Description:

Key Features

Paint Softens in Seconds The Speedheater Cobra infrared paint remover softens paint in 1 to 3 seconds, so you heat with one hand and scrape with the other in a steady rhythm. Gentle on Wood and Glass Infrared heat breaks the bond between paint and wood at a relatively low temperature, so the wood doesn't scorch and window glass doesn't crack. Small Head for Detail Work A compact 3-5/8" x 2-11/16" (92 x 68 mm) heating area gets into window sashes, turned spindles, balusters, and carved trim that a larger paint remover can't reach.

Overview

The Speedheater Cobra Infrared (IR) Paint Remover is a compact, lightweight tool for stripping paint, varnish, putty, and glue from wood without chemicals. This is an infrared paint remover designed for detailed restoration work on window frames, profiled moldings, turned parts, furniture, doors, and stairs. Model Number 1-700-C-US-ISD is the US version of the Cobra, and it plugs into a standard grounded outlet.

Infrared works differently from a heat gun. Instead of blasting hot air at the surface, the Cobra's IR lamp sends radiant heat into the paint layers and breaks their bond with the wood. Speedheater rates it to soften paint in 1 to 3 seconds. The temperature stays low enough that the wood isn't damaged, glass doesn't break, and, according to Speedheater, hazardous substances in old paint are not released. You control the heat by moving the lamp closer to or farther from the surface. Hold it close for a few seconds, watch the paint start to bubble, and scrape.

The Cobra is the small sibling of the Speedheater Standard. Where the Standard covers flat siding and wide boards, the Cobra's 3-5/8" x 2-11/16" (92 x 68 mm) heating area concentrates heat on a smaller spot. That makes it the right tool for window sashes, balusters, table legs, leaf carvings, and the crevices and inside corners of profiled trim, where infrared reaches into the recesses and softens paint you would otherwise have to pick out by hand.

At 2.8 lb (1.25 kg), the Cobra is light enough to hold for long sessions and easy to angle into awkward spots. It draws 700 W, and the 8.2 ft (2.5 m) rubber cord stays flexible on the bench or ladder. The tool is built to EN 60335-1 and EN 60335-2-45 standards.

The workflow is simple: heat with the Cobra in one hand and scrape with the other. Matching the scraper to the surface is what makes the job go fast, and the Speedheater paint and finish scrapers include profiles for flat boards, concave trim, curved moldings, and window putty. The same heat that softens paint also softens old glazing putty and varnish, so one tool handles a full window restoration from stripping the sash to removing the glazing.

Infrared stripping has practical benefits beyond speed. No chemical strippers means no neutralizing, no residue soaking into the grain, and no waiting. Speedheater notes that the process also kills mold and fungus and dries moisture out of the wood, so you can prime and paint right after stripping. That makes it a strong fit for old houses, where windows, doors, and trim are worth saving rather than replacing.

Who should buy it? Window restorers, preservation carpenters, furniture refinishers, painting contractors who strip trim and doors, and homeowners restoring older homes. If most of your work is flat siding, the Standard or the Speedheater Rapid Slim covers more area per pass. If your work is windows, furniture, and detailed woodwork, the Cobra is the one to own.

Strip Doors and Flat Panels Fast

Heat a small section, scrape, and move on. Because paint softens in seconds, you can keep the scraper moving instead of waiting on chemicals to work.

• Softens paint in 1 to 3 seconds
• No chemical strippers or residue

Save Carved and Turned Furniture

Infrared heat reaches into narrow crevices and corners, so turned legs, spindles, and carved details strip without gouging the wood underneath.

• Works on table legs, balusters, and carvings
• Lower temperature reduces the risk of scorching

Window Putty, Paint, and Varnish in One Pass

The same heat that lifts paint softens old glazing putty, so you can strip a sash and remove the glazing without switching tools or risking the glass.

• Softens paint, putty, varnish, and glue
• Temperature stays low enough to protect window glass

Ready for Primer Right Away

There is no stripper to neutralize and no residue to wash off. Once the old paint is gone, the wood is ready to prime and paint.

• Kills mold and fungus and dries moisture from the wood
• Works on interior and exterior woodwork

At a Glance

1-3 secTo Soften Paint 700 WPower 2.8 lbTool Weight 8.2 ftRubber Cord

Key Specifications

Compatibility

Replacement IR ModuleThe heating element is serviceable with the Speedheater Replacement IR Module for Cobra. ScrapersPairs with Speedheater scrapers for flat boards, curved profiles, concave trim, and window putty.

Built For

Window Restoration Furniture Refinishing Historic Preservation Interior Trim and Doors Stairs and Balusters Painting Remodeling Serious DIY / Hobbyist

Pro Tip

Scrape as soon as the paint starts to bubble. Leaving the lamp on longer doesn't make the paint come off easier; it just heats the wood. Short heat, immediate scrape, move over one head-width.

Tool Nut's Take

Tool Nut's Take

The Speedheater Cobra Infrared (IR) Paint Remover Is the Detail Tool Old Houses Need

If you have ever picked paint out of a window muntin with a dental tool, the Cobra will change how you work.

• Who it's for: Window restorers, furniture refinishers, and anyone stripping profiled trim, spindles, or sashes in an older home.
• Why it stands out: Infrared heat softens paint in seconds without scorching wood or cracking glass, and the small head reaches detail a large paint remover can't.
• Worth knowing: The small heating area is a strength on detail work and a limitation on siding. For whole walls, step up to a larger Speedheater.

Common Questions

• What can the Cobra remove? Paint, varnish, glazing putty, and glue from wood, along with other materials such as concrete.
• Will it crack window glass? Speedheater designed the infrared process to stay at a temperature that does not break glass or damage the wood.
• Can I paint right after stripping? Yes. With no chemical residue, the wood can be primed and painted immediately after the old paint is removed.