Review of Top 3 Light Industrial Glue Guns
TEC 805 vs AdTech Pro 200 vs 3M Scotch Weld Polygun AE II
Today we tested the top three hot melt glue guns for light industrial activities, 3M's Polygun AE II, Ad Tech's PRO 200, and Power Adhesives' TEC 805.
These light industrial hot melt guns are priced between $49-$65. All three hot glue guns are similar in weight, size and have 4 finger triggers making them easy to use.
The 4 finger trigger also helps you avoid hand fatigue for extended periods of use. These glue guns are suitable for light industrial work, which is a step higher than hobby and craft, but not ideal for all day use. We like that all of these guns can be further customized for your applications by changing nozzles. These light industrial glue guns are more durable than the standard glue guns you can buy at your local craft or hardware store and offer a significant performance upgrade as well.
3M's Polygun AE II
The Good
The AE II hot melt gun does feature an indicator light let's you know when the adhesive applicator is ready. It also features a longer power cord than the other 2 guns we tested, which gives you a bit more mobility. 3M AE II Trigger and Nozzle
The Bad
We were disappointed in our testing of the Polygun AE II glue gun. The 3M AE II polygun has an output of 2 pounds per hour, but this 3M applicator drips excessively. Almost all glue guns display some amount of drip, which is why you should never place them idle on carpet or a heat sensitive surface, but the 3M AE II leaked a lot more than most. In our trigger pull test it was beat out by both the PRO 200 and the TEC 805.
Ad Tech's PRO 200
The Good
The PRO 200 is at the bottom of the price range for these 3 light industrial guns, but it did fair quite well in our testing. It beats out 3M's Polygun AE II as it only has an medium amount of dripping from the nozzle while it's idle. Also in our trigger pull test the PRO 200 made it farther than the AE II. This glue gun also has a power indicator light. We definitely think this glue gun is a good one, but it fell a bit short in comparison to the TEC 805.
The Bad
The Pro 200 performed adequately but we would have liked to see some more features that set it apart from a craft glue gun. It will definitely outperform entry level guns but doesn't have a lot of bells and whistles.
Power Adhesives TEC 805
The Good
The TEC 805 is the newest glue gun to the Power lineup and offers many features of the more expensive (and recently discontinued) TEC 810 which has been updated to the TEC 820. The Power 805 gun takes the light industrial glue guns to a whole new level as far as we are concerned. This gun is a bargain--at only $54 you get a whole lot of bang for you buck.
Featuring an on/off switch and a trigger adjustment knob that allows you to control the output. When the hot melt gun is idle the dripping is almost zero. And one of the very unique features of the TEC 805 glue gun is that it is available in a 5/8" version increasing output volume and making it the most cost effective 5/8" glue gun on the market.
The Bad
The TEC 805 was a little bit larger than the Pro 200 or 3M AE II but it was no heavier so we don't see extended use being any type of issue.
The Winner: Power Adhesives TEC 805
All the way around we like that this gun has added features that both the AE II and the PRO 200 do not offer and comes in at a very similar price point. The minimal drip and trigger extender allowing for almost double output per trigger pull sealed the deal.
You can find all three guns in stock at Hotmelt.com. Feel free to call one of our hot melt experts to discuss these guns or any of the hotmelt.com products.
