Metabo HPT Cordless 18

Jun 14, 2023

Metabo HPT is definitely heading in the right direction with their updated 18-gauge cordless brad nailer. Its smaller size and weight are significant improvements while the driving performance and runtime leave us with no regrets. If you're thinking about making the permanent switch to a cordless brad nailer, Metabo HPT's NT1850DF is one of the most compact, lightest, and best-performing options available.

There's no doubt that leaving the hose and compressor behind is a great idea, but cordless nailers have suffered from much larger sizes and weights than their pneumatic counterparts. We brought in the updated Metabo HPT cordless 18-gauge brad nailer to see how its improvements make a difference on the job.

If you’re like me, your experience is primarily with a pneumatic setup. Pneumatic nailers are light and fire the moment you pull the trigger. What's not to like?

That said, I was very curious to see how this cordless brad nailer stacked up to both my experience and the other cordless options available. I started by taking it out to our shop to get some real-feel experience and see if I could really tell any difference.

The nailer employs an air spring drive system that uses compressed air to drive each nail. This results in zero ramp-up time and faster driving than some of the cordless options.

First of all, there's plenty of power to work with. Even if you’re up against LVL, we were consistently able to fully sink 2-inch nails into it.

During the entire course of our testing, we didn't have any jams or misfires. They’re probably going to come eventually like all nailers, but it's not going to be due to a chronic design issue. It's not a surprise, really. Metabo HPT still has Hitachi's legendary nailer quality, just with a different name.

If you have a jam, clearing it is easy thanks to a simple latching mechanism on the front of the tool that flips down and out, similar to the latch on many tool boxes. Just be sure to remove the battery and nails first just in case.

Runtime is rarely an issue for the 18-gauge class. If you’re curious, expect somewhere around 1650 shots on a compact 3.0Ah battery.

The Metabo HPT NT1850DF is the updated version of the NT1850DE. The biggest improvement we see is the dramatic reduction in size and weight. The previous model weighed 6.4 pounds. This model shrunk to a relative featherweight of 4.4 pounds. With a compact 3.0Ah battery, it only brings the weight to 5.3 pounds.

Metabo HPTs also tells us that the NT1850DF model is 30% smaller, thus making it more useful in tight workspaces, like inside a kitchen cabinet during assembly. What that translates to is a tool that's 11.3 inches tall and 10.5 inches long and is more than 2 inches shorter than the previous model.

These are massive improvements in weight and size!

The tool-free depth adjustment is a pretty standard thumb-wheel style. This isn't anything new to the world of nailers, but it's a welcomed feature!

Metabo HPT's cordless brad nailer has a select-fire button at the base of the grip to switch between single fire and bump-fire (up to 3 nails per second). Obviously, you’re not going to go after trim at the same rate a roofer nails down shingles. Well, not if you want to keep your job, anyway. Still, having the option between the two is helpful since you can work the way that's most comfortable for you.

There's no dry fire lockout on this model, but there is a reload indicator to keep your eyes on. When you see yellow show through the top magazine window, you’re on your last few nails and need to reload.

Metabo HPT's updated cordless brad nailer is $349 as a kit that includes a 3.0Ah battery, charger, and storage bag. There's a lifetime warranty on the tool, a 2-year battery warranty, and a 1-year charger warranty.

That price is on the higher side, but not quite as high as Milwaukee ($399). Considering how well it compares to the other cordless brad nailers we’ve tested, it's priced where it needs to be.

Metabo HPT is definitely heading in the right direction with their updated 18-gauge cordless brad nailer. Its smaller size and weight are significant improvements while the driving performance and runtime leave us with no regrets. If you’re thinking about making the permanent switch to a cordless brad nailer, Metabo HPT's NT1850DF is one of the most compact, lightest, and best-performing options available.

To learn more about the entire Metabo HPT lineup, click here