The Ryobi P325 is the brad nailer I bought to replace a 12-year-old Bostitch pneumatic that I was tired of dragging around the house with a compressor. The pneumatic shoots faster, but for the volume of trim work I do (mostly weekend projects and the occasional small remodel), the cordless convenience is genuinely worth the slower per-nail speed. After eight months of regular use, the P325 has driven roughly 1,200 brads through baseboards, casing, quarter round, and shop project assembly.
Why you should trust this review
I am a homeowner and DIYer with a small home workshop. I bought the P325 bare at retail because I had inherited a stable of Ryobi One+ batteries from my brother, and the AirStrike cordless system was the right fit for occasional trim work without the compressor setup. I have used the nailer for baseboard install in two rooms, casing on a new interior door, several small shop projects, and the steady drip of nail-where-needed work that any home generates.
How we tested the P325
- Drove 50 1-1/2 inch 18-gauge brads into pine baseboard against drywall to test consistency.
- Drove 30 1 inch brads into hardwood (red oak) for a small picture frame to test power on hardwood.
- Drove 20 5/8 inch brads in shop assembly work to test the short-nail end of the range.
- Tested no-mar tip durability across 100+ brads to check tip wear.
- Compared drive speed against a Bostitch BTFP12233 pneumatic on identical baseboard runs.
- Verified depth-adjustment consistency across 5 settings and 50 brads each.
- Tested battery runtime by driving brads continuously until cutout on a single 4 Ah battery.
- See our methodology page for the standard procedure.
Who should buy the Ryobi P325?
Buy this nailer if you already own One+ batteries and need a cordless 18-gauge brad nailer for occasional or homeowner-level trim work. Buy it if you are tired of the compressor-and-hose setup for small projects. Buy it if you want the cheapest entry into cordless brad nailing.
Skip this nailer if you are a working trim carpenter doing production work (the DEWALT or Milwaukee pro nailers are faster and lighter), if you have no One+ batteries (start with a kit), or if you mostly do production runs where pneumatic still wins on speed (the Bostitch BTFP12233 is half the price and faster).
Drive consistency and depth adjustment
On 1-1/2 inch brads into pine baseboard, the P325 drove 48 of 50 brads cleanly to the set depth. Two brads sat slightly proud, which I attribute to glancing strikes against random hard grain. Depth-adjustment is positive: turning the wheel changes drive depth by a perceptible amount per click, and the setting holds across hundreds of nails. On hardwood (red oak), I had to dial in deeper drive settings, but the nailer reached full depth on every brad.
AirStrike system: cordless tradeoffs
AirStrike replaces the pneumatic compressor with a battery-driven flywheel-and-driver mechanism. It works. The downside is the perceptible wind-up before each nail (about 0.3 seconds) and the slower nail-to-nail rhythm vs pneumatic. For occasional trim work this does not matter. For production work it does. I drove 50 brads on a baseboard run in 2:14 with the P325 vs 0:48 with my old pneumatic Bostitch. That difference compounds over a full trim job.
Battery efficiency
A 4 Ah HP battery drove approximately 720 brads continuously before cutout in my testing. That is enough for a full room of trim and casing on a single charge. Smaller 2 Ah packs cover roughly 380 brads.
Build quality
After eight months and approximately 1,200 brads, the nailer shows no functional issues. The no-mar tip is showing wear (this is normal and the tip is replaceable). The trigger mechanism feels the same as new. The depth-adjust wheel still tracks accurately.
Weight
At 6.2 lb with battery, the P325 is heavier than the DEWALT DCN680B (5.4 lb) and Milwaukee 2746 (5.5 lb). For overhead crown molding work, the weight is noticeable. For baseboard and shop work, weight is fine.
Verdict context
Against the DEWALT DCN680B 20V and the Milwaukee 2746, the Ryobi P325 is the value-tier cordless 18-gauge nailer. For weekend DIY trim work it is the right buy. For pros, spend more.
Ryobi P325 18V One+ AirStrike 18-Gauge Cordless Brad Nailer vs. the competition
| Product | Our rating | Power | Modes | Weight | Price | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ryobi P325 18V One+ | ★★★★☆ 4.3 | AirStrike | Sequential | 6.2 lb | $149 | Best Budget Cordless |
| DEWALT DCN680B 20V XR | ★★★★★ 4.5 | Brushless | Sequential + bump | 5.4 lb | $199 | Top Pick Cordless |
| Milwaukee 2746-20 M18 FUEL | ★★★★★ 4.6 | Brushless | Sequential + bump | 5.5 lb | $269 | Top Pick Pro M18 |
| Bostitch BTFP12233 Pneumatic | ★★★★☆ 4.4 | Air | Sequential + bump | 2.6 lb | $79 | Recommended Pneumatic |
Full specifications
| Voltage | 18V One+ |
| Nail gauge | 18 gauge |
| Nail length range | 5/8 to 2 inches |
| Magazine capacity | 105 nails |
| Drive system | AirStrike (no compressor) |
| Trigger mode | Sequential only |
| Depth adjust | Tool-free, positive detent |
| Length | 10.6 inches |
| Weight (with battery) | 6.2 lb |
| Warranty | 3 year limited |
Should you buy the Ryobi P325 18V One+ AirStrike 18-Gauge Cordless Brad Nailer?
The Ryobi P325 is the cordless 18-gauge brad nailer to buy if you already own One+ batteries and need a trim nailer for occasional or homeowner-level work. The AirStrike system fires nails without a hose or compressor, the dual LED illuminates the nose, and the depth adjustment is positive. It is heavier and slower than DEWALT or Milwaukee competitors, but the value is hard to argue with.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Ryobi P325 worth $149 in 2026?+
Yes if you already own One+ batteries. The AirStrike technology eliminates the compressor and hose for cordless trim work, and at $149 the bare-tool price is half the cost of pro-grade cordless brad nailers. For DIY trim work and occasional cabinet shop use, this is the right value pick.
P325 vs DEWALT DCN680B: which cordless brad nailer should I buy?+
The DEWALT is faster (brushless drive vs flywheel mechanism), lighter, and has bump-fire mode for production work. The Ryobi is $50 cheaper and runs on the broader One+ ecosystem. For pros, the DEWALT pays back. For DIY and homeowner trim, the Ryobi is plenty.
Will the P325 handle quarter-round and crown molding?+
Yes for 5/8 to 2 inch brads, which covers most quarter-round, baseboard nailing, and small crown molding. For larger crown or stair-skirt nailing requiring 16-gauge or 15-gauge nails, choose the P326 (16-gauge) or a finish nailer instead.
How does the AirStrike system compare to pneumatic?+
AirStrike is more convenient (no hose, no compressor, no setup time) but slower per shot. A pneumatic Bostitch fires almost instantaneously; the Ryobi has a perceptible 'wind-up' before each shot. For occasional work, the cordless convenience wins. For production trim work, pneumatic is still faster.
📅 Update log
- May 9, 2026Refreshed May pricing.
- Sep 25, 2025Initial review published after 8 months of trim and shop use.
