Best Rivet Gun Kit (2026)

Compare the picks

Specifications are manufacturer rated, as published on each listing and collected 19 October 2026.

How we scored them

Each kit is scored on five criteria: performance, build, value, safety listing and warranty, with the weights published on our How We Pick page. No listing here states an electrical safety listing, so every kit scores zero on that criterion; the ranking comes from the other four.

Scores run from 9.2 to 9.8: each product’s point total is placed on that range, so more points always means a higher score. Safety counts only for powered gear or where the listing states safety features; where it does not apply, the score is taken over the remaining 90 points.

What the listings tell you

Rivet counts run 80 (LIBRATON) to 120 (Arrow) to 200 (WETOLS, GIANTISAN) to 225 (ISPINNER). Every kit includes 4 interchangeable heads covering 3/32 to 3/16 in except the Arrow, which works 3/32 to 5/32 in. Three kits include 4 drill bits (WETOLS, LIBRATON, GIANTISAN); the ISPINNER trades drill bits for a head wrench and handle lock. Cases: a blow molded case (WETOLS), a rugged carrying box (GIANTISAN), a transparent plastic case (ISPINNER); the LIBRATON and Arrow list none. Only the WETOLS states a warranty: 24 months. Weights run 1.61 lb (LIBRATON) to 2.61 lb (WETOLS, GIANTISAN).

Buying guide: best rivet gun kit

Rivet count and sizes

Buy the kit that matches your project list. All five cover the standard 3/32 to 3/16 in range except the Arrow, which tops out at 5/32 in. For a one-off repair, 80 to 120 rivets is plenty; for a run of projects, the 200 and 225-rivet kits keep you from reordering. The ISPINNER’s 6 sizes give the most flexibility for mixed work.

Steel and stainless rivets

Not every hand riveter takes every rivet. The WETOLS handles aluminum, steel and stainless steel but warns the 4.8 mm head is not for steel or stainless. The Arrow is explicit the other way: no 3/16 in all-steel rivets, and stainless steel rivets are not for manually operated tools at all. Match the rivet metal to the gun’s stated limits before you buy.

Cases, drill bits and extras

A case keeps the gun, heads and rivets together; three kits include one. Drill bits matter because every rivet needs a hole first: three kits include 4 bits, so check yours before ordering separately. The ISPINNER’s head wrench and handle lock are the thoughtful extras for changing nosepieces and carrying the gun safely.

Rivet sizes and materials explained

Rivets come in diameters and grip ranges, and the kit has to cover both. The four common diameters in these kits are 3/32, 1/8, 5/32 and 3/16 in (2.4, 3.2, 4.0 and 4.8 mm), and every kit here includes a nosepiece for each size it supports. The ISPINNER goes further with 6 lengths: 3/16 by 1/2 in, 3/16 by 3/8 in, 5/32 by 1/2 in, 1/8 by 3/8 in, 1/8 by 1/4 in and 3/32 by 1/4 in. The second number is the grip range: how thick a stack the rivet can clamp. Pick a rivet whose grip range covers your material thickness with a little to spare.

Material matters as much as size. All five kits ship aluminum blind rivets, which suit most sheet metal, gutter and automotive work. The WETOLS handles aluminum, steel and stainless steel rivets, but not steel or stainless with the 4.8 mm head. The Arrow draws the line harder: no 3/16 in all-steel rivets, and no stainless steel rivets with a manual tool at all. Stainless and steel rivets need more setting force, so match the rivet metal to the gun’s stated limits, and when the listing is silent, stick with aluminum.

How to use a hand rivet gun: step by step

Setting a blind rivet takes four steps. First, drill a hole to the rivet’s diameter: three of these kits include 4 twist drills for exactly this. Second, thread on the nosepiece that matches the rivet size; on the WETOLS, LIBRATON and GIANTISAN the heads change tool-free and store on the handle. Third, push the rivet through the workpieces and seat the gun’s nose over the mandrel. Fourth, squeeze the handles: the gun pulls the mandrel, the rivet body expands behind the work, and the mandrel snaps off flush.

Technique notes from the listings: thin rivets can go one-handed, but thicker nails need two hands and more force for a faster, more accurate set, as the WETOLS listing notes. Keep the gun square to the work so the rivet sets straight, and if the mandrel does not snap, the jaws may be worn or the wrong nosepiece fitted. The knurled sleeve and guide-mouth designs on these kits come apart tool-free for clearing jams and changing heads.

Hand vs pneumatic: which rivet gun do you need

All five kits here are hand riveters: lever-powered, portable and needing no air supply or power. A hand riveter is the right choice for occasional repairs, remote jobs and anyone who does not own a compressor. The trade-off is effort and speed: each rivet takes several squeezes, and thick or stainless rivets demand real hand strength.

A pneumatic rivet gun uses shop air to set each rivet with a trigger pull, which is faster and far less tiring over a long run of rivets. If you are riveting all day in a shop with air, pneumatic wins. If you are fixing a gutter, a trailer or a piece of furniture a few times a year, a hand kit like these does the job with no extra equipment. See our hand vs pneumatic rivet gun comparison and the best pneumatic rivet gun picks when you are ready to step up.

Maintaining your rivet gun kit

A hand riveter lasts years with basic care. Keep the nosepieces matched to the rivet: a worn or wrong-size head is the usual cause of slipped mandrels and half-set rivets. The ISPINNER includes a head wrench for its 4 replaceable nosepieces; the others change tool-free. Wipe the jaws clean of metal dust so they grip the mandrel, and oil the pivot points lightly now and then.

Store the kit as a kit. The WETOLS blow molded case, the GIANTISAN rugged carrying box and the ISPINNER transparent plastic case keep the gun, heads, rivets and drill bits together; a rivet gun with its nosepieces lost is a paperweight. The LIBRATON’s handle lock shows the idea: lock the handles for safe carrying. Check the PVC or rubber grips for cracks, and replace any nosepiece whose bore has gone oval.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a rivet gun?

A rivet gun sets blind rivets: it pulls the rivet’s mandrel until the rivet body expands and clamps the workpieces, then snaps the mandrel off. Hand riveters like these five do it with lever force; pneumatic guns use shop air.

How do you work a rivet gun?

Drill a hole to the rivet size, insert the rivet, fit the right nosepiece and squeeze the handles until the mandrel snaps. Thin rivets can go one-handed; thicker ones need two hands and more force, as the WETOLS listing notes.

How do you set up a hand rivet gun?

Pick the nosepiece that matches your rivet diameter, thread it onto the gun tool-free and load a rivet. Spare heads store on the handle on the WETOLS, LIBRATON and GIANTISAN kits.

Can a hand rivet gun set stainless steel rivets?

Check the listing. The WETOLS allows stainless except with the 4.8 mm head; the Arrow listing says stainless steel rivets are not for manually operated rivet tools. When in doubt, buy the rivet metal the listing allows.

How do you repair a hand rivet gun?

Most fixes are maintenance: clear a jammed mandrel, clean the jaws and change a worn nosepiece. The sleeve and guide-mouth designs on these kits come apart tool-free for exactly that.

Related: the best pneumatic rivet gun, the best pneumatic rivet tool and our hand vs pneumatic rivet gun comparison.