All options are on the table.

Need for home trim and molding work for the rest of my life. Which means not a ton of work and lots of sitting.

ALL my cordless stuff is DeWalt 20V MAX. BUT those guns are deadly expensive.

What other options? I have a compressor. Or even corded is on the table.

What size? 16 ga? 18 ga? Both?

I prefer air. Can buy a Harbor Freight brad nailer for under $30.
At my old house I had an IR 7.5 HP 80 gallon compressor in the garage, ran an air line that came out of the upstairs hallway in a wall fitting.
Didn't like dragging a 100 foot air hose up the stairs.
Came in handy for all kinds of stuff, but then my in laws were rednecks, gave me air tools for Christmas. Hahaha

Seems like air tools, lowest cost.

What size, brand, style did you prefer?

I picked up a reconditioned (grade C) Hitachi NT50AE2 2" 18-Gauge Brad Nailer awhile back and its worked fine. i also picked up a crown stapler thats worked fine too. Kind of figure for air tools that thy either work or they dont. But both have worked just fine and arent terribly expensive (~$50 if you go reconditioned).

Though I know people who have the freeman brand (think it is) which is cheap and works fine.

I will say though, having the cordless brad nail (ryobi 18g battery powered) is awesome when you just need to do a handful of nails.

Have about a half dozen Bostich air fasteners, minimal trouble, parts easly available for my screw ups. Also used Porter Cable air and electric tools and if the new stuff is as good as the old, I'd say might be a good investment

Senco 18ga. Get the good one with the swivel air fitting for awkward angles. Mines approaching the 10 year mark of professional workload. No repairs. Still runs like a clock.

15ga/16ga will be a little too big for fine trim work. 18ga is a do all. Keep numerous nail lengths on hand for different jobs. I use the 1 1/2" most of the time. But it's wise to keep 1" and 3/4" on hand just in case.

Forgot to mention if you need a super basic 18ga I have a brand new bostitch you can have for $30. Pick up in Marysville.

Wow. Thanks!

First of all, after reading all day (not really, but off and on) agree 18 ga is the way to go. Plus, my rich brother is giving me his unused cordless 20VMax unit and his used once Holehawg. I think the Dewalt is model DCN680B. I'll be in touch if that thing is a POS.

As a longtime woodworker I agree with Mike. 18 ga senco is as good as it gets. It may be more than you need, but nothing wrong with overkill

I bought a used Hitachi crown staple gun and love it. I was buying the cheap harbor freight air nailers and they dont last long at all.
I have four of five harbor freight nailers that I need to take to the waste transfer station next garbage run.
The same with the cheap harbor freight cordless drills, totally garbage.

I bought a new Dewalt brad nailer in 2004, I have used it a handful of times and it has worked every time with not even a hiccup.
Are you as a lot of the yellow Tools in my shop as they serve me well. On the other hand I will not let anything yellow into my boat especially bananas. LOL

I did the inside trim around the slider with the Dewalt 20VMax. Now I'm like WHY TF didn't I buy one of these a LONG time ago. This sucker IS expensive. If I was paying new, I would go air, and for sure if I used it industrially.

18G size is awesome. From medium small to decent size trim perfect

Another thing to like are stainless 18g nails for siding. Even if just to hold for long runs, or short bay out pieces, about as handy as sliced bread. Very sweet.

Unless it is a hard use daily brad nailer, then the price for the battery operated Dewalt will pay for itself over time by not having to lug a compressor and hose around. I use my Dewalt cordless tools pretty hard at the job sites without ever having any problems with them. Their angle grinder and blower sure suck down batteries fast though.