Pneumatic brad nailers like the Hitachi NT50AE2 are essential tools when working on trim, baseboards, crown molding and countless other construction projects. With the magazine capacity of 100 brads, this impressive little nail gun will move your trim work along with fully adjustable air exhaust port, dial-depth gauge, and protection of your project’s delicate woods with a no-mar cap.
Key Features:
The Hitachi brand name carries with it a little more street credibility than newer brands and you get the longer 5 year warranty with this model. Most other brad nailers we looked at carried a 1 or 3 year warranty. If you plan on using this tool frequently enough to put some wear and tear on it, or if you only intend to use it occasionally and won’t be able to “put it through its paces” in the first year or so, the 5 year warranty can be a real bonus if something does go wrong.
At just 2.2 lbs, the Hitachi NT50AE2 is lightweight and allows extended use without promoting fatigue or soreness. Spend all day long tacking up trim or crown molding overhead without worrying about those menacing arm cramps as this little nail gun weighs in as little more than the average framing hammer.
Pro:
While a carrying case may not be the most important aspect of your decision in purchasing a nail gun, the Hitachi NT50AE2 comes with its own case and a pair of safety glasses. When many other nail guns don’t, this convenient carrying case and storage protection may be worth noting. Protect your eyes and your investment in your tools by keeping it clean and safe in its case when not in use.
Your nail gun needs vary from one project to another and some nail guns allow you to change out the trigger to switch from sequential or bump fire modes. This Hitachi NT50AE2 saves you all that time and the hassle of finding and possibly losing trigger parts by including a mode selector switch built right into the nail gun itself. Thumb switch one direction; you have sequential single fire, thumb the switch again and you’re off and running on bump-fire mode.
Con:
There are a few reports that say this nail gun does not fire a nail when the magazine is considerably low. While this does not seem like a major concern, any tool not working exactly as described is worth mentioning. Also, with brad nailers, it is possible you don’t notice the missing shots and end up with a less secure project. If the problem is with the spring loaded nail magazine, this should be addressed by the manufacturer.
Compared to other brad nailers, this model tends to be on the loud side. On a busy jobsite, volume may not be an issue, especially when you are running a large air compressor to run a pneumatic nail gun in the first place, but in the back yard or in your garage, an exceptionally loud nail gun can be irritating. Not a deal breaking flaw, but one that has been notices by many users.
Our Verdict:
Searching the market for a brad nail gun? The Hitachi NT50AE2 got our vote right from the mention of the fire mode selector switch. Lightweight, all around reliability, solid warranty, and a protective case make this nail gun the all inclusive package.