Best Cordless Finish Nailer for Perfect Results Every Time

If you’re a woodworker you’ve probably nailed stuff. Maybe not. It all depends upon the project. A lot of woodworking doesn’t require nails, but when you get into framing and trim carpentry, nails are necessary. That’s where nail guns come in. Want to learn about the best cordless finish nailer? You’re at the right place.

Finish nailing uses small nails, originally driven by hand. That takes time and energy. So came about nail guns. Most have been pneumatic, but now you can get cordless and gas powered guns. These take the effort out of nailing and the hassle of pulling a cord or hose around.

Yep, you can finish nail without effort and hoses when you use a cordless finish nail gun. So, kick back and check out our findings.

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Choosing the Best Cordless Finish Nailer

Nailing with a hammer gets the job done, but it takes time and can be painful. I’d much rather finish the project without hitting my thumb. How about you?

Yep, thought so. Let’s look at some cordless finish nailers.

With a finish nailer you can speed up your woodworking, be it trim carpentry or other projects. With a finish nailer you don’t have to hold a part in place and the nail, and then hit it with a hammer.

Nope, put the part in place, position the finish nailer, pull the trigger, and your part is secured.

There’s a number of nailers out there. Let’s look at some so that you might pic the best for your needs.

What to Look for in a Finish Nailer

Okay, so now that you’ve decided that you could use a cordless finish nailer, what should you look for?

Quality

All of the nailers we are sharing have 4+ customer approval ratings and are produced by well known companies. There are other options out there, but we want to share tools that will stand the test of time.

Though there is no foolproof way to estimate q uality upfront, reading reviews and trusting a well-known company take the risks to minimum.

Budget

How much do you want to spend? Prices for cordless finish nailers vary, so you should find one that will fit your budget.

Keep in mind, many times cordless tools are sold without batteries and chargers, so an initial cost might be very appealing, until you add in the those needed items.

If you already own a cordless tool that can use the same battery, then that option is a money saver for you.

Firing Methods

Since we’re looking at cordless and hoseless finish nailers, we should talk a bit about how they work.

Pneumatic nailers use air pressure from a compressor. Electric nailers use and AC voltage mechanism and must be plugged into an outlet. Both get the job done, but require a hose or cord for power. Cordless nailers offer greater flexibility.

There are two basic firing methods, straight mechanical and gas assisted.

Straight mechanical uses a battery powered motor to drive the the nails.
Gas assisted requires fuel canisters, which provide the driving force.

None of the reviewed nailers are gas assisted as we didn’t find any with 4+ ratings, plus there’s the hassle of gas canisters which we prefer not to deal with.

Magazine

All nail guns have a nail magazine, with the main difference being angled or straight.

Both get the job done, but angled magazines allow for more clearance when nailing molding and such. It’s really a mater of preference when choosing straight or angled magazines. Neither is better than the other in function as both automatically feed the nails under spring pressure.

Keep in mind, that angled magazines will require matching angle nails, which may be harder to locate than straight nails.

Depth Adjustment

Due to the variance in the density of different woods, the nailer should have a method for adjusting the nail depth when driven.

You want the nail to be slightly below the surface of the wood when driven home. If not, you’ll have to spend time setting the nails manually and that defeats one of the benefits of a nailer.

Tool free depth adjustment is more convenient than that which requires a tool. So tool free adjustment is on our list of pluses.

Jam Clearing

It’s going to happen, you’re going to have a nail jam now and then. Tool free jam clearing is also a characteristic that we look for in a nailer. It’s a hassle to have to hunt down a tool to open the gun, so we look for guns that don’t need one.

Jamming can be kept to a minimum by maintaining your nailer and ensuring that you’re using the correct nails.

Weight

Weight comes into consideration if you have a large number of nails to drive. The lighter the nailer the easier it is on your arm.

Nail size

There are two sizes to nails, length and gauge. The length will be determined by the thickness of the stock being nailed. All of the guns listed below will accept varied length of nails. The gauge of a nail determines its thickness.

The larger the number the thinner the nail. Thinner nails leave smaller nail holes and are less likely to split the stock, at the loss of a bit of holding power. Glue or adhesive will definitely strengthen your joints.

Best Cordless Finish Nailer Reviews

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We’ve talked about cordless finish nailers, as well as what to look for in choosing one. Let’s take a look at what we’ve come up with. Any one of these nailers will serve you well, so you should be able to find one to fit your budget and do the job you need it to do.

PORTER-CABLE PCC790LA

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Porter-Cable is well known for quality tools and the PCC790LA is another such tool.

Power – 20 Volt Lithium-Ion battery powered. Battery and charger included.
Trigger – The trigger allows the user to place the nailer in against the work and then drive the nail accurately, or “bump” nailing for faster nailing.
Body/Frame – As with most modern power tools, Porter-Cable’s offering utilizes metal-composite construction. Metal is used in the mechanism of the nailer with polymer used in the body and handle.
Nails – Uses 18 ga straight nails, 5/8″ – 2″ long
Weight – 5.9

Some extra options:

Battery and charger are included
Tool free depth adjustment and jam clearing
Belt hook
LED Lighting

Pros

Cost – Budget-friendly
No compressor or gas cartridges needed
Lithium-Ion battery powered
3-Year limited warranty
Uses straight nails which are commonly carried by numerous suppliers

Cons

Only one battery included

Porter-Cable’s PCC790LA is a great first time purchase, as it includes the charger and a battery. All you need is nails, a charge, and you’re ready to go to work. The cost definitely won’t break the bank, either.

Click here to read user reviews on Amazon.

DeWalt 20V MAX Angled Finish Nailer Kit

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DeWalt is also well known for quality tools and this nailer is no exception.

Power – 20 Volt Lithium-Ion battery powered. Battery and charger included.
Trigger – The trigger allows the user to place the nailer in against the work and then drive the nail accurately, or “bump” nailing for faster nailing.
Body/Frame – As with most modern power tools, DeWalt’s offering utilizes metal-composite construction. Metal is used in the mechanism of the nailer with polymer used in the body and handle.
Nails – Uses 16 ga straight nails, 5/8″ – 2″ long
Weight – 5.2 pounds

Some Extra Options:

Battery and charger are included, as is a storage/carry case
Tool free depth adjustment and jam clearing
Belt clip
LED lighting

Pros

No compressor or gas cartridges needed
Lithium-Ion battery powered
3-Year limited warranty
Uses straight nails which are commonly carried by numerous suppliers

Cons

Cost – it can be relatively pricey.
Only one battery included

DeWalt’s offering is also a great first time purchase, as it includes the charger and a battery.

All you need is nails, a charge, and you’re ready to go to work, although the cost might be a bit intimidating to many. DeWalt is well known for quality tools, though.

Click here to read user reviews on Amazon.

DEWALT DC618K XRP

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Another quality offering by DeWalt.

Power – 18 Volt NiCad battery powered. Battery and charger included.
Trigger – The trigger allows the user to place the nailer in against the work and then drive the nail accurately, or “bump” nailing for faster nailing.
Body/Frame – As with most modern power tools, DeWalt’s offering utilizes metal-composite construction. Metal is used in the mechanism of the nailer with polymer used in the body and handle.
Nails – Uses 16 ga straight nails, 1-1/4”” – 2-1/2″ long
Weight – 8.5 pounds

Some Extra Options:

Battery and charger are included, as is a storage/carry case
Tool free depth adjustment and jam clearing
Belt hook
LED Lighting

Pros

No compressor or gas cartridges needed
Carry/storage case included
3-Year limited warranty
Angled magazine allows for nailing into tight quarters

Cons

Cost – pretty pricey
NiCad battery, does not perform as well as lithium-ion batteries
Only one battery included
Angled magazine requires the use of angled nail clips
Weight

DeWalt’s offering is also a great first time purchase, as it includes the charger and a battery. All you need is nails, a charge, and you’re ready to go to work, although the cost might be a bit intimidating to many. DeWalt is well known for quality tools, though.

Click here to read user reviews on Amazon.

Ryobi ZRP320 ONE Plus

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Ryobi is also known for quality tools, and this nailer is also available as a refurbished unit. Buying refurbished reduces the cost somewhat, but is still a warrantied tool.

Power – 18 Volt Lithium-ion battery powered. Battery and charger are NOT included.
Trigger – The trigger allows the user to place the nailer in against the work and then drive the nail accurately, or “bump” nailing for faster nailing.
Body/Frame – As with most modern power tools, Ryobi’s offering utilizes metal-composite construction. Metal is used in the mechanism of the nailer with polymer used in the body and handle.
Nails – Uses 16 ga straight nails, 5/8”” – 2″ long
Weight – 6.5 pounds

Some Extra Options:

Tool free depth adjustment and jam clearing.

Pros

Cost – relatively cheap
No compressor or gas cartridges needed
Lithium-Ion battery powered
3-Year limited warranty
Uses straight nails which are commonly carried by numerous suppliers

Cons

Battery and charger not included and will run an additional amount.

The refurbished Ryobi is a lower cost option and would be an exceptional buy if you already have Ryobi tools that use the same batteries.

Click here to read user reviews on Amazon.

Craftsman C3 19.2v Brad Nailer

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Craftsman is also known for quality tools and this nailer fits the bill.

Power – 19.2 Volt Lithium-ion battery powered. Battery and charger are NOT included.
Trigger – The trigger allows the user to place the nailer in against the work and then drive the nail accurately, or “bump” nailing for faster nailing.
Body/Frame – As with most modern power tools, Craftsman’s offering utilizes metal-composite construction. Metal is used in the mechanism of the nailer with polymer used in the body and handle.
Nails – Uses 18 ga straight nails, 5/8”” – 2″ long
Weight – 6.5 pounds

Some Extra Options:

Tool free depth adjustment and jam clearing.

Pros

No compressor or gas cartridges needed
Lithium-Ion battery powered
Uses straight nails which are commonly carried by numerous suppliers

Cons

Battery and charger not included and will run an additional amount.

Click here to read user reviews on Amazon.

Conclusion

The Craftsman nailer is another viable option for anybody’s shop. Expect to spend a bit when buying the nailer, charger, and battery. Not a bank breaker, for sure.

There you have a number of options and all will serve you well. Of these five, there is one that stands out as our top choice – the PORTER-CABLE PCC790LA 20V MAX Lithium 18GA Cordless Brad Nailer Kit provides the best bang for the buck. You get everything needed, other than nails.

With these reviews, you should be able to choose the best cordless finish nailer for your needs and your pocketbook.