The Bottom Line
When Bosch decided to jump into the pneumatic tool market, I expected some quality tools to emerge from their engineering department. The Bosch BNS200-18 Brad Nailer does not disappoint. It is a very well-built, easy-to-use finish nailer that is at the very least on par with it's competitors. Frankly, only a somewhat flimsy feeling trigger (which appears to be the fault of a bit of a sloppy trigger pin) kept the BNS200-18 from a perfect 5.0 score. It's loaded with features, easy to use and in my testing, didn't experience a single jam with off-the-shelf 18-gauge finish nails. A truly pleasurable tool to use.
Pros
- Lightweight, balanced, well-built pneumatic finish nailer
- Nail indicator shows when the magazine is nearly empty
- The no-mar pad on the nose can be kept on a storage spot on the tool when not in use
Cons
- The trigger seems a bit loose on the trigger pin
Description
- Includes a switchable trigger with an adjustment switch between sequential and bump firing modes.
- Nail loading is a breeze, and the nail indicator shows when the magazine is nearly empty.
- As with most pneumatic tools on the market, the Bosch BNS200-18 does not include the air connect coupling.
Guide Review - Bosch BNS200-18 Brad Nailer Review
Bosch did their homework before releasing the BNS200-18 Finish Nailer. For instance, the operator's guide that accompanies the tool is absolutely first-rate. Some tool manufacturers treat the documentation as an after-thought, but this one is almost a pleasure to look through.
As for the other features on the Bosch BNS200-18, there are a couple that really caught my eye. First off, they incorporated an indicator that shows, in bright red, when the magazine is nearly empty. If you get into the habit of setting the nailer down on it's right side, you'll always have the indicator facing up where you can easily see it.
I also loved the no-mar pad storage pin. When you need to take off the rubber pad from the nose of the tool, you can store it on the no-mar pad storage pin on the back, right edge of the tool (on the opposite side from where you'd load the nails). A simple, yet very useful idea.
Jam clearing on the BNS200-18 is as simple as removing the air hose, emptying the magazine and pulling out the nail with pliers, if necessary. With other standard features such as a depth of drive adjustment and an adjustable exhaust deflector, the Bosch BNS200-18 is a pleasure to use.
As for the other features on the Bosch BNS200-18, there are a couple that really caught my eye. First off, they incorporated an indicator that shows, in bright red, when the magazine is nearly empty. If you get into the habit of setting the nailer down on it's right side, you'll always have the indicator facing up where you can easily see it.
I also loved the no-mar pad storage pin. When you need to take off the rubber pad from the nose of the tool, you can store it on the no-mar pad storage pin on the back, right edge of the tool (on the opposite side from where you'd load the nails). A simple, yet very useful idea.
Jam clearing on the BNS200-18 is as simple as removing the air hose, emptying the magazine and pulling out the nail with pliers, if necessary. With other standard features such as a depth of drive adjustment and an adjustable exhaust deflector, the Bosch BNS200-18 is a pleasure to use.
