Milwaukee “nails” next-gen bradder

18-volt Fuel, 18-gauge brad nailer with 2.0-Ah battery pack and charger, no. 2746-21CT, $400; bare tool, no. 2746-20, $280

Shortly after we published our review of battery-powered brad nailers in issue 261 (September 2019), I got my hands on Milwaukee’s 2746-21CT, the latest generation of its 18-volt Fuel bradder. I ran this nailer through the same tests, and it demonstrated power equal to or better than the best models from that review. The 2746-21CT has excellent balance and handling, thanks to its ergonomic design and 61⁄2-pound weight (with battery). Because it uses a fixed amount of nitrogen to power the piston when triggered, it has instant power— no need to suck in air—without the jarring, sharp recoil typical of most other battery nailers.

This nailer fires 5⁄8–21⁄8"-long brads. A magazine view window shows when the gun is nearly out of fasteners, and a lockout prevents firing when you’ve got five brads left. When this happens, you can fit a full stick of 100 brads in the magazine.

The safety lockout gives you a generous nine seconds to position the nose before timing out. Setting fastener depth proves easy with a large dial and intuitive indicator. Should a fastener jam in the nose, a lever-action mechanism provides quick access. An LED on the side brightens the area where you intend to nail, and shuts off in 10 seconds. Had this model been available at the time of our category test,

I’m confident it would have earned the Top Tool award for that group. It’s that good.

Milwaukee 800-729-3878, milwaukeetool.com

—Tested by Michael Springer