Hitachi Gas Finish Nailer

There are some tools where being tethered by an air line or electrical cord can just drive you nuts. Nailers fall into that category. Even in the shop, where a compressor may be close by, having a nailer on an air hose can be like having an unruly dog on a leash. No fun. But when you start using a nailer on site to install cabinets or trim, the inconvenience of an air hose really becomes obvious. Enter ‘cordless’ nailers, like the new Hitachi 18-gauge finish nailer, $299.The Hitachi NT50GS handles brads from 5/8″ to 2″ long. It’ll hold up to 100 nails, and a reload indicator warns you when you’re nearly out of bullets. It’s powered by a combination of a lithium battery, which provides the spark, and fuel cell, which provides the oomph. According to Hitachi the fuel cell will fire about 1,200 nails. A four-pack of fuel cells goes for about $25.

The lithium battery can be recharged in about 1 hour. The nailer comes with two batteries. To sweeten the deal, Hitachi is throwing in a power screwdriver that runs on the same batteries as the nailer.