The 10 Best Glue Guns

For most craft tables, the Gorilla Mini Dual Temp is the gun to start with. A switch picks low heat for foam, ribbon and fabric or high heat for wood, plastic and ceramic, so one tool handles both. Bob Vila's reviewers named it their top choice and were still using it six months later. The flip-down stand keeps the nozzle off the table, but glue can ooze out while it rests, and big hands may find the grip cramped.

Wreaths and banners are easier with the Surebonder CL-800F, which lifts off a warming base and works without a trailing cord. That freedom lasts only a minute or two before it goes back on the base to reheat, though the cord plugs straight into the gun for long sessions. It takes full-size sticks at one hot setting, and a silicone pad on the base catches drips. The base also grips the gun tightly, so lifting it off takes a tug.

Big projects go faster with the Chandler Tool Full Size, a corded gun that melts thick sticks steadily for hours. Its wide base lets it stand upright on the bench instead of leaning on a wire leg, and the nozzle is shaped to cut down on strings and drips between beads. The kit comes with ten long sticks to get started. It needs a few minutes to warm up, and the plastic shell is on the thin side.

Jewelry, model kits and paper flowers call for the Surebonder H-195F, whose long, narrow nozzle lays a thin line of glue right where you aim it. A switch on the cord turns it off between steps, and a built-in fuse cuts power if something goes wrong. It runs at one hot setting, which is too hot for foam and lace, and the small sticks go quickly on bigger jobs.

Made with children's crafts in mind, the Surebonder KD-160F melts glue far cooler than a standard gun, so a stray drip on a finger is much less of a worry. It still gets warm, and an adult should stay close. Glue sets in about a minute, which leaves time to fix a crooked piece. It works only with matching low-temperature sticks, and the bond is too weak for wood, metal or anything that will take weight.

Thick sticks and a two-way heat switch make the Gorilla Dual Temp Full Size a fit for wood trim, cardboard displays and holiday decor made in bulk. Low heat protects ribbon and foam, while high heat grabs harder surfaces. A wire stand flips down to keep the hot nozzle off the table, and fins on the barrel help stop melted glue from backing up toward the trigger. It comes as the gun alone, so sticks cost extra.

Forgetful crafters get a safety net with the Surebonder DT-320F, which turns itself off after half an hour without use. A switch toggles between low and high heat, a kickstand folds down for resting, and a rubber-coated trigger is kinder to tired fingers. An insulated cover over the nozzle adds some protection near the tip. After an automatic shutoff it has to warm up again from cold, and Surebonder backs it for only 90 days.

A low price doesn't have to mean a no-name gun. The AdTech Mini Hi-Temp comes from a long-running adhesive maker, carries a UL safety listing and has a one-year warranty. It runs at a single high heat that bonds wood, plastic and ceramic, and a small stand folds out to rest it. Its low power makes it slow to warm up and slow to refill a long bead.

Gluing far from an outlet, on a porch display or a car seat repair, is where the Workpro 7.2V Cordless earns its keep. A built-in battery charges from a USB-C cable and runs roughly 45 minutes of steady work. It warms up in about half a minute, offers low and high settings, and shuts itself off when left idle. Its high setting stays cooler than a plug-in gun's, so tough bonds on wood can be weaker.

Woodworkers, upholsterers and packing lines that run glue all day are the crowd for the AdTech Pro200. Its strong heater keeps a heavy flow coming, and the trigger needs only a light squeeze, which matters over hours of work. It rests on a metal stand, carries a UL listing and has a one-year warranty. It's far more gun than a craft table needs, takes a few minutes to reach full heat, and the hot tip needs real care around kids.