Hot glue gun buying guide
Updated: 23 October 2026
You are replacing a dead glue gun, or buying the first one. A hot glue gun buying guide only helps if it forces a sequence. Choose the stick diameter first, then read the voltage line, then decide wattage and how many sticks are actually in the box. Shelf prices and review counts sit in the [hot glue gun comparison](/hub/fillers-adhesives-and-sprays/hot-glue-gun). Peter F. checked the amazon.co.uk listings on 20 October 2026. Nothing here is a lab test. If you buy through a link, a qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
You are replacing a dead glue gun, or buying the first one. A hot glue gun buying guide only helps if it forces a sequence.
You are replacing a dead glue gun, or buying the first one. A hot glue gun buying guide only helps if it forces a sequence. Choose the stick diameter first, then read the voltage line, then decide wattage and how many sticks are actually in the box. Shelf prices and review counts sit in the hot glue gun comparison. Peter F. checked the amazon.co.uk listings on 20 October 2026. Nothing here is a lab test. If you buy through a link, a qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Our top picks
| Badge | Product | Stick size | Voltage stated | Power | Note | Price | Offer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall |  BEEWAY BEEWAY 100 W full-size glue gun | About 11 mm | 230.01 V | 100 W | 8.8 | about £22.99 | View offer |
 MAXDONE MAXDONE 50 W mini glue gun kit | 7 mm | 220 V | 50 W | 8.8 | about £7.39 | View offer | |
| Best value |  MAXDONE MAXDONE 20 W mini glue gun | 7 mm | 230 V | 20 W | 8.5 | about £6.99 | View offer |
On this page
Stick size before wattage
The stick is the part you will keep buying, so it comes before the wattage on the title. In this set, ten guns take 7 mm sticks and two take sticks of about 11 mm. Those diameters do not share a refill. Cromwell lists 7 mm, 11 mm, and 12 mm as separate sizes. Cards, trim, or a wreath belong on 7 mm, including both MAXDONE minis, the RUNSAI, both DEKO kits, and the Haltons. The BEEWAY and the FAHEFANA are the about-11 mm guns. A 20 W mini and a 50 W mini can share a 7 mm stick. Extra watts do not widen the hole. The gap between about 11 mm and a true 12 mm refill is on the 7 mm or 11 mm glue gun page.
The plug and the voltage line
UK mains are nominally 230 V, and a glue gun sold for use here should arrive with a BS 1363 three-pin plug. Electrical Safety First tells you to use that plug, not a travel adapter. Two Tilswall rows, the W101 at £9.99 and the W101-Blue at £8.99, state 120 V. Do not bridge a 120 V gun into a UK socket with a travel adapter. Both DEKO kits, the Assark, and the FAHEFANA do not state a voltage at all. The MAXDONE NL-310 states 220 V, the MAXDONE 20 W and the RUNSAI state 230 V, the KATSU and the Haltons state 240 V, and the BEEWAY states 230.01 V. Check the plate before the first plug-in.
Wattage, sticks, and the stand
Inside one diameter, wattage is pace, not a quality score. The 20 W and 30 W minis, from the KATSU at £5.99 to the DEKO kits at £7.99, suit cards and short beads. Bostik still talks about roughly five minutes before the glue flows. The RUNSAI lists 90 seconds and the MAXDONE bullets say 1–3 minutes, so wait until a scrap bead is smooth. The how to use a hot glue gun page treats that flow as the test. About 100 W, the FAHEFANA at £19.99 and the BEEWAY at £22.99, only makes sense after you have chosen about 11 mm sticks. A stand does not stop drips.
Listing lines that disagree
Several rows contradict themselves, and the cheaper line is not the one to believe. The FAHEFANA title says 200 W and the wattage field says 100 W, with no voltage, at £19.99. Treat that as unclear until the nameplate settles the watts. The Assark title says 50 W and the field says 40 W, and voltage is absent. The MAXDONE 20 W row lists a weight of 90 g, which is not a weight you should plan around, while its compatible-materials field says only wood. Fireproof, anti-drip, and a silicone sleeve are listing words. The pink DEKO and the Tilswall kits still draw drip comments. Pay only when the diameter matches a refill you can buy again, the voltage field is 220–240 V or you will confirm the nameplate, and the wattage matches the bead you actually lay.
Common questions
Is a gun on amazon.co.uk always 230 V?
No. Two Tilswall listings in this set state 120 V, and the DEKO, Assark, and FAHEFANA rows do not state a voltage at all. UK mains are nominally 230 V and the plug should be a BS 1363 three-pin. Read the nameplate. Do not use a travel adapter to run a 120 V tool from a UK socket.
How many sticks should a kit include?
Thirty sticks is the usual count in this set, which covers a few craft sessions before you need a refill of the same diameter. The Haltons lists 50, the KATSU lists 12, and one review of the KATSU says 11 arrived. A Tilswall 10-stick order has arrived with none. Treat the bullet count as a claim, and keep a spare pack of the right diameter in the drawer.
Is 20 W enough for cards?
For cards, ribbon, and short craft beads, a 20 W or 30 W mini on 7 mm sticks is the usual tool. The MAXDONE 20 W at £6.99 states 230 V and includes 30 sticks, ten of them coloured. It will not lay a long structural bead as quickly as a 100 W gun, and it is still a hot gun, not a cool-melt tool.
When is 100 W the right gun?
About 100 W is the right band when you have already chosen sticks of about 11 mm and you want more glue per squeeze on wood or thick card. In this set that is the BEEWAY at £22.99, listed at 100 W and 230.01 V, or the FAHEFANA at £19.99, whose title and wattage field disagree. It is the wrong default for a greeting card.
What does a stand or an on/off switch change?
A stand gives the hot nozzle somewhere to rest other than the table, and a switch lets you cut power without pulling the plug mid-session. Neither one stops drips. The BEEWAY wire stand and the Assark stand both draw complaints. Electrical Safety First still wants the gun on a stand, on a non-flammable surface, and unplugged once it has cooled.
Related pages
Sources
Public UK sources used for this comparison. amazon.co.uk prices, stars and review counts were taken from the listings on 19 October 2026.
- Electrical Safety First, glue guns (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- NHS, burns and scalds (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016, regulation 35 (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- GOV.UK, Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016 (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- BS 1363-1:2023, 13 A plugs (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- Dremel UK glue-gun manual (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- Glue Guns Direct, safety (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- Cromwell Tools, glue guns (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- Amazon.co.uk Best Sellers, Glue Guns (retrieved 19 October 2026)