Unlike many types of tools, nailers are not meant for general purpose use - there is not an all-purpose nailer that you can use with all your jobs. Nailers are designed to be used for particular jobs, so prior to purchasing a new nailer it's important to understand the tasks for which it will be used.

The varieties of nailers available are:

- Framing nailers: These are intended to drive large (1-1/2" to 4") box-type nails into large pieces of wood. These types of nailers tend to be fairly heavy and big and are usually stick-type nail guns, they there are some coil-types available also.

- Finish nailers: These nailers may be referred to as brad or pin nailers. They are designed for nailing smaller finish-type nails into lighter pieces of wood. These nailers are most often lighter and smaller than framing nailers, and they are usually used for trim or finishing work. These are almost always stick-type nail guns.

- Siding and Roofing nailers: These are designed for the specific task of installing either siding or roofing. They store high numbers of nails that are designed for the job at hand (siding or roofing). These are usually coil-type nailers.

Once you select the type of nailer you want, some other features that are very nice to have and which you should consider looking for are:

- An adjustable exhaust vent. When nails are delivered, air shoots out from the tool. It's nice to have an adjustable exhaust so that the exhaust air is not shot into your face.

- A large trigger. If you are going to be using your nailer in snowy weather, you will probably be wearing gloves. In that case you will want to make sure you have a easy to pull trigger so that you can work when wearing gloves.

- A pivot on the air connector . If you move around a lot with your nailer, this helps reduce the tangling of your air line.

- An easy-to-use depth adjustment. Just about all nailers have an adjustment to controlmanage the force with which the nail is put in. This way, the nail is not left sticking out , or sunk in too deep far in. Many nailers need tools, and time, to perform this adjustment, others can be set by hand and these tend to be quicker to set up. If you think you will be making this adjustment fairly often, the easier and quicker it is to adjust, the the happier you will be with your nailer.

- If you are planning on delivering a lot of nails, should think about the capacity of the nailer and also the ease with which nails can be loaded into the gun. Choosing the correct nailer in this regard can save you a lot of time on a job, or cost you a bunch of time if you make the incorrect decision.

In conclusion, be sure you check the reviews for the nailer you are considering. Looking at a tool in a store or on the internet, it is really hard to know how well it will work on site. By looking into the reviews of people that have used the nailer, you will get a better feel for how this nailer will work for you.