Bought a cheap infrared paint curing lamp from Harbor Freight and it was a total bust

I dropped $180 on their 1500 watt model hoping to speed up small spot repairs. It barely warmed the surface after 20 minutes, and the reflector started to discolor. Ended up going back to my old heat gun and wasted a whole afternoon. Anyone have a good budget brand that actually works?

2 comments

2 Comments

noahw539d ago

Yeah, that "1500 watt" rating is probably a peak number, not what it actually puts out. Those cheap ones often use a basic halogen bulb with a red filter, not a true IR emitter. The discolored reflector is a classic sign it can't handle its own heat.

the_miles9d ago

Got a cheap one that did the same thing. Swapped it for a proper ceramic heat emitter and the problem stopped. The housing just wasn't built for that much direct heat from a bulb.