15 Best Nail Pullers Reviews 2023 | Extracts Nails Easily

There are dozens of nail pullers available out there and choosing the best one for you can be a difficult task.

Nail Puller

To assist you with this we have for you a buyer’s guide listing down all the features you should be looking for when purchasing one.

We also have for you our top 15 picks with their brief reviews and pros and cons to give you a clear picture of each.

Top 15 Nail Puller Tool Reviews

Without further ado, let’s look at the top 15 nail pullers which our amongst customer’s favourites with their durability and excellent performance.

1. Dead On Tools EX9CL Nail Puller

The dead on tool Ex9cl is an excellent plus simple built tool that performs work efficiently. It is 10.5/8 inch exhumer, which is an ideal size for a nail puller.

It has a circular saw wrench on one side of the tool. The tool is perfect for pulling up nails.

It is designed with a narrow body with a famous brand dead on the logo on it.

More photo & price on amazon.com

Pros:

  • Handy in use
  • Affordable
  • Effective use in tight spaces
  • Come with circular saw wrench
  • Durable

Cons:

  • The claw sizes are not appropriate
  • Difficult to pull small nails with it
  • Small in size

2. Crescent 11″ Nail Puller Pliers

The product is an ideal plier as it helps to pull nails from the wood, from both sides easily.

The crescent11 extracts nails of every size ideally, even if the nails head is uneven or removed.

It is built with forged steel, the head and handles, to increase the durability of the tool. The dual handles have a rubble grips on it.

Therefore, it is comfortable in use and gives high performance with control on it.

More photo & price on amazon.com

Pros:

  • Comfortable in use
  • Can be used for headless nails
  • Durable
  • Extracts all sizes of nails easily

Cons:

  • Does not have good leverage
  • Expensive
  • Bends nails

3. Estwing Nail Puller

The Estwing nail puller is a great and durable tool as its one-piece is forged. It is a design of high leverage with round head torque.

The tool is a bro built for every type of occupation, form carpenter to a framer. It is the best to use for trimming, moulding, baseboard window and door.

The thin claw on the tools helps to work in a small space. The headless nail can be easily removed by the claws designed on the tool giving minimum wood damage.

More photo & price on amazon.com

Pros:

  • Forged in one side
  • Pro use of a tool
  • Can be used in small spaces
  • Headless nails can be removed
  • Ideal size 

Cons:

  • Inefficient with long nails
  • Little leverage
  • Expensive

4. PacTool RS501 Nail Puller

This product is the safest, easiest and accurate tool for roof shingle replacement. It also comes with a feature of an offset nail slot.

The tool also has a claw tip to remove the shingle nails. It is an ideal tool for roofers to replace the shingles from beginning to the end of work.

More photo & price on amazon.com

Pros:

  • Time saver
  • Includes a claw tip
  • Handle

Cons:

  • The tool is short in size
  • Expensive
  • Only use for single roof replacement

5. Bates Nail Puller

This product is 7″ end cutting plier and a nail puller which works perfectly for a job.

It is built from high carbon steel that increases its life span and performance.

This tool has a dual-use. It comes with soft plastic coated grip to improve the control while working.

More photo & price on amazon.com

Pros:

  • Dual-use, end cutting plier and nail puller
  • High carbon steel built
  • Durable
  • Handle in use

Cons:

  • High cost
  • Difficult to use
  • Don’t have an excellent grip

6. Air Locker AP700 Nail Remover

This is perfect package has it come with two items. The first is AP700 professional punch nailer and remover.

The second is DAP700 piston driver assembly. Sizes from 10-20 of nails can be easily punched remove and sink.

This product is perfect if you want to recycle wood pallet and case.

More photo & price on amazon.com

Pros:

  • Two items included
  • Useable for 10-20 nails size
  • Easy to use
  • Time saver
  • Has a nice grip

Cons:

  • Inefficient quality
  • Does not push the nails properly through the wood
  • It stuck while working

7. Estwing Handy Claw Nail Puller

This product is one of the most durable because it is forged in one piece. It has curved claw leverage that helps in pulling and prying the nails.

It is made for all professions like framing, carpenters and contractors, etc. The design of claw on the tool also can remove the headless nails without destroying the wood.

It has a durable vinyl grip for productive performance.

More photo & price on amazon.com

Pros:

  • No-slip cushion grip
  • Curved claw leverage
  • Pro built
  • Handle
  • Removes headless nails easily

Cons:

  • The tip gets dented while using
  • Costly
  • It is narrow for large size nails

8. YXGOOD Staple Remover Tool

This product has all the good qualities. It is built from high-quality steel; it is durable, easy to use and is also lightweight that helps to carry it around.

Designed to prevent hands from pain and stress by adding a curved plastic handle on it.

The staples can be easily and quickly removed by this tool.

More photo & price on amazon.com

Pros:

  • Lightweight
  • Easy to use
  • High-quality steel built
  • Curved plastic handle
  • Helps to remove staples quickly

Cons:

  • Staples often breaks
  • The tool bents after usage
  • Inefficient quality

9. Estwing Pro Claw Nail Puller

The Estwing Pro Claw Nail Puller – 14″ has a forged in one piece, that’s why it is a durable tool that is available.

Built with high leverage design and has a rounded head for torque and to maximize leverage. It easily removes the headless nail with the claw on it.

It can be used in small areas where it is difficult to reach with the help of thin claw.

More photo & price on amazon.com

Pros:

  • Forged in one piece
  • Handle
  • Thin claw
  • Removes headless nails efficiently

Cons:

  • Large nail are difficulty remove
  • Gets dents on it.

10. Stanley 55-116 8-inch Nail Puller

This is a dual tool; it is an 8-inch nail puller and a chisel scraper. It is built with forged high carbon steel; therefore, it has excellent quality.

To increase the durability of the tool, it is heat-treated. It is tempered to improve safety.

Nails can be easily pulled and pried by the bevelled claws.

More photo & price on amazon.com

Pros:

  • Dual-use
  • Durable
  • Easy to use

Cons:

  • Claws are grinded unevenly
  • Inefficient quality
  • It is not sharp
  • Small in size

11. Shark Corp 21-2036 Nail Puller

Shark Corp Nail Puller is made up of heat-treated Japanese alloy steel. It has a hardened pulling V which is hand-finished for incredible accuracy.

It is hardened to Rockwell 50-52 hardness. The nail puller is strong and durable: it can even pull out nails of hardened and stainless steel.

With a Japanese cat paws design, it can easily dig into wood to catch even headless nails. It is one heavy-duty nail puller.

More photo & price on amazon.com

Pros:

  • Sturdy
  • Hardened steel
  • Easy to use

Cons:

  • Limited lifespan
  • Not suitable for galvanized nails
  • Teeth break easily 

12. Stiletto TICLW12 Titanium Nail Puller

This nail puller, manufactured in China, is comfortable to hold, and it can be used for hand tools and tool organizers.

It is made of very lightweight solid titanium which lightens up your bags and is easy to carry around.

It has lesser recoil shock than other steel bars and is very convenient with super-strong prying power.

The top claws can easily grip wide headed nails too, and the grip is firm. It is a useful tool in your toolbox.

More photo & price on amazon.com

Pros:

  • Easy to hold
  • Lightweight (weight: 8 ounces)
  • Lesser recoil shock than other steel bars

Cons:

  • Pulls the head off of nails
  • Titanium is too soft
  • Limited lifespan 

13. Shark Corp 21-2220 Nail Puller

This 8-inch Prybar and Nail Puller is made up of high-quality hardened steel alloy, which is sturdy and durable.

It has the thinnest blade available out there and can pry any tight spot without any hassle or trouble.

The best thing about this nail puller is that it does minimal damage to the wall or the moulding surface.

The blade has a curve can lift mould with just a turn.

The high-quality carbon steel it is made of ensures that it does not break easily and removes any nail.

More photo & price on amazon.com

Pros:

  • High-quality carbon steel
  • The thinnest blade on the market
  • Pries into tight spots
  • Removes any nail

Cons:

  • Quality control issues
  • Poorly milled 

14. Dewalt DWHT55524 10in. Claw Bar

Dewalt Nail Puller measures 10 inches and has two nail slots. The nail digger exposes the head of a flush nail so it can be pulled with minimal damage to the wood.

It has an extra-wide strike surface which helps users to accurately strike the bar to get under a nail or behind material to pry.

With its I-beam shaft, it is durable yet lightweight. It has a pointed penetration end which will quickly dig into the material and remove embedded nails.

More photo & price on amazon.com

Pros:

  • Easy to use
  • Sturdy
  • Smooth claws
  • Good quality feel

Cons:

  • Breaks easily
  • Doesn’t get enough leverage
  • Only 10 inches

15. Vaughan & Bushnell BC10 Nail Puller

Vaughan & Bushnell’s Bear Claw Nail Pullers are made in the USA. Made up of forged, tempered steel with a flat claw for easy wedging and minimal wood damage they are amongst customer’s favourite.

They have a black, rust-resistant finish and a rocker head. The rocker head provides excellent leverage.

It is specially designed for easy wedging, and the best thing about it is that it causes minimal wood damage.

More photo & price on amazon.com

Pros:

  • Made up of tempered, forged steel
  • Causes minimal damage
  • Easy to use
  • Flat claws

Cons:

  • Weak forge
  • Teeth break off easily

Buyer’s Guide

There are various you should look in to before making any decision.

Following are some essential areas you should look forward to before making your final decision to make it a handy purchase.

Nail Removing Power

This is the first thing you must consider. You should decide it beforehand what power you need because different models have different features.

Some can dig into the wood to remove a nail below the surface; meanwhile, others will only work if there’s already some clearance between the head and the wood below.

You should keep in mind is that you will have to apply less force, the longer the handle on the nail puller to remove the nail.

With the right tool, you’ll be able to remove nails without the hammer.

Length

The higher the extent of the puller, the more leverage the puller has. The more leverage it has, the easier it can pull off nails from wood.

Compactness

If your sole purpose is to remove nails in areas with clearance, then you should go for a long handle nail puller because it can turn a bit of power into more action.

On the other hand, if you have to work with tight clearances, then you should look for smaller handles because they fit in such situations.

There are two types of compact nail removers. You have to decide between these two.

The first is plier-style, and the other is lever-style.

Cost

This is one of the significant factors to consider. You should set aside your budget that you are willing to spend on nail puller.

Otherwise, it will be just a waste of time and money for looking at options that you are unable to buy that.

You should only consider options that are under your budget with most features that are useful and fulfil your purpose of buying it.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to Use Different Types of Nail Pullers?

How does a nail puller work?

A nail puller has two sharp jaws that are hit into the wood to reach nails. The jaws pierce the wood and grip under the nail head around the shaft.

It is leveraged over, on the pivot point and the nail is pulled out by the gripping jaws.

Does the length of a nail puller matter?

Yes, it does. It matters as it determines the leverage the puller will provide.

Leverage is essential as it determines the force that the puller will have to pull out the nail. The longer the puller is the more leverage it has.

The more leverage it has, the easier it will pull out the nail from the surface.

Can I use traditional claw as an alternative to nail pullers?

A traditional claw will take longer to pull out the nail than a nail puller. Also, it will cause more damage to the surface.

However, if you do not want to recycle your materials than a traditional claw hammer can be used instead of a modern nail puller.

How do you take off your nails without a hammer?

Many other tools other than a hammer can be used to take off nails which include:

  • Pry Bars: The fissures on each end can be used to remove deeply buried nails from wood.
  • Cat’s Paw: This is often used for demolition projects and can grasp a nail head and pull it out from the surface of the wood with ease.
  • Nail Kickers: This is one quick and clean way to remove nails. If you are into deconstruction, then this is your ideal tool.
  • Nail Jack: A Nail Jack can go deeply into the wood piece and easily remove nails.

Can you drill out nails?

Yes, a cordless drill nail puller and a counter borer bit can be used to drill out nails from timber and wood.

How do you remove a nail with a drill?

A cordless drill nail puller is a better way to extract nails than the rest. It is a lightweight tool that attaches to any cordless drill.

It is simple and easy to use and does not require arm strength to pull nails. The drill will smoothly pull nails without jarring the work-piece.

It can even pull nails from tight places where hammers and claws cannot go.

Conclusion

With our detailed product reviews of our top 15 picks, buyer’s guide and answers to frequently asked questions, we now believe that you are well equipped to choose the perfect nail puller for yourself.

This would make pulling off nails from surfaces easier and cause minimal damage to the wood, allowing you to recycle material.

Written By
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13 Comments

    1. says: Paul Jackson

      Well, the activity involves a minor danger of hurting yourself, but nail pullers nowadays provide you much safety, which keeps you from worrying about it.

  1. says: Randy

    I need something which could deal with all nail sizes and has an amazing quality, don’t worry about my budget. What do you suggest?

    1. says: Paul Jackson

      I would very much encourage you to try Crescent nail pliers. Although the price tag isn’t that friendly, they sure justify it completely.

  2. says: Stuart

    I just ordered my PacTool RS501 Nail puller due to it being very portable and having a minimal design. Did I make the right choice?

    1. says: Paul Jackson

      Congratulations on your purchase, Stuart! I am thrilled and would like to let you know that you have made the best choice out there. Cheers.

    1. says: Paul Jackson

      Hi, Christopher

      Please check out Stiletto TICLW12. Being very lightweight and handy, it comes with minimal recoil as well, which is just what you need.

      1. says: Gavin

        I don’t think that’s what I’m looking for it only ouches the nails through the wood if I understand it correctly.I want something for taking out really tight lead roofing nails from corrugated iron

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