NAILERS
- BEST FINISH NAILER
Metabo-HPT
NT1850DF $301
Picture a brad nailer that’s as
light as a pneumatic tool, but
without the air hose. That’s
what you get with this 18-volt
power tool. It’s small, it’s light-
weight, and it shoots a finish
nail into softwoods and hard-
woods alike—sinking all of
its nails in our maple and red
oak tests. A brushless motor
increases its longevity as it
improves its (already impres-
sive) firing speed. - BEST CORDLESS FRAMING NAILER
Paslode CFN325XP $399
Lightning fast. That’s how
we’d describe this nailer. No
hose, no cord. Drop some nails
into its rear-load magazine,
pull the follower back, and let
it go. Assuming you’ve got the
butane cartridge loaded and
the rechargeable battery in
place, let it rip. The CFN325XP
fired dozens of 3-inch nails,
sinking most to the head. Its
slim profile, excellent weight
distribution, and lack of recoil
aren’t bad, either.
1122- QUIETEST IMPACT DRIVER
Milwaukee DB303552 $329
The DB303552 is in a class by
itself in terms of how quietly
it operates. It uses a hydraulic
drive technology that elimi-
nates metal-on-metal contact,
making it much quieter than
traditional impact drivers. It
also requires less torque, and
because the torque is sustained
much longer, it can drive tough
fasteners more quickly. The
driver features three speed
settings and a dedicated, effec-
tive, self-tapping screw mode,
which helped us get screws
started and prevented them
from stripping out.
2.BEST LIGHT-DUTY
IMPACT DRIVER
Hart HPID25 $69
We’re awarding this Hart based
on its combination of price and
performance. It drove 3-inch
No. 10 construction screws
with no trouble and has the typ-
ical ¼-inch collet backed up by
a brushless motor and variable
speeds from 0 to 3,000 rpm.
Walmart states its torque out-
put as 2,200 in.-lb. Those specs
put it in the same performance
class with well-known brands
famous on construction sites—
impressive for the in-house line
of the big box retailer.76 March/April 2022