Pneumatic staple guns are powerful! They are the best stapler to use if you require a heavy-duty tool that delivers results. The best pneumatic staple guns make light work of industrial-scale tasks.
We review the 5 best air-powered staple guns to help you decide which is right for you.
- Has 1-inch nose extension
- 185 staple capacity
- Bottom-loading feature
- Well-balanced for less fatigue
- Operates at 60 to100 PSI
- Includes quick hose connector
- Quick-release system
- Narrow crown staples
- Compact with adjustable 360-degree air exhaust
- Has tool-less depth adjustment
- Wide crown staple
- 157 staple capacity
- Dual brad nailer & staple gun
- Has reload indicator
- Includes 360-degree exhaust hose
Review Methodology: At Sensible Digs, we believe in providing you with thorough, hands-on evaluations of products to aid your decision-making. Our professional team conducts rigorous tests and analyses on each pneumatic staple gun, tracking performance based on key criteria such as power, ease of use, and durability. We compare and rank these tools, focusing on data and facts to highlight what sets each product apart from its competitors. Our assessments are grounded in our extensive experience and research, which allows us to offer first-hand evidence and reviews. We examine the design choices of each staple gun, measuring their effects on user experience. Trust in our thorough process and let us guide you to the best pneumatic staple gun for your needs.
The Best Pneumatic Staple Guns of 2024
Pneumatic staple guns are such useful tools, but which is the best? We searched long and hard to bring you the 5 best pneumatic staple guns available.
Porter-Cable Upholstery C-Crown Stapler
Best Pneumatic Staple Gun for Upholstery
This Porter-Cable staple gun uses 22-gauge, 0.375-inch crown staples ranging from 0.25 inches to 0.625 inches in size. It is small and lightweight, making it ideal for upholstery because it can get into awkward spaces.
It has a 1-inch nose extension for limited clearance fastening and a steel top cap for increased durability. The driver guide moves back with the magazine to help clear jams when the magazine is open, and it also has a convenient bottom-loading feature that takes a maximum of 185 staples.
Pros
- Lightweight and small.
- 1-inch nose extension.
- 185 staple capacity.
- Bottom-loading.
Cons
- Suitable for lighter duties only.
Product Specs
| Weight (pounds) | 1.75 |
| Dimensions (inches) | 14 x 10.5 x 3.25 |
| PSI | 70-120 |
| Staple capacity | 185 |
| Staple crown (inches) | 0.375 |
| Price | $$ |
| Warranty | 1-year limited |
Our Ratings
User Experience
Surebonder 9600B Pneumatic Heavy-Duty Staple Gun
Best Pneumatic Staple Gun for Carpet
If you have a carpet that needs laying and want the underlay secured, this is the best choice. It uses narrow crown, 18-gauge staples that measure 0.375 inches in width. It can handle sizes ranging from 0.25 inches to 0.562 inches, with magazines of 100 staples.
It is a well-balanced stapler that is lightweight and easy to use. This helps with hand fatigue, something that tool-users experience all the time. It means you could carpet an entire house without having to stop every hour to take a break.
This gun operates between 60 and 100 PSI and is factory-equipped with a quick hose connector to get you set up in no time.
Pros
- Lightweight and small.
- Well-balanced.
- 100 staple capacity.
- Bottom-loading.
- Great value.
Cons
- Jams frequently.
- Smaller staple capacity.
Product Specs
| Weight (pounds) | 3.08 |
| Dimensions (inches) | 3 x 11 x 9 |
| PSI | 60-100 |
| Staple capacity | 100 |
| Staple crown (inches) | 0.375 |
| Price | $ |
| Warranty | 90-day |
Our Ratings
Personal Perspective
WEN 61711 Narrow Crown Staple Gun
Best Pneumatic Staple Gun for Insulation
The first thing you notice about this WEN staple gun is the price. It is incredible value for money. It shoots 0.25-inch, narrow crown staples, which are ideal for attaching insulation to wood and other materials.
It holds 100 staples in a magazine, ranging in size from 0.375 inches to 1-inch, so you can upgrade the staple depending on the insulation’s thickness. It requires 60 to 100 PSI, and it has a quick-release system to clear blockages faster.
This WEN gun is heavier than the previous examples, but it still falls within the comfortable weight of about 5 pounds.
Pros
- Quick-release.
- Narrow crown.
- 100 staple capacity.
- Great value.
Cons
- Heavier than some models.
- Only holds 100 staples.
Product Specs
| Weight (pounds) | 4.2 |
| Dimensions (inches) | 4.09 x 13.11 x 11.06 |
| PSI | 60-100 |
| Staple capacity | 100 |
| Staple crown (inches) | 0.25 |
| Price | $ |
| Warranty | Not specified |
Our Ratings
Community Feedback
Metabo HPT Pneumatic Stapler
Best Pneumatic Wide Crown Staple Gun
This is a wide crown staple gun, taking staples from 1 to 2 inches in length, making it an ideal tool for heavy-duty construction work like trusses and sheathing. Its power comes from a cylinder valve firing mechanism that provides a quick response and rapid firing.
The high-capacity magazine holds 157 staples, and it also has a tool-less depth adjustment for quick changes to countersink staples into a variety of different materials. This is a construction worker’s dream.
Metabo is the new name for Hitachi, but the quality remains the same. This pneumatic stapler is an industry leader when it comes to construction-site quality and ruggedness.
Pros
- Easy depth adjustment.
- Wide crown.
- 157 staple capacity.
- Heavy-duty uses.
- 5-year warranty.
Cons
- Expensive.
- Heavier than most.
Product Specs
| Weight (pounds) | 6.44 |
| Dimensions (inches) | 16.4 x 11.7 x 4.2 |
| PSI | 120 |
| Staple capacity | 157 |
| Staple crown (inches) | 1 |
| Price | $$$ |
| Warranty | 5-year |
Our Ratings
First-Hand Impression
NuMax S2-118G2 Pneumatic Staple Gun
Best Pneumatic Staple Gun for Wood
This is a dual brad nailer and staple gun combined, making it a great choice for those working with wood. It takes 18-gauge 2-inch brad nails with a size span of 0.375 inches to 2 inches and 0.25-inch narrow crown staples ranging in size from 0.50 inches to 1.625 inches.
It has an operating PSI of 60 to 110, as well as a comfort grip to reduce hand fatigue. The 360-degree exhaust hose expels the air away from the user’s face. This staple gun also has a reload indicator and a no-mar safety contact feature which prevents firing until the tool is in full contact with the project.
It even has a depth adjuster, and all this costs less than a quarter of the Metabo price.
Pros
- Easy depth adjustment.
- Narrow crown.
- 100 staple capacity.
- 2-in-1 tool.
- Ideal for wood.
Cons
- Build quality issues.
Product Specs
| Weight (pounds) | 3.08 |
| Dimensions (inches) | 2.6 x 9.65 x 9.85 |
| PSI | 60 to 110 |
| Staple capacity | 100 |
| Staple crown (inches) | 0.25 |
| Price | $ |
| Warranty | 1-year limited (30 days wearable parts) |
Our Ratings
User Experience
| Product | Best | Weight | Dimensions | PSI | Staple capacity | Staple crown | Warranty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Porter-Cable C-Crown Stapler | Upholstery | 2 lbs | 14 x 10.5 x 3.25″ | 70-120 | 185 | 0″ | 1-year limited |
| Surebonder Heavy-Duty Staple Gun | Carpet | 3 lbs | 3 x 11 x 9″ | 60-100 | 100 | 0.375″ | 90-day |
| WEN 61711 Narrow Crown Staple Gun | Insulation | 4.2 lbs | 4.09 x 13.11 x 11.06″ | 60-100 | 100 | 0.25″ | N/A |
| Metabo HPT Pneumatic Stapler | Wide Crown | 6 lbs | 16.4 x 11.7 x 4.2″ | 120 | 157 | 1″ | 5-year |
| NuMax Pneumatic Staple Gun | Wood | 3 lbs | 2.6 x 9.65 x 9.85″ | 60 to 110 | 100 | 0.25″ | 1-year limited |
What Is a Pneumatic Stapler?
A pneumatic staple gun is an air-driven tool that uses pressurized air from a compressor to drive staples into hard surfaces. Typically, they are used in the construction industry to secure wooden batons and lay engineered flooring.
It looks like a gun, has a trigger, and the staples come preloaded into a cartridge inserted into the tool.
How Does a Pneumatic Stapler Work?
An air hose connects the gun to the compressor, and the air is delivered, driving the piston downwards, as the staple bites into the material with great force. As the piston moves downwards, the air pushes out through a series of holes, into a return air chamber, and the piston rises. This process repeats every time you press the trigger.
Air staples can drive individual staples or multiple staples, depending on the task at hand.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Pneumatic Staple Guns
As with all power tools, there are ups and downs associated with their use. Even the best guns available have their pros and cons. Let’s take a look.
Advantages
- Increases the power, making it easier to drive staples into hard surfaces like wood and metal.
- Lightweight and easy to use, they benefit from a simple design that relies on air pressure rather than complex mechanisms.
- Pneumatic staple guns are more affordable compared to electric staple guns.
- These guns are versatile because they accept a greater range of fasteners, increasing the applications.
Disadvantages
- They require an air compressor, which is expensive.
- They are less maneuverable because they are always attached to a heavy compressor. Every time you start working somewhere new, you need to drag the compressor.
- Air staplers are noisier than the electric varieties.
- In the wrong hands, a pneumatic staple gun is a dangerous tool.
How To Choose the Best Pneumatic Staple Gun
Not all staple guns are created equal, but there are some fundamental things to look for when shopping for a pneumatic stapler.
Power Source
It is an inescapable fact that air-driven staplers require an air compressor. Matching the compressor to the gun is crucial if you want the most efficient outcome. Check that the compressor is compatible and has the power to cope.
An air compressor gets its power from the PSI rating, and your pneumatic stapler should not exceed 80 percent of the compressor’s capabilities.
Ease of Use
While most pneumatic staple guns are easy to use, some have more complicated features. Understand how the staple gun works if you want the best performance from your tool. A lack of understanding leads to improper handling, which makes the possibility of injury more significant.
You are also using this tool for prolonged periods, so getting a model that is easy to master makes life a lot simpler.
Balance and Safety
Some staple guns have better balance than others, and while this may not seem like a deal-breaker, the balance is what increases your versatility, speed, and work rate. If the stapler feels wrong, it probably is. Hold the stapler and feel it for balance before you buy it.
Look for the safety regulations on the box to see if the gun complies. If you don’t see any, choose a different stapler. Also, check that it is compatible with your preferred air compressor.
Weight and Design
Hand and wrist fatigue is a real problem for anyone handling heavy power tools. The weight of your stapler determines how long you can use it before weariness sets in. Lightweight models are better suited to longer projects because they cause the least amount of fatigue.
The best models are typically around 5 pounds or less in weight. Anything heavier is going to cause you issues.
Read the Reviews
If you are buying online, read the customer reviews to get a better picture of how well the stapler performs. You won’t get any slick sales pitches here, just good, honest reviews. If a specific issue arises across multiple reviews, it might indicate a design flaw and should be avoided.
Try and keep a balanced view, remembering that some people write bad reviews because they don’t click with their purchase rather than there being a fault with the staple gun. It could also be inexperience and a lack of understanding of how the gun works that causes the issue.
Set a Budget
We couldn’t advise on buying a pneumatic staple gun without talking about the budget. A high price is not an indication of better quality. Bigger and better-known brands can charge a premium because they have a loyal following. It doesn’t mean they are superior staplers.
Pneumatic Staple Gun FAQs
What Kind of Staple Gun Do I Need for Wood?
Pneumatic staple guns are great for driving staples into the wood. Look for heavy-duty models with depth control adjustment, as these are optimal if you want to secure together two pieces of wood.
This staple gun is excellent for installing hardwood floors and is often used by professionals, such as construction workers. Similar to a regular stapler, this staple gun uses the power of (very specific) staplers driven into the wooden surface to hold things together.
What PSI Should a Pneumatic Staple Gun Be?
Generally, pneumatic staple guns use between 60 and 120 PSI to operate. To make them work, you will also need an air compressor that matches the power these staple guns need.
Most experts say that to get the best results when using a pneumatic stapler gun, you should use it at 90 PSI.
Do You Need a Pneumatic Staple Gun for Upholstery?
Pneumatic staple guns are great for upholstery work. For the best results, look for a pneumatic stapler labeled explicitly as suitable for upholstery. They are great for everything from furniture manufacturing to giving that old dining room chair a new look.
How Do You Put Staples in a Pneumatic Staple Gun?
The primary step in loading a pneumatic staple gun is to ensure that you have the correct size of staplers. You can find this information on the packaging or the instructions manual that came with your stapler.
Pneumatic staple guns can be top or bottom loading.
Using a stapler with a top loading mechanism isn’t overly complicated. To load the magazine, you need to pull the follower back until it clicks into place. After you position and secure the follower, the strip of staples should be positioned atop the magazine rail.
On the rail, the staples should be able to slide back and forth without resistance. Unlocking the follower and releasing it will complete the process by feeding the staples into the nose of the staple gun in preparation for shooting them.
The process is slightly different if you have a bottom-loading pneumatic stapler gun. Find the magazine release, which is usually positioned at the rear of the magazine.
Open it to slide the magazine out of the gun. Turn the stapler bottom side up and put new staples into the slot. Put the magazine back in place. You should hear a click when it’s positioned correctly.
What Is the Main Difference Between a Pneumatic Nail Gun and a Pneumatic Staple Gun?
The difference between these two tools is right in the name: a pneumatic nail gun is used for driving nails into all kinds of materials, while a pneumatic staple gun is for staplers.
While both air tools require a suitable compressor to function, the difference lies in what fasteners they are compatible with.
Pneumatic staple guns are more common among DIY enthusiasts because nail guns are used for roofing, sheathing, or framing applications.
Nailed It
Pneumatic staple guns speed up the construction process and provide a convenient and safe way to fix wood, sidings, lathing, sheathing, and insulation. They are multi-purpose tools that have many uses.
If you want to get the job done faster with minimum fuss, get a pneumatic stapler and save yourself time and money.
