I've had a similar experience, honestly. A couple years ago, I grabbed a cordless framing nailer for convenience when we were renovating our kitchen. Loved it at first—no hoses getting tangled around cabinets and countertops was a dream—but after about 18 months, it started acting up. Misfires became more frequent, and the battery life tanked pretty quickly. Ended up going back to my trusty pneumatic setup...it's noisier and bulkier, sure, but it's never let me down yet. Seems like cordless tech still has some catching up to do in terms of durability.
I've noticed similar issues with cordless nailers, but I think it heavily depends on the brand and model. I've been using a cordless finish nailer from a reputable brand for trim work, and it's held up surprisingly well over two years now—no major hiccups yet. For framing though, I still prefer pneumatic. Cordless framing nailers seem to struggle more with heavy-duty use, probably due to battery strain and internal wear. Pneumatic setups might be cumbersome, but reliability is hard to beat when you're deep into a project...
"Cordless framing nailers seem to struggle more with heavy-duty use, probably due to battery strain and internal wear."
Interesting point, but I've actually had pretty good luck with cordless framing nailers lately. Maybe it's because I'm mostly doing interior remodels rather than full-on new builds, but the convenience factor has been huge. Pneumatic setups are reliable, sure, but dragging hoses around tight spaces or up stairs gets old fast... Have you tried any of the newer high-voltage battery models? Curious if they'd change your mind.
I've been impressed with cordless nailers lately too, especially the newer high-voltage ones you mentioned. I mostly do renovation or retrofit projects, and honestly, ditching the hose has saved me a ton of hassle (and probably a few stubbed toes). That said, for serious framing on new builds or heavy timber work, pneumatic still feels more bulletproof. But battery tech is advancing fast—wouldn't be surprised if cordless fully catches up soon enough.
"But battery tech is advancing fast—wouldn't be surprised if cordless fully catches up soon enough."
I'm not totally convinced cordless will fully replace pneumatic for heavy framing anytime soon. Recently built my first custom home, and when it came to driving 3½-inch nails into engineered lumber, the cordless nailer struggled noticeably—especially in colder weather. Pneumatics just deliver more consistent power and depth control right now. Cordless convenience is great for smaller jobs, but until battery tech significantly improves torque and runtime under load, I'll stick with air for structural stuff.
