The Very Best Brad Nailers for Your Workshop (5 Options)
Best Choice
Runner up
Best Price
If you chose a brad nail gun from the various types of nailers available (which you can learn about in my article here), the next step is to find the best brad nailer for you. To assist you, I’ve compiled a list of the best brad nailers on the market. In short, the best brad nailers I will review in this article are:
- BOSTITCH Brad Nailer BTFP12233
- DEWALT Finish Nailer, 18GA (DWFP12231)
- Metabo HPT Brad Nailer (NT50AE2)
- Makita AF506
- SENCO FinishPro
Because not everyone expects the same from their brad nail gun, you can use this list of the best brad nailers to find that one that suits you perfectly. Read these short brad nailer reviews thoroughly and discover in no time what is the most suitable choice for you.
Disclosure: At zero cost to you, I may get commissions for purchases made through links in this post. I earn from qualifying purchases as an Amazon associate. Products featured are selected based on quality, performance, and reputation, regardless of affiliate relationships.
What Projects Can I Use a Brad Nailer For?
Brad nailers have thin nails with small heads. That is, a brad nail gun and brad nails are ideal for joining lightweight woodwork such as trim, molding, cabinetry, and a wide range of home hobbies and projects.
Personally, I use brad nails to temporarily hold two glued-together wooden pieces together. I no longer have to wait for the wood glue to completely dry because of the brad, which saves me a lot of time.
For more information I recommend my article, What Is A Brad Nailer Good For ( A Clear Guide) . I’ll go into more detail on this question there.
A Selection of the Best Brad Nailers Available
Best Choice
01: BOSTITCH Brad Nailer BTFP12233
First in this list of the best brad nailers is the Bostitch BTFP12233 . The reason I suggest the Bostitch BTFP12233 nailer as the best pneumatic brad nailer is because it scores well in both price and builds.
The ergonomic handle is really comfortable to hold and makes working many hours in a row with this brad nail gun easier to do. The only thing that could keep you from the many hours in a row, is its slightly heavier weight .
This brad nailer has a smaller nose, which allows for more accurate placement of the nails. The nail gun has a depth regulator for driving different-sized nails to the perfect depth, and it can effortlessly drive 18-gauge nails.
Furthermore, this Bostitch nail gun has a tool-free release, so that malfunctions can be resolved quickly and easily.
However , this Bostitch BTFP12233 does have the disadvantage that it occasionally shoots blanks when using longer sessions.
PROS
CONS
01: BOSTITCH Brad Nailer BTFP12233
Total score: 4.5/5
Runner Up
02: DEWALT Finish Nailer, 18GA (DWFP12231)
DeWalt is known for good quality and this DWFP12231 is no different.
This nail gun is for both DIYers and professionals who want a brad nail gun they can rely on and give them the results they desire.
The big advantage of this nailer is its maintenance-free design. As a result, this model will not be able to soil the work surface with oil.
This pneumatic brad nailer can shoot 18-gauge brads of various lengths between 1.6 mm (5/8”) and 50 mm (2”).
As with the Bostitch, the Dewalt also has a tool-free jam release for quick and easy troubleshooting.
The depth of the DeWalt’s drive is easily adjusted without tools and even has detents to click into on the go, making these adjustments consistent and reliable.
PROS
CONS
DEWALT Finish Nailer, 18GA (DWFP12231)
Total score: 4.5/5
Best Price
03: Metabo HPT Brad Nailer (NT50AE2)
If you hold this brad nail gun you will immediately notice one thing: the Metabo HPT is very lightweight, only 0.9 kg (2.2 lbs). Making it the lightest brad nailer on this list. That low weight ensures that you will be able to continue for longer with continuous use of the nailing gun.
An important advantage of this brad nailer is that there is a handy button near the trigger where you can quickly and easily change the firing mode from sequential firing to thrusting, and vice versa.
A nice extra is that this brad nail gun comes with a tip that can be attached to the nose to prevent damage to the workpiece.
This Metabo brad nailer has a heavy-duty magazine that can hold up to 100 18 gauge brads up to 50 mm (2”) in length. This is higher than other nailers in its class, helping to reduce tool downtime, and you have to spend less time reloading.
An unfortunate disadvantage is that the Metabo HPT NT50AE2 does not have the narrowest nose , which makes accurate work a bit more difficult, but then there is the question, how essential is this for the work you have to perform?
PROS
CONS
Metabo HPT Brad Nailer (NT50AE2)
Total score: 4/5
04: Makita AF506
Personally, I have the predecessor of this brad nailer (AF505) in my workshop and have been working with it for about 2 years now. You can see the review video on my YouTube channel here.
The Makita AF506 Brad Nailer has a weight of 1.3kg (2.9 lbs), which is quite light and can drive nails up to 50mm (2″) long. Like the metabo, this brad nailer has a magazine with a capacity of 100 nails.
This nailer can place accurate brad nails and is very easy to handle, even in hard-to-reach places or tight spaces.
On-the-go adjustments are super easy thanks to the tool-less depth adjustment.
Personally, I’m a big fan of the adjustable air inlet that you can easily adjust so that it never blows in your face . Good job, Makita!
Sometimes I even experience nail gun jams, but these are quickly remedied by the tools-free jam release.
PROS
CONS
Makita AF506
Total score: 4/5
05: SENCO FinishPro
Last, in this list of the best brad nailers, we have the Senco finish pro. This one lives up to its name because when you hold this nailer you also feel a very durable and solid nailer.
Although you would think this would increase the weight, this is a light nailer thanks to its high-quality magnesium components. This brad nailer is very easy to handle thanks to its weight of 1.12 kg (2.48 lbs).
Thanks to the trigger, you can easily and quickly switch between sequential firing and thrusting , which will be an advantage for many .
The Senco Finish Pro brad nailer allows you to use nails from 16 mm (5/8”) to 55 mm (2-1/8”), which is slightly longer than any of the other options in this list of best brad nail guns.
The tapered nose design really makes the nose very narrow and allows the nailer to fit into tight spaces and place brads more accurately .
Are there any disadvantages to this Senco finish pro, you might think? Well , not really. The only downside is that it continues to fire even though there are no more nails in the magazine. As a result, it will not nail but will still leave a mark on the wood. However, the Senco isn’t the only nailer to have this, but it does have a good indicator to tell you when the magazine is empty.
PROS
CONS
SENCO FinishPro
Total score: 4.25/5
How to build your workshop on a budget?
Building a workshop can be daunting, filled with trial and error. Believe me, I’ve been in those shoes.
But it was “The Ultimate Small Workshop” course, a gem I discovered and now endorse on Christofix.com, that provided insights unparalleled to any other. This expertise empowered me to invest wisely and save substantially.
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I hope this best brad nailers comparison was helpful, and that this blog inspires you.
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Greetings,
Christophe, founder of Christofix.com
Woodworking | DIY | Home decoration
