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Nerf guns are one of the most fun toys for kids – that adults sometimes also use for fun. A great way to get out stress, and endlessly entertaining, there are also a ton of choices out there.
So we did the research, tested a variety of Nerf guns (it was very difficult work), and aggregated tens of thousands of online reviews. After extensive testing, we were able to find the best Nerf guns – whether you want to buy a gift for your nephew, or have some fun at the office. Here are our top picks.
Our Top Pick
NERF N-Strike Raider Rapid Fire CS-35 Dart Blaster
This dart blaster is a boatload of fun, and with over 95 positive customer reviews – the consensus is obvious. One of our favorite picks on the market, and endlessly entertaining to use.
Other Great Picks
Nerf Zombie Strike SlingFire Blaster Rifle Gun
If you are preparing for a zombie apocalypse – this is the Nerf gun for you. With over 50 positive customer reviews, and a great design – it’s a super-fun toy.
TerraScout Nerf Toy RC Drone N-Strike Elite Blaster
Possibly the coolest item we reviewed, this RC drone comes with a live video feed, and some of the most impressive technology we’ve ever seen in a toy. You can spend hours using the remote control to tell the drone what to target next – and the 100+ positive customer reviews say it all.
Nerf N-Strike Mega Mega Mastodon
Because one ‘mega’ would not be enough, this toy from Nerf is endlessly fun, and mighty impressive for a children’s toy. We loved carrying it around like we were Rambo, and the 450+ glowing customer reviews all say how much fun the owners of this product have. Highly recommended for a friendly firefight.
Nerf Vortex Pyragon Blaster
The Pyragon Blaster is one of our favorite picks. It combines vortex discs and rapid firing, into one fun toy. With over 185 glowing online customer reviews, it’s also quite popular. You can also use it with the Tactical Rail, which is sold separately.
Nerf N-Strike Elite Rhino-Fire Blaster
With over 500 glowing online reviews, it’s clear that the Rhino-Fire Blaster is clearly beloved. It feels very professional, even though it’s a children’s toy. Fun for all ages.
Nerf Rival Nemesis MXVII-10K
Okay, we must admit – this was our favorite Nerf gun to test. With over 500 stellar customer reviews, it’s clear that everyone loves shooting these mini-balls at their friends. Nary a bad word to say about this product – and we definitely recommend you pick one up.
Nerf N-Strike Elite Retaliator
The N-Strike Elite Retaliator has over 1,790 glowing online reviews. It’s very easy to use, fun for anyone, and has a very low price point. What’s not to love?
Nerf Rampage N-Strike Elite
With over 1,200 positive online reviews, the Rampage N-Strike Elite is a crowd favorite. Our staff loved shooting it around the office, and the price is also extremely good. Highly recommended.
Nerf Zombie Strike FlipFury Blaster
With over 930 glowing customer reviews, and one of the coolest designs we have ever seen for a children’s toy – this quickly became an office favorite. While we may be slightly biased, we think the Zombie Strike FlipFury Blaster is an excellent pick – perfect for any gifting occasion.
Nerf N-Strike Elite
With a whopping 3,400+ positive online reviews, the N-Strike Elite is legendary. The rapid fire shooting mechanism is also very cool, and for less than your monthly cell phone bill – it also comes it at a great price point.
What Is A Nerf Gun?
If you grew up in the 80s and 90s – you likely already know what a Nerf gun is. Modeled after real guns, but made fun and safe for kids, Nerf products will shoot foam darts and balls at any target you like.
If you’re a kid, a Nerf gun is a great way to play with your friends. If you’re an adult, a Nerf gun may not be near the top of your purchase list.
Unlike most children’s toys, a Nerf gun is a little more aggressive – and a heck of a lot more fun. You can get a Nerf bow and arrow, a Nerf machine gun (of sorts), and even a Nerf drone.
While Nerf is not really intended for adults, we still had a blast testing the Nerf products in our office. There is just something about surprising your colleagues with a few well-timed foam darts, that always brings the fun (and joy) out of everyone.
Who Should Buy A Nerf Gun?
Nerf guns are marketed to 8-16 year olds (mostly boys), and they allow them to get some aggression out, but in a safe manner. Many children love Nerf guns so much, that they actually modify their own guns, to try to add even more capacity.
While Nerf adheres to strict product manufacturing guidelines – many kids want their Nerf guns to more closely resemble adult weapons. For this reason, Nerf is no way endorses modifications to their products.
Of course, you can certainly buy Nerf guns as an adult. However, you might have a harder time finding someone to play against.
Our staff fondly remembers spending hours on the weekends in endless Nerf wars, so you might become the hero of your favorite nephew, by starting his Nerf arsenal. Of course, Nerf guns make a perfect gift for any holiday or birthday, for any of the young males in your family.
Are Nerf Guns Safe?
Nerf guns are designed for safety. They are one of the best kid’s toys, as they seem dangerous, but really are not.
You can shoot a tommy gun style Nerf gun at your friend, or even use a gatling-style Nerf gun. All while staying completely safe.
That being said, you should still make sure that any children using Nerf products, do not aim the toys at their friend’s faces. While Nerf uses plastic and foam to make their projectiles, they should still not be shot near anyone’s eyes.
Other than this minor wrinkle, Nerf guns are completely safe, as well as very easy to use. They have been an enduring brand for over 30 years, for very good reason.
You can play multi-person games with Nerf guns, like capture the flag. You can also have epic team battles, like adults do with paintball guns. Of course, you can have one-on-one matches too, which typically become like an epic, climatic movie battle (except with foam darts, of course).
How Much Do Nerf Guns Cost?
Nerf guns pack in quite a large amount of clever product design and engineering, while still keeping the price tag low. For a kid’s toy, Nerf guns are very reasonably priced.
Some of the more affordable guns are barely over $20, but if you want to go all-out, you can get deluxe Nerf guns for upwards of $100.
Ultimately, you will want to figure out what your child is looking for, and then go from there. There is truly a Nerf gun for everyone – no matter how much you are looking to spend.
Can Adults Play With Nerf Guns?
This is a fun question, and the answer is – of course! While it may be silly, playing with a Nerf gun is a great stress-reliever, and your officemates will probably have just as much fun as you do (once they get over their initial resistance, of course!)
While it is definitely more socially acceptable for younger children to use Nerf guns, short bouts of Nerf matches between adults can be epically fun. You may even want to stock up, and have a few Nerf guns at your disposal.
You can also play with your son or nephew, and show the finer points of constructing a couch fort (after all, what are cushions for, if not for defending against an onslaught of Nerf darts?). Nerf battles are also very fun outside, and they can be a great cardiovascular workout, as well.
Should I Wear Safety Goggles While Using A Nerf Gun?
Surprisingly, while our staff definitely did not wear safety goggles when we shot our friends repeatedly with our Nerf cannons – they may actually be a good idea. A Nerf dart in the eye may send you right to the emergency room, and while you should never aim your shots at anyone’s face – accidents can happen.
Do I Need Extra Darts For My Nerf Gun?
While not required, extra darts are definitely a great idea. Not only will you likely lose some of the darts that come packaged with your Nerf products – you will want the ability to shoot more.
Nerf guns do not come with all that many darts, so having a greater capacity of “ammo” – just makes for a much more fun firefight. As a bonus, extra Nerf darts are also very affordable.
However, it should be noted that not all Nerf darts are created equal. There are different shapes and sizes, so make sure you get the right kind of dart for each of your desired Nerf guns.
What Should I Look For In A Nerf Gun?
While it may not be as serious a purchase as some other products, there are still some different factors to consider, when buying a Nerf gun.
- Range – how far can your chosen Nerf gun shoot? Range is important, as the closer you need to be to shoot your opponent – the more likely you are to be shot yourself. If you choose a Nerf gun with a long range, you’ll have a better chance of winning any epic battle that ensues.
- Accuracy – closely tied in with range, accuracy is another critical factor when choosing a Nerf gun. If you have a huge range – but no accuracy – you are very unlikely to win any Nerf battles. You will want to choose a Nerf gun with great accuracy, as well as excellent range.
- Capacity – this may seem like too serious of a ranking factor for a children’s toy, but having great capacity on a Nerf gun simply makes each battle more fun. Our staff still remembers how frustrating it was to only have three arrows to shoot, with our Nerf bow and arrow. This lack of capacity always stuck with us, so make sure you don’t make the same mistake, and instead choose a Nerf gun with tons of shooting capacity.
- Ammunition – Nerf doesn’t make just one type of ammunition – they have darts, foam balls, missiles, and more. You will want to make sure you get a variety of different Nerf guns, if you want to have various ammunition options to choose from.
- Speed – this aspect of choosing a Nerf gun always separated the winners and losers in Nerf battles, at least when we were kids. If you have a gun that can rapidly fire at your opponent – you are obviously much more likely to win the battle. Choosing a slow Nerf gun, conversely, will put you at a huge disadvantage right from the start.
- Priming Method – what is this, you may ask? Priming method simply refers to how the Nerf gun reloads. Nerf has built toy guns with a variety of different priming methods. These include: hammer action, bolt action, slides, and even battery powered priming methods. If you have a faster priming method, you’ll be able to shoot your friends and family with more plastic darts per second – which is definitely a feature that is worth spending a few extra dollars on.
The Best Nerf Guns
There you have it – our picks for the best Nerf guns.
Whether you have young children, need a gift for a young relative – or you just want to shoot your officemates with a semi-automatic toy – Nerf guns are a perfect purchase.
When buying a Nerf gun, you should consider: speed, ammunition type, priming method, range, capacity, and accuracy. While it may seem unnecessary to review all of these factors before buying a toy – trust us, you’ll be glad you considered every possible angle.
Whether you have great memories of shooting your best friends with your Nerf bow and arrow, or just want to get your kids a great gift – there is truly a Nerf fun out there for everyone.
Of course, there are a ton of fun items besides Nerf guns, so be sure to take a look at our other reviews, in the toy section.