The Best Nerf Guns of 2026

Written by
Anna Lane, former Reviewed parenting editor and stand-up comedian, now known as homeowner, pool owner, and Mom.
Lily Hartman, staff writer, research expert, and active lifestyle enthusiast.

Updated March 4, 2025

If you'd asked me when I was pregnant with my son if I ever thought that he would end up having a closet full of Nerf guns, I would have laughed right in your face. I envisioned his childhood being full of wooden blocks, organic kale chips, and mommy-and-me meditations visualizing world peace.

As with most things about parenting, nothing has gone as planned, and I do, in fact, have a son whose favorite toys are plastic weapons. Naturally, this makes me—and my son—well-suited to finding the best Nerf gun for players of all ages and sizes. If you're looking for a toy that's going to get them off of their tablets and outside, looking to buy the best Nerf gun is a smart investment.

With the help of my adult colleagues and my kids, I spent the better part of three weeks checking out the best Nerf guns online. Of the 8 Nerf guns that we looked at, the Nerf Elite 2.0 Commander is the easiest to use—and the most fun—for kids and adults alike. This Nerf gun is one of the simplest to load and a cinch to use. Of course, when it comes to the best Nerf guns, it's practically impossible to just choose one, especially when other models offer different features like a cool T. rex design or an added crossbow.

To help you find the best Nerf gun, we explored a variety of options available online, as well as had hands-on testing for a few. From our experience, these are the best Nerf guns available right now.

Other Soft Toy Guns We Tested

Nerf Rival Nemesis MXVII-10K Blaster

Your kids can take their Nerf gun games to a whole new level with the fully-motorized Nerf Rival Nemesis MXVII-10K Blaster. It can hold 100 rounds, making it ideal for long games, although we can imagine this would call for a big cleanup. This Nerf gun also has a precise aim, making it a winner-friendly pick. It even comes in two color options, red and blue, so you can let your kids pick which color they want.

Overall, we found this Nerf gun to be a great investment for serious players.

Pros

• Motorized

• Holds 100 rounds

Cons

• Expensive

Buy now at Walmart

Buy now at Amazon

Zuru X-Shot Reflex 6 Royale Edition

The Zuru X-Shot Reflex 6 is a compact gold-plated Nerf gun, but it lacks a detachable score. That means that it's not very accurate when it comes to hitting an intended target. In fact, my daughter found it so annoying that she couldn't hit her victim (me) that she rated the Reflex 6 "difficult and frustrating."

Regarding loading the projectiles, the X-Shot Reflex 6 took the top spot in the "easy to load" category, likely because users can quickly and easily pop the projectiles right into the rotating chamber.

A good choice for younger Nerf gun obsessives who might otherwise have a hard time figuring out complicated steps, the X-Shot Reflex 6 works with a simple spring and plunge load design. Simply pull back the hook on the rear of the Nerf gun and then just push the trigger to shoot the darts.

Pros

• Easy to load

• Simple to shoot

Cons

• Doesn't have good aim

Zuru X-Shot Crusher

Similar in design to the X-Shot Omega, the Crusher Nerf gun features pump action that can blast up to four darts per second. That's definitely a great thing—assuming the Nerf gun isn't too heavy for your kids to manage. Our youngest tester could barely lift the Crusher up, and she certainly couldn't hold this Nerf gun steady long enough to take advantage of this trait.

The Crusher Nerf gun scored low in terms of accuracy, and it wasn't especially easy to pull back the handle to load a dart into the chamber. The 35-dart belt is a pro, and we didn't have issues with the auto-rotating belt, causing the Nerf gun to jam like we did with the Omega. The Crusher has a long shooting range—supposedly up to 90 feet—but its lack of accuracy canceled out any positive impact that provides.

Pros

• Holds 35 darts

Cons

• Heavy

• Terrible accuracy

Buy now at Amazon

Nerf Disruptor Elite Blaster

The Nerf Disruptor Elite Blaster is an affordable Nerf gun that shoots darts up to 90 feet or 27 meters, making it great for big backyards and competitive kids. With this Nerf gun, you can easily draw the blaster for a fire that overpowers others in this review. It only comes with six darts, but with how intense they fire, that’s all you will really need.

Pros

• Affordable

• Fires 90 feet

Cons

• Only holds 6 darts

Buy now at Amazon

What You Should Know About the Best Nerf Guns

You Need Safety Glasses

Nerf darts may be made out of foam, but some Nerf guns are very high-impact, so if you get hit in the eye, you'll probably be headed to the emergency room. Don't let a fun time get ruined by a Nerf-related injury: Keep a pack of safety glasses on hand.

Keep It Simple

If you're purchasing a Nerf gun for a child, simpler is better. Many models on the market have fancy scopes or fire mechanisms, but the more bells and whistles the Nerf gun has, the heavier and more complicated it's likely to be. Opt for a basic single-shot model that's easy for little fingers to load and shoot; otherwise, you'll be stuck helping prime blasters and load darts.

Buy Extra Darts

While it may initially seem that all Nerf guns use the same type of foam darts, that's not the case. Some Nerf blasters use elite darts, others use a wider type, and others have a completely different shape altogether. Using the recommended shape and size of dart results in the best accuracy, force, and shot distance. Research which darts are best suited for your particular Nerf gun, and purchase extras; it will help avoid any tantrums about there not being enough darts for an epic Nerf battle.

Where to Buy the Best Nerf Guns

Nerf guns are available at several different stores. Whether you want to shop for them in-store or online, you can buy the best Nerf guns at places like Walmart and Target. There are several Nerf gun brands available at these stores, such as Nerf Super Soaker. Amazon is also a great place to shop a wide selection of Nerf gun brands and types—from the Nerf Elite 2.0 Commander to the Nerf DinoSquad Rex-Rampage Motorized Dart Blaster.

Who Invented Nerf Guns?

Nerf guns were invented by Lonnie Johnson in 1995. Johnson started building toys as a kid and eventually got his Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering and Master’s in Nuclear Engineering. Joining the U.S. Air Force, he helped design the stealth bomber program. He continued to create his own inventions, eventually leading to the first Super Soaker, a water gun that uses pressurized air to squirt water. To this day, Super Soakers are a popular type of Nerf gun that you can buy.

How Do Nerf Guns work?

Simply put, Nerf guns use forced air to shoot out darts. Many different parts play a role in this. The trigger of the Nerf gun is connected to a spring, and when it gets pulled, it hits the vertical slider. When the vertical slider and hooks are engaged, the dart is loaded and the piston is released with forced air. The cylinder rotates after the dart fires, so the next dart in the Nerf gun is ready to go.

How to Store Nerf Guns

Having kids also means having toys all over the house, especially when they’ve got a large Nerf gun collection. No parent wants to have a bunch of accessories laying on the floor. That not only is a mess, but it also increases the chances of pieces going missing. Here are some ways you can store Nerf guns in your home:

In a storage bin: Storage bins are a great way to organize all of the little pieces and keep them out of sight. You can push the storage bin under a bed, in a closet, or a garage. Behind a door: You could hang the Nerf gun pieces from your kid’s bedroom door. This also allows them easy access to the Nerf guns whenever they want to play with them. Hanging from a wall: You could mount a pegboard to your garage wall and store the Nerf guns there. This also makes it easier to see which Nerf guns your kids want to use. In a basket: Although using a toy basket to store Nerf guns may not be as neat, it’s an easy way to put them away and access them.

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