The Best Hot Glue Guns for Miniature Terrain Crafting: Nerdmire Recommends
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The Best Hot Glue Guns for Miniature Terrain Crafting: Nerdmire Recommends

Updated: Aug 22, 2023


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As far as glue guns go, the Ryobi P305 One+ 18V Lithium-Ion Cordless Hot Glue Gun is one of the best and scores a 4.7 rating with over 900 reviews.



What makes this one different from those in your local hardware store? Firstly, it is cordless, which allows for portability if you would rather not spend time wrestling with the wire. Secondly, glue guns that run on regular batteries may not heat up enough to give you that consistent flow of glue. Although this one is more on the burning-hot side, it does not drip glue when rested as it has a check valve in the tip.


It does not come with a battery, but it is compatible with Ryobi’s 18V lithium-ion and NiCad batteries that work with other Ryobi One devices. That being said, it can and does run through the battery very quickly as it does not automatically turn off when not in use, usually lasts around 40 minutes when fully charged.


We recommend you get the Ryobi P305 One+ Hot Glue Gun if you plan on using it for heavier tasks, such as creating your own miniature terrain for wargaming as it is on the more expensive side considering you may need to buy its accessories as well, but is worth its price in value since it offers double the speed of any task that consumes plenty of sticks, easy to use, consistent glue flow, and can use most sizes of glue sticks.




 


Ryobi ONE+ Glue Gun Accessories


Since the Ryobi P305 One+ Glue Gun does not include the battery or its charger with the purchase, you will find that you need to grab them separately. Both items are compatible with other Ryobi One+ tools.



The Ryobi 18-Volt ONE+ 4Ah Lithium-Ion Battery works with the glue gun and has an operating voltage of 18V, and a high charge capacity of 4.0Ah, scoring 4.7 stars with 450 reviews.





You can't possibly forget to pick up the Ryobi Battery Charger if you've decided to purchase the glue gun and its battery. With an operational voltage of 18V, it charges Ryobi One+ batteries in around 1 hour. This product has a rating of 4.7 with over 1,300 reviews.

 



As a less heavy-duty, and more general use option, the Surebonder Full-Sized Hot Glue Gun makes a good alternative. This glue gun is corded and offers 2.5x the power of other regular glue guns with 60w and 120V that can be increased to 220V if you use a converter. It scores 4.5 stars with around 1,000 reviews.



It includes an auto-shutoff feature which turns it off if unused for over 30 minutes, and a folding metal stand and side fins to prevent glue back-up when the gun is laid flat. It comes with one nozzle, but others can be bought separately if you would like more flexible use. Equipped with a dual temperature switch, it fits both low and high heat glue sticks.


 


If you consider buying the Surebonder Hot Glue Gun, you might want to check out this nozzle pack to give your glue gun more versatile usage.


It comes with an adapter and 3 aluminum specialty nozzles (small round, large round, and flat) and includes check valves that automatically prevent the backflow of glue. It scores 4.5 stars with 250 reviews.



 


This is a 5 pounds pack of around 90 full-sized glue sticks (10 inches in length and 0.44 in diameter), hence it is ideal for large-scale terrain projects. With their multi-temperature property, it makes them suitable for both high and low-temperature glue guns.


The glue is non-toxic, melts quickly, and does not string during use. It is non-yellowing and dries to a cloudy white color. It scores a rating of 4.8 stars with around 4.5k reviews.



 


In comparison to its larger counterpart, the Surebonder Mini Glue Gun is (as indicated by its name) is smaller in size and uses multi-temperature mini glue sticks that are around 0.3 in diameter. It scores 4.4 stars with around 600 reviews.



The insulated mini-sized nozzle allows for precision when applying the glue though the nozzle is non-interchangeable. Despite not having an auto shut off feature, it has a non-stick drip pad on its base and an on/off switch.


This glue gun comes with a corded base that acts as a charger, heating the cordless gun and giving you approximately 2 minutes of use as it has no internal battery. On the plus side, it heats up pretty fast and very well as it is powered with 20w and 120V.


 

This is a 5 pounds pack of around 495 mini-sized glue sticks (4 inches in length and 0.28 in diameter). Just like the full-sized glue sticks pack, this glue has a multi-temperature property, making it usable with both high and low-temperature glue guns.


The glue is non-toxic, melts quickly, and dries in 30 seconds. It is also non-yellowing and becomes a cloudy white color when dry. It scores a rating of 4.8 stars with around 1.5k reviews.



 



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