Getting your hands on the ‘best’ cordless heats guns will rely on what you’re looking to use these heat guns for, and what type of outcome you’re most interested in — efficacy or precision, for example.

As you’ll know, when it comes to hardware and tools, you’ll always want to make your decisions based on the task at and, and that means finding something that works well for, and you alone.

That in mind, we’ve taken a look across the web to find a range of the best cordless heat guns for Australians this year, and offered up plenty of pointers to make the process of finding a heat gun a little easier.

To get started, you’ll want to keep in mind that when going from corded to cordless heat guns there isn’t too much of a downside other than the fact that the runtime is reduced. The overall experience remains quite similar and you can rely on these tools to give you a great result, though with a whole lot more portability.

Understanding Cordless Tools

Before we take a dive into cordless heat guns, we have just a few things to consider.

Off the top, it is good to keep in mind that you may need some accessories if you do go cordless and that might mean investing in a secondary battery or something else. On top of this, if your run time is limited, you may need to consider something that makes your use of the heat gun a little more efficient — a directional nozzle, for example.

That in mind, there isn’t too much else to consider when it comes to going cordless as newer technology has enabled manufacturers to really push their products to the limit.

If you did invest in a cordless heat gun a few years or even a decade ago, we can tell you right away that the experience today is world’s different. You’re getting far greater heat output, a prolonged run time and more portable and ergonomic tools than years before.

All that out of the way, when it comes to selecting a great heat gun this year, you’ll only really have three main providers or manufacturers to choose from. These companies are at the forefront of cordless tools and we’re happy to say that they do make up a fair few of our cordless heat gun recommendations.

The M18 Heat Gun 2688-20/2688-21 by Milwaukee

Taking out the top spot on our list is the M18 heat gun coming from Milwaukee.

This is the model that’s been raved about online given that it heats in just seven seconds and you’re able to make use of the model for a rather incredible 18 minutes. Even though this may not seem like the longest run time, we’re able to say that with such a small design and a tool that weighs under 800 grams pounds, you’re getting an exceptional experience.

The heat can hit up to 875 Fahrenheit or 460 Celsius and that means you’re getting more than enough heat to shrink and manipulate materials without issue.

There’s also an ideal 5 amp charger coming into play here along with a few nozzles too, and that in mind, you’re getting the same full-fledged experience you’d find with a corded heat gun — just with a reduced operating time.

Our Favourite Perks

• Ultra-fast Heating Times
• Comes with Added Nozzles
• A Compact and Ergonomic Design
• Affordable Price Point
• A 460ºC Maximum Temperature

The 20V Max Heat Gun DCE530B/DCE530P1 by DeWalt

Firing a shot at Milwaukee is the excellent heat gun coming from DeWalt.

This model offers an incredible 42 minute run time which means it blows the Milwaukee model out of the water. However, it is important to note that this heat gun is a little more dense and less portable.

One thing to keep in mind is that you can push temperatures all the way up to 990 Fahrenheit here or 532 Celsius, which is climbing up to the more ideal and corded heating level. On top of this, you may want to keep in mind that you aren’t able to run your heat gun at those high temperatures for the entire run time, but rather for a short period.

Another thing to note about this cordless heat gun is that you will see it taking upwards of 6 minutes to warm all the way up to its top temperature, which may not be ideal for all of our readers.

When it comes to heat output and efficiency, you will need to have your heat gun aimed around 0.4mm from the material you’re looking to heat at the maximum temperature above.

The size of the head on this model is only 6.33 inches which is another engineering feat by DeWalt, making it exceedingly compact and handleable.

To end, you will only find a 5 amp hour battery coming into play here, which means that longer use won’t be a possibility here.

Our Favourite Perks

• The Compact Sizes
• Comes with Added Nozzles
• A Compact and Ergonomic Design
• Affordable Price Point
• A 532ºC Maximum Temperature

The 18V One+ Cordless Heat Gun P3150 by Ryobi

Our third all-battery and cordless heat gun is coming from Ryobi and it offers a happy blend between the two models above.

You’ll find the higher end temperature coming into play here, with 875 Fahrenheit or 460 Celsius and that means there’s still plenty of heat coming out of this tiny module, which means giving you the chance to easily melt and mould materials in your workspace.

It is a little more affordable than both of the models above and also comes with concentrator attachments to help with heat output efficiency.

One downside we would like to point out is that this model comes with Ryobi’s rather odd stem packs.

To end, the design isn’t as ergonomic and easy to hold as the previous models, and that means if you are someone who is partial to what your tools feel like, or if prolonged use is a possibility, then you may need to look elsewhere.

Our Favourite Perks

• Relatively Small Design
• Includes Concentrator Nozzles
• A Compact and Ergonomic Design
• Affordable Price Point
• A 460ºC Maximum Temperature

Things to Note About Battery-powered Cordless Heat Guns

With our top three battery powered heat guns out of the way, it’s good to keep in mind that there doesn’t seem to be a lot of diversity in the toolset, features and heat output offered.

A lot of the models on the market do all offer a very similar experience and that in mind, you might want to consider a battery and butane powered hybrid model. These can sometimes offer a lot more heat for a longer period of time, however, they do come with a higher price point.

That in mind for a budget, or for on and off again use, the battery powered models are our winners for you.

Butane and Battery Powered Hybrids

Moving on from battery-only powered solutions now, there are the butane and battery-powered hybrids on offer.

These are excellent if you’re looking for portability and longer-term use, though you will need to be prepared to invest in butane. That in mind, however, with added heat and longer run times, you’re able to make use of these portable options to thaw materials like pipes or work on removing paint.

The Cordless Butane Heat Gun R860434B by Ridgid

The first hybrid model landing on our list is the R860434B coming from Ridgid and we’re happy to say that the experience here is worlds better than those of a battery only model.

You’re going to find that pairing both battery and butane comes in handy here in reaching the ideal 1,100 Fahrenheit or 593 Celsius with ease. You can work on adjusting this temperature with the included dial too, and that means there’s more control over your experience when heating and using the gun.

On top of this, you may find that there is a minor issue in the fuel types.

The battery may last the entire day, however, your butane is certainly not going to. The battery is primarily used as a minor assistant to the heat gun, whereas your butane is going to be putting in most of the effort, and with that in mind, you’ll need to work on refuelling your butane every 15 minutes.

Something else to note is that there isn’t a warning sign or even a fuel level for your butane, and that means there’s no way to know when your butane needs to be refilled until you gun begins to stop working.

To end, there aren’t any included nozzles here either, which means you’ll have to invest in this on your own.

Our Favourite Perks

• A Compact and Ergonomic Design
• Affordable Price Point
• Solid 15-minute Operating Time
• Built-in Cool Down Mode
• A 593ºC Maximum Temperature

An Alternative

We understand that for some of our readers, none of the above products offers anything outstanding and the reduced run times may present a major issue.

In that case, if you need your heat gun for tasks such as shrink connections, then it might be worth investing in something like an open-flame torch. These work quite similar to a heat gun, in that the results are comparable for a heat shrink connection, though there’s not much else similar.

These aren’t as costly as your heat guns and they’re also going to get the job done a little faster too. However, you will need to rely on investing in gas refills.

One final thing to note is that these products do rely on an open flame for the heating process, which means they’re a little more dangerous than their heat gun counterparts, and with this we do say to take care and not to operate these tools outside of what they were developed for.

The VersaTip 2000-01 by Dremel

Our primary alternative coming into play here is the VersaTip by Dremel.

This is a small open-fame torch that essentially enables you to heat shrink or heat seal connectors without any issue. You won’t need something as powerful as a heat gun for this and with that in mind, you’re going to be saving money and getting a better result too.

A lot of these tools last far longer than their heat gun counterparts, and the VersaTip is no exception. Given that you’re able to get up to 75 minutes of use time out of this tool you’re certainly going to be in good hands and get a lot done in a short amount of time.

To add, the heat range on offer here is magnificent and comes in at up to 1,832 Fahrenheit or 1,000 Celsius.

That level of heat coming from such a small device is incredible and we’re certainly confident in offering this as a primary alternative to a cordless heat gun.

A few other points to keep in mind are that this tool weighs just 5 ounces or 140 grams, so you’re essentially holding something that weighs less than a smartphone — great for long-term usage.

A lot of DIYers and contractors alike make use of this tool for tasks such as cutting and shaping tools as well as soldering too. That means you’re getting more use out of this model of heat ‘gun’ than the full-fledged options above.

Plus, to cap it all off, this device comes with its own nifty tool case that makes it easy to store and put away when you’re not making use of it.

Conclusion

With all of those points out of the way, it isn’t too hard to see that there are some pretty good cordless heat guns on offer out there. However, for some of our readers they may be a little underperforming given that their run times are quite short.

For those of you who are most interested in a longer running time, it might be best to stray from the battery-only models and opt for a butane option. Even though these still need to routinely be re-filled, they do offer a better overall experience.

Keep in mind that when shopping around for these models that you should keep efficiency at the forefront. That means finding nozzles and attachments that make the best use of heat and don’t waste any of that battery-created warmth.

In all, these cordless heat guns are the best on the market today and really do offer a portable and more comfortable experience for those who need it most, though don’t expect an ultra-high heat output here or a very long run-time. These are more of a tool to use for a quick task here and there, rather than during your everyday workflow at the shed or in your garage.