What Is The Difference Between A Heat Gun And A Hairdryer?

There is a possibility that a heat gun might look similar to a hairdryer in shape and sound, but these two are different things.

Heat Gun

Hair Dryer

Some people will use a hairdryer instead of a heat gun to achieve the same results. On rare occasions, you can use one instead of the other. In this article, you will find out the differences and similarities between the two. 

The basics of a heat gun and hairdryer

When we come to basics both of these devices work almost in the same way. Both of these devices have the same shape and almost produce the same kind of noise. In both of these, even the control of high and low-speed settings is also the same. Air blows over the heating element inside both of these and comes out through the nozzle. 

Major differences between the heat gun and hairdryer

One of the major differences between these two devices is the highest temperature they can reach. In case of a hot air gun temperature range is between 100 to 1300 degrees while on the other hand, hairdryer on the highest heat setting can achieve only a maximum of 140 degrees. This temperature factor is a huge difference between the two products. 

The purpose of a hairdryer is to dry your hair. Anything with a temperature over 140 degrees can cause serious injury to your skin and face so you never want such a device near our skin or hair. Heat air guns are usually required to perform jobs where the high temperature is required such as

  • For the removal of paint where you require a temperature of 750 degrees.
  • For the frozen locks where the minimum of 350 degrees temperature is required. 
  • For the removal of floor coverings where the minimum required temperature is 350 degrees.
  • Drying paints a minimum 250 degrees temperature is required. 
  • The removal of rusted bolts where almost 1150 degrees are required.
  • For frozen water pipes and the minimum required temperature is 1150 degrees. 
  • The deforesting of refrigerators, the temperature required is a minimum of 250 degrees.
  • Bending of plastic where a minimum of 250 degrees is required.

So you can feel the difference as a hairdryer cannot even match the minimum temperature requirements for these applications. For heavier jobs, the heat air gun is the best possible option. 

In what situations you can use either one of these?

Hairdryers can achieve a maximum of 140 degrees and the minimum temperature for the heat air gun is around 100 degrees. So it means there s a little bit of temperature overlap there. So if you are working on a project where the required temperature is 100 to 140 degrees a hairdryer can also be used there. Some of these jobs are

  • Molding of the plastic glasses frames
  • Removal of crayon marks from furniture and walls
  • Removal of stickers and labels
  • Removing wax of the candle from tables and floors

A hairdryer can also be used for some other applications as well like speed up the process of paint removal or drying out a new coat, but it is recommended not to use hair dryers for such applications. 

A hair dryer’s motor is not designed to do these tasks. To perform most of these tasks, lots of time is needed, but the motors are not designed to continuously use for a long time. If you are using hair dryers for these jobs regularly then the motor will quickly heat and sustain damage. Another reason is the outer nozzle. A heat gun will have much more concentrated airflow than the hair dryers. Heat gun devices are more preferred because the air will not scatter as it happens in the hair dryers. 

The purpose of hair dryers is to dry your hair so for this purpose much-scattered hair is required. Both of these tools were designed keeping their specific purpose in mind. 

Uses of a hairdryer

Some applications can only be done by using a hairdryer and a heat gun might be too hot to use. So here are some ways in which hairdryer can be used.

  • You can remove the dirt where it is difficult to reach
  • Drying vegetables after washing
  • Removal of adhesive wallpapers quickly
  • Removing stuck screw if it is not rusted
  • Drying the wet nail polish
  • Removal of contact paper
  • Get wrinkles out of the clothes
  • Removal of water rings from the furniture
  • Warming the waxing strips
  • Heating up of an eyelash curler
  • To stretch the pair of shoes that is too much tight
  • You can warm up your bed under the covers

Hairdryers can be helpful in most ways. A heat gun can cause lots of injuries if used for these small applications. 

Conclusion

You can never say that hair dryers and heat guns are interchangeable. But both of these devices can be used for some similar things. As you have never dried your hair with a heat gun similarly, you cannot remove a rusted bolt with a hairdryer. Some applications that require small temperatures both of these can be used but it is better to use a heat gun. 

There are lots of things that can’t be done by hairdryers and similarly, lots of things would not be done by a heat gun. The biggest difference between the two is temperature. You only achieve a maximum of 140 degrees in hairdryer, but the heat gun can achieve between 100 to 1300 degrees. So you can’t say which one is better as it depends on what you want to do. For big projects, it is better to invest in a heat gun and leave the hairdryer for little odd jobs around the house. You can get confused between these two as their shape and sound are almost similar but these two are different devices. 




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Sky Hoon
Hair Lover, Idea Starter. He started HairQueenie, which is ranked #27 in the FeedSpot Top 40 Hair Care Blogs and mentions in ManeAddicts and Tempest. Hair is not everything but something. He started Hairqueenie to share great hair products. Over time, he found there are more value to share answers to hair problems that cannot be found easily.
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