Last updated on August 20th, 2021
You have probably wondered which is the best brad nailer for you. Wonder no more. This article presents a detailed review of the eight most preferred Best Cordless Brad Nailers. It also provides an outline of what you need to consider in brad nailers any time you go shopping for one.
Consider when buying Best Brad Nailer
Selecting the best brad nailer is not always an easy task. Some buyers do not know what to find in a brad nailer to determine whether it will be convenient for the work they want to use them for. Here are some things that you need to consider in a brad nailer.
- The weight of a brand nailer: The weight of the cordless nailer determines in a big way how long you can work comfortably with the nailer. A brad nailer that is too heavy for you may cause fatigue, especially if you need to hold it for a longer time during work.
- The capacity of its magazine: Loading magazine time and time again is troublesome and time wasting. A brad nailer with large magazine capacity holds a large number of nails, thus allowing the user to continue doing his work without requiring to break to reload the magazine.
- The comfortability of the brad nailer’s grip: This tool is hand handled. Therefore, the comfort of the handle cannot be undermined. A nailer with poorly made grip makes the user feel uncomfortable and unable to work with it for long hours. It may as well cause health risks like blisters. A good handle needs to be contoured and over-molded to ensure that the user feels comfortable holding it in his hands.
- Whether the brad nailer allows one to adjust the nailing depth: A rigid brad nailer, which does not allow one to change the nailing depth, may be inconvenient for use in different materials. For instance, nails are driven to varying depths in soft and hard materials. Instead of buying brad nailer that make shallow depth and another that makes deep depth, it is advisable to purchase one with the depth-adjustable mechanism.
- The size of the nail that a brad nailer is capable of holding and driving in the work material: This is determined by the type of task you are going to use your brad nailer on. In case you are performing delicate nailing work, to avoiding splitting the surface, it is preferable to use a brad nailer with 18 gauge.
Craftsman V20 Cordless Brad Nailer Kit
Key Features:
- It is lightweight and well balanced by its optimal centre of gravity.
- It has a tool-free depth setting
- It comes with a fully cordless design
- It has a contoured over-molded handle
- It is capable of driving 18gauge collated brad nails.
Why it is likable: The reasons why this craftsman V20 is likable include, The fact that it comes with an optimized center of gravity which makes it more stable. This stability enhances in the hands of the user when working with this tool.
Additionally, its contoured and over-molded handle makes this product more comfortable to use even for prolonged hours. Its fully cordless design enables it to be self-sufficient in that when using it, one does not need to use other tools like compressors, pricy gas cartridges, or hoses.
The tool-free depth setting mechanism that this product possesses, improves its efficiency and, at the same time, makes it easy to use. It has a motor driver designed to provide consistent firing power in different weather conditions and different materials. This makes this product likable and convenient since one does not need to buy different brand nailers for different materials and climate conditions.
Advantages
- It is a high-quality brand nailer tool
- Its manufacturing design allows it to be portable hence convenient to move around with, without much problem.
- It comes with a high-quality and lasting battery capable of running this tool between 3-4 hours. This makes it reliable for a person who needs to use a brand nailer for long hours,
- It is faster since it drives the nails without jamming.
Disadvantages
- It is difficult to find some of its spare parts, hence making it difficult to repair it when damaged.
- It is quite pricy, hence unaffordable by low-income earners.
Porter-Cable 20V Max Cordless Brad Nailer Kit
Key Features:
- It has multifunctional dual LED lights, which helps to illuminate the workplace and acts as an error indication.
- This product has a tool-free release lever, depth adjustment wheel, and jam release lever.
- It is powered by an internal battery 100%
- It has multiple tool-free setting mechanism
Why it is likable: Porter-cable 20V is preferred mainly for many reasons. Due to its reliable battery. This product comes with a battery of 1.5 Ah 20Volt MAX lithium-ion battery. This is a high-quality and long-lasting battery capable of powering the nailer for long hours without being recharged. This makes it preferable for use in places without a reliable power supply. Additionally, this battery provides sufficient power needed to run this brand nailer. In this way, it eliminates the need for one to employ the use of other equipment like compressors, costly gas cartridges, and hoses. Thus, making it cost-effective.
This product is also likable due to its depth-setting mechanism. Its depth adjustment wheel enables one to countersink nails consistently and adequately. It’s a large magazine capacity that is capable of holding up to 100 nails at one time. This makes it time effective as one does not need to add more nails after every minute.
Advantages
- It is cost-effective since it eliminates the need for equipment like gas cartridges, which are quite expensive.
- It is easy to use, easy to load and is versatile
- It drives nails faster, making it reliable for a large amount of work.
- Its tip lacks the mar tab, which makes it leave a clean surface on the material you are working on.
Disadvantages
- This Porter-cable 20V is quite heavy, hence bulky when carrying it around.
- It is expensive, hence unaffordable by low-income earners.
Metabo HPT NT1850DE 18V Cordless Brad Nailer Kit
Key Features:
- It has a pivoting belt hook, which can be fixed on both sides of the nailer.
- It has a spring drive system that uses compress air to drive in nails.
- This product has a selective actuation switch
- Its air magazine is straight, with a capacity to hold up to 100, 18guage nails.
Why it is likable: The fact that one can mount the pivoting belt on either side of the nailer makes this NTI1850DE 18guage to be preferred, especially by a left-handed individual. This is because of the convenience it provides. Its selective actuation switch enables the user to do transitions between the bump fire mode and the sequential mode easily. Thus, making it convenient for rapid nailing and useful for large projects. Its ability to drive nails from 5/8″ to 2” makes it to be a multipurpose tool that can be used in mold installation, assembling of picture frames, and cabinets, among others. Thus, with is a tool, you can do a variety of tasks at home without requiring another tool. Its air spring drive system increases the shooting speed of the nails. This makes it preferable since it reduces the time taken to perform the task. Another feature that makes it likable is its side-lock switch, which is incorporated in this nailer to avoid unintended firing.
Advantages
- Drives nails at high speed, making it faster and time-saving
- It has a safety mechanism that enables one to avoid accidental firing
- Comfortable and easy to use
Disadvantages
- incapable of piecing nail racks
- heavyweight product, hence bulky
- It has non-marred tip, making it difficult to move it right and left on the board when pressure is applied to it.
NUE MASTER NTC0023 Cordless Brad Nailer
Key Features:
- Quick charge and durable battery
- It has a non-marring nose
- It has improved safety performance through its setting of contact safety pole.
- It comes with a cordless system to enhance convenience when using it.
Why it is likable: Here are the reasons why some people like this brad nailer, Its non-marring rubber nose helps to provide an excellent and flawless finish. Its contacts safety pole setting, which implies that one can only trigger the trigger when the safety pole is pressed fully. It has a reliable and convenient battery that charges quickly and can power the brad nailer for a long time. Thus, this product is suitable even when one needs to recharge the battery since it will take a little time and go back to work. Its power-adjustable nature makes it more likable. This is because it regulates power for soft and hard materials. This also helps to save battery power, thus, giving you a chance to work for more time before recharging.
Advantages
- This brand nailer is fitted with a view window, which helps to track staples easily.
- It comes with an improved safety mechanism that enables the user to avoid accidental firing.
- It is quick and powerful, thus, being preferable for use when one is working on hard material. It is also useful when one is having a large amount of work.
- It has an ergonomic design that provides comfortability on your hands when using it. It is also easy to use since it does not require technical skills to operate it.
- It also provides excellent penetration of both nails and staples
Disadvantages
- It is heavier and bulkier compared with other cordless nailers, making it inconvenient when one needs to carry it around.
- Most of them can only drive nails to a limited depth of 1 ¼ inch.
Ryobi 3 Piece
Key Features:
- It comes with a P102 battery, which is long-lasting and charged quickly.
- It has a regulating button fixed on the rear part to regulate the air pressure.
- It has LED lighting that helps to illuminate the workplace when it is dim. The light also acts as a status indicator when the battery is running low.
- It has a selectable drive, meaning it has a contact-actuated mode that enables one to drive up to 60 nails in a minute.
- It also has a single sequential mode, which enables on to preciously place the nail in the right place.
Why it is likable: Some people are attracted by its charging system, which uses a P117 charger. The best thing about this charger is that it has a mechanism that enables it to detect when a battery is full and turns the unit off, thus, saving power. In this case, you do not need to be present to turn the unit off. It has a rubberized and over-mold handle to improve comfort when using it. It has an adjustable belt clip, which can be fixed on either side. In this way, both right-handed and left-handed individuals can use it. It also has a dual firing mode, which enables the user to switch between rapid firepower and accurate driving easily.
Advantages
- It drives nails at high speed, saving time and being convenient for large projects.
- The LED light enables one to work with it even in dark places or places with inadequate power supply.
- Its battery charges quickly and holds a charge for a long time
Disadvantages
- It can be noisy in enclosed space, creating a disturbance
- It is expensive
Airstrike Ryobi P320
Key Features:
- It has in-built air compressor technology, hence eliminating the need for other equipment like gas cartridges and hoses.
- It has tool-less depth adjustment, which allows one to change the nailer’s depth using the onboard dial.
- It comes with dual LED lights, which shine brightly on the target, hence enables one to work even in dark places.
- It has a capacity to drive almost 1700 nails in a single charge.
Why it is likable: This nailer has a low-nail indicator making it easy for the user to know when he needs to reload the nails to avoid inconvenience during work. Eliminates the need for compressors and hoses, which makes the work more tiresome. It is built with a convenient adjustment dial, which allows one to regulate air pressure to obtain optimum results. also have a dry-fired lockout, which prevents one from firing in the absence of loaded nails. This stops wood damage and enhances the durability of the tool.
Advantages
- It allows one to adjust the air pressure and nail feeder to avoid under or over driving.
- Excellent in driving nails with no cases of bent or jamming brads, thus, quickly doing the task.
- In the rear cases of jamming caused by inferior nails, it is easy to clean out the jamming nails.
- Extremely convenient for a large amount of work due to its high capacity magazine and its top speed of driving nails.
Disadvantages
- It is hefty thus, not preferable for use when one is working for long hours
- Some of its spare parts are difficult to find, making it challenging when one needs to repair it.
DEWALT DCN680B
Key Features:
- It made of brushless motor technology that optimizes runtime and enhances technology.
- Its battery system is compatible with other DEWALT 20V MAX batteries
- It is fitted with a micro nose, which enhances the line of sight, hence improving the accuracy of nail placement.
- It is powered by an internal battery 100%. This eliminates the need for complementary tools like gas cartridge
Why it is likable: Its low nail lockout mechanism attracts many people to buying it since it helps to prevent dry firing, which would damage the work material. It also helps one not to make unwanted marks on the material one is working on. Its multifunctional LED light makes it usable even in a dark place since it illuminates the target spot. It has a depth adjustment, which is tool-free, and a tool-free selectable trigger. These features make it quick and easy to clean nail jams and allows one to switch between sequential and contact actuation modes, respectively. It has incorporated a tool-free stall release lever, which enables the user to do a quick reset of the drive blade in case of a stall.
Advantages
- It is comfortable and easy to use due to its rubberized handle
- It is a lightweight nailer and portable, thus, easy to carry around.
- It has a consistent speed of fire and depth of drive
- The LED light makes it convenient for use at night and in dark places
- It has a durable body
Disadvantages
- Not preferable for tight spots due to its straight magazine
- It is costly
- Not suitable for use on hard materials
Why use brad nailers
Here are some of the reasons why you should prefer using brad nailers over other nailers.
- They are thin gauged, making them excellent for fitting lightweight timber and trim.
- Additionally, the fact that they are thin gauged and their head is much smaller, eliminates the need for using wood putty to cover the extra space left in the hole.
- It lowers the risk of damaging thin pieces of trim since they make small holes when driving nails. It enables fixing of a trim of a baseboard or cabinet without splitting the piece.
- It works perfectly in attaching wood trim to larger pieces of wood, thus, providing a secure attachment than finishing nails do.
Also read: 7 Best Nail Guns for Fencing
Final Verdict about Best Brad Nailers
In selecting your best brad nailer, it is essential to try and balance your budget and your need so that you buy the best quality you can afford. For example, if you need to work at night, you need to have a nailer with LED light to illuminate your target sport in case the place is dark. If your work demands you to move around with your brad nailer, you need to buy a lightweight cordless nailer that does not require you to carry it with other complementary equipment like hoses. On the other hand, for a small budget, you need to look for a brad nailer like Metabo HPT NT1850DE. It will give you the services you need through it has limited performance.