The best cartridge presses, compared.
Top pick: GOTOTOP 600 ml cartridge press Best value: OTT professional cartridge press 16:1 – Same listing: the lowest shelf price with a stated 150–310 ml capacity and a printed ratio. A dearer row with no millilitre capacity does not take this award. Updated 22 October 2026.
A cartridge press, often called a caulking gun or sealant gun in the UK, is a hand tool that drives a plunger into a pre-filled tube so sealant, adhesive, grout or epoxy leaves through a nozzle as a controlled bead. Most DIY jobs use a 310 ml plastic cartridge. A 400 ml trade tube and a 600 ml foil sausage need a longer barrel, or a combi gun whose maker lists both formats. A two-component cartridge needs a dual gun and a static mixing nozzle. A single barrel cannot meter that pack. Match the gun to the pack, then to thrust and frame. Stiff mastic and injection mortar need more mechanical advantage, often quoted as 12:1, 16:1 or 18:1. A steel or aluminium frame, a rotating barrel, and a pressure-release catch or shut-off valve reduce waste and wrist strain. A dripless claim still needs a cartridge that seats. On a closed barrel, the inner diameter has to match the shoulder. Capacity, ratio and drip control are set out in the [cartridge press buying guide](/hub/fillers-adhesives-and-sprays/cartridge-press/sub/cartridge-press-buying-guide).
A cartridge press, often called a caulking gun or sealant gun in the UK, is a hand tool that drives a plunger into a pre-filled tube so sealant, adhesive, grout or epoxy leaves through a nozzle as a controlled bead.
18 products checked · 58 hrs invested · +21,400 readers
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
Which pack are you loading?
The GOTOTOP press is the only 600 ml tool in this set, listed at about £23.06 in aluminium alloy and plastic, weighing 660 g and supplied with ten nozzles. The listing line is 3.1 out of 5 from 19 ratings, and the raw sample has no UK-verified review text, so that star line is a weak signal for a UK buyer. Reviews in the file say the plunger is too large for ordinary cartridges, which fits a dedicated 600 ml barrel rather than a combi gun. A bullet on some snapshots mentions Germany-only delivery, so check dispatch to your address before you rely on the page. No thrust ratio or shut-off is stated. The package size is 52.2 × 22.7 × 7.1 cm, and the rank line was 87 in Caulking Guns. It belongs with 600 ml packs the barrel was built for, not with a standard bathroom 310 ml tube.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You already buy 600 ml packs this barrel is built for, and you have confirmed the listing will dispatch to your UK address.
Less suitable: Standard 310 ml bathroom silicone, two-component cartridges, or anyone reading 3.1 from 19 non-UK texts as a UK verdict.
Specifications
Common questions
Is this gun intended for 310 ml bathroom cartridges?
No. Reviews in the saved listing say the plunger is too large for ordinary cartridges. The listing targets 600 ml, and a dedicated 600 ml barrel is not a combi gun.
What rating appears on the listing line?
3.1 out of 5 from 19 ratings in the raw capture. The sample has no UK-verified review text, so that line is a weak signal for a UK buyer.
How many nozzles are included?
The listing says ten nozzles. The frame is aluminium alloy and plastic at 660 g. No thrust ratio or shut-off is stated, and some snapshots mention Germany-only delivery.
The OTTbeschlagswelt press is the only gun in this set that prints both a 16:1 thrust ratio and a 150–310 ml capacity, at about £10.59. The frame is listed as metal, the tool weighs 730 g, and the box includes a hardwood lever block of 70 × 280 mm. Dimensions are 36 × 5.7 × 21 cm under model OTT-KART-16-310, first available on 26 January 2026. There is no star line, so the ratio and the capacity are seller claims rather than owner reports. A shut-off valve and barrel rotation are not stated, which you will notice if the last squeeze of silicone keeps moving after you stop. At this price it is the top pick and the best value for ordinary 310 ml silicone and acrylic, though stiff construction adhesive may still want a heavier frame than a 730 g geared gun with no review file.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Occasional bathroom and window silicone in 150 ml or 310 ml cartridges, when you want a stated gear ratio in the about £8–£15 band.
Less suitable: 600 ml sausages, two-component twin cartridges, or daily trade use where you need UK reviews and a shut-off catch.
Specifications
Common questions
Which cartridge sizes does the listing name?
150 ml and 310 ml appear in the title and the bullets. The frame is listed as metal at 730 g, with a hardwood lever block of 70 × 280 mm in the box.
Is a thrust ratio stated?
Yes. The listing says 16:1. A shut-off valve and barrel rotation are not stated, so the last of the bead may keep moving after you stop.
Are reviews in the raw capture?
No rating line was present in the saved listing. The ratio and the capacity are seller claims, not owner reports, and this score is not a thrust test.
The YATO closed-barrel press is listed at about £22.26 with a 240 mm aluminium body and a claimed 51.2 mm inner diameter. The title also names a ball-bearing piston, a 360° body and an automatic shut-off valve, which is the drip-control feature this set otherwise mostly leaves blank. No thrust ratio appears in the raw capture, so you cannot compare hand force with the 16:1 OTT gun from the listing alone. Amazon stars and the review count were missing, and the page first appeared on 2 October 2026, so there is no UK owner history to set against the shut-off claim. The manufacturer line is TOYA S.A. under model 151095218. Treat 51.2 mm as a bore claim, not as proof that every 310 ml bathroom cartridge will seat. It is the closed-barrel option here when you want a stated valve and rotation, with the limit that fit and thrust are still untested in this file.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a closed-barrel gun with a stated bore, rotation and a shut-off claim, and you will check the cartridge shoulder against 51.2 mm before you rely on it.
Less suitable: You need a proven 310 ml silicone fit, a quoted thrust ratio, or UK reviews before you spend about £22.26.
Specifications
Common questions
What inner diameter does the listing state?
The title says 51.2 mm. Match your cartridge shoulder to that figure before you buy. A millilitre capacity is not stated, so a 310 ml fit is not shown.
Does the listing quote a thrust ratio?
No. The raw capture has no ratio field. The title does name a ball-bearing piston, a 360° body and an automatic shut-off valve.
Are UK reviews available in the capture?
No. Stars and the review count were missing in the saved listing. The page first appeared on 2 October 2026, so there is no UK owner history against the shut-off claim.
The LEWFECBO listing describes a manual two-component gun for 310 ml cartridges at about £26.99, aimed at composite mortar, grout and injection mortar. The frame line says painted aluminium steel and the model is AHD414. No thrust ratio is printed, and the raw box contents do not list static mixing nozzles, so you should budget mixers separately. A normal single silicone cartridge will not meter through a dual gun, and this page does not name a 1:1 or any other mix ratio. There is no review score in the capture. At about £26.99 it sits at the bottom of the specialist price band, well below many trade dual guns, which is a reason to keep structural anchoring outside what this listing proves. Use it when your cartridge is already a 310 ml twin pack this gun can hold, and pass the job to a trained applicator if the mortar maker requires one.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You already buy 310 ml twin cartridges for grout or injection mortar and you accept buying static mixers separately.
Less suitable: Bathroom silicone, 600 ml sausages, or any job that specifies a named mix ratio and a trained applicator.
Specifications
Common questions
Can this gun dispense standard single silicone cartridges?
No. The title describes a two-component 310 ml gun. A normal single silicone cartridge will not meter through a dual gun.
Are static mixing nozzles included?
The listing does not list mixers in the box. Budget static mixers separately, and the page does not name a 1:1 or any other mix ratio.
Is there a review score in the capture?
No. Rating fields were missing. The listing is not evidence that a structural anchor is approved. Pass the job on if the mortar maker requires a trained applicator.
This steel-framed hand tool is listed at about £15.11 and 763 g, with variable flow and a drip-free, leak-proof claim in the bullets. The technical table does not give a millilitre capacity, a thrust ratio or a rotation figure, so you cannot tell whether a 310 ml tube or a 600 ml sausage is the intended pack. Package dimensions are 37 × 26.6 × 6 cm, the model code is PMBKWDOBSCG81YJJ23, and the page was first available on 24 July 2026. No rating line was captured. A drip-free sentence without a described release catch or owner reviews is a marketing line, not a measured stop. The colour field only says multicoloured, which does not tell you how stiff the frame is. It is a mid-price steel body only if you have already checked that your cartridge seats in it.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You have already seated your cartridge in this frame and you only want a steel body with a flow claim at about £15.11.
Less suitable: A first gun for 310 ml silicone, a two-component mortar job, or anyone who needs a stated capacity before checkout.
Specifications
Common questions
What cartridge capacity does the listing state?
The technical table in the saved listing does not give a millilitre capacity. You cannot tell from the page whether a 310 ml tube or a 600 ml sausage is the intended pack.
Does the listing claim drip-free use?
Yes. Drip-free and leak-proof appear in the bullets. There is no described release catch, and the claim was not measured in this file.
Are reviews available?
No rating line was in the raw capture. The page was first available on 24 July 2026, and the model code does not identify a known UK trade gun.
Five amazon.co.uk cartridge press listings were scored on a 0–100 scale. Amazon evidence is 40 points, from the star rating scaled by review count. A missing review line scores at the bottom of that block, and non-UK review text scores low. Spec fit is 35 points: a stated capacity, a thrust ratio or a heavy-duty frame, a drip or shut-off feature, and a two-component or sausage match when that is the product class. Value is 25 points, from the shelf price in GBP against stated capacity and the evidence block. The highest total is the top pick. The same listing leads the value weight and is the lowest shelf price with a stated 150–310 ml capacity and a printed ratio, so it is also the best value. A dearer row with no millilitre capacity does not take that award. A millilitre capacity is not inferred from a stated bore. Prices are the amazon.co.uk shelf prices on 21 October 2026. This is not a laboratory thrust test or a bead-quality test.
Amazon evidence
40%Star rating on the amazon.co.uk listing, scaled by review count. No review line scores at the bottom of this block. Non-UK review text in the raw sample scores low.
Spec fit
35%Stated cartridge capacity, a thrust ratio or a heavy-duty frame, a drip or shut-off feature, and a two-component or sausage match when that is the product class.
Value
25%Shelf price in GBP against stated capacity and the evidence block. The lowest price does not win when the millilitre capacity is blank.
Match the gun to the pack you buy, then to the thrust ratio and the drip control. A dripless sentence is a listing line until the page describes a release catch, and a stated bore is not a millilitre capacity.
A cartridge press is the hand tool UK shops also call a caulking gun or a sealant gun. It drives a plunger into a pre-filled tube so sealant, adhesive, grout or epoxy leaves through a nozzle as a controlled bead. Manual skeleton frames and closed-barrel guns are the usual tools for home jobs. Most of those jobs use a 310 ml plastic cartridge. A 400 ml trade tube and a 600 ml foil sausage need a longer barrel, or a combi gun whose maker lists both formats.
A dedicated 600 ml gun will not support a standard 310 ml cartridge. Reviews on the 600 ml listing in this set say the plunger is too large for ordinary tubes. A combi gun covers both sizes only when the maker lists them.
Two-component epoxy, grout and injection mortar need a dual gun and a static mixer. A single barrel cannot meter that pack. A missing mix ratio on the listing is a reason to buy mixers to the cartridge system, not a reason to guess.
Sealant keeps oozing if you ignore the release catch. A drip-free bullet without a described catch is a marketing line. Cut the nozzle to the joint, and do not store the cartridge without its cap.
Match the gun to the pack: a 310 ml cartridge, a 150 ml tube, a 400 ml trade cartridge, a 600 ml sausage, or a two-component twin. A dedicated 600 ml barrel will not support a 310 ml cartridge. A combi gun does both only when the maker lists the formats. A single barrel cannot meter a twin cartridge. On a closed barrel, check the inner diameter against the cartridge shoulder. Do not treat a millimetre bore as a stated millilitre capacity.
Higher ratios, often 12:1, 16:1, 18:1 or a heavy-duty frame, reduce hand force on stiff sealant, construction adhesive and injection mortar. A cheap skeleton can flex or strip the drive rod. Steel or aluminium, a rotating barrel, a pressure-release tab and a shut-off valve on some closed guns cut waste and wrist strain. A dripless claim still needs a clean rod end and a cartridge that seats. Prefer UK dispatch, a clear capacity line and UK review history.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You want one geared gun for bathroom and window silicone in 150 ml or 310 ml cartridges. The OTT professional cartridge press is the top pick and the best value at about £10.59, with 16:1 and both sizes named on the listing. There is no review line, and a shut-off is not stated.
You want a closed-barrel body with a stated bore, rotation and a shut-off claim. The YATO press is about £22.26, with 51.2 mm, a 360° body and an automatic shut-off on the listing. Millilitre capacity and a thrust ratio are not stated, and there is no UK review line.
You already buy 310 ml twin cartridges for grout or injection mortar. The LEWFECBO listing is the only dual gun here, at about £26.99. It does not print a mix ratio, mixers are not in the box list, and it is not an approval for structural anchoring.
The top pick and the best value are the same listing: the OTT professional cartridge press 16:1 at about £10.59. It is the only gun here that prints both a 16:1 ratio and a 150–310 ml capacity, and it is the lowest shelf price. There is no amazon.co.uk review line, so the award is listing fit and price, not owner reports and not a thrust test. A shut-off and rotation are not stated. The YATO closed-barrel press at about £22.26 states a 51.2 mm bore, a 360° body and a shut-off claim, and it does not state a millilitre capacity. The GOTOTOP gun is a 600 ml barrel at about £23.06, with 3.1 from 19 ratings and reviews that say the plunger is too large for ordinary cartridges. The LEWFECBO listing is the only dual gun, at about £26.99, without a mix ratio or mixers in the box.
OTT professional cartridge press 16:1
Same listing: the lowest shelf price with a stated 150–310 ml capacity and a printed ratio. A dearer row with no millilitre capacity does not take this award.
Editorial
Peter F. is the editor for DIY & tools at productscompared.co.uk. Comparisons in this category are checked against amazon.co.uk listings, review evidence and public UK sources.
Guides on what to look for, how to use a product, and common mistakes.
Public UK sources used for this comparison. amazon.co.uk prices, stars and review counts were taken from the listings on 21 October 2026.
Expert source (DIY & tools): Charlie White (Charlie DIYte) (external profile) – public expert commentary used as a research source, not as a contributor to our pages.
This page contains affiliate links to amazon.co.uk (tag pcuk26-21). If you buy through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices, stars and review counts are from the listings. This is not a laboratory test.
