Tools:

Pam 220 Watt Adjustable Temperature Glue Gun
http://amzn.to/2FLucMV

Recommended General Purpose Glue Sticks
http://amzn.to/2FLSy9w

Recommended High Heat Glue Sticks
http://amzn.to/2IBULlu

Extra Nozzle Types
http://amzn.to/2IAhTRH

My other glue guns:

Surebonder Pro-2
http://amzn.to/2u1UvJx

Ryobi Cordless Glue Gun
http://amzn.to/2ppMEAR

Transcript:

I’m Donald Bell for Cool Tools and in this video we’re taking a look at the beefiest hot glue gun I’ve ever used, the PAM FastenMaster HB220. I bought this on Amazon for $80. Not cheap, but if you’re like me you might be curious to see what an $80 glue gun is like. If you want one for yourself, using the link in the description helps support my videos and the Cool Tools blog.

Let me start out by saying that this is a high-temperature glue gun that gets to over 400 degrees. Both the glue and the gun can burn you, so be careful.

Let me also admit that this is more glue gun than I need. I started out wanting to replace my puny 14-watt craft glue gun, and I bought a bunch of upgrades, including this $30 Surebonder, and this cordless Ryobi 60 watt glue gun. And both are fine for what I need and I have separate videos on those.

Still I really wanted to see what the next class of glue gun offered. From my research, this looked like the best value in a full-featured professional glue gun.

Here’s what you get. It comes with a plastic case that includes the glue gun, an extra nozzle with a smaller output, a screwdriver for adjusting the temperature, and instructions with details on the warranty. No glue sticks are included, so you’ll need to order some. I have my suggestions in the video description.

Now more importantly, here’s what this class of glue gun gets you that you don’t get at a lower price.

First, there’s the stand, which you can remove but it’s one of my favorite parts of this thing. The base is so wide that you can casually put this down and expect it to stay upright.

You also open yourself up to a range of swappable tips. Two come with this one, but I spent another $25 to get a variety with wider and skinnier openings, which are compatible with my other glue guns. When you want more control over the bead you’re laying down, these are helpful.

Because it’s both high-heat and adjustable, you can use a full range of ½-inch hot melt sticks, including types that can only be used with high-heat guns. By adjusting the heat you can dial in how long it takes the glue to set.

This gun also has a unique adjustment for restricting the travel of the trigger. Reigning it in can make it more comfortable and helps you define how much glue comes out for each squeeze, which is great for repetitive projects.

And for better or worse you get this thick 3-prong cord that measures 7-feet long. I like it because it’s less prone to kinks and tangles than the 100-watt Surebonder I have. But it also means you need a 3-prong outlet or extension cord to take this connection.

Now, there are some downsides to this glue gun. The obvious one is that it’s gigantic. It’s comfortable to hold, and not very heavy, but I feel a little silly busting this out for a minor task.

It also doesn’t heat up noticeably faster than my other two glue guns. So unless I really want to use high-temp glue, I’ll just grab my cordless if I’m in a hurry just to save the time of plugging in.

And in general this thing is designed for repetitive jobsite work — which isn’t what I do. If I was installing flooring or kitchen cabinets, dialing in the temperature to get the perfect work time and the trigger travel and nozzle width — would all make my life easier. But it’s just not what I do. For you it may be perfect.

So that’s the PAM FastenMaster HB220 glue gun. It’s a solid professional option, and a good value for what you get, but overkill for casual use. You can pick one up using the link in the description, and you can see thousands of reader recommended tools like this at Cool-Tools.org.

Find more Cool Tool reviews here:
http://kk.org/cooltools