Glue gun advice for a novice

[TimeFlying]

I’ve started a couple of paper based things such as making my own gift bags etc.

if I was to buy a glue gun - what am I looking for? Is cheap ok for my small scale projects?

thank you!

I've got a cheap £5 one from Hobbycraft and it suits me just fine for my small Christmas projects. I practiced first on some card/paper so that I could gauge how much trigger pressure to apply. The cheap one works very well and I use it to make gift tags etc

I looked at the £5 ones from Hobbycraft but they have a lot of horrendous reviews. I'm glad the PP finds it ok, but I went for a top rated £12 one from Amazon that comes with 80 glue sticks. (I must have got a BF deal as I've just checked and it's now £16).

We have this one and it’s good. So much fun!

https://amzn.to/48arv0o

Mine wasn’t much about 10 but see how much replacement sticks are, I get mine from screwfix and their generic ones fit my gun.

I have a cheap plug in one (wilko) and also a cordless Bosch and I always end up using the plug in as it’s just so annoying running out of battery mid way through a project, although the nozzle is thinner and neater on the Bosch.
Maybe the one mentioned above the Bosch plug in is the ideal gun.
this is the cordless version, great if you only need it in short bursts,
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bosch-Cordless-Integrated-Lithium-Ion-Battery/dp/B00SBN0NSW/ref=sxin_14_pa_sp_search_thematic_sspa?content-id=amzn1.sym.431c6c06-e77e-44d9-a42c-721ab4612e9e%3Aamzn1.sym.431c6c06-e77e-44d9-a42c-721ab4612e9e&crid=VS3ISPFEY1J2&cv_ct_cx=Cordless+glue+gun&keywords=Cordless+glue+gun&pd_rd_i=B00SBN0NSW&pd_rd_r=6a8970ce-b068-490b-b932-1cd5af518657&pd_rd_w=Iowhm&pd_rd_wg=KxoLP&pf_rd_p=431c6c06-e77e-44d9-a42c-721ab4612e9e&pf_rd_r=H00S365XQ0W675AA4D1J&qid=1703735048&sbo=RZvfv%2F%2FHxDF%2BO5021pAnSA%3D%3D&sprefix=cordless+gluegun%2Caps%2C73&sr=1-4-ad3222ed-9545-4dc8-8dd8-6b2cb5278509-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9zZWFyY2hfdGhlbWF0aWM&psc=1

I buy the glue sticks from the works. 100 sticks for £5
https://www.theworks.co.uk/p/glue-and-tape/mini-glue-sticks-glue-gun-refills---pack-of-100/5052089279063.html

Did you guys know that glue sticks go off?? I once bought a pack of 100 and I felt smug thinking they'd last me years, but it turns out each stick only lasts a year or so. Everything I glued with the years expired sticks became brittle and came off.

WHAT?!
I didn’t know that 😳
phoebe buffay voice “that is brand new information”
that must be why my label plates keep falling off, my glue stick stash is about 3 years old.
thanks for the tip, I’ll bin the remaining box and pick up more.