Independent comparisons. We may earn from shop links. More info

Hammer tacker buying guide

Updated: 21 October 2026

You have shed felt, carpet underlay or sheet material, and the search only says hammer tacker. Start with the staple, not the logo on the handle. On the seven amazon.co.uk listings in the [hammer stapler comparison](/hub/staplers-and-nail-guns/hammer-stapler), Type 140, Stanley Type-G, Type 13 or 53 and OX flat wire are separate systems. A leg that looks right on the box still jams a gun built for a different collation. Shelf prices run from about £12.20 to about £49.95. A qualifying purchase can earn us a commission at no extra cost to you. Peter F. set these figures from the listings. We did not lab-test the tools, and this page does not name a winner.

You have shed felt, carpet underlay or sheet material, and the search only says hammer tacker. Start with the staple, not the logo on the handle.

Our top picks

Tacwise Tacwise 0322 A11

Best overall

Tacwise Tacwise 0322 A11
9.2/10about £21.99
View offer
Tacwise Tacwise 1793 ECO

Best value

Tacwise Tacwise 1793 ECO
9.0/10about £23.01
View offer
Stanley Stanley HT150

Rank 3

Stanley Stanley HT150
9.0/10about £27.81
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.Four staple families in this comparison
  2. 2.Six checks in order
  3. 3.Price bands on amazon.co.uk
  4. 4.Where to go next

Four staple families in this comparison

The largest group is Tacwise Type 140. The 0322 A11, the A54 1173, the 1783 bundle and the 1793 ECO kit all sit in that family. Most of them print 6–10 mm. The A54 prints 6–12 mm. Trade writing on felt often calls the same flat-wire family T50. That nickname does not mean every box marked T50 will run in every Tacwise magazine. You still buy the series the listing names. Stanley Type-G is a different stick. Only the HT150 uses it here, at 6–10 mm, with TRA705T, TRA706T and TRA708T on the bullets. A Type 140 stick will not become a Type-G stick because both say 8 mm or 10 mm on the flap. The A19 takes Type 13 or Type 53. The OX Pro prints 6–14 mm flat wire and loads from the bottom. Treat that range as a manual check, not as a Type 140 gun.

Six checks in order

Match the system first, then the longest leg you actually need. A 12 mm staple in a gun whose bullets stop at 10 mm is a common miss. On the Stanley listing, buyers have ordered 12 mm after a description mention even though the bullets stop at 10 mm. Among Type 140 guns here, only the A54 states 12 mm. Anything above 12 mm is outside this set. Most Type 140 rows hold about 150 staples. The A19 is about 120. The HT150 holds two sticks and is listed at about 449 g. Tacwise pages name a quick-release magazine. The OX is bottom load. Only the 1793 and the 1783 include fasteners. The 1793 adds 500 staples, 500 Type 180 10 mm brad nails and a remover. Those nails are brads, not a coil nailer. The 1783 pairs an A11-style gun with 60,000 Type 140 staples at 10 mm. Every other row is the gun alone. Listed weight runs from about 0.4 kg on the A19 to about 0.99 kg on the OX.
Tacwise Tacwise 0322 A11

Testsieger

Tacwise Tacwise 0322 A11
9.2/10about £21.99
View offer

Price bands on amazon.co.uk

These bands come from the seven listings, not from a market survey. The A19 is about £12.20. Entry Type 140 sits around £22 to £24: the 0322 at about £21.99, the 1793 kit at about £23.01, and the OX at about £24.00. Mid-price is the HT150 at about £27.81 or the A54 at about £31.16. The 1783 bundle is about £49.95, and most of that spend is the bulk staples. The A54 costs about £9 more than the 0322 for a stated 12 mm ceiling and a named buffer plate. The 0322 prints a three-year warranty line. The A54 prints one year. If 10 mm already suits the felt, the extra millimetres are unused. If the schedule asks for 12 mm Type 140, the 10 mm guns and the 1783 bulk pack are the wrong saving.

Where to go next

A shortlist by job is the best hammer stapler page. What 140/8 means, and why TRA706T will not run in an A11, is on hammer stapler staple types. Spacing and stainless staples on felt are on hammer stapler for roofing felt. This guide stops at the order of the decision.

Common questions

Do I need Type 140 or Stanley Type-G?
You need the system your gun and your existing stock already share. Type 140 is the Tacwise path in this set, at 6–10 mm, or 6–12 mm on the A54. Type-G is the HT150 path, at 6–10 mm, with TRA705T, TRA706T and TRA708T on the bullets. The leg length can look identical and the sticks still will not interchange. If the drawer is empty, choose the system the felt, membrane or underlay supplier actually sells you, then buy the gun that names it.
Which hammer tacker includes staples in the box?
Only two of the seven do. The Tacwise 1793 at about £23.01 includes 500 staples, 500 Type 180 10 mm nails and a remover. The Tacwise 1783 at about £49.95 includes 60,000 Type 140 staples at 10 mm. The 0322, A54, HT150, OX and A19 are gun-only on the included line. Check the leg length printed on any included pack before you assume it matches the timber.
Is 6–12 mm worth the A54 price over 6–10 mm?
It is worth it when you need a 12 mm Type 140 leg and you want the buffer plate the A54 names. The listing is about £31.16 against about £21.99 for the 0322, which stops at 10 mm and prints a longer warranty line. It is a weak upgrade if 8 mm or 10 mm already suits the job. No gun in this comparison states a Type 140 leg longer than 12 mm.
Can I use the A19 on underlay?
You can fire Type 13 or 53 staples with it, and the gun is light at about 0.4 kg, but the listing is a poor fit for a full underlay job. It shows 3.0 stars from 85 reviews, and several UK texts describe breakage and jamming on that kind of work. Carpet fitters in this set are writing about the HT150 and the Type 140 A11, not about the A19. Keep it for light sheet and craft unless you already know the staple and accept the review pattern.
Why do OX reviews mention the wrong staple size?
The OX Pro listing states 6–14 mm flat wire, bottom loading, staples not included, at about £24.00 with 3.9 from 160 reviews. Reviewers report that sizes moulded on the body did not match the staples that ran, and some mention a stiff loader after a few months. Read the manual for the exact flat-wire code before you buy a box. Do not assume a Type 140 stick will fit because the millimetre range overlaps.

Related pages

How to use a hammer stapler

Hammer stapler

Best hammer stapler for roofing, underlay or a kit

Hammer stapler for roofing felt: pick the leg length

Hammer stapler staple types: Type 140 versus Type-G

Sources

Public sources listed below, plus the amazon.co.uk prices, stars and review counts on these seven listings. Page updated 21 October 2026.

  1. Leitz (Rapid), Choosing the right staple gun (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  2. Advanced Fasteners, How to staple roofing felt and breathable membrane (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  3. Rapid UK, Hammer tackers (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  4. HSE, Introduction to machinery safety (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  5. HSE, UK law on design and supply of products (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  6. HSE, PUWER overview (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  7. Roof Giant, Tacwise A11 hammer tacker (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  8. Stanley, HT150 heavy-duty hammer tacker (retrieved 21 October 2026)