering
• Arts and craft projects

There are a lot of options on the market, however, four stand out from the rest. Read on as we put these heat guns in the hot seat and help you find the right one.

Ready to buy a heat gun?

Best Heat Gun – Reviews

This powerful 1800W Topex heat gun can deliver temperatures between 400°C and 600°C, which is suitable for most jobs requiring heating, and the turbo structured fan is a real bonus.

The well-built tool is durable and has an ergonomic comfort grip, and it only weighs 1kg, eliminating fatigue during prolonged work sessions. This heat gun provides the perfect balance of power and comfort.

The impact-resistant body ensures it won’t break with any accidental drops or hits, and the metal head is designed to withstand harsh working conditions for a long working life.

As we’ve mentioned, safety is a critical factor when working with such high temperatures. This heat gun has a fast dissipation hole at the rear of the gun, allowing hot air to be dispersed efficiently and avoid overheating.

The Black+Decker hot air gun is excellent for stripping paint, varnish, or adhesives. With an impressive 1750W of power, this gun is sure to make light work of those tricky jobs.

The gun has adjustable temperature control and can be set anywhere between 460°C and 600°C, which is more than adequate for home repair jobs. The other nifty feature is the adjustable airflow setting which offers between 570 to 740 l/min. Air velocity is the measurement of the rate of displacement of air at a specific location [3]. The greater the airflow, the more efficient the work will become, so this is an important feature to consider.

Another excellent function is the inbuilt stand for hands-free work or cooling the unit after finishing. It’s a much safer option than laying the gun down on a surface to cool.

The HiKOKI brand might look a little unfamiliar to you. However, for those who haven’t heard of the Japanese brand, HiKOKI was formerly known as Hitachi Koki and both iterations of the brand have a strong reputation as a global leader in the power tool industry and have been designing innovative tools since 1948.

This electric heat gun features an LCD display that shows both temperature and airflow, this is a super handy feature if you need to keep the gun at a steady tempo for long periods. However, it also comes with a continuous temperature control feature that can be adjusted as required. It also features a constant heat control function and built-in thermal cut-out protection to mitigate against overheating while in the middle of a job.

The gun is light and easy to use with a nice soft-grip handle. However, it doesn’t come with any additional nozzles in the kit, which is a little disappointing considering the price of this unit.
The gun reaches a maximum temperature of 650°C and increases in increments of 10°C.

This mini heat gun is the perfect crafter’s companion. While you certainly won’t be wrapping vinyl over your car with this heat gun, there’s still a time and place for this tiny tool.

This mini heat gun is perfect for arts and craft projects such as melting wax, drying clay, woodworking, stickering, setting epoxy, shrink wrapping, and so much more. The antislip handle ensures no clumsy mishaps, and it reaches temperatures of around 200°C in as little as a few seconds.

It also has a stainless steel muzzle that can be used for hands-free work and cooling down after use. We’re also super keen on the safety switch which works to prevent electric shocks. Finally, it has vents on either side that prevent the internal temperature of the heat gun from being too high.

Verdict

Drum roll, please! Our top pick for the best heat gun is the TOPEX Heat Gun Hot Air Heating Tool Kit. This heat gun kit is a great price, comes with an excellent assortment of attachments, and is durable and robust enough to do some heavy-duty home repairs. 
As a secondary choice, we’d be hard-pressed to go past the BLACK+DECKER Heat Gun 1750 W for its awesome performance. While it’s slightly more expensive than our top pick, it’s still reasonably priced for the home handyman.