TrulyObscure - article - gadgeteer - Back from Break with ColdHeat

Hi! Yes, yes, we’re still here. We’ve been working on our hopeful print publication, but will admit under duress to a bit of website neglect. We will redeem ourselves, and as penance are putting together a rich two-piece look at everyones favorite “now-it’s-healthy-now-it’s-not” treat: chocolate. And not just any chocolate, but some of the world’s finest, from around the globe.

But first, we need to focus on today’s paradoxical gadget, with a look at the ColdHeat soldering iron and glue gun. Their basic soldering iron ($20) has been in our toolkit for a while, and blew our minds when we first tried it out. Solder is messy, nasty stuff and burns like heck when you inevitably drip it on your hands, but the ColdHeat iron makes it easier to handle simply by heating up and cooling down very quickly. It sounds both impossible and obvious, and apparently is accomplished with patent-pending “unconventional” materials in the tip, allowing it to be both energy-efficient and much safer.

The next logical step was the humble glue gun, another case where dripping substances can be annoying and dangerous, and ColdHeat prevents it simply by getting cool immediately after use. Just as with the soldering iron, the glue gun is cordless, and the batteries manage to be both reasonably light and give a sufficient charge for just about any job. The tool stands up fairly well- it’s not going to survive major drops but can handle some beating without denting or any obvious problems. Best of all, it’s about the same price as corded glue guns that do, actually, seem a little outdated: $30.

The ColdHeat glue gun has yet to fail us: its worked with several types of glue, and mostly eliminates the need for drip trays and extra caution. It also doesn’t seem to smell as bad as some past glue guns have. Overall, a strong recommendation for those who like their glue hot but not dripping all over the floor and furniture.