Best Dripless Caulking Guns (Essential Points to Consider)

Published on: April 1, 2022
Written by David Rowan / Fact-checked by David Rowan

A caulking gun is a tool for sealing up gaps and cracks around windows, bathtubs, or doors. Latex or silicone caulk are available to bond a wide range of materials like metal, wood, glass, and ceramic. A beginner or professionals can easily operate the most common caulking gun, but importantly it needs to be strong enough.

The dripless caulk gun runs with a simple spring-loaded metal plate lock that pressurizes the rod wherever you stop it. With this short handle, you can squeeze for a small amount of caulk or a big squeeze to dispense more caulk. 

The chalk comes in a tube, and the tube needs to load into the frame. Once you load the caulk into the frame, it’s ready to use immediately. With the dripless caulking gun, you can control how much caulk will release at one time and also can release the caulk where you want it.

Choosing the right caulking gun for you depends on your project’s caulk type and overall area. However, except you buy a high-quality caulking gun, you may reseal the cracks after a few days/weeks of applying. 

So, we’ve expertly assembled some caulking gun model’s review guide below to take a look for your preference and budget. Additionally, to help you pick the best-informed choice possible, we’ve added a buyer’s guide with tips on looking for.

Essential Points to Consider When Choosing a Dripless Caulking Gun

Caulking gun is an essential tool from different types of guns like nail guns, staple guns, or so on, which takes place in professionals or non-professionals toolboxes. From various types and models in the market, you have to choose the perfect caulking gun to fulfill your needs and allow you to do less work. We don’t want you to regret choosing the wrong gun. So before buying, read the following tips you might consider.

Pressure

Regardless of the caulking firearm you are getting, it should have the option of constant pressure. However, spending extra money on dripless firearms is a practice of futility. Thus, assuming that the firearm cannot exert strong pressure, this is a prime number. Get over here to get it over here.

Toughness

The gun should be made well. Any other way, it’ll be unusable after a brief time. So purchase a weapon that is sturdily constructed.

Limit

One more significant variable is the limit of the weapon. The greater the limit of the firearm, the better for you.

Dripless

To hold drips or to stop extra caulk from coming out, caulking guns have to stretch a little reverse at each trigger’s end. This function is available only in smooth rod release caulking guns. Another name of the “Smooth rod” system is “Dripless’. To release the pressure on the sealant, you need to depress the thumb lever only. On the other hand, ratcheting guns increase pressure with each click, so there’s no pull back option.

We suggest going for a dripless caulking gun because it takes less effort to squeeze the caulk out, which will help you save a bit of your strength and time. 

Thrust Ratio

Thrust ratio links to the amount of force produced each time when squeezing the hand trigger. You’ll find this figure with manual caulking guns. The more the thrust ratio, the more force used with each squeeze. 

See also: Finding the Best Nail Guns for Trim Work

This is important because different types of sealants, from latex to silicone with different viscosities, have different thicknesses. One is the density of water, and the other is like maple syrup. As a result, more thrust ratio is required to dispense the thicker sealant.

Thrust ratios vary from 3:1 to 28:1. So select a gun with more pressure ratio that can dispense any kind of sealants or caulks you’ll be using easily.

Lightweight And Durable

Basically, caulking guns are made with lightweight material. Some are made with metal, and others are plastic. Plastic materials are lighter in weight and give more versatility, also less expensive. But instead of being lightweight, it’s not as durable and long-lasting as a metal one. Now the choice is yours, which material will suit you most in price, weight, and durability.

User Friendly

A user’s comfort brings the ultimate success result in any kind of tool work. Comfortable and stress-free hands can put steady pressure on the trigger and work for a long time. Dripless caulking gun makes less mess and delivers smooth sealing, but it needs to be comfortable to deliver the right service.

Read more: 7 Best Nail Guns for Hardie Trim

Revolving Frame

When stopped and then started again with a caulk gun, it left unwanted lumps and bumps, especially in any corner work. It’s challenging to make a smooth caulk finishing in the corner area because you need to change the gun’s hand position and angle.

But this problem can be solved with a revolving frame by simply rotating it. You don’t have to rotate the whole gun. So buy a dripless caulking gun with a revolving frame option so that you can work in any position without interruption.

View Our Selected Top 8 Dripless Caulking Guns, Below-

Let’s proceed to choose the right caulking gun from the following list, which goes with your needs and budget.

1. Dripless ETS2000 Ergo Dripless Caulking Gun

• Cartridges capacity: 10 oz;
• Weight: 1.1 pounds;
• Thrush ratio: 12:1.

Dripless manual operated caulk gun has a lightweight body and an ergonomic handle, making the caulking application more comfortable. The hook on the back of the caulking gun lets you hang it while you need both hands to work on.

It is produced to hold the 10-ounce tubes of caulk. It is capable of applying caulk, silicone, latex, and more with its 12:1 thrust ratio. Besides, the rotating barrel will allow you to work around the corners, so you don’t have to stop and change the applicator’s position.

A spout cutter in the side of the gun lets you open the cartridges without a knife. Furthermore, this cartridge gun dispenses a controlled flow of caulk, sealants, or adhesives from a tube or cartridge to deliver a smooth caulking finish.

To reduce user fatigue due to long time work, it has an ergonomic grip to keep the wrist naturally balanced. Additionally, this caulk gun’s heavy-duty ergo composite body is sturdy enough to exert the pressure and provides superior performance.

Pros

• Lightweight composite rotational frame;
• A spout cutter in the side of the gun;
• A controlled flow of sealants;
• Hook on the back for hanging position;
• Managed ergonomic grip.

Cons

• Works well with caulks than adhesives;
• The handle is not very durable.

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2. CJGQ Sausage Manual Caulking Gun

• Cartridges capacity: 10.3 oz;
• Weight: 1.9 pounds;
• Thrush ratio: 18:1.

The gun features a variety of caulk usage by a higher thrusting ratio of 18:1. Moreover, it is a commercial-grade aluminum mixture while the trigger features steel construction. The aluminum frame minimizes the gun’s overall weight without negotiating on durability, and the steel trigger provides stability in a busy workstation.  

The ergonomic design handle ensures perfect grip when applying force by the user. Also, the 360-degree rotation capacity makes it an ideal option for undertaking deep places. The gun comes with a plastic hook on its back to make it easy to hang and saves your floor space. 

Yet it is easy to clean after use, which can save your time and strength. The outside of the gun barrel is coated by the oxidation plating process, which looks like a golden layer. Besides, this gun comes with three appealing colors; blue, gold, and silver.

Pros

• Durable steel material;
• Easy front-loading with a quick screw method;
• 360°rotating handle for controlling drop adjustment;
• Can be used with high thickness materials;
• Available in three colors.

Cons

• The ‘C’ hook part is hard to assemble;
• Inconsistent caulk control.

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3. Dripless SH200 Professional Hex-Rod Caulk Gun

• Cartridges capacity: 10 oz;
• Weight: 1.0 pounds;
• Thrush ratio: 10:1.

This caulking gun comes with a half-barrel steel open frame, which is also called the skeleton frame. It can hold cartridges up to 10 ounces and has a 10:1 thrust ratio while using the silicone, latex, and acrylic, like the ingredients. The rod needs steady pressure for caulking, so you just need less force to complete the job.

Additionally, less noise helps you to concentrate on your work without disturbing you. It has a hook on the backside to hang it anywhere at work time. The additional spout cutter option helps the cartridge to open without a knife. Also, the grip is very soothing, which helps you to hold it comfortably.

Additional features like a cut-away front cap help to load the cartridge quickly into the gun. The condensed design can be easily fit in your toolbox.

This heavy-duty gun is utterly perfect for industrial use that provides excellent performance. 

Pros

• High-performance grip for user comfort;
• Notably lightweight and durable;
• Opt for industrial purposes;
• Backside hook;
• Need less force;
• Cut-away front cap cartridge.

Cons

• Sometimes low viscosity caulk stop working;
• Little hard trigger.

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4. Dripless ETS5000 Industrial Grade Heavy Duty Caulking Gun

• Cartridges capacity: 1-4 gallons;
• Weight: 1.40 pounds;
• Thrush ratio: 18:1.

Again Dripless holds the position in our list for its super services and popularity. It’s quite light in weight, and the frame is exceptionally composite, which makes it easy to carry and store. Besides, the frame can hold 1-4 gallons of cartridges. This cartridge’s thrust ratio is 18:1 that works excellent with elements like latex, roofing sealants, silicone, concrete masonry, sub-floor adhesives, drywall, and polyurethanes.

The product has the setting of both dripping and non-dripping. The rod appears behind after every trigger pull to avoid the dripping. Furthermore, a spout cutter and a sealing puncture tool also come with this product. This is absolutely ideal for any industrial usage and provides outstanding accomplishment.

Pros

• Proper for industrial purposes;
• Have both drip and non-drip option;
• Revolving frame allows to work in corners;
• Hook on the back allows hanging position;
• Build-in spout cutter;
• A seal puncture tool;
• High performance and lightweight.

Cons

• Needs too much pumping to get adhesive flow;
• The push plate is larger than regular guns.

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5. P.C. Products Steel Dispensing Dripless Caulking Gun

• Cartridges capacity: 10 oz;
• Weight: 2.1 pounds;
• Thrush ratio: 26:1.

The P.C. a steel caulking gun is a workhorse with a high thrust ratio of 26:1 that can smoothly dispense thick sealants. This manual dispensing gun can dispense about 10oz of viscosity material. The gun can dispense any type of caulk or sealant, but primarily it works well with high-viscosity sealants, such as concrete epoxy. 

This handy caulking gun is perfect for professional-grade usage. This gun can be used for an extended period to complete a large part of the work.

Moreover, the steel body design makes it sturdy and durable. The thumb release trigger allows you to control the material’s application without dirtying the place with viscosity material.

The backside hook helps users hook the gun anywhere and enhance the ease of using the gun.

Pros

• Durable and reliable steel body;
• Hooks on the backside;
• Thumb release trigger;
• Variable application with different materials;
• Smooth finishing;
• High thrust ratio.

Cons

• Need constant cleaning at the time of work;
• Handles are big and weight heavy.

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6. WORKPRO Dripless Caulking Gun with Comfort Grip

• Ideal for standard size 10oz cartridges;
• Weight: 2.42 lb;
• Thrush ratio: 9:1 & 18:1.

This easy-to-operating, dripless caulking gun is absolutely perfect for beginners. It has cutter knives that allow the user to cut off the silicone nozzle head quickly and the cartridge head. The cutter knife is secured and uniquely made.

This smooth working caulk gun offers a thick and rust-free pressure bar that works well with less strength, besides its comfortable, easy to operate, and fatigue-free gun. This premium caulk gun is made with lightweight and complete stainless steel to give long-term usage and comfortability. 

So you can use any adhesives or sealant as your desire to use. It can work well in any cold environment.

Pros

• Smooth rod;
• Smooth trigger with less effort;
• Comfortable for a long time using;
• The trigger and handle are made of ergonomics plastic;
• Work with all standard sealant and adhesive cartridges.

Cons

• None.

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7. Dripless SI300 Heavy Duty Caulking Gun

• Cartridges capacity: 10 oz;
• Weight: 1.20 pounds;
• Thrush ratio: 16:1.

Dripless produces different types of capable caulking guns for us, and SI300 is one of them. In our list, dripless holds a significant portion because of its long-lasting services. This is a super flexible caulking gun with both a drip or a non-drip setting.

You will get the best shot adjustment with the drip set. It can contain 10 oz of cartridges in its revolving frame and has a thrust ratio of 16: 1 that allows you to work with thicker materials such as latex and adhesives for sub-floor. 

It has a built-in seal puncture tool and a spout cutter in the unit to help you open the cartridge without a knife. Also, the hanging unit on the back of the gun gives you the flexibility to hang it anywhere.

Pros

• Accommodate more viscous elements;
• Both drip and non-drip options;
• A built-in spout cutter and a seal puncture;
• Enhanced user flexibility;
• An excellent lightweight design;
• Comfortable to use for an extended period.

Cons

• Extra tilting needed to drip more;
• Don’t give fast service.

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8. Dripless C150 Consumer Grade Smooth Round Rod Caulking Gun

• Cartridges capacity: 10 oz;
• Weight: 1 pounds;
• Thrush ratio: 5:1.

Dripless C150 is one of the best heavy-duty caulking guns on the market. The stainless steel skeleton frame, which is also called a parallel frame, makes it much durable and ideal for severe uses. Furthermore, it has adequate size, which makes it ideal for holding 10 oz cartridges or tubes. This convenient size makes it handle plenty of fixing, so you don’t need to change the cartridge continually.

Another thing, this caulking gun has an excellent thrust ratio of 5:1, which allows it to be used with latex, acrylic, or silicone. A guaranteed result can be achieved with this thrust ratio. Additionally, the product arrives with a smooth pressure rod to deliver excellent releases that require less force.

The gun also works at a whisper-quiet speed, ensuring not to disturb others while sealing cracks around the home. Of course, the built-in seal puncture tool and spout cutter into the gun’s side make it convenient for opening cartridges without a knife.

Pros

• Steel parallel frame makes it durable enough;
• Smooth pressure rod needs less effort to deliver;
• Built-in spout cutter and seal puncture tool;
• Handy and convenient in size;
• Can work with variable sealant.

Cons

• More likely to drip.

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FAQ’s

How Does a Dripless Caulking Gun Work?

The smooth bar dripless caulk gun works with a basic instrument. A spring-stacked metal plate locks the strain bar where you stop it. As you grind the trigger, the strain bar lock plate is distributed evenly which allows the tension bar to move and release the clutch.

Are There Various Sizes of Caulking Guns?

There are various sizes of caulking guns. The standard caulking weapon size is 10-ounce, however bigger 29-ounce caulking weapons exist for weighty responsibility applications.

To Sum Up

We have listed various types of caulk guns for beginners to professionals. Besides, most of them are absolutely easy to operate and control the sealant’s flow as per requirement. Also, they are incredibly durable. 

We know that when we have tons of options to choose from, we always get confused. However, having narrowed the search down for you, the following listed options will offer the ultimate performance and guaranteed years of service. So, we suggest you slowly go through the product description to understand their detailed features to get your demands satisfied.

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