Best metal nibbler tool | Electric, cordless, air.

1. Choose the right brand.

Makita and Hitachi make the best nibblers.

The models from these brands are generally very durable and can cut through a wide variety of materials.

They also tend to hold their edge well, which is essential when you need to do a lot of cutting.

For compressor models, check out the nibblers from Ingersoll.

3. Is the tool Portable enough for your needs?

Cordless battery-powered nibblers always have the edge over corded models in terms of portability.  This could be an important factor if you have to work in tight spaces or places where there is no power outlet nearby. Compressed air nibblers are usually pretty powerful, but the hose makes it a less portable option.

4. Get a price that’s good in the long run.

Nibblers are fairly simple tools, but the best models aren’t cheap. I generally recommend getting a pro-level tool for even DIY work.

But for small cutting jobs and occasional DIY cutting, you can get the job done with similar results with an appropriate drill attachment–or even tin snips with-out having to purchase a  nibbler. If you are a professional an electric nibbler can be your top metal cutting tool.

5. Is the cutter head durable and can you replace it?

You need a nibbler that can cut through a wide variety of metals.

Although you will probably be using your tool mainly for cutting sheet metal, it should be able to handle corrugated iron and other harder metals as well without losing its cutting edge too quickly.

You should also look at buying a replacement cutter head or 2 so you have them ready for when you need to replace it. Or choose a tool that includes extra punches for when they do wear out.

Electric nibblers can cut through metal the quickest and are arguably the easiest metal cutting tool to use in general, they make very clean cuts and do an excellent job at cutting metal roofing.

Nibblers have no problem cutting sheet metal around corners, angles, and even intricate shapes. I would say the only drawback is the price for DIY, as there are cheaper tools for cutting only straight lines like electric shears.

For building and construction however electric nibblers made by Makita, Hitachi and Fein perform better than other metal cutting tools, utilizing good cutting design and power making them the best tool for cutting sheet metal for roofing and building work.

Makita nibblers have more grunt and can cut thicker gauges than the air nibblers and other electric nibblers with both a 16 and 18 gauge model with a 5 or 6.2amp motor.

The Makita JN1601 16 Gauge 5 Amp nibbler is a better-sized tool for general use and is easier to handle while being a bit cheaper than the 10 gauge version.

The Makita JN3201 nibbler has 6.2 Amps of power making it the most powerful nibbler being able to cut up-to 10-Gauge roofing.

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Air Nibblers are easier to use because they are smaller and have a smaller handle to hold onto.

They are also much cheaper than an electric nibbler given that you already have a portable air compressor, even still you don’t need a big compressor just look for one with a low DB rating.

Air nibblers cut fast and very smoothly, and are recommended for car panel work or more detailed roofing jobs as they are easier to hold move, and control with a smaller handle, but are a little less portable.

A nibbler drill attachment can be a cheaper alternative for DIYers.

Some come with attachments that give you even more accuracy for cutting perfect circles in metal and straight lines with a guide like what’s included with the Canibble for example.

There have been a few variations on this basic manual hand nibbler design over the years. Adel is one company that continues to manufacture hand nibblers based on standard styles, which are commonly called “punch and die” nibblers.

Companies such as Bessey took a different approach, designing nibblers that departed significantly from conventional designs. The company’s Super Nibbler is widely considered to be a significant step forward in a  manual nibbler design.

1. Tin snips

Aviation snips are the cheapest option by far.

You can get a nice controlled cut with a good pair of snips, and you can cut across big sheets fairly easily, but only if you are directly cross-cutting the iron sheet.

The of-cut needs to also be big enough to bend out the way to prevent jamming the tin-snip blades.

However, tin snips are less effective at cutting big cuts on metal sheets, as they can be pretty slow to work with.

Tin-snips are best for cutting flashing’s and tidy up edges that you haven’t got perfect with an electric tool.

2. Electric-shears

Electric shears come as either a dedicated power tool or as attachments for impact drivers. The great thing about electric shears is the price, and having a portable tool that isn’t tethered to a compressor hose or a lead.

Electric shears can cut through metal sheets fairly easily with a straight cut, but they aren’t very good at cutting around corners, angles, or cutting along the corrugated iron, rather than cross-cutting.

Although cross-cutting is the majority if not all the cutting that needs to be done as you can just give corrugated iron sheets extra lapping to suit.

 Electric metal shears can sometimes be cheaper than nibblers and can be powered by just your Makita or Dewalt 18v drill. Find out more here but a nibbler again can cut all these cuts effectively, with-out jamming.

Keep in mind that nibblers can take as much as 6 mm of material off the piece you are cutting.

Not for tight cutting

They are therefore less suitable for work-pieces that you need a tight cut, for example, a flashing.

One of the best things about nibblers is that they can create cuts without warping or distorting.

This quality makes them excellent choices for situations where you want to preserve the appearance of the material.

One of the main advantages that nibblers have over electric shears and tin snips is that they are less prone to jamming, this is because they cut a sizable amount of material off the workpiece.

Most nibblers punch fairly wide holes as they cut. This gives the mobility and ability to cut around corners easily–which is where jamming usually takes place–nibblers are not likely to get caught in the material as compared to other tools like electric shears and tin-snips.

Nibblers can even cut over corrugated metal sheets efficiently, even when cutting at an angle.

Try that with shears or tin snips, and your work will probably be messy and take much longer to complete.

Also, nibblers make much smoother and more consistent cuts than even your best pair of shears or snips ever could.