As the paintbrush is to a painter and a knife to a wood carver, the tattoo gun is to the tattoo artist. In other words, it’s damn important. A tattoo artists skill is funnelled through the tattoo gun. And while beginners may get flustered – as there are a ton of different options for guns – here are 3 tips to keep in mind when buying a tattoo gun.

2 Coils Are Better Than One. Remember in our article on How a Tattoo Gun Works where we discuss the base of tattoo and what’s inside it? This is the area that looks like the handle of a gun. Inside you’ll find the coils that help power the gun. While most tattoo guns do come with 2 coils, some come with only 1. This can effect the performance of the unit. These details are something to consider when buying a cheap tattoo gun kit. Be sure to know what you’re buying!

Don’t Skimp on the Power Supply. Similar to the point made above about getting a gun with two coils instead of a single coil, don’t skimp on the power supply that literally will power your gun. Technically a separate piece of equipment, it’s included here because it is very important. Many tattoo artists also prefer the tattoo gun power supplies that are controlled via a foot pedal. This allows for both hands to be free, concentrating on the work at hand, while the tattoo artist manually controls the power with his or her foot, as needed, via the foot pedal.

Size Matters. You want to be using a tattoo gun that is friendly on the hands! This means gripping it should feel natural. In other words, it should easily fit, as they say, in the palm of your hand. Using a machine that is too small or too big will not only be distracting but possibly detrimental to the quality of the tattoo work. It also means spending more time to do the work as you compensate for the awkard size issues by going slower.

Consider automating the Speed, Depth, and Pressure. Some tattoo guns allow for the configuration of the needle speed, depth into the skin, and pressure used to penetrate the skin to be configured and remain at a constant level as chosen by the tattoo artist. Once a tattoo artist is experienced in how to manually coordinate the size, depth, and speed of the needle per the job required, the ability to place these settings on autopilot can lead to improved productivity and superior tattoo work.