Out of the 9 main types of nail guns, we’re quite fond of cordless framing nailers.
When it comes to any form of framing, construction, or carpentry, it’s an excellent alternative to a hammer. Safer, more effective, and very efficient – getting the job done in no time.
Moreover, unlike a pneumatic nailer, it doesn’t require an air compressor and instead runs off a battery.
And without a cord or a hose keeping you in place, you have much more freedom of movement.
So if that sounds good to you, read on! We’ve been checking out some of the best cordless framing nailers that are out on the market today.
After much deliberation, we were able to handpick our top 5 favorites, and we’ll be showing you our reviews on these very shortly.
After that, we’ve also got a handy buying guide for you which walks you through everything you might want to think about before you buy.
Then, we’re going to top that off with a section where we answer some of your most frequently asked questions on the subject.
Let’s get down to it!
Product Reviews
1. Metabo HPT Cordless Framing Nailer Kit
I bet you’re thinking “Who’s Metabo?”, well the good news is that Metabo HTP is the new name for Hitachi Power Tools, so it’s a brand you already have confidence in, just with a new name.
What we love about this cordless framing nailer, is that you don’t just get the nailer, you get an entire kit. And it’s a comprehensive kit too. You get a battery, a charger, a bag to carry it all in, and safety glasses to boot!
As for the nailer itself, it can drive plastic strip nails of sizes from 2 inches up to 3 and a half inches. It’s very speedy too – it can drive two nails per second!
It has a decent magazine capacity, able to hold up to 37 plastic strip nails at any one time.
You can adjust the depth of each drive easily, without any need for additional tools.
Even though it’s cordless, it has a lot in common with pneumatic nailers. It uses a unique air spring drive system, whereby compressed air drives each nail. This means you get zero ramp-up time and you get recoil like at a pneumatic nailer too.
It features both sequential and bump firing modes, and you can easily transition between these modes.
It lasts well on a full charge and can drive up to a whopping 400 nails per charge. And if you buy the Multivolt 8. 0Ah battery you can shoot up to 1100 nails on a full charge!
And speaking of charge, we also think its battery indicator is a very handy feature.
And it’s a durable little device, and that’s thanks to its brushless motor. You can also get a nice ergonomic grip which ensures both a comfortable and secure hold.
It has some nice safety features too. There’s the dry fire lock-out system that prevents the nailer from driving when the fasteners are too low, and there’s the side lock trigger switch that locks the trigger to prevent any accidental firing.
It’s available at a fair and reasonable price and is a bestseller with online retailers.
Customer feedback has been overwhelmingly positive with three-quarters of those who bought through Amazon rating it at 5 stars out of 5.
It also scored well for many of its features, such as ease of use, durability, and value for money.
We love that it comes with a lifetime warranty, and we were surprised to learn that the battery alone comes with a 2-year warranty.
Pros
- Top well-established brand
- Magazine capacity of 37 nails
- Drives 2 nails per second
- Great battery life
- Lifetime warranty
Cons
- It’s a little heavy at 10.8 pounds, but that said it does balance well
2. DEWALT DCN692B 20V Max Cordless 30° Paper Collated Framing Nailer
You probably predicted that our top pick was going to be a DeWalt – they’re such a good brand for DIY and power tools, definitely one of the best, if not THE best.
This beauty can drive nails of up to 3 and a half inches in length – great for construction projects. It also has a good magazine capacity, able to hold up to 55 paper collated nails at a time. So you don’t have to reload too frequently.
You can adjust the depth to which you want to drive the nail. This is easy and entirely tool-free.
It has two operating modes, sequential for firing nail after nail, or bump firing, which drives nails in more rapidly if you’re sufficiently confident to use this method.
We also like that it can work at two different speeds, you can either the job done as quickly as possible or you can take your time and know you’re doing it right.
It has a long motor life, thanks to its brushless motor and engine design. Moreover, replacement batteries are easy to get hold of.
It’s a best seller with retailers, and customer feedback has been incredibly positive. If you look at the Amazon page, you’ll see that over three-quarters of customers rated it at 5 stars out of 5.
Customers also rated it quite highly on some of the features like battery life and ease of use.
And if that isn’t reassuring enough, there’s also a 3-year limited warranty AND a year of free servicing.
The downside to this nailer is that it’s expensive, costing hundreds of dollars. But the good news is that you can spread the cost.
If you buy through Amazon you can pay in installments upon approval for the Amazon Rewards Visa Card.
Pros
- Top, well-established brand
- 2 different motor speeds
- Magazine capacity of 55 nails
- 3-year limited warranty
Cons
- Premium product at a premium price
- Standard weight rather than lightweight
3. Paslode Cordless XP Framing Nailer
Now, this cordless framing nailer really does tick all the boxes. It’s powerful, precise, maneuverable, and durable to boot.
What we love about the Paslode 905600 is just how lightweight and portable it is.
It weighs a mere 7.2 pounds. This means you get much better comfort and control when you have a lot of nailing to do. Plus you can get it into tight corners too – very handy.
We were also impressed with how well it works in really cold conditions – it even keeps working when it’s just 14 degrees Fahrenheit.
It takes full head paper holder gun nails and can take nails of up to 3.25 inches in length. And it’s really powerful and fast, able to deliver an extra 15% to your job’s productivity.
It’s a durable beast too, despite its light weight. It has a full 50% longer run time with a 7-volt battery and can drive up to 9,000 nails on a single charge.
It comes with a 1-year full warranty, which is reassuring.
It’s still a bestseller with online retailers even though it’s been made available since 2015. And it’s incredibly popular with customers. Nearly 90% of Amazon customers rated it at 5 stars out of 5.
Amazon occasionally has deals on this product, so it’s certainly worth a look.
Pros
- Very lightweight
- Gets in tight corners
- Works in cold conditions
- 50% longer run time
- 1-year full warranty
Cons
- Sequential firing mode only
- Only takes nails up to 3.25 inches in length
4. DEWALT 20V MAX Framing Nailer, 21-Degree DCN21PLB
DeWalt is such a good brand we had to include them twice in our top 5 picks.
Now, granted this is a significantly more expensive nailer than the other ones we’re showing you, but it’s set at the PERFECT angle.
At 21 degrees, it can drive a full round of head nails and the low angle is perfect for working in tight spaces. Also helped by just how compact it is.
It will work with nails from 2 inches long up to 3.25 inches long. And you can adjust the length of the drive using the tool-free depth adjustment.
It has two firing modes you can choose from as you work, the usual sequential mode, and also a bump fire mode, for when you need to work quickly.
And speaking of working quickly, the motor works at two different speeds, so you have plenty of versatility in how you use the nailer.
And you know what? DeWalt has really thought ahead. They’ve integrated a stall release lever to reset the driver blade in case of a jam.
It’s a bestseller with online retailers and has earned positive feedback from customers, with about three quarters of Amazon customers rating it at 5 stars out of 5.
It’s also highly rated for its battery life and precision.
Pros
- Perfect 21-degree angle
- 2 different motor speeds
- Tool-free depth adjustment
- Sequential and bump modes
- Stall release lever
Cons
- Only drives nails up to 3.25 inches in length
- It’s a little heavy, but that said it does balance well
- Premium product at a premium price
5. MBOSTITCH 20V MAX Cordless Framing Nailer
We just love the price on this beauty – available for less than $300!
But that’s not all it’s got going for it. It takes full round offset nails and drives them in at a 28-degree angle. It can drive nails of up to 3 and a half inches in length.
But also accommodate smaller nails, thanks to the depth adjustment, which you can operate without any additional tools.
It has two working modes, sequential of course, but also a bump mode too. So you can work at great speed, or you can take your time and work slowly with greater care. Moreover, the motor can work at two different speeds.
According to Bostitch, you can save up to 20 minutes a day in set-up and clean-up time compared to pneumatic nailers. Not to mention financial savings with regards to fuel cartridges and lubricants.
And you know what? Bostitch has really thought ahead. They’ve integrated a stall release lever to reset the driver blade in case of a jam.
It’s a bestseller that’s proved popular with customers. Last time checked it had an average Amazon customer rating of 4 and a half stars out of 5.
We love that it comes complete with a 3-year warranty, so much more reassuring than your usual 1-year warranties.
If you still find the price a little steep, you could always buy through Amazon and pay in installments upon approval for the Amazon Rewards Visa Card.
Pros
- Excellent value for money
- Tool-free depth adjustment
- Sequential and bump modes
- Stall release lever for jams
- Lengthy 3-year warranty
Cons
- Battery sold separately
Best Cordless Framing Nailer Buyer’s Guide
As promised here’s your buying guide. Let’s walk you through.
Magazine Capacity
When you’re doing a big project, it’s nice to have all the nails you need ready in your framing nailer without having to constantly stop to reload.
Unfortunately, cordless framing nailers have a smaller magazine capacity than their pneumatic counterparts, since they’re built to hold just one strip and not two.
Nevertheless, you can still get a good magazine capacity in a cordless framing nailer.
Magazine Angle
Most framing nailers have a magazine that is angled away from the head of the nailer to allow for easier maneuverability.
The angle can vary fairly considerably from about 15 degrees to 34 degrees. Anything between 20 degrees and 30 degrees is best.
The magazine angle affects both the magazine capacity and the balance of the device in your hand.
Depth Adjustment
Cordless framing nailers tend to come with depth adjustments, to control how deeply you want to drive each nail. This is usually very easy to adjust and does not require any special tools.
This is important because it can help prevent any protrusion, sinking, and countersinking of nails due to inadequate depth setting. You ideally want the nail to lie flush with the surface.
Weight and Balance
Cordless framing nailers tend to be a little heavier and bulkier than their pneumatic counterparts. Most nailers have a weight of about 8 pounds, and these are fine.
But ones under 8 pounds of weight are that bit more lightweight and portable, while ones that are 9 pounds or over tend to be difficult to balance in your hand, which is not ideal.
Firing Modes
Cordless framing nailers can have different firing modes.
Sequential is fine in most instances, but if you can get a nailer that also has a bump firing mode, you can get your work done much more quickly.
Battery Life
It’s worth taking a note of what battery the nailer takes, as this will determine how much you can get done on a full charge.
Cost
Cordless framing nailers tend to very expensive. But they do vary in price.
You can get ones that cost less than $200, but we didn’t include any of these in our top 5 picks, because they don’t have the same level of performance and customer feedback just hasn’t been as positive on theses as it has with the more expensive models.
You can expect to pay close to $400 on a top-quality model, especially if you’re buying it as a kit. However much you decide you want to spend, it makes sense to check the prices as you’re going along.
Brand
It will likely be of no shock to you that 2 out of our 5 top picks came from big brand DeWalt.
If you want to do a good quality job it pays to use good quality tools. And DeWalt is still pretty much the best.
That’s not to say that DeWalt should be your only option, but if you have a sufficient budget, they’re the ones most worth thinking about.
Matubo HPT is also a great brand – it’s the new name for Hitachi power tools. In fact, we made a Matubo nailer our number one pick.
Warranty
When you’re paying this much money, you’re going to want to hear about the warranty. The good news is that all of the nailers in our top 5 picks have a warranty of at least 1 year.
But some of them have a much longer warranty. Our number 1 pick, the Metabo HPT Cordless Framing Nailer Kit has a lifetime warranty.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best framing nail gun on the market?
We think the best cordless framing nail gun on the market is definitely our number 1 pick, Metabo HPT Cordless Framing Nailer Kit.
It has a great battery life and can drive 2 nails per second – how fast is that?!
Which DeWalt cordless framing nailer is best?
We think the DEWALT DCN692B is the best, but the DEWALT DCN21PLB makes a very close second.
Is a framing nailer worth it?
We’re going to level with you here and be upfront and say that cordless framing nailers are expensive, costing hundreds of dollars.
It’s only worth getting one if you know you’re going to get a lot of use out of it. It’s not something you would buy to complete just one job.
