Can hairdryer be used instead of a heat gun?

Though hair dryers and heat guns have similar functions, they cannot be used for all applications. Before we get into the topic, we need to understand the applications of hair dryer and heat gun, the purpose of their designs, their functions and the difference between them. This article will cover all these topics and answer briefly for your question.

Purpose of a heat gun:

A heat gun is a device used to emit hot air, with temperatures generally varying between 100 degrees and 1000 degrees. Best heat gun are usually in the shape of a handgun but there are also different models, which you can find on The Most Spruce, available nowadays for performing various tasks.

Different models of heat guns operating at different temperatures are used for several different applications, including to strip paint, shrink wrap packaging, bend and weld plastic, adhesives and to heat shrink wrap. These are the basic purpose of a heat gun.

Purpose of a hairdryer:

A hairdryer also is known as a blow dryer, is an electrical device designed to dry and style hair. The hairdryer uses an electric fan to blow air across a heating coil fixed inside. As the air passes through the dryer it heats up and when the warm air reaches wet hair it helps evaporate the water.

The standard temperature of a hairdryer will have a maximum temperature of around 140°C. As hair dryers have low-temperature level, it cannot be applied for certain applications which require higher temperature level.

How is heat gun different from a hairdryer?

As mentioned earlier a heat gun has a temperature level of 100 degrees to 1000 degrees. Sometimes heat gun can also reach up to 1400 degrees. Whereas hair dryers have a temperature level of 140 degrees. A heat gun has a surface stand, to place it in an upright direction so that it does not tip over whereas a hairdryer has none.

Can hairdryer be used instead of a heat gun?

Both hair dryers and heat guns have very similar functions but you can use a hairdryer instead of a heat gun only for certain applications. An application such as removing labels/stickers, removing candle wax, or similar tasks use a hair dryer as a heat gun. However, if you use it regularly for these type of tasks it will quickly overheat and become damaged.

The reason is hairdryer is not designed to perform these sort of tasks. Thus, a hairdryer can perform the same job as a heat gun when it comes to some applications like shrink-wrapping.

However, hair dryers and heat guns have similar functions, for best results use devices designed for its purposes. If you use a hairdryer to meltdown shrink-wrap film instead of a heat gun you will most likely be frustrated with the results. This is because hair dryers are not designed for such purposes. Thus, use a hair dryer instead of a heat gun only for certain applications if not the device will get overheated and damaged very soon.