The best air nailers, compared.
Top pick: meite F50C with 2,000 brads – 18-gauge, 15–50 mm, a stated safety lock, tool-free depth and 2,000 brads in the box. Best value: WORKPRO 2-in-1 18 gauge – Largest review sample in the set, brads and type 90 staples, and fasteners in the box at about £46.99. Updated 21 October 2026.
An air nailer drives a brad, a pin, a finish nail or a coil nail using a separate compressor and hose. Most UK jobs are second-fix trim, furniture, light fencing, or a mix of nails and staples. None of the nine amazon.co.uk guns here includes the compressor, so the useful differences are gauge, length, a contact safety you can see in the listing or the reviews, a stated pressure, and a coupler that fits the hose you already own. Eighteen-gauge brads are the default for architrave and ordinary skirting. Sixteen-gauge finish nails and coil nailers are different jobs. A 2-in-1 that also fires type 90 staples is still listed here because it drives nails as well. The [air nailer buying guide](/hub/staplers-and-nail-guns/air-nailer/sub/air-nailer-buying-guide) sets gauge and safety before any model ranking. It is not a cordless electric staple gun, and it is not a hand stapler. The gun on amazon.co.uk does not include the compressor.
An air nailer drives a brad, a pin, a finish nail or a coil nail using a separate compressor and hose. Most UK jobs are second-fix trim, furniture, light fencing, or a mix of nails and staples.
32 products checked · 58 hrs invested · +21,400 readers
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
What are you fastening?
The meite F50C kit drives 18-gauge brads from 15 mm to 50 mm at £44.90, and amazon.co.uk shows 4.8 from 79 reviews. The box includes 1,000 nails at 32 mm and 1,000 at 50 mm, plus three hex keys, so a first trim job does not start with an empty magazine. Reviewers describe clean drives with few jams on fences, shiplap cladding and interior skirting, and one comparison said it had more driving force than an 18 V cordless nailer they already owned. The listing states a safety switch lock, tool-free depth adjustment, a 1/4 inch NPT inlet and 70–100 PSI. The printed weight is 2.46 kg for the package, not a separated bare-tool figure. One UK reviewer said the gun stopped after four nails, so the praise is not a defect-free record. It is the top pick in this set when you want an 18-gauge gun with nails and a stated safety lock, and the wrong gun if you need 23-gauge pins or a coil magazine.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a first 18-gauge gun for trim or light fencing and you want brads in the box.
Less suitable: You need 23-gauge pins, a coil magazine, or a gun that also fires staples.
Specifications
Common questions
Are nails in the box?
Yes. This listing includes 1,000 each of 32 mm and 50 mm 18-gauge brads, plus three hex wrenches. The compressor is not included.
What length of brad does it fire?
The listing says 18-gauge brad nails from 15 mm to 50 mm, with a 100-nail magazine.
Can you set the depth without tools?
The listing says tool-free adjustable nail depth, and a quick-release nose for clearing jams without tools.
The Tacwise 1804 at £49.99 is an 18-gauge type 180 brad and type 90 staple gun, rated 4.8 from 48 amazon.co.uk reviews. Nails run 20–50 mm and staples 15–40 mm. The box includes a case, oil, 1,000 nails at 30 mm and 800 staples at 25 mm. The listing states contact-trip firing, a safety contact tip, depth adjustment and a vibration emission of 2.35 m/s², which is the only vibration figure in this set. A performance bullet says 1.7 kg magnesium, while the warranty block says 200 g, so you cannot treat either line as the settled weight. Reviewers call it light next to a battery nailer and usable for fencing laths once the orientation is learned. One UK reviewer said it is only passable at driving nails fully home, and a non-UK review said some 40 mm nails of the brand would not pass the nose. Choose it when you want a cased 2-in-1 with oil and fasteners, and leave it if you need one agreed weight.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a cased 18-gauge and staple kit with oil, and you will check depth on scrap.
Less suitable: You need a single printed weight, sequential fire only, or a nail longer than 50 mm.
Specifications
Common questions
What fasteners are included?
1,000 type 18G 30 mm nails, 800 type 90 25 mm staples, a carry case, and oil. The compressor is not included.
Which nails and staples fit?
Type 180 (18 gauge) brads from 20 mm to 50 mm, or type 90 staples from 15 mm to 40 mm, 100 at a time.
What firing mode does the listing state?
Contact trip, also called bump firing, plus a depth adjuster and a safety contact tip. The listing declares a vibration emission of 2.35 m/s².
The meite MP635B is a 23-gauge pin nailer at £65.00 for 12–35 mm pins, with 4.8 from 15 amazon.co.uk reviews. The kit includes 1,000 pins in each of six lengths, from 12 mm through 35 mm. The listing says it is not compatible with 18-gauge brads, and it states a safety switch, a 1/4 inch NPT inlet, 70–100 PSI and a weight of 1.83 kg. The raw file has no United Kingdom review text, so the themes below come from Spanish reviews on the same listing and are not a British sample. Those reviewers describe a small hole in MDF and timber, and short pins around 16–19 mm seating when the compressor is regulated. Longer strips at 30–35 mm can sit crooked, the follower then fails to feed, and the gun dry-fires. The safety spring is described as stiff on repeated overhead shots. It is the pin gun in this set when the hole has to stay small and glue will carry the joint.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You are fixing beads, small mouldings or glued fine trim and you want pins included.
Less suitable: You need an 18-gauge brad to hold skirting, or you wanted UK-labelled reviews before you buy.
Specifications
Common questions
Will it take 18-gauge brad nails?
No. The listing says it fits 12–35 mm 23-gauge pin nails only and is not compatible with 18-gauge brads.
Are pins included?
Yes. The set includes 6,000 galvanised pins, 1,000 each of 12 mm, 15 mm, 19 mm, 25 mm, 30 mm, and 35 mm.
What air supply does it need?
A compressor, not included, at a stated working pressure of 70–100 PSI, on a 1/4 NPT inlet.
The meite CN55 is a coil nailer at £139.90 for 15-degree flat-top coil nails from 25 mm to 57 mm, with a shank of 2.1–2.3 mm and a magazine up to 400. Amazon.co.uk shows 4.7 from six reviews. Stated pressure is 85–120 PSI, the inlet is 1/4 inch NPT, and the listed weight is 3.41 kg. One user cited about 200 fencing planks, and another said 50 mm ring-shank nails fired without misfires. UK reviewers say there is no depth gauge and no power adjustment on the tool, so depth is set only at the compressor. A UK reviewer described the magazine as plastic, while the listing calls it metal. Nails are not listed as included, and a contact safety is not stated. It is a volume gun for fencing and sheathing if you accept six reviews and compressor-only depth. It is not a brad nailer for painted skirting.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You are driving hundreds of coil nails for fencing or sheathing and you will set depth on the compressor.
Less suitable: You want painted trim, a depth wheel on the gun, or a reviewed sample larger than six.
Specifications
Common questions
Is this a brad nailer?
No. It drives 15-degree wire-collated flat-top coil nails from 25 mm to 57 mm. It overlaps coil nailers rather than 18-gauge second-fix guns.
Does the tool have a depth gauge?
The listing does not state one. UK reviewers say there is no depth gauge and no power adjustment on the tool, and that depth is set from the compressor.
What pressure and inlet does it state?
85–120 PSI, with a 1/4 inch NPT inlet. The compressor is not included, and nails are not listed in the box.
The Jovant HPJ-002-01-UKA is listed at £79.99 as a 16-gauge finish nailer for 3/4 inch to 2-1/2 inch nails, with 4.6 from only four amazon.co.uk reviews. The title also says brad nailer and misspells pneumatic, while the specification line is 16 gauge, so you follow the gauge line rather than the title word. The box includes goggles, a bag and a 6 m air tube, and nails are not in the components line. The listing states a contact trip and a jam-release lever, and it does not print an operating pressure or a magazine capacity. The weight field is 4 kg and may be a parcel weight rather than the bare tool. Early reviews say it is lighter than a battery nailer they compared it with and that it did not jam at the start. With four ratings, that is a first impression, not a pattern. It is the only 16-gauge gun here when heavier trim needs a thicker nail and you will supply the fasteners.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You need a thicker 16-gauge nail than an 18-gauge brad, and you will buy the nails yourself.
Less suitable: You want ordinary architrave on 18-gauge brads, or a pressure range you can set from the listing.
Specifications
Common questions
What nails does it accept?
The listing says 16-gauge nails from 3/4 inch to 2-1/2 inch. It says a compressor is required. Nails are not in the included-components line.
What comes in the box?
The listing lists the nail gun, goggles, a tool bag, a 6 m air tube, and a manual.
Does the listing mention a safety?
It says a contact trip, and that the tool can be operated only when the safety is in the correct position. Operating pressure and magazine capacity are not stated.
The WORKPRO W181006 is the 18-gauge 2-in-1 at £46.99, rated 4.5 from 289 amazon.co.uk reviews, the largest sample in this set. It takes brads from 15 mm to 50 mm or type 90 staples from 16 mm to 40 mm, and the box holds 400 nails and 300 staples plus a male quick connector. Reviewers report it running from a small compressor on fencing, garden structures, ceilings and pallet wood, and one user cited about 20,000 nails without a jam. The listing describes a contact safety switch and a 120 PSI maximum, with a working band of 60–100 PSI and a listed weight of 1.25 kg. The supplied fitting often does not match a common UK hose, with reviewers naming PCL, BSP or Euro 1/4 inch, and the connector can be hard to remove because it is tied into the oil-chamber cover. Depth is not always accurate, and one reviewer preferred a nail-only gun because the 2-in-1 left marks. It is the best value here when you want nails and staples in one gun and will buy the right coupler.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want one gun for 18-gauge brads and type 90 staples, and you will sort the hose fitting before you start.
Less suitable: You want a nail-only finish gun, or you expected the compressor and a matching UK coupler in the box.
Specifications
Common questions
Does this air nailer need a compressor?
Yes. The listing says the gun runs at 60–100 PSI from a compressed-air supply and that the compressor is not included. A 6 mm internal-diameter hose is recommended, and a male quick connector is in the box.
Can it fire staples as well as brads?
Yes. It takes 18-gauge nails from 15 mm to 50 mm or type 90 staples from 16 mm to 40 mm, with a magazine capacity of 100. The pack includes 400 nails and 300 staples.
Is there a contact safety?
The listing describes a safety lock on the head and a contact safety switch intended to stop accidental firing.
The bare meite F50C at £39.90 is the same 15–50 mm 18-gauge class as the nail kit, listed at 1.7 kg with a 1/4 inch NPT inlet and 70–100 PSI. Amazon.co.uk shows 4.4 from 41 reviews. The title names a safety nose and a safety switch lock, and the page states tool-free depth adjustment and a quick-release nose. Reviewers used it on 12 mm ply bird boxes and garden fences, and one buyer said it replaced a cheaper gun that had failed. Nothing in the box is a hose or a brad, which one UK buyer had not expected. There is no belt hook, which a reviewer wanted, and one non-UK review called the depth wheel imperfect. Buy it when you already own 18-gauge brads and a hose. The kit at £44.90 is the closer match if you do not.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You already have 18-gauge brads and a hose, and you want the F50C without paying for a nail pack.
Less suitable: You expected nails, a hose or a belt hook in the box, or you have not bought a compressor.
Specifications
Common questions
Does this version include nails?
No. The listing says this set does not include brad nails, and the included-components line is the F50C nailer only.
How is this different from the nail kit?
The bare listing is £39.90 at 1.7 kg and states that nails are not included. The kit listing at £44.90 adds 2,000 brads and lists a package weight of 2.46 kg. Both state 15–50 mm 18-gauge brads.
Does it have a safety nose?
The title says safety nose, and the bullets describe a safety switch lock that is meant to prevent accidental firing.
The meite F32 is a compact 18-gauge gun for 10–32 mm brads at £39.99 and 1.22 kg, with 4.2 from 57 amazon.co.uk reviews. The body is 24 × 6 × 16.5 cm and the stated pressure is 4–7 bar (60–100 PSI), with a 100-nail magazine. UK reviewers say it has enough power for cabinets and light DIY, including one who used a 9 litre silent compressor, and some describe daily cabinet-moulding use. The product text does not describe a contact safety. Reviewers, including UK reviewers, say there is no safety foot and the trigger fires whenever air is connected. Exhaust from the top of the head is reported toward the face, and the brad head is sometimes left proud. It suits short brads in a tight space only if you treat a live trigger as the main risk. It is the listing to leave if you want a nose that must be pressed before the gun fires.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You already work carefully with a live trigger and you only need brads up to 32 mm.
Less suitable: You want a contact safety on a first gun, or nails longer than 32 mm.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the F32 have a safety nose?
The product text does not describe one. UK and other reviewers say there is no safety foot and that the gun fires when the trigger is pulled once air is connected.
What nails does it take?
18-gauge brad nails from 10 mm to 32 mm, magazine capacity 100. It is not cordless. A compressor is required and is not included.
What pressure does the listing state?
4–7 bar, which the listing also writes as 60–100 PSI.
The meite CN65 at £139.90 drives flat-top coil nails from 38 mm to 65 mm, with a magazine up to 300 and a listed weight of 4.58 kg. Amazon.co.uk shows 3.8 from five reviews. The listing states depth adjustment and a switch between single-sequential and contact actuation, and it does not print an operating pressure. A German review in the file calls it robust and notes less reloading than a stick nailer. The one UK review says that after about 30 fence-panel nails the gun kept firing, with metal shavings around the trigger, and the buyer returned it. Five ratings make that a single serious report, not a failure rate. It is the longer coil option if you need up to 65 mm and you will test the trigger on scrap before a fence run. Leave it if a gun that fires on its own is a risk you will not take.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You need coil nails up to 65 mm and you will stop at the first sign of a repeat fire.
Less suitable: You want a brad nailer, a stated pressure, or a gun without a runaway-fire report in the file.
Specifications
Common questions
What nails does the CN65 take?
Flat-top coil nails from 38 mm to 65 mm. The listing says the magazine can hold up to 300. Collation angle and operating pressure are not stated.
Can you choose sequential fire?
The listing says you can switch between single-sequential fire and contact actuation, and that depth is adjustable.
What did the UK review report?
One UK reviewer said that after about 30 fence nails the gun kept firing, found metal shavings inside, and returned it. The listing has five ratings in total.
We compared nine air nailers from the amazon.co.uk listings in this set, checked on 19 October 2026. The score runs to 100: up to 40 points from the star rating, 20 from the size of that review sample, 30 from fit for the job, and 10 from value in this set. There is no lab test. Review text is used only where the listing file records it, and comments that are not from the United Kingdom are not treated as British ratings.
Stars
40%The amazon.co.uk star rating for that ASIN, divided by five and multiplied by 40, then rounded. A 4.8 contributes more than a 3.8. The figure is the UK listing, not a rating borrowed from another marketplace.
Review sample
20%The review count on the same listing. A count of 200–499 scores 12, 50–199 scores 8, and fewer than 50 scores 4. A high star rating on four or five reviews cannot outrank a larger sample on its own.
Fit for the job
30%Gauge, length, a stated safety lock or contact nose, depth adjustment where the job needs it, and whether the right fasteners are in the box. An 18-gauge gun aimed at skirting scores higher here than a coil nailer or a gun whose reviews say there is no safety foot.
Value in this set
10%Shelf price against what the box contains and how many reviews support it. About £47 with a large sample and fasteners scores higher than a coil gun at about £139.90 with a handful of reviews.
Choose the fastener before the brand. An 18-gauge brad, a 23-gauge pin, a 16-gauge finish nail and a coil nail are different guns, even when the title on each of them says nailer. Then check the length window, whether a contact safety is stated, the pressure and the inlet, and what is actually in the box. Prices below are the amazon.co.uk figures from these listings, checked on 19 October 2026, not a live price. A compressor is extra on every model.
An air nailer is a pneumatic nail gun. It drives a brad, a pin, a finish nail or a coil nail from a separate compressor and hose. It is not a cordless electric staple gun, and it is not a hand stapler. In this comparison the gun on amazon.co.uk does not include the compressor. The jobs buyers bring to these listings are mostly second-fix trim, furniture, light fencing, or a mix of nails and staples.
None of these listings includes a compressor. The WORKPRO’s male quick connector often does not match a common UK hose, according to reviewers who name PCL, BSP or a Euro 1/4 inch fitting. Buy the fitting before you start, and do not treat the coupler as a detail for later.
A 23-gauge pin gun will not take 18-gauge brads. A coil nailer is not a brad nailer for painted skirting. A 2-in-1 can leave marks when you wanted a nail-only finish. Match the fastener first, then the length window.
HSE describes a nose that must be pressed before the trigger fires, and says bump fire is the wrong mode for large construction nails. Reviewers say the meite F32 has no safety foot and fires once air is connected. If a gun fires on its own, stop and do not keep using it.
Match the gun to the nail before you match it to a brand. In this set that means an 18-gauge brad, a 23-gauge pin, a 16-gauge finish nail, or a coil nail with a stated collation. Eighteen-gauge brads are the usual second-fix nail: a small head and a magazine of about 100, for architrave, ordinary skirting and light assembly. The meite F50C and the WORKPRO cover 15–50 mm. The Tacwise 1804 covers 20–50 mm. The meite F32 stops at 32 mm, which is short for thick skirting.
HSE’s woodworking nail-gun page is the practical UK source: wear eye protection, do not defeat the safety, disconnect the air before a jam, and do not use bump fire for large construction nails. For a first gun, prefer a contact nose the listing or the reviews actually describe. The F50C states a safety switch lock, the WORKPRO a contact safety switch, and the Tacwise 1804 a safety contact tip with contact-trip firing.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You are fitting skirting, architrave or a shed, and you want an 18-gauge gun with a contact safety and brads in the box. The meite F50C kit is the match in this set. You still need your own compressor and a hose that fits a 1/4 inch NPT inlet.
You are fixing beads, small mouldings or furniture details, and glue will carry the joint. The meite MP635B takes 12–35 mm 23-gauge pins only, with 6,000 pins in the box. It will not take 18-gauge brads, and the file has no United Kingdom review text.
You are driving hundreds of nails for fencing or siding, not painted skirting. A coil nailer and a larger air supply fit that job better than a 100-brad magazine. The meite CN55 covers 25–57 mm coil nails if you set depth on the compressor. It has six reviews.
The meite F50C with 2,000 brads is the top pick in this set: 18-gauge, 15–50 mm, a stated safety lock, tool-free depth and nails in the box, at about £44.90 with 4.8 from 79 reviews. The WORKPRO 2-in-1 is the best value when you want type 90 staples as well as brads and you will change the coupler if it does not match your hose. Leave the coil guns for fencing volume, and leave the F32 if you want a nose that has to be pressed before the gun fires. None of these prices includes a compressor, and this is not a lab test.
meite F50C with 2,000 brads
18-gauge, 15–50 mm, a stated safety lock, tool-free depth and 2,000 brads in the box.
WORKPRO 2-in-1 18 gauge
Largest review sample in the set, brads and type 90 staples, and fasteners in the box at about £46.99.
Editorial
Peter F. is the editor for DIY & tools at productscompared.co.uk. Comparisons in this category are checked against amazon.co.uk listings, review evidence and public UK sources.
Guides on what to look for, how to use a product, and common mistakes.
Public UK sources used for this comparison. Listings were checked on 19 October 2026.
This page contains affiliate links to amazon.co.uk. If you buy through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices, stars and review counts come from the listings we compared. We did not run a lab test, and a commission does not change which gun is the top pick or the best value.
