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Are you in need of a new nail gun but don’t know where to start? You’ve come to the perfect place.
Whether you’re a professional carpenter, a DIY enthusiast, or simply someone who enjoys woodworking in their spare time, a nail gun is an essential tool that will help you get the job done effectively.
While the choice between a nail gun and hammer has been debated for many years, it’s fair to say that a hammer is good for odd jobs that don’t require too much work and a nail gun comes in much more useful when we have lots of nails to put in quickly.
Helping us quickly put nails in place, finding the best nail gun can be tough though. With nail guns varying in style and quality, choosing the best one for your job can quickly become overwhelming.
To help you out, we’ve put together a list of the best nail guns on the market. Using our list, you should be able to pick the most suitable nail gun for you.
If that sounds good to you, be sure to keep reading!
DeWalt Brad Nailer Kit
We’ll kick our list off with an excellent choice from one of the biggest brands in the industry. If you’re after an overall top-tier nail gun, the Dewalt nail gun is one of the first guns you should take a look at.
Very easy-to-use, customizable, and incredibly sturdy this nail gun runs on compressed air, using 18 gauge nails ranging in size from ⅝ to 2 inches.
Aside from being super sturdy, the Dewalt nail gun has a lightweight feel and soft, yet firm rubber shock-absorbing grip.
This is important because it ensures comfort the whole time you use the gun and prevents your hands from slipping, reducing the potential for any accidents in the process.
Dewalt has also included a sequential, semi-automatic trigger as an added safety feature. This prevents the gun from accidentally releasing nails.
Other neat features this nail gun comes with include a tool-jam release mechanism, a storage case, a rear exhaust system, and an adjustable belt hook that stops nails from falling on the floor as you work.
We loved everything about this nail gun when we tested it out, especially the price, so why not check it out!
Poter-Cable Cordless Nailer
If you seek the freedom to easily move around when working, the Porter-Cable nail gun could be perfect for you.
Cutting the cord completely, instead running on a lithium-ion battery (20-volts), you can quickly, and safely work your way around a project without having to worry about tripping over any cables.
Generally speaking, battery-powered guns don’t provide as strong performance as other types of nail guns, but when we tested this nail gun out, we were pleased with the gun’s overall performance.
The nail gun has more than enough power to easily plow through any project that uses softer material and shallower depths. We just wouldn’t use it for harder, professional jobs.
Seen as though the Porter-Cable nail gun has been designed with portability in mind, the nail gun is also lightweight to hold. The nail guns weight has been centered towards the handle.
This helps reduce fatigue often experienced during longer projects and gives the user a much stronger grip.
Other features you’ll appreciate include depth adjustments, a jam lever, a belt hook, and the ability to use 18-gauge nails.
Making life much easier, make sure you take a look at the Porter-Cable nail gun.
Also available at:
Wen 61721 Pneumatic Nailer
Next on our list, we have the Wen 61721 pneumatic brad nailer. This nail gun is ideal for anybody looking for a budget-friendly nail gun that still offers plenty of versatility and high levels of performance.
Maybe not the best option for professionals tackling bigger projects, the Wen 61721 is more than capable of effectively taking on the most common of DIY projects. The nail gun is designed to use 18-gauge brads ⅜-inch to 2 inches in length.
To ensure versatility when it comes to using the gun, Wen has made sure it can be used with any type of air compressor. It can also be operated anywhere between 60 and 115 psi. This will give you the power needed to drive nails into tougher materials.
In terms of user comfort and safety, we were pleased with what we found when looking at the Wen 61721.
The handle on this nail gun features a shock-absorbing rubber grip that helps course the gun with every shot, making it a lot more comfortable and safer for you to use. The nose latch on the nail gun also makes it much easier and safer to remove jammed nails.
Also available at:
Stanley Nail Gun, Electric Stapler, And Brad Nailer
Sometimes, a high-quality, corded nail gun that won’t cut off before you’re finished is just what you need. Offering steady, consistent performance during prolonged periods of time, the Stanley nail gun offers just that.
The Stanley nail gun is affordable, reliable, durable, and versatile, making it a great choice for just about anyone looking for a corded nail gun that won’t die on them halfway through a project.
While all this is great, the biggest selling point the Stanley nail gun has is that it can shoot both small brads and heavy-duty staples. This means you can use the nail gun for a wider range of tasks.
Some of the tasks you can complete easily with this nail gun include tacking ceiling tiles, tacking a carpet down, fixing up furniture, and installing molding.
As if that wasn’t enough, you can easily choose the length and type of fastener you need depending on the specific requirements of the task at hand.
When we reviewed the Stanley nail gun, we were happy with how long the cord is. The cord attached to this nail gun is 8 feet long. This length is enough to move quite freely with the nail gun, not limiting you too much at all.
Bostitch Air Compressor Combo Kit
The final nail gun on our list is the air compressor combo kit from Bostitch. If you want everything you need in one delivery, this is the best option for you.
The best thing about the Bostitch combo kit is that not only do you receive the nail gun, but you also receive the air compressor needed to power it.
This is great because normally you would have to buy the two separately, often spending more money in the process. This is something not too many nail gun brands offer, making it a great choice.
With your order, you’ll receive three different nail guns (16-gauge finish nailer, ⅜-inch crown stapler, and an 18-gauge brad nailer) and your air compressor.
With three different, high-performing nail guns included, you’ll be able to tackle any task a job throws at you with ease.
In terms of air compressor performance, the supply starts at 150-max psi 6-gallon tanks, with the tank pumping a consistent 90 psi.
When we tested this nail gun, we found that this was more than enough power to easily drive staples and nails into both soft and hard surfaces. Simply turn the pressure down to when using softer materials.
Buyer’s Guide
Before making a decision in regards to the nail gun that suits your needs and requirements best, there are a number of key things you need to take into consideration in order to guarantee the decision you’re making is the right one.
In this buyer’s guide, we’ll take you through some of those factors and explain to you why they are important. Make sure you think about each factor carefully if you want to avoid any buyer’s regret.
The Type Of Nail Gun
Before even looking at the nail guns currently available, you need to know which type of nail gun it is you want. There are three types of nail guns available on the market.
These are pneumatic-powered, battery-powered, and electric-powered. While each type of nail gun is reliable, they each have different features that make them convenient in different ways.
In order to pick the right one, you need to understand each type and know what to expect. You’ll find information about each type of nail gun below.
Electric Nail Guns
If you’re on a tight budget but need a nail gun that will help you get a lot of woodworking DIY done, an electric nail gun is the way forward.
This type of nail gun tends to be lightweight, fast, and powerful, just like a pneumatic nail gun. They do have a power cord though which can be a little limiting.
Pneumatic Nail Gun
Air compressor nail guns run for as long as you want them to, as long as they still have brads and nails. They tend to be more affordable than battery-powered nail guns, but more expensive than electric guns.
Thanks to their lightweight design (3 to 5 pounds), pneumatic nail guns are usually very easy to carry, making them a good professional option.
Battery Nail Gun
This type of nail gun is by far the easiest to use. With no cord or air compressor, battery-powered nail guns are completely cordless, making it much easier and safer to move around as you work.
Delivering up to 1,600 shots per charge, you can complete almost any task with this type of nail gun. Their only downside is that they are usually a lot more expensive than the other two types of nail guns.
The Space Your Working In
You’ll want to take the size of the space you’re working into account when deciding which nail gun works best for you. If you’re going to be working in a large space that requires you to move around a lot, a battery-powered nail gun might be best because you’ll be able to move around without any disruptions.
On the other hand, if you know you’re going to be working in a small space, you could save some money by looking at nail guns that have a cord.
Other Uses
Another thing that will impact the type of nail gun you end up choosing is what else you plan on using the nail gun for. If you only need to use the nail gun for general woodworking DIY, you have more freedom to choose the type of nail gun you want,
However, if you’re going to be using your nail gun for other things such as roofing, you might need to choose a specific nail gun. For example, when roofing, you’re better off with a battery-powered nail gun that can be easily taken onto a roof.
Price
Obviously, at some point in your hunt for a nail gun, you’re going to have to think about prices. This is important because you don’t want to go over your budget and spend money you don’t have.
You also don’t want to end up buying a nail gun that costs way more than necessary.
Just because a nail gun is more expensive, doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the right one for your job.
If you’re a professional, you might need to spend more on a professional-grade nail gun, but if you’re only carrying out simple DIY tasks or enjoying your hobby, you could quite easily save yourself some money by avoiding unnecessary features and more expensive brands.
Bear this in mind when looking for your nail gun.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Can An 18-Gauge Brad Nailer Be Used For?
Helping woodworkers complete a wide range of jobs easily, the main things you can use one for are base shoes, stop moldings, cove moldings, chair rails, and much, much more.
If you do a lot of woodworking and trim work, an 18-gauge brad nailer is one you simply have to have at your disposal.
Is A Nail Gun Worth It?
If you work on bigger woodworking projects, yes, a nail gun is absolutely worth it. Nail guns help to quickly and effectively drive nails and staples in without having to use too much effort. They also help reduce fatigue.
Having said that, if you’re only working on smaller projects, a trusty hammer might be enough.
Which Type Of Nail Gun Is Best?
While they may be more expensive than the other types of nail guns, the best type of nail gun when it comes to overall performance and ease of use is the battery-powered nail gun.
Final Thoughts
While your trusty hammer might be good for smaller, odd jobs, for larger projects that require a lot of nails, a high-quality nail gun takes some beating.
Helping you pound nail after nail quickly and effectively, a nail gun will save you time, reduce fatigue, and get the job done to a high standard. With this in mind, it only makes sense to buy one.
Finding the best nail gun can be difficult. There are hundreds upon thousands of good options to choose from, making your life difficult. However, in this article, we’ve given you everything you need to make a great decision.
We’ve shown you 5 of the best nail guns on the market for woodworking, looking at what they offer and any cons you should be aware of. We’ve even given you a buyer’s guide to help you decide which one is best for you.
All you have to do now is narrow the list down until you’ve found the nail gun you need.
Paul Brenner
I'm your guy for any type of electrical installation or plumbing repair. I'm a jack of all trades. You name it, I can do it. I've seen it all and I'm not scared.
