Cordless Nailer Reviews & Buying Guides

If you haven’t yet used a cordless nailer you’re missing out. Our cordless nailer reviews put these non-pneumatic nailers and nail guns into the hands of Pros. We try and see if they can hold up to the rigors of jobsite abuse. While many of these products aren’t as lightweight as their pneumatic counterparts, there are distinct advantages. Our nailer reviews test gas models and battery-powered tools for how they fit into a contractor’s daily work. For the fuel models, advances such as new Paslode framing fuel allow for better use in cold temperatures. The same goes for better li-ion batteries. Cordless Nailer Reviews for Roofing, Trim, and More The thing with new cordless nailers is that they can tackle a wide variety of applications. New products have come to market from Milwaukee, Makita, Paslode, RYOBI, DeWalt, and others. These products include cordless trim nailers, framing nailers, pinners, and even cordless roofing nailers like the Paslode CR175C. For punch lists and interior trim carpentry, our cordless nailer reviews have been consistent. Also, these tools can really save on setup and teardown time.

Paslode 900600 Cordless 16-gauge Angled Finish Nailer Review

Paslode 900600 Cordless 16-ga Angled Finish Nailer Review

Going cord-free with trim nailers is the way to go, and the Paslode 900600 Cordless 16-gauge Angled Finish Nailer makes this easy to do. This nailer is best suited for the pro that focuses on remodeling and trim work. With an excellent line of sight and an angled nail magazine, getting fasteners into difficult-to-reach places is easy and can be done with great precision. The idea of not having to drag around a compressor, cords and hoses is a very compelling argument for going cordless. Not to mention, this Paslode is lightweight, compact, comes with a built-in hanging hook and is incredibly easy to use. This nailer makes our list of must-have tools!

Paslode IM250A LI Cordless 16-gauge Angled Finish Nailer Review

Paslode IM250A LI Cordless 16-gauge Angled Finish Nailer Review

We already did a pretty thorough review of the Paslode 900600 Cordless 16-gauge Angled Finish Nailer last year. That was an excellent tool (still is) and it transformed, in my mind, the potential for what a finish nailer could be. Apparently, however, that was the dry run – regardless of how great a run it was. This year, Paslode released an update/replacement that has more than a few tweaks to the former tool. They’ve been listening to their users and we have to say, these tweaks – present in the new IM250A LI – really refine this tool into something special.

Milwaukee 2458-21 M12 Cordless Palm Nailer Review

Milwaukee 2458-21 M12 Cordless Palm Nailer Review

The Milwaukee 2458-21 M12 Cordless Palm Nailer is one of those types of tools that you probably won’t use every day, but it could prove to be a real asset when the occasion arises. We got a glimpse of this nailer at the 2010 Milwaukee Media Event where we were able to try out a few pre-production models – and they did prove very promising. We were slightly surprised that they were able to drive 16d common nails flush into 2×4 studs all day long. Finally a cordless, hand-held nailer that really drove nails. Up to now, the few battery powered nailers that we have seen, also known as auto hammers, have been more like gadgets than real working gear. The idea of being able to leave the air compressor, air hose, drop cords and nailers in the work trailer is rather compelling. Given its fairly compact size, you can drive nails in those difficult tight spots where you normally might not be able to fit a full size nailer or swing a hammer. To make it even better there is a LED work light built in that should make it easier to see what you are doing in a dim or dark work area.

Milwaukee M12 Palm Nailer Kit 2458-21 Preview

Milwaukee M12 Palm Nailer Kit 2458-21 Preview

It didn’t take long for us to be amazed at the power and efficiency of Milwaukee’s new M12 Palm Nailer when we saw it at the company’s 2010 Press Event. The tool is literally a 12V lithium-ion powered palm nailer that can drive 12D and 16D nails into 2×4 studs flush without any problems – we know because we demoed it and were just as surprised as anyone reading this article. The M12 Palm Nailer provides a portable solution to professional nailing applications without the hassle of an air compressor or hose. It also makes a joke out of those cordless 12V autohammers made by Craftsman and Ryobi. For whatever reason, this palm nailer hits hard, while those other tools come off feeling like they couldn’t do more than hang a picture with a finish nail.

Senco FN55AX 18 Gauge Finish Nailer First Look

Senco FN55AX 18 Gauge Finish Nailer First Look

Senco’s new Fusion tools combine the best of pneumatic and cordless technology. The Fusion cordless tools are available in 15 gauge angled and 18 gauge straight. What makes them impressive is that they eliminate the disadvantages associated with traditional gas and battery powered nailers. Fuel cell replacement costs, trigger response time, charge capability and excessive tool weight are virtually eliminated with these new models.

DeWALT DC608K 18 Gauge 2" Cordless Brad Nailer Review

DeWalt DC608K 18 Gauge Cordless Brad Nailer Review

The DeWALT DC608K 18 Gauge 2″ Cordless Brad Nailer is ideal for all your trim work and furniture building adventures. You can just grab this nailer and go because there are no cords or hoses to hold you back. With plenty of power to drive long nails into even hard woods, we found this the go to tool for doing small trim jobs, repairs and anything where we did not feel like dragging out a compressor and air hose for our pneumatic brad nailer.

Ryobi CAH120LK Auto Hammer Review

Ryobi Auto Hammer Review CAH120LK

Ryobi decided to follow the Craftsman Nextec Hammerhead’s lead and came out with their own version of a cordless Auto Hammer just in time for the 2009 Christmas Holiday Season. Since this tool seems to be a popular gift item this year, and just about every Home Depot store has a sample station set up so you can test it before you buy it, we decided to put it through our own battery of tests. In the past we have been pleasantly surprised by the balance of quality, features and price of the Ryobi brand products. Read on to see if this tool lived up to our expectations.

Ryobi Auto Hammer vs Craftsman Nextec Hammerhead Comparison

Ryobi Auto Hammer vs Craftsman Hammerhead

Last year Craftsman released their Nextec Hammerhead Auto-Hammer which operates on a similar principal as a pneumatic palm nailer. Of course this new tool intrigued us, but there was nothing to truly compare it to – that is until now. This holiday season, Ryobi has released its version of the Auto Hammer. We decided to put it head-to-head against the Craftsman Hammerhead model… and to make things a little more interesting; we figured we would also compare both battery-operated products to a Senco pneumatic palm nailer and a plain old fashioned framing hammer.