Makita has started to promote a new 18V cordless heat gun, model HG181DZK, on international channels, although there aren’t any apparent USA launch plans yet.
There also aren’t any indications of an XGT 36V/40V Max model, and so this might just be an 18V-powered tool at this time.
The new Makita cordless heat gun is designed for tasks you would typically use a corded model for, such as paint and sticker removal, installing heat shrink tubing, bending pipes, softening plastic tubing ends, and drying certain materials.
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There are 6 temperature settings, up to 550°C (1022°F).
From the Japanese-to-English translation, the lowest setting is “environmental temperature,” which implies that you can operate the blower fan without engaging the heating element.
This is also described as a “cooling function.” The sales sheet says that with the temperature adjustment dial set to 1 and the airflow setting set to 2 (the higher setting), the nozzle and “mating material” could be cooled.
The heating control setting is also said to have a stepless adjustment dial, which could allow for intermediate temperatures. It would seem that the adjustment dial, rather than a simple high/low switch, is what makes the ambient air “cooling” setting possible.
There are also 2 airflow settings, 120 L/min and 200 L/min.
Standard accessories include a flat nozzle, glass protection nozzle, curved nozzle, and round nozzle.
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Several other nozzle styles are available separately.
Additional features include a built-in LED worklight, hanging hook, trigger switch activation, and the ability to rest the heat gun on its back for vertical operation.
Vertical operation can be beneficial for hands-free work. This would also mean there’s a lock-on button.
Price: ¥21,500 for tool-only (~$187)
Discussion
Many tool brands already offer cordless heat guns in the USA, here are the ones we’ve posted about so far:
New Dewalt Cordless Heat Gun
New Milwaukee M18 Cordless Compact Heat Gun
Milwaukee M18 Cordless Heat Gun (Review)
Kobalt 24V Max Cordless Heat Gun
Metabo 18V Cordless Heat Gun
Harbor Freight Hercules and Bauer Cordless Heat Guns
Craftsman Cordless Heat Gun
Although we have not posted about it yet, Ryobi also offers a cordless heat gun.
Makita is very late to the party. But, late is better than never. Hopefully Makita will bring this to the USA, but that remains to be seen.
It looks like Makita differentiates their tool from other brands’ cordless heat guns with its “stepless” temperature adjustment dial. The ambient temperature setting also seems convenient.
All of the cordless heat guns I’ve tried so far cool down fairly quickly, but there could be times when the “cooling function” comes in handy. And if not, maybe it’s one of those “better to have it and not need it…” types of capabilities.
Unfortunately, we could not find any published specs regarding the heating time.
Saulac
On again, Makita might not be the first, but is the best. Cordless heat gun will always be for delicate works, and as such the (indefinite) adjustment is an important feature, same for the “fan only”.
I recently had to do some stone work and learned that polishing stone need lower speed than typical grinder speed. Found only Makita has cordless grinder with adjustable speed, so I got one and an adapter to use with Dewalt batteries, eventhough I already have two Dewalt cordless grinders.
Makita also seems to be the only one that interest in making circular saws with “guide rail compatible” shoes. I appreciate companies that do this sort of things.
Paul
I think dewalt and metabo both have circ saws with bases that run on festool rails, here in Europe anyway….
Rob
Actually most of them do. They just don’t sell it here.
CoBlue
Bosch also makes a “guide rail compatible” cordless circular saw. It’s available in the USA as the GKS18V-25GC. They also make a number of variable speed cordless grinders, but they don’t currently sell any in the US. Flex also has a variable speed cordless grinder.
Rog
I like the dual cooling and heating functions on this, tho I wish they would included the tips like others do.
Julian Tracy
I’m pretty sure with the generally lower temps these cordless heat guns operate, a stepless heat control is not as important. My Dewalt 20v has two settings – it rarely gets switched to low.
I’m mainly a Makita LXT user, amd I’ll be the first to suggest they’re generally higher quality than yellow or red, but they’ve been putting out tools which have questionable or crippled design choices and/or the bare tool cost is significantly higher. 7.5” mitersaw, inflator, multi tool, sander as examples.
Matthew
Agreed Julian! I’m still waiting on the compact 3.0 battery…..
Rivetjoint
Makita has a 7.5 slider?!LXT?
Julian Tracy
They’ve had one for near 10 years now. But it’s always been a $550 plus bare tool and seemingly has less capacity than the Dewalt (though the specs have some discrepancies depending on where you see them.).
That – and I don’t think hardly anyone has actually seen them in person.
No doubt it’s well made (probably in Japan), but the small cordless mitersaw was the reason I jumped into the Dewalt platform – theirs is cheap at around $250-300 bare tool, and nearly bulletproof. Dewalt has a long history of building solid mitersaws that started with ELU European models and I’ve framed entire basements with their 7.5” slider as well as made custom crown fences, adjustable crown stop and zero clearance inserts.
AC
On the topic of heat guns…I need one bad and I recently saw Bosch has a new 18v out in EU. Might try to import one as I’m flush in 18V CORE batteries.
Rob
I don’t miss those days of having to import every Bosch product. Alas, it seems Makita has become like that for me in the past year.
The Baker
I have the Milwaukee 18v heat gun and it is good for plumbing/automotive uses but not enough control for controls wiring or electronics, looks like this would be better. Since I’m now in both Milwaukee and Mikita ecosystems, I’d buy one of these if available in the states.
Rob
Don’t get too hyped on this heat gun. It gets a bit hotter but it, like the others, doesn’t have enough airflow. They make them like this to conserve battery life…but what’s the point if it takes a ten minutes to put an inch of heat shrink on a wire? Even the Steinel one that runs on Metabo batteries and has an almost appropriate sized fan has disappointed those that waited three-four years for it.