The Best 18-Gauge Brad Nailer To Make Your Job Easier
Source: heraldsroute.com
Have a lot of nails to drive into those walls and furniture? Whether you are a professional or just a DIY type of person, getting work done around your house, you will need good quality tools to get the job done. And in the case of nails, a good nailer is essential. A nailer, better known as a nail gun, helps in driving in nails through walls efficiently. With a nail gun in hand, your job becomes faster and easier.
If your home has wooden and plaster walls, avoiding nails is probably a good idea – this is because a thick iron nail can damage the wooden surface and make it unsafe to hang anything. Not only that, the thick nail can split the wood or create a bigger hole than required. In such cases, brads are always a better option. To drive these brads in efficiently, you need a brad nailer. With the number 18-inch brad nailers available in the market today, it is not an easy task to select the best 18-gauge brad nailer for your nailing needs.
A brad is a nail that has a rectangular cross-section. Usually used for small home repairs, these nails, and the nailers used for them, ensure a clean and no-fuss job. When using a brad nailer, you don’t need to use wood putty. Just use the nailer and carry on.
** All prices and ratings mentioned in this article are accurate at the time of publishing and may change with time.
Best 18-Gauge Brad Nailer: Reviews
Fully knowing that choosing the best brad nailer is not an easy task, we have selected the best 5 brad nailers of 18-gauge size, to suit different needs.
#1 – WEN 61720
WEN 61720 3/4-Inch to 2-Inch 18-Gauge Brad Nailer
This 18-gauge brad nailer from Plonyzon is light, convenient to use and very efficient. A perfect tool to carry with you, when you have a large number of brads to be driven into different surfaces. You can drive in nails consistently, without having to worry about the precision or the tool heating up.
Light Weight Yet Powerful
It can drive in brads ranging from ¾ to 2 inches in length. The nailer itself is very light, and weighs just a mere 3 pounds, thanks to the all aluminum body. The light weight enables you to use the nailer for long periods of time without hurting your hands.
Just because the nailer is small in size, does not mean the speed of the nailer is compromised upon. It can shoot out brads at the rate of 60 to 100 psi with an air inlet fitting as small as just ¼ inch. The machine has a quick release mechanism, which enables it to drive in those brads, one after the other, very efficiently without any jam.
Convenient To Use
When the magazine capacity of a nailer is not sufficient, you will be required to reload the brads very frequently. Not only is it time-consuming but also hinders the flow of your work. The WEN 6170 is one of the best 18-gauge brad nailers because it has a magazine with a capacity of 100 brads.
The nailer comes as a kit, complete with adjustment wrenches, oil and an easy to carry case, for you to store your gun safely, when not in use. You can also adjust the depth for the nails to be fired.
Verdict
A light, easy to use brad nailer that will not jam up just because there are a number of brads in the gun. This tool is very affordable at its below average price and has great reviews from customers for its many features.
For current price and more details about the WEN 6170 click here
#2 – BOSTITCH BTFP12233
BOSTITCH BTFP12233 Smart Point 18GA Brad Nailer Kit
With a smaller nose than the regular BOSTITCH nailers, the placement of the nails to be driven in is much easier. With this brad nailer, you can drive in an 18-guage brad easily and precisely. It weighs a mere 1.4kgs, thus making it easy for you to carry it around.
Smart Point Technology
Owing to this new technology, the BOSTITCH has a small nose when compared to other such nailers from the same brand. When the nose is smaller, the aim is better, and you don’t have to roughly gauge the placement of the brad. All you have to do is point and shoot.
This technology also enables the user to work efficiently, without causing any damage to the surface the nailer is being used on. The small nose enables the nailer to reach small and tight spots to drive in the brad very precisely.
Mess Free
This nailer has an oil free operation, to avoid getting any oil stains on you. When you are driving in the brads, they tend to get jammed at times. In this nailer, you can remove the nails easily with the help of the tool-free jam release mechanism. You can also measure the depth for the nail to be driven in and adjust the nailer accordingly.
You can drive in nails that measure anywhere between 5/8th of an inch to 2-1/8th of an inch. Once you have decided the depth, you can decide the type of trigger you want to use. You can choose between sequential firing and contact firing, based on your requirement.
Verdict
With an increased precision to drive in the nails and the tool-free jam release feature to remove the nails easily, this nailer is just perfect for those who want to avoid any accidents or damages to the work surface.
To see the full features and current price of this BOSTITCH nailer click here
#3 – Hitachi NT50AE2
Hitachi NT50AE2 18-Gauge 5/8-Inch to 2-Inch Brad Nailer
Hitachi has kept in mind the ease of use and the users’ comfort while designing this brad nailer. With a high capacity, low weight and good grip, your carpentry projects will be the same again.
Multiple Options
With this Brad nailer from Hitachi, all you have to do is, just slide the control when you want to switch from continuous firing to intermittent firing of the brads. When there are a lot of brads to be driven, go ahead with the continuous firing, but when precision is what you want, the intermittent setting is what you need. Want to change the depth at which the nails are being driven in? Just turn the knob near the nose of the nailer, and you can adjust the depth between 5/8th of an inch to 2 inches.
Comfort At Its Best
Whether you have big projects that require you to handle the brad nailer for long hours or you want to pull out those nails that got jammed, this nailer ensures it is done with minimal effort. The elastometer grip not only ensures your hand is pain-free, but also ensures the gun does not slip out of your hand. The tool-less and easy to clear nose enables you to clear the jammed nail in no time.
The magazine has a high capacity of 100 brads and a visual nail indicator to let you know how many more shot you have before stopping for a reload. The exhaust vent can be adjusted a whole 360o , and the nose cap ensures the safety of not just the tool but the work piece too.
Verdict
Rated as one of the best 18-gauge brad nailers, this unit is made for comfort, safety, and efficiency.
Click here to buy Hitachi NT50AE2 from amazon.com
#4 – PORTER-CABLE BN200C
PORTER-CABLE BN200C 2-Inch 18GA Brad Nailer Kit
Made out of magnesium, this nailer is not only light but is also strong. This nailer is designed for durability and comfort so that your projects are executed efficiently. This is an upgraded version of the previously manufactured Porter cable brad nailers, keeping in mind the changes in requirement.
Handle And Clean With Ease
The nailer has a rubber grip to ensure you have a firm grip on the tool while using it for long hours and also don’t suffer any pains. The nose of the tool can be cleaned easily if you were to have any nails jammed. If you want to drive the brads at different lengths using the same tool, all you are required to do is adjust the knob, and you can drive brads from 5/8th of an inch to a whole 2-inch depth.
The brad magazine has an indicator to warn you when you are running short of brads. This saves you a lot of time, as you don’t have to keep checking when to reload the gun.
Designed For Comfort And Durability
When you drive brads into surfaces, you are bound to have dust and other particles flying around. The exhaust in this nailer is conveniently placed at the rear so that you don’t have any contaminants falling on your work.
The motor in this tool is lifelong maintenance free, and the driver blade is hardened to last a long time. When the blade is hard and sturdy, it can penetrate harder surfaces too. The blade ensures you don’t have to worry about the surface you are going to drive the brads into, or worry about having to find a replacement for the tool.
Complete with a carrying case, brads and owners’ manual, this nailer is a complete kit for all those projects that require you to move around and use the nailer for long hours.
Verdict
This nailer has very good reviews and is one of the top rated brad nailer owing to its light body, strong blade and other features that ensure your comfort and safety. Driving brads into those surfaces will not a challenge anymore.
To see what amazon customers says about this nailer click here
#5 – DEWALT DWFP12231 Pneumatic 18-Gauge
DEWALT DWFP12231 Pneumatic 18-Gauge 2-Inch Brad Nailer Kit
This well shaped, easy to handle nailer from Dewalt can drive 18 gauge nails at varying depths. The tool is not only well designed to operate efficiently but has provisions to wear it or keep it near you when you are working with it.
Well Designed For Practical Use
The tool is designed in such a way that the exhaust is at the rear. This will direct the dust and other particles to the back side of the tool, thus preventing it from falling on your work. The brads can be driven into the surface at different lengths. Keeping in mind that you cannot have different tools for different lengths and judge the depth free hand is not feasible, Dewalt has an adjustable know to set the length of the brad. You can choose anywhere between 5/8th of an inch to 2 inches.
When you are shooting nails at succession, there is bound to be a jam or a wrong shot. In such cases, this tool has a tool-free jam release mechanism, which allows you to remove the driven nail with great ease.
Durable And Reliable
The nailer has a motor that is free of maintenance for life. This ensures you don’t have to keep cleaning it regularly for oil and other residues that might stain your work. Due to this motor, you don’t have to worry about any stains or damages to your work. Though it is made of magnesium, which is very light, the body of the tool is strong and sturdy. The anti-slip grip is comfortable and allows you to have a firm hold of the tool and avoid any accidents due to slippery handle or a bag grip.
Complete Kit
Like every other nailer, this one comes with a complete kit too. However, the number of brads provided in this kit is 500, unlike just 100 provided by other makers. The magazine capacity is only 100, and you will have to reload once it is time.
Verdict
Made for comfort and to use for a long duration, this nailer is simple, neat and well designed. There is nothing fancy or over the top claim about this unit and you can get your brad nailing work done in no time.
Click here for current price and more information about the DEWALT DWFP12231
Conclusion
Amazon has a number of 18-gauge brad nailers. Though there are other sizes too, people prefer the 18-gauge as it does not split the wood or other surfaces. A 16-gauge would cause more damage to the surface and can sometimes ruin your work for good. A brad nailer that can just shoot out brads is not enough. You need a tool that will drive nails of different enable lengths since each repair will be different and will need different nails for them.
Also, there will be times when you need precision over speed and consistency. When you are out hunting for the perfect nailer, choose one based on the surface you will be predominantly working on. Different nailers are made for different surfaces.
This review on the best 18-guage brad nailers gives a detailed insight about 5 of the best nailers in the market. These nailers are cost effective, efficient, convenient and easy to use, be it for a small project around the house or a professional job that requires you to handle the gun for a long period of time.
** All prices and ratings mentioned in this article are accurate at the time of publishing.
