Common Problems With Ryobi's AirStrike Brad Nailer (According To Owners)

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Designed for more delicate fastening, the brad nailer is a great tool for people who want polished features without pesky hammer marks. Once you've determined whether you actually need a brad nailer versus a finish nailer, you can start looking for one that fits your existing power tool system. And if you've already invested in Ryobi 18V ONE+ batteries, you're in luck because the Ryobi AirStrike Brad Nailer models have a lot of fans. Through the years, the green and black power tool brand has designed and discontinued several models of its brad nailers. So far, Ryobi has axed AirStrike Brad Nailers, like the P320, P325, and P330, although you can still find them in circulation via third-party sellers. In fact, the Ryobi P320 Brad Nailer remains popular with over 2,900 users rating it 4.6 stars on average on Amazon.

As of writing, Ryobi lists two models that it still manufactures: the P321 and P322, plus kit options that include a battery and charger. As part of the ever-growing Ryobi ONE+ 18V power tool system, these models use a battery system that has hundreds of compatible tools, which you can swap out. Both tools use the same AirStrike technology and are covered under the brand's 3-Year Limited Warranty. The key difference between the two nailers is that the P322 is brushless, while the P321 is not. If you're considering buying either of these products, you may be curious to find out how other people rate them and if there are any common problems.

Priced at $139, the Ryobi 18V ONE+ AirStrike 18GA Brad Nailer (P321) has been rated an average of 4.8 stars by over 700 customers on the Ryobi website. It scored a little lower but still largely positively on Home Depot, with more than 2,770 users giving it 4.5 stars. On Amazon, it has a slightly lower rating of 4.4 stars from around 600 users. Although, similar to its batteries, it's good to take reviews of Ryobi tools on Amazon with a grain of salt, since it's not an authorized retailer. In fact, several of the negative comments on this listing have been due to opened products or those appearing used. 

Despite its generally good ratings, this AirStrike-powered Ryobi brad nailer isn't without problems. Apart from being considered a little heavy, multiple users shared that they have needed to constantly reboot it through reinserting the battery. Some people also raised its poor quality, citing the tendency for the actuator tip to fall off, not being able to turn the depth adjustment knob, and its tendency to jam. In fact, one user even mentioned that their P321 unit stopped working within a month of use, so they opted to get the P322 instead. Alternatively, other users have shared that they swapped it with a Makita Brad Nailer instead. That said, common things that people liked about it included its reasonable noise level and how it doesn't need a compressor.

Similar to the P321 model, the Ryobi 18V ONE+ HP Brushless AirStrike Brad Nailer has a pretty high 4.8-star rating on the official Ryobi website. Despite being $50 more expensive at $189, this model has significantly more fans, with feedback from more than a thousand customers. Not to mention, 86% of people who have purchased it via Ryobi have also given it a perfect, 5-star rating. On Home Depot, it holds a marginally lower rating of 4.7 stars from 1,800 people. Although there is a listing for the P322 with a rating of 4 stars on Amazon, it's only been reviewed by 55 people.

One user complained that the P322 would stop working in colder temperatures. And, like the P321 model, there were a lot of concerns about needing to constantly remove the battery to reset it after its warning light blinks. There were also mixed reviews when it came to firing consistency, as many people claimed theirs never worked properly after the first few times. But many people loved the product. Several users mentioned how they also thought it was great that it didn't need a compressor. Happy users shared that they used it on everything from crown molding to wainscoting. Comparatively, it also exceeds the P321's capacity and works with up to 2,250 nails for every full battery.