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Nail guns and staple guns serve similar functions, as they both temporarily or permanently fasten materials. The main difference is that nail guns work better with harder materials, such as wood, while staple guns fasten carpet, upholstery, foam, and other softer materials. If a staple gun sounds like the tool you need for your next project, the This Old House Reviews Team is here to help. We researched the best staple guns on Amazon and explained our top recommendations below.
Best Staple Gun Comparison
| Product | Material | Compatibility | Staples Included | Warranty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stanley SharpShooter Plus Staple/Nail Gun | Aluminum | Works with five staple types and two nail types | None | Limited lifetime |
| WETOLS Staple Gun | Carbon steel | Works with three staple types | 3,000 | Not listed |
| REXBETI Staple Gun | Carbon steel and rubber | Works with three staple types | 2,600 | Not listed |
| Arrow Staple Gun | Alloy steel | Works with five staple types and two nail types | Not listed | Limited lifetime |
| WORKPRO Staple Gun | Alloy steel and plastic | Works with five staple types and one nail type | 4,000 | 2 years |
| Product | Material | Compatibility | Staples Included | Warranty |
Best Multitool: Stanley SharpShooter Plus Staple/Nail Gun
Stanley SharpShooter Plus Staple/Nail Gun
- $25.99
- $36.54
- 29% off
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Key Features
- Made from aluminum
- Works with five types of staples and two types of nails
- Includes a lifetime warranty
What Customers Are Saying
Those who left positive reviews for this staple gun said that it was lightweight, which made it easy to handle. Happy customers also mentioned its durability. However, some customers said that it had less power than they anticipated. Others said that it occasionally pinched their hands when they activated its trigger.
Best Value: WETOLS Staple Gun
WETOLS Staple Gun
- $15.99
- $25.99
- 39% off
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Key Features
- Made from carbon steel
- Works with three types of staples
- Comes with 3,000 staples and a staple remover
What Customers Are Saying
Customers who gave this product positive reviews stated that it was sturdy and easy to hold. They also said that it fastened a wide variety of materials. Some users felt like its design was lacking, though, as staples jammed in it, and its trigger required a lot of force to pull.
Best Kit: REXBETI Staple Gun
REXBETI Staple Gun
- $22.99
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Key Features
- Made from carbon steel and rubber
- Works with three types of staples
- Comes with 2,600 staples, a staple remover, and a carrying case
- Includes a 30-day money-back guarantee
What Customers Are Saying
Though this staple gun was heavier than other models on the market, customers still found it to be easy to handle. However, some users struggled with the included staples, stating that they were thin and caused misfires.
Most Durable: Arrow Staple Gun
Arrow Staple Gun
- $17.97
- $32.56
- 45% off
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Key Features
- Made from alloy steel
- Works with five types of staples
- Includes a lifetime warranty
What Customers Are Saying
Many customers thought that this staple gun was sturdy and versatile. They also liked its ergonomic handle. On the other hand, a small sample of users said that the gun jammed frequently.
Best Handle: WORKPRO Staple Gun
WORKPRO Staple Gun
- $29.99
- $39.99
- 26% off
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Key Features
- Made from alloy steel and plastic
- Works with five types of staples and one type of nail
- Comes with 4,000 staples and nails
- Includes a two-year warranty
What Customers Are Saying
Positive reviews mentioned how this tool worked with six types of staples and nails. Unsatisfied customers claimed that this staple gun wasn’t user-friendly, as it was difficult to load and squeeze.
Buyer’s Guide
Read our buying guide below to learn about the features that your staple gun should have and the accessories you need to operate it.
Tension Adjustment
A high-quality staple gun should have a knob to adjust the tension in the gun’s spring. This increases the tension if the staples aren’t going through a material or decreases the tension if the staples are tearing through a material.
Trigger Lock
A trigger lock prevents the gun from accidentally misfiring, minimizing the risk of injury. The locking mechanism varies from gun to gun, but a common method involves putting the handle in the down position.
Handle
Your staple gun should be comfortable to hold, as you might be handling it for hours at a time. Make sure that it fits in your hand and features a non-slip grip.
Accessories
Here are a few accessories that can help you use your staple gun safely and efficiently.
Staples
There are three types of staples—D-type, U-type, and T-type. Some staple guns work with all of these staples, while others only work with one type. Some models are also compatible with nails in addition to staples.
Eye Protection
A stray staple from a staple gun can cause serious damage to your eyes. To prevent this from happening, purchase impact-resistant eye goggles or glasses.
Gloves
Like goggles protect your eyes, work gloves prevent staple-related injuries to your hands.
Staple Remover
If you make a mistake and want to take out a staple, a staple remover can help you do that.
How To Safely Use a Staple Gun
Staple guns are useful tools, but they can also be dangerous if you use them carelessly. Here are some general practices you can implement to ensure a safe working environment.
Wear Proper Protection
As we previously mentioned in the buying guide, protect your eyes and hands with glasses and gloves. Also consider ear protection, as staple guns can be noisy.
Don’t Point the Gun at Anyone
Pointing a staple gun at a person—either by accident or as a joke—is dangerous. Always point the staple gun away from everyone’s body, including yours.
Don’t Disable the Safety Features
The safety features on your staple gun are there for a reason. If these features are preventing you from using your gun, you’re probably not operating it correctly.
Take Your Hand Off of the Trigger After You Fire
Staple guns can be sensitive, so they may continue to fire as long as your finger is on the trigger. After you’ve fired your gun, move your hand away from the trigger area immediately.
Keep Your Gun Clean
Remove any paint, dust, dirt, wood, fabric, or other debris from your staple gun after every use. You can refer to your model’s manual for more specific instructions on how to do this.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are there other types of staple guns besides manual ones?
Yes. There are electric staple guns that plug into an outlet or use a rechargeable battery and pneumatic staple guns that get their power from compressed air. However, a manual gun should suffice for most household projects.
What is a bump trigger?
This feature rapidly fires staples when you press the gun down on a surface while holding the trigger. It’s not available on manual guns, so if this is something you think you would benefit from, consider an electric or pneumatic model.
How do I load staples into my staple gun?
There should be a compartment, or magazine, that holds the staples. After ensuring that the trigger is locked, open the magazine, load the staples in the right direction, and close the magazine.
Why Trust The This Old House Reviews Team
This Old House has empowered homeowners for more than four decades with top-notch home improvement content in the form of television programs, print media, and digital content on its website and social media platforms. The This Old House Reviews Team focuses on creating in-depth product and service review content to help inform your purchasing decision for just about any item or resource that you might need for your home. The This Old House Reviews Team has written over 1,000 reviews on products in the home space, from cordless drills to kitchen trash cans, lawn mowers, and dining room decorations.
We recommend products in each review using an intensive research process, spending hours combing through the best available models on Amazon. For a product to make our list of top picks, it must hold a solid sales record on Amazon, have consistently positive customer reviews, and offer unique features, among other factors. After narrowing down our list of recommendations, we conduct additional research and sometimes in-person testing to ensure that the products meet our standards. Once we conclude the research phase, we craft a well-rounded, user-friendly article that includes our recommended products and additional information to help homeowners like you make the right purchase.
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