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Uhu vs. Bosch meltdown: who makes the best hot-melt glue guns?

13.9.2024

Translation: Jessica Johnson-Ferguson

They’re the most popular in the Galaxus store. Both of them spew glue. But who’ll win the race for the best hot glue gun – Uhu or Bosch?

The hot glue guns from Bosch and Uhu scored the best ratings from Galaxus customers. However, the Bosch model costs almost twice as much. Is its steep price justified? Let’s find out!

Both guns are mains-powered, use 11-millimetre glue cartridges and melt glue. The Uhu model does this in five minutes, while the Bosch takes slightly longer at seven minutes.

Bosch Home & Garden Hot glue gun PKP 18 E

Hot glue guns

EUR31,96

Bosch Home & Garden Hot glue gun PKP 18 E

Hot glue guns

EUR15,40

UHU glue gun

First impressions

The Bosch model isn’t fully assembled, I need to screw the nozzle on first. «Cool,» I think to myself, «I’ll be able to replace the glue stick if necessary.» And that’s what it says in the product description, too. However, I failed miserably when I tried to unscrew the pin at a later stage. No matter how I tried, it wouldn’t budge. It seems like the nozzle has become wedged and can no longer be separated from the gun.

In comparison, the Uhu model doesn’t even try to get my hopes up. It’s all in one piece from the start, so I know what to expect. It also comes with six glue cartridges. The Bosch gun includes one.

Cable connection and stability

Both hot glue guns are equipped with a standardised European plug cable connection. This makes them somewhat less flexible to handle than battery-operated hot-melt glue guns. The cable length of the Bosch is 195 centimetres. The Uhu’s is 175 centimetres long. Both are long enough for my purposes.

Bosch PKP 18 E: no matter which side the cable’s on, the PKP 18 E remains stable. Even if I give the cable a shake, the gun doesn’t fall over. This is thanks to the flat support base and wide support aid. Very handy, indeed. This significantly reduces the risk of injury.
🔌🔌🔌🔌🔌
Uhu: in contrast, the Uhu gun topples over very easily. Unless the cable’s pointing directly away from the hot glue gun, it quickly loses its balance and tips over. To keep it standing, I need to put it down much more carefully than with the Bosch gun.
☀️☀️☀️

The ribbed, flat base makes the Bosch (right) stable. The Uhu’s much wobblier.
Source: Stefanie Lechthaler

The test

Fiddly work

To find out which of the two guns is more suitable for small, delicate DIY projects, I glue the stems of two dried-out daisy flowers back on and try to draw a line of glue across the stems.

Bosch PKP 18 E: I’m liking the PKP 18 E. With this gun, putting the glue precisely where I want it is easy. I’m particularly impressed by the fine line I can draw across the flower stem without anything smudging or dripping. The Bosch is definitely suitable for finicky jobs. Thanks to its long nozzle, you can easily reach hard-to-reach corners and crevices.
🔌🔌🔌🔌🔌
Uhu: I manage to put a drop of glue at the base of the flower head quite precisely. Although I have to be careful not to push the trigger too hard, I still manage to glue the flower back on its stem. Making a line with glue is a completely different story. I try to apply the hot glue as gently as possible on the stem, but it just doesn’t work. Too much is oozing out of the nozzle and all the glue overflows.
☀️☀️☀️

Placing dots of glue works about equally well with both (Uhu at the top, Bosch at the bottom).

The situation is different with the glue line applied to the stem. This works much better with the Bosch (left) than with the Uhu (right). — Placing dots of glue works about equally well with both (Uhu at the top, Bosch at the bottom).

Glueing large areas

Bosch PKP 18 E: I’m pleasantly surprised. Due to the rather strenuous feed, I assume the Bosch is primarily intended for more precise work. But once the gun’s hot enough, it’s quick to fill the whole circle. This creates many bubbles, more than the Uhu. Honestly, I wouldn’t want to fill an entire surface with it. That’d certainly cause pain in my hand after a while.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Uhu: It’s so much easier with the Uhu gun. It’s definitely the better one of the two for this task. I quickly and effortlessly cover the entire surface with the glue. All it takes if four squeezes of the trigger.
🔌🔌🔌🔌🔌

This round goes to the Uhu hot glue gun (right). I can fill the circle faster and more effortlessly with the Uhu than with the Bosch (left).
Source: Stefanie Lechthaler

Carful, risk of burns!

Minor burns are almost to be expected when you’re using a hot glue gun. But I really was startled by a sharp pain piercing my arm. Without realising it, I grazed the nozzle of the Bosch gun with my arm and burned myself. To the point the skin started peeling off. Ouch!

Bosch PKP 18 E: I can’t evaluate this point fully objectively. The nozzle on the Bosch is almost completely exposed, except for the small part that’s supposed to serve as heat protection. However, after I use the hot glue gun intensively, a large part of the rubber falls off and the metal surface becomes even larger. This makes it unsuitable for doing arts and crafts with children – the risk of getting burned is simply too great. In fact, the manufacturer also advises against this. According to the instructions, the glue gun isn’t intended for children under eight years of age and persons with limited physical, sensory or mental abilities.
⭐️⭐️
Uhu glue gun: Three quarters of the nozzle is covered with a protective cover that stays on well even after intensive use. I don’t burn myself once on the hot metal.
🧹🧹🧹🧹

A large part of the nozzle is exposed (Bosch).

Not so with the Uhu. Most of it is covered with a heat protection layer. — A large part of the nozzle is exposed (Bosch).

Mechanical feed

Effort

Bosch PKP 18 E: Until the Bosch gun is fully hot, I need to use so much force that my hand starts to tremble when I try to glue a line. Things only get easier after 20 minutes, although the pistol should be ready for use after seven minutes. This could be down to the narrow spray nozzle. The one I can’t unscrew, as I already mentioned. ⭐️⭐️
Uhu: This hot-melt glue gun releases the glue smoothly and without having to apply force. But careful, as a whole gush of hot glue will come out if you don’t adjust it. Accordingly, you use a lot more glue than with the Bosch.
🧹🧹🧹🧹

Although the nozzle diameter of the Bosch is about the same,…

… the Uhu gun glues much more effortlessly. — Although the nozzle diameter of the Bosch is about the same,…

Reloading cartridges

Bosch PKP 18 E: This works very well with the Bosch. When I reload a glue stick, it holds firmly as soon as it’s pushed in far enough. I don’t have to keep on holding it with the other hand. It stays in place and is guided to the melting area of the gun.
🔌🔌🔌🔌🔌
Uhu: Although the mechanical feed clamps the new cartridge in place, it still holds on to the old one too. This means I need to push the new one in behind it and hold on to it until it’s gripped properly. This can be a bit annoying for complex projects. Especially when the cartridges keep falling out.
☀️☀️☀️

The lowdown

Both are OK, depending on the job

The Bosch PKP 18 E gets a total of 23 stars, beating the Uhu hot glue gun, which scored 22 points, by just one point. If it weren’t for that horrible burn, Bosch would’ve lost fewer stars. Having said that, both are satisfactory. The decisive factor is what you’re using it for. If you’re doing projects with children, I’d recommend the Uhu gun. Sure, it’s a little less precise and less stable, but it glues effortlessly and the risk of burning is significantly lower. It’s also suitable for fast glueing work and large surfaces. You can’t argue with that. At least not given its price.

But if you need something more precise, the Bosch is definitely the right choice for you. With its long nozzle, you can get to hard-to-reach corners and aim the glue with pinpoint accuracy. In the best-case scenario, the nozzle can even be unscrewed again and you can replace it with another one as required. However, you’ll need a little patience, because unlike the Uhu hot glue gun, it takes a while before it’s ready for use.

Header image: Stefanie Lechthaler

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Stefanie Lechthaler

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Stefanie.Lechthaler@digitecgalaxus.ch

Painting the walls just before handing over the flat? Making your own kimchi? Soldering a broken raclette oven? There's nothing you can't do yourself. Well, perhaps sometimes, but I'll definitely give it a try.

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