Top 6 compared
The best staple guns
Re-cover a chair, pin down weed membrane or tack insulation into the loft in seconds.
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The top 6 at a glance
A staple gun drives a staple into wood, board or fabric with one squeeze, fixing one thing to another in a second. Heavy-duty guns fire thick, flat staples that hold in timber; light-duty and upholstery guns take finer staples that leave smaller holes; and some battery-powered guns fire small brad nails as well.
Heavy-duty refills are sold as type 140, G or T50, which Tacwise lists as the same size under different names, so they’re easy to find. Finer staples come in other types, such as 13 and 53, and a gun takes only the types it’s made for. An all-steel body takes knocks in a toolbox; a plastic one is lighter for craft work.
What matters
- The staple lengths it takes, longer ones for timber.
- A handle that locks shut, so it’s safer to store.
- A window to see how many staples are left.
- A squeeze light enough for a long session.
#1Stanley 6-TR110 Heavy-Duty Staple Gun
£10–£20
An all-steel staple gun that takes Stanley’s G-type staples from 6 to 14mm, the common heavy-duty size, so refills are easy to find. It handles fabric on a chair frame as readily as weed membrane or netting pinned to timber in the garden.
What owners say: Owners describe it as a solid tool that will last, and one found it just right for fitting carpet on the stairs; a few report jams, with the mechanism not feeding staples cleanly to the pin.
A closer look: Keep the handle locked down when it goes back in the toolbox, and release it only when there’s stapling to do. G-type staples are also sold as type 140, the same size, so any DIY shop’s pack fits: shorter ones for fabric and card, the 14mm for thicker layers into timber.
- Handle locks down for storage
- Staple reload window
Best for: Chair seats indoors, netting outdoors
- Power
- Manual
- Staples it takes
- Stanley G (TRA700)
- Staple lengths
- 6–14mm
- Takes type 140 staples
- Yes
- Also fires brads
- No
- Body
- All steel
- In the box
- Gun only
#2Rapid PRO R23E Staple Gun
£30–£50
Made in Sweden for upholstery, it fires slim No.13 finewire staples from 4 to 8mm into fabric, leather and card, with a recoilless action that stays comfortable through a long session. Rapid backs it with a five-year guarantee.
What owners say: Upholsterers praise how reliably it fires without jamming, and find it nicely balanced, neither too heavy nor too light.
Heads up: It takes only No.13 finewire staples, not the heavier type 140 most staple guns use, so buy a box of those with it.
A closer look: Fine staples leave smaller holes, which matters when re-covering a dining chair seat or a headboard where the fabric is pulled tight over the frame. The compact body suits smaller hands, and the handle locks shut so it can live in a drawer between jobs.
- Made in Sweden
- Recoil-free for long sessions
- Handle lock for storage
- 5-year guarantee
- Suits smaller hands
Best for: Upholstery and fabric
- Power
- Manual
- Staples it takes
- Rapid No.13 finewire
- Staple lengths
- 4–8mm
- Takes type 140 staples
- No
- Also fires brads
- No
- Body
- All steel
- In the box
- Gun only
#3Arrow T50 Heavy-Duty Staple Gun
£20–£30
The classic heavy-duty staple gun: all steel, with hardened working parts and Arrow’s patented jam-proof mechanism, taking T50 staples in six lengths from 6 to 14mm. Arrow was founded in 1929, and the T50 is still made in the USA.
What owners say: Owners find it powerful and long-lasting, and quick to reload when the staples run out; it mostly fires clean, but some do report the odd jam.
A closer look: Type 140 and G staples are the same size as T50, so refills turn up in almost any DIY shop. At just under a kilo, it’s a steady weight for tacking down roofing felt, insulation or screening, while a lighter gun is kinder to the wrist through a long upholstery job.
- Patented jam-proof mechanism
- Hardened working parts
- Staple viewing window
- Made in the USA
Best for: Loft insulation and roofing felt
- Power
- Manual
- Staples it takes
- Arrow T50
- Staple lengths
- 6–14mm
- Takes type 140 staples
- Yes
- Also fires brads
- No
- Body
- All steel
- In the box
- Gun only
#4SHALL Light-Duty Staple Gun (with 1,600 JT21 staples and a remover)
Under £10
A light, plastic-bodied stapler for the jobs a heavy-duty gun is too much for: stretching canvas over a frame, pinning fabric to a seat base, fixing lining into a cupboard. It takes fine JT21 (type 53) staples and arrives with 1,600 of them in three lengths, plus a remover for the mistakes.
What owners say: Owners say it fires with real force for a plastic gun and reloads quickly, and like how light it is, one framing canvases with it and another using it in a classroom, though opinions on how sturdy it is are divided.
A closer look: It is a light-duty gun, so fabric, card, canvas and thin board are its territory and weed membrane into fence posts is a job for the heavy-duty guns on this list. The magazine loads from underneath rather than the back, and the three lengths in the box cover most of its jobs: 6mm for fabric and paper, 10mm into softwood, with the remover for lifting mistakes.
- Loads from underneath
- Weighs 184g
- Handle locks for the drawer
- Textured, non-slip grip
Best for: Canvas, fabric and craft jobs
- Power
- Manual
- Staples it takes
- JT21 (type 53)
- Staple lengths
- 6–10mm
- Takes type 140 staples
- No
- Also fires brads
- No
- Body
- ABS plastic, metal mechanism
- In the box
- 1,600 staples, remover
#5Amazon Basics Heavy-Duty Staple Gun (with 1,000 staples)
Under £10
A no-frills heavy-duty gun with a hardened steel body, a rear-loading magazine and a window to see what’s left. With 1,000 staples in the box, it’s a handy one to keep in the shed for insulation, weather stripping and quick repairs.
What owners say: Sturdy and dependable, owners say, and some have used it to fix wooden bed slats and re-cover chairs; the common complaint is a stiff, hard squeeze that makes one-handed use a struggle.
A closer look: Let the handle spring all the way back after each staple: it only fires cleanly once it has fully reset. It takes type 140 and G staples, the common sizes, and the 1,000 in the box see most small jobs through.
- Rear-loading magazine
- Staple viewing window
- Hardened steel body
Best for: A spare for the shed
- Power
- Manual
- Staples it takes
- D type (T50)
- Staple lengths
- 6–14mm
- Takes type 140 staples
- Yes
- Also fires brads
- No
- Body
- Steel
- In the box
- 1,000 staples
#6Tacwise Hobby 53-13EL Battery-Powered Staple and Nail Gun (with 2,000 staples)
£20–£30
Battery power does the squeezing: this 4V gun charges by USB, fires up to 30 staples or 18-gauge brads a minute and manages about 800 a charge, which spares the hand on a long run of fabric or picture-frame backs.
What owners say: Owners say it’s easy to load and use, and one found it strong enough to fix into fairly thick plywood; battery life splits them, with some reporting it won’t charge properly, and several say the staple count in the box fell short.
Heads up: Harder woods and longer staples need a firm hand: Tacwise suggests pressing down on the top front of the tool as it fires.
A closer look: Rather than heavy-duty 140s, it takes the finer type 13 and 53 staples, which suit canvas, mouldings and picture-frame backs. Flick the safety switch off between jobs, and glance through the viewing window before a long run so the magazine doesn’t empty halfway along.
- Up to 30 a minute
- About 800 shots a charge
- LED work light
- Safety switch
Best for: Long runs and light fixing
- Power
- 4V battery, USB charging
- Staples it takes
- Tacwise 53 or 13
- Staple lengths
- 6–12mm
- Takes type 140 staples
- No
- Also fires brads
- 18G, 10mm
- Body
- Plastic, metal magazine
- In the box
- 2,000 staples, bag
How they compare
Swipe sideways or rotate device to see all 6.
| Feature | #1Stanley 6-TR110 | #2Rapid PRO R23E | #3Arrow T50 | #4SHALL light-duty | #5Amazon Basics | #6Tacwise 53-13EL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Best for upholstery | Best for crafts | Best battery-powered | |||
| Picked Rating | 9.1 | 9.0 | 8.9 | 8.9 | 8.5 | 8.5 |
| Price | £10–£20 | £30–£50 | £20–£30 | Under £10 | Under £10 | £20–£30 |
| Power | Manual | Manual | Manual | Manual | Manual | 4V battery, USB charging |
| Staples it takes | Stanley G (TRA700) | Rapid No.13 finewire | Arrow T50 | JT21 (type 53) | D type (T50) | Tacwise 53 or 13 |
| Staple lengths | 6–14mm | 4–8mm | 6–14mm | 6–10mm | 6–14mm | 6–12mm |
| Takes type 140 staples | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| Also fires brads | No | No | No | No | No | 18G, 10mm |
| Body | All steel | All steel | All steel | ABS plastic, metal mechanism | Steel | Plastic, metal magazine |
| In the box | Gun only | Gun only | Gun only | 1,600 staples, remover | 1,000 staples | 2,000 staples, bag |
| Best for | Chair seats indoors, netting outdoors | Upholstery and fabric | Loft insulation and roofing felt | Canvas, fabric and craft jobs | A spare for the shed | Long runs and light fixing |
| Buy now | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon |
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