Being that there are a few different types of nailers which you can choose from, we have decided to give you a short review of finish nailers.
Every carpenter is aware of the importance of having a good finish nailer, as it makes carpentry easier and more efficient.
The tasks that you can do with it are crowning, molding, base boarding, and chair railing.
Finish nailers are designed for the aesthetics of your work.
Now, you can go through our list of the best finish nailers, and without wasting more time searching among plenty of models available, you can decide which one is good for you.
5 Best Finish Nailers Reviewed
#1. DEWALT D51257K 16 Gauge Finish Nailer
Top Pick
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As you may think, the number one is definitely the best of the best finish nailers on the market.
The DEWALT D51257K is a pneumatic finish nailer, whose price ranges from $250 to $300.
You can sometimes find it on a discount for $150 and $200.
The DEWALT D51257K’ s quality is great and in line with the price, so we can say that its first advantage is that it is reasonably priced.
If we take a look at performance and functions, we should mention that this finish nailer uses 16-gauge nails between 1 inch and 2.5 inches long.
It allows you to use finish nails from size 2d to size 7d, and perhaps even size 8d, without any issues.
What is considered a weakness is the fact that this is a straight finish nailer which will not allow you to use it at an angle.
The DEWALT D51257K has some excellent additional features such as a tool-free depth adjustment, tool-free jam clearing, 360° adjustable exhaust, adjustable belt hook, and no-mar tip.
You can see that it has everything a good finish nailer should have.
A sequential trigger is pre-installed in this model, which requires buying and installing of the bump action trigger kit in case you want to run the machine in bump mode.
However, the bum mode is necessary only if you work on heavy-duty projects.
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Pros
- Price
- Range of nail length selection
- Tool-free depth adjustment and jam clearing
- No-mar tip
- Adjustable hook and 360-adjustable exhaust
- Excellent warranty period
- 1-year free service
- Money back guarantee
Cons
- Lacks bump actuation mode
- Straight
- Expensive nails
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#2. NuMax SFN64 Finish Nailer
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If you take a look at its price, our second pick can be considered a low-cost pneumatic finish nailer.
Now, you think that being a low cost tool is followed by poor quality and not enough features, but that is not the case with the NuMax SFN64.
What it has to offer is an ergonomic design, tool-less depth adjustment, no-mar tip, a sequential actuation trigger, and adjustable exhaust.
These features are amazing and furthermore, the gauge and range of nails are the same as with the DEWALT model.
It is a straight finish nailer, its dimensions and weigh is almost the same as in DEWALT, making the Numax SFN64 equally great as our top pick.
What the SFN64 lacks is an adjustable belt hook and a quick jam release, not tool-less jam release as in DEWALT.
The jam release is important as you do not need a screwdriver or pliers to remove the jammed nail.
What is also considered a disadvantage is that NuMax gives 1 year warranty period, which should be longer.
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Pros
- Economical
- Tool-less depth adjustment
- 360-adjustable exhaust
- Cheap nails
Cons
- Lacks bump actuation mode
- No tool-less jam release
- Does not include a belt hook
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#3. Paslode 902400 Angled
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The above mentioned finish nailers come with a cord, while the third one on our list is a cordless finish nailer.
Carrying a compressor all the time wherever you have to work can be troublesome and irritating, so the Paslode 902400 model is ideal solution for you.
It is the best cordless finish nailer, but you should have in mind that it would cost a lot more than pneumatic finish nailers.
When it comes to the performance of the 902400, we should mention that this machine accepts 20° angled 16-gauge nails between 1.25 inches and 2.5 inches long.
This means that you cannot use 2d nails with this nailer.
What makes it even better is that it is an angled finish nailer, which will allow easy access to hard to reach areas.
Again, bear in mind that angled nails are more expensive than straight nails, which also makes this tool quite pricey.
However, if we consider the long-term cost of operating, an angled finish nailer is greater than a straight finish nailer.
This finish nailer needs a fuel canister so the unit comes with a gas canister and a 7.4 Li-ion battery.
The approximate life of battery is 6000 nails per charge, while the fuel lasts for 1200 nails per canister.
Those canisters are easy to swap and the battery is fully charged after only 30 minutes.
Another advantage of the Paslode model is that the manufacturer is offering a 5-year limited warranty and a 1-year “full” warranty.
The product is quite expensive and the purchase protection shows that the producer has a lot of belief in this product.
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Pros
- Price
- Tool-free depth adjustment and jam clearing
- Swivel belt hook
- Angled
- Anti-dry fire mechanism
- Excellent limited warranty
- 1-year full warranty period
Cons
- Can only be used with Paslode nails
- Lacks adjustable exhaust and bump actuation mode
- Higher operating cost
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#4. Hitachi NT65MA4 Finish Nail Gun
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The fourth one on our list is a 15-gauge finish nailer – the Hitachi NT65MA4.
Being that it is a pneumatic finish nailer with a 34° magazine angle it is definitely worth considering.
The angled magazine is designed so as to enable your reach the places where a straight finish nailer cannot do the job.
Additional amazing feature is the actuation mode selection switch.
It allows you to easily shift from sequential mode to bump mode.
What makes the NT65MA4 model even more attractive is the fact that it has a no-mar tip, an adjustable exhaust, an integrated air duster and an ergonomic grip.
Now, you are wondering why it is placed on the fourth position.
Well, what this unit lacks is a tool-free jam release system, which means that you will need a screwdriver in case of the jammed nail.
One more disadvantage of this model is that it cannot use 1-inch nails, as the smallest size of nail that will be accepted is 1.25 inches while the largest size is 2.5 inches.
The best thing about the Hitachi NT65MA4 is a 5-year limited warranty which represents an amazing purchase protection for a product with such a reasonable cost.
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Pros
- Price
- Possesses actuation mode selector, tool-free depth adjustment and no-mar tip
- Air duster
- 34° angle
- Excellent limited warranty
Cons
- Lacks tool-free jam release
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#5. PowRyte Basic 100191 Finish Nailer
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Now, we usually put the least worth models on the last position.
The PowRyte Basic 100191 is the cheapest finish nailer which can be bought by anyone.
But, do you need this kind of tool is a good question to ask?
Being a straight finish nailer that accepts 16-gauge nails from 0.75 inches to 2 inches shows that it is designed for smaller sized nails
So, those who have heavy-duty tasks for this tool should avoid it, while those who will use it for light work, this unit would be suitable.
The great characteristics of the 100191 are that it has a no-mar tip, an anti-dry fire mechanism, a 360° adjustable exhaust, sequential actuation mode, and belt hook.
What it lacks is no tool-less jam release system and a depth selector.
Now, it is up to you to determine whether this tool will be useful to you without these features or you do not mind lacking them.
If you are looking for something durable, then this finish nailer is not for you.
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Pros
- Price
- No-mar tip
- Anti-dry fire
- Adjustable exhaust
- Belt hook
Cons
- Lacks greater nail size
- Lacks tool-less jam clearing and depth selection
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