Heat Guns

Heat guns and hot air guns at MTN Shop UK

A heat gun is one of the most versatile tools in any toolkit. It blows a controlled stream of hot air - from gentle warmth up to around 600°C or more depending on the model - through a nozzle onto the work, and that adjustable heat has an enormous range of uses across decorating, electrical, automotive, plumbing and craft tasks. This collection brings together heat guns and hot air guns from compact DIY models to heavy industrial units, corded and cordless, across the leading brands, so you can match the tool to the job and the material.

What you can do with a heat gun

• Strip paint and varnish: the classic use - heat softens old coatings so they lift with a scraper. The Metabo LF 850 S paint remover is purpose-built for this.
• Shrink: heat-shrink tubing over electrical connections, and shrink wrap over packaging, covers and boat or trailer wrapping.
• Soften and remove: old adhesive, vinyl and laminate flooring, stickers, edging and sealant.
• Bend and weld plastic: forming plastic pipe and sheet, and plastic welding repairs.
• Free seized parts: heat expands rusted nuts, bolts and fittings so they break loose.
• Thaw and dry: thawing frozen pipes with care, and drying damp areas and filler.
• Vehicle wrapping and signmaking: moulding vinyl to bodywork and applying graphics - the Steinel HG2120E car wrapper kit is built for this.

Temperature control

How the heat gun sets temperature makes a big difference to what it can do safely:

• Fixed or single-temperature: simple and effective for straightforward stripping and shrinking.
• Dual-temperature: a low and a high setting for a bit more flexibility across tasks.
• Variable and LCD: models like the DeWalt D26414 LCD, Steinel HG2320E LCD and Rapid R2200-LCD let you dial in and read a precise temperature, which matters for heat-sensitive materials and repeatable results - too hot scorches wood and melts plastic, too cool is slow.

Airflow, grip and power

• Airflow stages: two-stage and three-stage airflow (as on the Steinel HL1620S and HL2020E) lets you match air volume to the job - gentle for shrink wrap and delicate work, strong for fast stripping.
• Pistol grip vs barrel grip: pistol-grip guns suit general handheld work and are the most common; barrel-grip industrial guns (the Steinel HG2420E and HG2620E) balance well for prolonged, precise and overhead use.
• Wattage: higher wattage means faster heat and stronger airflow. Guns of 1800W to 2300W (Bosch GHG 23-66, Steinel HG2320E, Rapid R2200) suit heavy stripping and industrial work; lower-wattage and compact hot air tools suit electronics, craft and detail.
• Nozzles: reflector, reduction, spreader and glass-protection nozzles focus or shape the airflow for specific tasks like shrinking, pipe work and stripping near glass.

Corded and cordless

Both are in this collection. Corded mains guns give unlimited runtime and the highest power for heavy stripping, plastic welding and industrial use - and come in 110V versions for UK construction sites (used through a transformer) and 240V versions for workshop and domestic use. Cordless 18V heat guns - the DeWalt DCE530N, Makita DHG181, Einhell TE-HA, Bosch GHG 18V-50 and Batavia MAXXPACK - remove the trailing lead so you can work anywhere, which is ideal for electricians doing heat-shrink work on site and for quick jobs. Cordless guns are lower powered and limited by battery life, but very convenient, especially on a battery platform you already own. For heavy all-day work choose mains; for portable and on-site tasks, cordless.

Who uses heat guns

• Decorators and renovators: stripping paint and varnish, softening old sealant and flooring adhesive.
• Electricians: heat-shrink tubing over connections - cordless models for site work.
• Mechanics: freeing seized nuts and bolts and softening trim and adhesive.
• Plumbers: thawing frozen pipes and working plastic pipe.
• Vehicle wrappers and signmakers: moulding vinyl and applying graphics.
• DIY users: a single heat gun covers a huge range of home repair, craft and maintenance jobs.

Safety

• Extreme heat: heat guns reach temperatures that cause instant serious burns and can start fires. The nozzle and air stay dangerously hot after switching off - rest the gun on its stand and let it cool fully before storing.
• Fire risk: never use near flammable materials, gases or liquids, and take great care in roof spaces, around eaves and near insulation, where trapped heat can smoulder and ignite hours later.
• Old paint and lead: paint from before the 1970s to 1980s may contain lead, and heating it releases toxic fumes - check before stripping old paint, follow HSE guidance, avoid overheating, and use suitable respiratory protection and ventilation.
• Ventilate: stripping and plastic work give off fumes - work in a well-ventilated area with appropriate respiratory protection.
• Never use as a hair dryer or point it at people or animals - the temperatures are far higher than domestic appliances.
• Eye and hand protection: wear suitable eye protection and heat-resistant gloves, and keep the airflow away from yourself.

Related categories

This collection sits within our wider glue and heat guns range, which also covers hot melt glue guns. For paint stripping alongside sprayers and steam strippers, see our powered decorating tools range, and for paints, strippers and finishes see paint and decorating. For batteries and chargers to run cordless heat guns, see our batteries and chargers for cordless tools range. Browse by brand at Steinel, Rapid, DeWalt, Makita, Bosch, Metabo, Einhell, Batavia, Black+Decker and Evolution.

For trade orders, industrial heat gun supply, or advice on choosing the right heat gun for a job, request a quote and our team will get back to you with availability.