Ryobi 12V Auto Hammer Kit (Includes Battery, Charger & Case)

I was hoping for more, but I am happy with what it is for $41 (price I paid at Amazon). It's essentially identical to the $100 Craftsman model, but comes with a much better case. It performs as advertised, but here is my actual experience with it:
PRO
LED worklight on a hammer is the greatest idea since fire.
Ergonomical and well balanced
Easy to use
QUICK charge
Excellent carrying case
CONS
NOISY but that is to be expected
Easily damages surface nail is driven into. DO NOT use on anything that is going to be visible.
Tendency to bend long nails - use no longer than 1.5"

THE BIG DISAPPOINTMENT is how easy it is for this thing to slip off the nail and hammer the surface of the board. In the real world I find I can use it to drive the nail 80% of the way in, then finish with a real hammer.

Good enough for the bucks but don't throw out your $8 hammer jut yet.

I just got this today, and it really seems to work well. Very well designed. You've got a magnetic collar that holds the nail in place until you're ready to drive it and an LED lamp that lights up when you push the button so you can see what you're doing in those tight dark spaces. If you use it correctly, it takes less than 5 seconds to drive a 2.5" galvanized nail all the way in. Just have to get a firm handle on it, and let it work. Believe me, this is good news for my fellow klutzes out there, whose thumbs tend to attract hammers. Not sure why some reviews are lower. Makes me wonder if people are using the thing correctly. Anyway, works well enough for me. Five stars!

I agree with the reviewer Thomas Stazer in that longer nails can be a problem for the Ryobi Auto Hammer. I drove about a half dozen 2" 6d common nails into one 2x4 and one of the nails went in about half way then bent. The others, though, went in fine and quickly. I also agree that the hammer can beat up the wood. Nothing a thick coat of paint wouldn't cover, but I wouldn't use the hammer on a nice piece of furniture or similar. I've put up a lot of crown moulding and I do not finish driving the nail with the Ryobi. I drive the nail in most of the way then finish with a regular hammer and nail finisher (gone blank on the name of that tool). However, I have not tried using the finisher with the auto hammer, which may work. I haven't used the hammer all day, so I cannot comment on the battery. I use the auto hammer for small jobs which require driving a few dozen nails. I am still learning how to use it. Sometimes I hold the hammer with one hand and put pressure on the back...Read more