Dripless Inc. ETS3000 Ergo-Tech Industrial Caulk Gun

Full Overview

The model No. ETS3000 is engineered to provide superior performance due to its many enhanced features including a precision cutter with a viewing port to check the angle of the cut and an extra long clean out rod that snaps in place when not in use. The r

Technical Details

- Industrial grade caulk gun
- 18 to 1 ratio
- Designed to reduce stress in hand and arm
- No drip feature allows for better bead control
- Sharp precision cutter and extra long clean out

I use a lot of caulk in my job and have used all the various caulking guns that are out there. Every time I'd encounter a new, or even slightly modified style of gun I'd have to buy it. I was continually searching for a better gun because all the guns I've used sucked. I really had given up hope for ever finding a decent caulk gun. Then I came across this Ergo-Tech thing from Dripless Inc. Finally! A caulk gun that is almost a joy to use. (I say almost because, let's face it, there ain't much joy to be had in laying down a bead of caulk.)

I mainly use two types of sealants with this gun: Vulkem 116 and GE Contractors Silicone. This gun works great with both even though they are at opposite ends of the viscosity spectrum. Vulkem is very thick and can be tough to squeeze out especially on cold days. This gun's 18:1 work ratio and rubberized soft grip make it a breeze to expel even chilled Vulkem. On the other hand silicone can be too viscous and it's always eager to drip from the tube no matter what you do. But the Ergo-Tech's dripless feature really does work! You can lay down a line of silicone, release the trigger, and that's it. It stops! I was and still am impressed.

Other features that make this a great a caulk gun are the convenient ladder hook, it's light weight, and it's ability to disengage the dripless feature (because many jobs are easier and faster with the dripless thing turned off.) I know some people may shy away from a gun that has it's main body made of plastic. But let me tell you this is not cheap, thin, flimsy breakable plastic. This is rugged, thick, industrial type polymer material. Strong yet lightweight.

So far the only complaint I have about this product is the switch used to toggle between no-drip & drip modes doesn't snap into position firm enough. It tends to easily get bumped into the middle position between the two settings. Not really a big deal and it's something I can tolerate considering all the other pluses this item has going for it.

I can't comment on the clean out rod (poker) or the tip cutter because I don't use them. I have a separate poker rod in my toolbelt specifically for breaking the seal on new tubes of caulk and as for cutting the tip of a new tube, well, everyone knows you have to use a razor-knife to get a cleanly cut tip in the shape you need it.

The 18:1 ratio is a little fast for household caulk use. It's made to push out much thicker products. However, the dripless is absolutely genius! I think as I get the hang of the speed it'll be something I use for a very long time. The durability should be excellent looking at build quality. This is what the pros use. Don't buy anything at Home Depot of Lowes. The few extra bucks are very well spent on good tools like this.
Edit:
I'm having an issue with this gun. The drip/no-drip switch is highly prone to switching out of dripless mode. I contacted the Dripless company about this problem and got no response. Very disappointing. If I'm not careful about checking frequently, I end up with a real mess.

I've used alot of "Dripless" guns , but this is truely dripless. Just an oustanding product!

I needed to touch up about 90% of my houses trim caulk around all the baseboards and grew very frustrated with my construction caulk gun. It would squeeze out way too much caulk and after I removed the handle pressure it would continue to drip out.

After looking on amazon reviews, this not only seemed to fit the bill but was incredibly cheap.

I probably caulked 500 linear feet the day I got this gun and absolutely love it. It is very easy to lay down a uniform bead of caulk and when you stop pulling the trigger, it stops dispensing. I know this sounds simple, but my other caulk guns aren't capable of this.

Love it - highly recommended.

Wow, I have had caulk guns from the stores that vary from the cheap to the top of the line and this beats them all. With most guns when you pull back on the pressure rod you get no resistance, this one you feel strong steady tension and that is what make the difference. The spring is strong so when you pull the trigger to advance the caulk that is what makes for a steady bead. If I am doing a bunch of caulking I have an air gun [use with compressor] which supplies even pressure but if I don't want to drag a hose or it is a smaller job this the one I'll use. My only observation is I wish the end of the pressure rod had a little more of a hook to it so that it will stay in your belt if you are climbing ladders or up high.

After using a $0 caulking gun for the past 10 years, I decided to spring for the good stuff to caulk the crown that I just put up. What a difference -- should have bought this 10 years ago. The drip-less feature does work, and the composite resin body makes for high strength and light weight -- that makes me happy. The other gun is now used only for construction adhesive, until I can afford another one of these bad boys.

I had a cheapo caulk gun from Home depot and got tired of my hand cramping after caulking showers. I finally broke down and bought this one and its amazing. Definitely worth the extra money

Watched my contractor use this tool. It was unbelievable. So simple, easy and mess free. I bought two, one for a friend and one for myself.

I was using a cheap caulk gun that I bought at a local hardware store to apply polyurethane sealant (Vulkem 116 by Tremco) to cracks/gaps in concrete outside. The weather was cooling (end of Fall) so the caulk was a bit more tough to squeeze out. I developed very sore hands after a couple of tubes, which was bad news since I removed a bunch of old caulking ahead of poor weather. I decided to invest in a caulk gun with a better mechanical advantage to try and speed up the project.

I opted for the Dropless ETS3000 primarily because of the high 18:1 ratio. The additional features appealed to me. I didn't have high hopes for the features, but thought I'd give it a whirl for a few bucks extra regardless.

This caulk gun required dramatically less force than my other caulk gun. I was even able to use my non-dominant hand on a few occasions to get to hard to reach areas. I suspect a young child could easily use this caulk gun!

Much to my surprise the 'no drip' feature works beautifully. The cutter and cleaning rod worked better than expected-- so well, that I no longer had to carry a pair of scissors and a wire hanger around with me. I will say that the rod is attached a little loosely, so be careful not to exert too much force on it (you shouldn't have to anyway).

I never would've imagined that I would spend so much for a caulk gun, but it was well worth the money. I don't think that I'll have to ever buy another caulk gun again!

What a truely fabulous caulking gun. Finally I have found a gun that performs at its best, I will never buy another brand again, This baby has superior bead control on latex caulk and it applies it so well that you do not even have to use your finger to smooth it out , unless of course you want too. Believe me you will be happy with this caulking gun. I have bought othe brand caulking guns for $19 or more and they do not perform half as good.