A plastic welder can be an integral part of an auto mechanic’s or DIYer’s tool kit. It repairs brittle and cracking plastic automotive parts by welding and mending it by hand. But given plastic welders vary wildly with a host of options, designs, and use-cases, picking the right one can be difficult. To make things easier, we’ve assembled solid options to choose from and listed pros and cons for each, so keep reading to learn more about the best plastic welders. Below, we detail our top recommendations, explain the features of plastic welders, and answer the most frequently asked questions.
Best Overall
Polyvance Mini-Weld Model 7 Airless Plastic Welder
Best Value
Massca Plastic Welding Kit
Honorable Mention
Bondic LED UV Liquid Plastic Welding Pro Kit
Best Plastic Welders Reviews & Recommendations
Best Overall
Polyvance Mini-Weld Model 7 Airless Plastic Welder
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Best Value
Massca Plastic Welding Kit
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Best Mid-Range
Jounjip Plastic Welding Repair Kit
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Best Portable
Tankco Plastic Welder Kit
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How We Selected The Products
Our product selections, rankings, and awards for this story are based on research. Although we haven’t conducted real-world testing on all of these products yet, we’ve looked at consumer testimonials and data, tutorials, and general discussions on social media and in forums. We also consider price and specification in the context of the segment. And, of course, we rely on our institutional knowledge of the automotive landscape to weed out weak products.
For this review, we researched and evaluated numerous plastic welders, factoring in several criteria. This includes wattage, temperature control, and the number of attachments. We also factored in air versus airless designs with one recommended pick using UV light instead of traditional heat for light-duty jobs filling in small gaps. All of our picks address welding needs for some of the more popular automotive-grade plastics today, including PVC, PP, ABS, HDPE, and LDPE.
Buying Guide/What to Look For
Here are some of the more important criteria to consider when buying plastic welders.
Power
Our recommended wattage for plastic welders is 200W for mid-to-heavy-duty work. This offers enough power to soften plastics and create bonds, good on small-to-large surface gaps and cracks. For lighter duty work (e.g. repairing very small gaps), a UV light solution like the Bondic LED UV Liquid Plastic Welding Pro Kit or plastic welder rated at 200W or less will do.
Temperature Control
Controlling heat output with plastic welders is critical. Look for the best plastic welders with heat output controls, as different pieces of plastic have different melting points.
Number of Attachments
Whether sold individually or as part of a kit, plastic welders can come with one or more attachments for different types of welding requirements, such as speed, pendulum, and tack welding, each of which requires a different tip. If your kit includes PVC, PP, ABS, HDPE, and LDPE welding rods, consider it a good starter assortment.
FAQs
Q: What is a plastic welder?
A plastic welder is used to join pieces of plastic together by melting plastic to create a connection and bond. There are two types of plastic welders: hand-held hot air welders and airless welders. The hand-held stick welders use a heat source, air compressor, and plastic rod to meet and fill in a crack, damaged section, or any gap. Airless plastic welders work similarly, excluding an outside air source. Different types of plastic require different welding methods with different tips and higher or lower weld temperatures.
Q: Is plastic welding difficult?
Like most things, plastic welding becomes less difficult the more you practice. Using your welding gun to gradually melt, join, and smooth out plastic requires precision and solid hand dexterity. One of the biggest challenges with plastic welding is not the manual act of welding, but identifying the plastic to determine the amount of heat to apply.
Q: Can you weld plastic with plastic?
Yes, different types of plastic can be melted with other types of plastics. For example, polypropylene and PVC can be fused provided there is enough experience. However, always follow the instructions provided with the welder or use the recommended plastic to do your repair.
Q: How strong is plastic welding?
The strength of a plastic weld depends on several factors, including the type of welding method used, the type of welding rod used, and how well the plastic is cleaned before starting. With a proper weld, the welded area can be close to 100 percent the strength of the original plastic.
Final Thoughts
When it comes to choosing the best plastic welder, our choice is the Polyvance Mini-Weld Model 7 Airless Plastic Welder. It is a complete kit, including a 200-watt ceramic core welder, eight plastic welding rods, and two welding tips good for use on many automotive-grade plastics. Another selling point is its QR sheet, as the Polyvance is the only choice on our list that offers helpful instructional videos most beginners can use.