Best Cordless Finish, Brad, and Pin Nailers 2025

As more Pros and DIYers leave their compressors and hoses for the convenience of battery power, finding the best cordless finish, brad, and pin nailers is critical to doing the job right. It’s more than just placing a nail accurately—there are significant trade-offs to consider. In this guide, I’ll share the cordless nailers that stand out from the crowd and help you make the transition to battery power as easy as possible.

Our Top Recommendations

• Best 15-ga and 16-ga Finish: Metabo HPT 18V NT1865DAA/NT1865DSA
  ↓ Jump to this Finish Nailer
• Best 18-ga Brad: Milwaukee M12 Fuel 2541
  ↓ Jump to this Brad Nailer
• Best 23-ga Pin: Milwaukee M12 2540
  ↓ Jump to this Pin Nailer
• Best for the Money: Ridgid 18V Clean Drive Nailers
  ↓ Jump to these Nailers

Jump to These Sections for More Information

• More Cordless Finish Nailer Recommendations
• How We Made Our Choices
• What to Look for When You’re Shopping
• Why You Can Trust Pro Tool Reviews

Best 15-Gauge/16-Gauge Cordless Finish Nailer

You have several quality choices if you want the best finish nailer in a 15- or 16-gauge size that has the power to drive the largest nails in hardwoods. Narrowing down the list starts with weight, and that’s where Metabo HPT sets itself apart from the crowd.

Metabo HPT isn’t the only relatively lightweight option. DeWalt, Ridgid, and even Ryobi are in a similar range. On the other hand, Metabo HPT’s design is longer than most others, but that creates a slimmer profile that allows the tip to be closer to the top of the tool where it’s easier to drive accurately into corners.

Metabo HPT also packs a quality feature set on board. Plus, the pricing is lower than its premium competitors and includes a lifetime warranty that seals the deal.

Motor	Brushless
Firing Modes	Bump, Sequential
Dry Fire Lockout	Yes
Jam Clearance	Tool-free
Belt Hook	Yes
Spare Tip Storage	Yes

Best 18-Gauge Cordless Brad Nailer

When Milwaukee launched the M12 Fuel 18-gauge Brad Nailer, it quickly became one of our favorites thanks to its extremely compact, lightweight design. By putting it on the M12 battery system, its advantage is even greater, considering all the major competitors are on 18V/20V Max or 24V systems.

While this model proved to have plenty of power to drive nails in hardwoods in our review, there is a trade-off. The maximum nail length is 1 1/2 inches—a bit shorter than the 2 1/8-inch lengths many of its competitors are capable of. That’s something to keep in mind if you tend to use longer nails in your brad nailers.

Other than that, there’s not much to complain about. Milwaukee’s design team wrapped a full feature set into the package, making it the easiest, most convenient brad nailer we’ve used.

Motor	Brushless
Firing Modes	Bump, Sequential
Dry Fire Lockout	Yes
Jam Clearance	Tool-free
Belt Hook	Yes
Spare Tip Storage	Yes

Best Cordless 23-Gauge Pin Nailer

Milwaukee disrupted the cordless nailer market when it launched its M12 pin nailer. With its lightweight, compact size and 12V battery, every 18V/20V Max pin nailer suddenly seemed overly bulky.

Pin nailers don’t require as much power to drive, so Milwaukee paired this model with a brushed motor rather than brushless. Even so, you still get 750 shots out of the smallest battery, so neither power nor runtime is a concern.

Our only complaint is a minor one—you need a hex wrench to open the magazine top and clear jams. It’s not something that occurs often in our experience, so we’re not that worried about the occasional inconvenience.

Motor	Brushed
Firing Modes	Sequential
Dry Fire Lockout	Yes
Jam Clearance	Tool Required
Belt Hook	Yes
Spare Tip Storage	Yes

Best Cordless Finish, Brad, and Pin Nailers for the Money

If you’re looking for Pro performance, don’t overlook Ridgid as a serious contender. With solid options in every category, their designs tend to be lighter and slimmer than most.

In our experience, their performance has been strong, and the nose designs offer outstanding precision when placement is critical. Thanks to Ridgid’s 2.0Ah Max Output battery, you have an option to get a boost in driving power without a big weight penalty. Plus, the Clean Drive design really does reduce jams.

What seals the deal for Ridgid as our best value pick is their Lifetime Service Agreement. Register your tools and batteries after purchase, and they’ll repair or replace them if something goes wrong at no cost to you—for life.

Type	Model Number
15-Gauge Finish	R09899
16-Gauge Finish	R09893
18-Gauge Brad	R09891
23-Gauge Pin	R09898

More Cordless Finish, Brad, and Pin Nailers to Consider

Bosch 18V Profactor Finish and Brad Nailers

Bosch’s first foray into the cordless finish nailer segment has been a successful one. With solid performance and thoughtful design, the lineup introduced a unique feature—one-hand activation. As you pick up the nailer, there’s an activation button that’s accessible to your thumb on both the right and left sides. Instead of having to find the power button and use a two-handed operation, now you can simply pick up the nailer and start working in one easy motion.

Price: $299 – $349 bare, $419 – $439 kit

Type	Model Number
15-Gauge Finish	GNH18V-15MA
16-Gauge Angled Finish	GNH18V-16MA
18-Gauge Brad	GNH18V-18M

DeWalt 20V Max Finish, Brad, and Pin Nailers

DeWalt’s cordless finish, brad, and pin nailers are among the lightest in the 18V/20V Max class with solid feature sets. They tend to be a bit bulkier in the head, have a slight firing delay, and are among the most expensive, though. That said, the Pros who use them generally like their performance and reliability in the field.

Price: $299 – $399 bare, $349 – $449 kit

Type	Model Number
15-Gauge Finish	DCN650
16-Gauge Straight Finish	DCN662
16-Gauge Angled Finish	DCN660
18-Gauge Brad	DCN680
23-Gauge Pin	DCN623

Flex 24V Cordless Finish, Brad, and Pin Nailers

Flex not only covers the entire gamut of finish, brad, and pin nailers, but it also is the only brand to offer every model in either a bare tool or kit option. Personally, I appreciate that they’re covering everyone’s needs in that way.

The nailers are solid performers with a high firing rate across the board—even the pin nailer. In fact, the pin nailer is the only one on our list with both a brushless motor and tool-free jam clearance. The entire line has excellent Pro-focused features and include more LED lights to better illuminate your target area. When it comes to size and weight, they tend to be around average or a little above once you add the 24V battery.

Price: $199 – $299 bare, $279 – $379 kit

Type	Model Number
15-Gauge Finish	FX4311B
16-Gauge Straight Finish	FX4321
16-Gauge Angled Finish	FX3421A
18-Gauge Brad	FX4331
23-Gauge Pin	FX4341

Makita 18V LXT Cordless Finish, Brad, and Pin Nailers

Makita’s 18V LXT lineup covers your 16-gauge, 18-gauge, and 23-gauge cordless nailer needs. While they trend a little heavier than average, they’re solid performers that you can rely on day in and day out.

These nailers have been on the market for a while now, but keep your eyes open. Makita is starting to build out nailers on the 40V max XGT line, so a refresh on both platforms may be in the works, as well as the possibility of a 15-gauge model.

Price: $239 – $389 bare

Type	Model Number
16-Gauge Straight Finish	XNB02
18-Gauge Brad	XNB01
23-Gauge Pin (18V LXT)	XTP02
23-Gauge Pin (40V max XGT)	GTP01

Milwaukee M18 Fuel Finish and Brad Nailers

While we love Milwaukee’s M12 nailers, the best performance and the widest range is on the M18 battery system. Covering 15-gauge, 16-gauge, and 18-gauge models, they have all the power professionals need for hardwood installations.

They tend to run a little heavier than the lightweights of the 18V/20V max class, but they make up for it with a slim design that gets into corners well and provides an excellent line of sight.

Price: $299 – $329 bare, $399 kit

Type	Model Number
15-Gauge Finish	2839
16-Gauge Straight Finish	3020
16-Gauge Angled Finish	2841
18-Gauge Brad	2746

Ryobi 18V One+ HP Brushless AirStrike Finish and Brad Nailers

When it comes to getting a lot of bang for your buck in a line of cordless finish nailers, Ryobi offers excellent performance at a high value price. When you go with the latest HP Brushless models, you get Pro-level driving power with no compromise in performance or the nail lengths you can use.

There are a couple of downsides, though. These nailers tend to be a bit bulkier than their professional counterparts. They also need a heavier battery to get top-tier performance out them, which brings the working weight up a bit.

Price: $159 – $279 bare

Type	Model Number
15-Gauge Finish	PBL375
16-Gauge Straight Finish	PBL370
18-Gauge Brad	P322
23-Gauge Pin	PCL310

Skil PWRCore 20 18-Gauge Brad Nailer

At the moment, Skil only has one cordless nailer in its lineup, but it’s a good one for DIYers looking to make some upgrades. While it’s not as compact or light as Pro models, it has excellent driving power and can maintain a high firing rate if you need it to. The value proposition is solid as well. For $199, you get the nailer, a 2.0Ah battery, and a charger.

Price: $199 kit

How We Made Our Choices

Best Cordless Finish and Brad Nailers

Having the power to drive full-length nails into hardwood is priority number one, followed by the lowest weight we could get without compromising the durability and consistency Pros need. Helpful features are a bonus.

Best Cordless Pin Nailer

Since power isn’t an issue with 23-gauge nailers, we want a pin nailer that’s as light and compact as possible with the durability and consistency Pros need. Any features that genuinely enhance the user experience are a bonus.

Best Cordless Finish Nailers for the Money

Our value pick has to have the power to drive full-length nails in hardwood, keep the size and weight in check, and offer a price that’s compelling for what you get. Experience-enhancing features are a bonus. We’re also looking for a system to cover the full range of finish nailers for those who want all four primary gauges to work with the same battery.

What to Look for When You’re Shopping for a Cordless Finish Nailer

Driving Power

The first-generation cordless finish nailers that came out sometimes struggled with having the firing power to drive full-length nails in hardwoods or engineered lumber. Most brands have overcome that now, but it’s something to look out for from brands that are entering the market for the first time.

Weight

One of the biggest differences between pneumatic and cordless finish nailers is weight. The drive mechanism, motor, electronics, and battery add a substantial amount. Some brands are figuring out how to shave the weight down, though. The lower the working weight, the less fatigue you’ll experience, especially when you’re nailing overhead.

Size

Size and weight typically go hand-in-hand, so heavier cordless finish nailers also tend to be bulkier. While most models won’t prevent you from nailing into corners, having a more compact built will help you get into them easier with a better sightline.

Sightline

Finish nailers tend to be used on jobs that require more precise nail placement than roofing or framing nailers. Models with a narrow tip design and a clear line of sight to the tip can help you consistently place those nails with 1/8-inch accuracy to your target.

Firing Delay

Most first-generation cordless finish nailers had a noticeable firing delay thanks to the flywheel drive mechanisms they used. If you were used to pneumatic models, it was annoying (and for some of us, it still is).

Some brands have addressed this by using a system that pre-loads the flywheel so the nail fires the moment you pull the trigger. Unless you’re bump firing faster than most Pros can work with accuracy, it’s a good solution.

Other models use a gas system that fires immediately with no pre-loading required. These tend to be the most consistent, and our crew prefers them.

Feature Enhancements

Here are some features to keep an eye open for that can make using your cordless finish nailer easier:

• Brushless Motor: Better power, longer runtime, and longer service life.
• Selectable Bump/Sequential Fire Modes: Switch between firing modes with the simple press of a button.
• Dry Fire Lockout: Prevents firing when there are no nails to prevent damage to materials and the drive system.
• Belt Hook: Set the nailer on your belt while you use two hands to move trim into place.
• Onboard Tip Storage: Keeps spare no-mar tips on the nailer where you can quickly access them.

Value

As you’re shopping for cordless finish nailers, keep a few things in mind that can raise the value proposition for you:

• The battery system includes all the finish nailers you need for the work you do or may expand into.
• The battery system includes all the other cordless tools you need.
• A solid warranty length with a convenient system in place if you need repair or replacement.

Why You Can Trust Pro Tool Reviews

There are many publications and authors out there trying to convince you that they know what the best cordless finish nailer is. Let’s give credit where credit is due—they use good SEO writers and may have even used a few popular nailers in the process.

But do they have more than a decade of experience using nailers with an eye on comparative evaluation, understand the key features to look for, and have they experienced the differences in the quality of components in the field? Have they been around to see advances in performance, the development of innovative new features, and how battery power is finally getting the attention of professionals?

We have. We’ve been testing and reviewing cordless nailers since they first launched.

You can trust Pro Tool Reviews because tools are what we do. When I recommend a nailer for you, it’s because it’s the one I would buy. My primary motivation is to recommend what I genuinely believe is the best in each category based on more than a decade of experience and being involved in the power tool and outdoor power equipment industries every day. And if you choose to buy something I recommend, I hope that it works exactly the way you expected when the time comes.