energeaster Solid Indoor 14/2 W/G NMB Cable 50ft Coil，Electrical Wire 14 Gauge Wire 2 Conductors Non-Metallic with Ground Wire

What I used it for

I pulled a 50-foot coil of the Energeaster 14/2 NM‑B to add a new 15-amp lighting branch: a ceiling fan/light combo, a couple of switches, and a pair of outlets on a short run between studs and through a joist bay. It’s a common use case for 14/2, and a good yardstick for how cooperative a cable is in real-world framing, overhead work, and box terminations.

Construction and materials

This is a solid copper, two-conductor NM‑B with a white outer jacket identifying it as 14 AWG. Inside, you get black (hot) and white (neutral) insulated conductors in parallel, plus a bare 14-gauge ground laid between them and wrapped in a fire-retardant paper separator. The jacket is cleanly extruded and clearly printed. The coil came true to length and free of kinks or flat spots, which matters when you’re feeding through a series of tight, aligned bores.

As expected for NM‑B, the conductors are rated 90°C, but practical ampacity for branch circuits remains 15 amps for 14 AWG with typical 60°C-limited terminations. The cable is rated 600 V and intended for dry, indoor locations—inside walls, ceilings, and attics, or dry air voids in masonry. No surprises there.

Handling and pulling

The first thing I noticed is the jacket feel: slightly slick and a touch stiffer than premium NM‑B I’ve used. The slickness is a mixed bag. It slides beautifully through 3/4-inch bored holes and around gentle turns, even without lube, which made long pulls pleasant. On the flip side, when you’re up a ladder trying to keep the coil tamed, it can want to slip out of your hand or off a hook. A quick fix is to tape the tail to the coil when you’re staging, and strip off only what you need.

Bend behavior is on the springy side. It doesn’t “hold a set” quite as readily as softer NM; you need an extra staple here and there to keep a tidy line on studs. That said, once stapled at sensible intervals and near boxes, it sits flat and stays put. Minimum bend radius was easy to respect around corners, and I didn’t see jacket whitening or stress marks from reasonable bends.

Stripping and prep

Sheath removal is clean if you score lengthwise with a sharp utility blade and peel. The jacket isn’t gummy, which reduces fray, but because it’s tougher than average, you’ll want a fresh blade and a light hand to avoid nicking the inner insulation. A dedicated NM sheathing tool also works well. I wouldn’t recommend trying to rip the sheath by brute force; it’s simply not that kind of jacket.

The individual conductors have the typical PVC/nylon insulation you expect in NM‑B. Stripping the 14 AWG solid with a good-quality stripper on the correct notch is straightforward, but lesser strippers will make you work a bit harder. Once you get into a rhythm—score the sheath, peel, expose the ground, trim paper, square the ends—prep goes quickly.

In the boxes and at the devices

Box work is where cable stiffness shows itself. The conductors are solid and a bit springy, so neat dress-down inside a shallow single‑gang takes a touch more care than with more pliable brands. Pre‑bending conductors to your preferred arc before insertion helps, and so does leaving just enough sheath into the box to support the conductors without crowding. Terminations on modern 15A receptacles and fan-rated boxes were positive; the copper is true to gauge and took a secure set under screws. Grounding pigtails twisted easily with a wirenut, and the bare ground didn’t fray or kink.

Performance and safety

Electrically, it behaved exactly as 14/2 NM‑B should. With a 15‑amp breaker, typical loads (fan motor, LED cans, a few receptacle loads) posed no trouble. On a ~40‑foot run, voltage drop is a non-issue for lighting and small appliance duty. Insulation integrity was solid after pulls and bends—no nicks or scuffs under normal handling.

This cable is not for wet or damp locations, exterior runs, or direct sunlight exposure. If you’re dealing with garages, basements, or outbuildings, make sure the environment is considered “dry” by your local code and inspector. For conduit outdoors or in wet areas, you’ll want THHN/THWN conductors instead. Inside the envelope, staple spacing and support were straightforward, and the jacket resisted abrasion when pulled across joists and studs.

Packaging and coil management

The 50‑foot length is great for small projects: add a circuit, extend a run, or rework a lighting loop. The coil had some memory, but it wasn’t troublesome—just pull from the center and let it spin freely. If you’re feeding from a ladder, stage it on a dowel or a hook to keep it from outrunning you. I’d love to see an easy‑dispense wrap or tie on the coil, but that’s nitpicking at this price.

Value and comparisons

This sits clearly in the “value NM‑B” category. Compared with flagship NM‑B that’s softer and more compliant, the Energeaster cable trades a bit of handling finesse for cost savings. If you wire for a living and value speed in cramped boxes, the incremental ease of premium jacket and more supple conductors can pay for itself. If you’re a DIYer or pro running straightforward stud‑bay circuits and want to stretch the budget, this cable gets you there without compromising electrical performance.

Where it shines

• Short to medium indoor runs for lighting and general‑purpose 15A receptacles
• Attics and wall cavities where the slick jacket helps with pulls
• Budget‑minded projects where every dollar counts
• Situations with generous box space or accessible terminations

Where it’s less ideal

• Tight, device‑packed single‑gang boxes where super‑pliable conductors save time
• Overhead work if you don’t secure the coil (the slick jacket can get slippery)
• Any wet/damp location or exterior run (not what this cable is made for)
• Long multi‑bend runs where jacket softness helps with dressing and set

Practical tips

• Use a sharp blade and score lengthwise to open the sheath; peel, don’t pry.
• Pre‑form your bends before entering the box to reduce spring‑back.
• Keep staple spacing sensible and place a staple close to each box to tame the set.
• Verify your breaker is 15A; don’t upsize above 15A on 14 AWG.
• Keep it in dry locations; if in doubt about an area’s classification, check local code.

The bottom line

Energeaster’s 14/2 NM‑B does exactly what a residential branch‑circuit cable should: it pulls cleanly, terminates reliably, and meets the appropriate ratings for dry, indoor work. Its personality leans toward stiff and slick, which affects handling more than function. If you’re prepared for that—sharp blades for stripping, an extra staple or two along runs, and a touch of patience when dressing conductors—it’s an easy cable to live with.

Recommendation: I recommend this cable for anyone looking for a cost‑effective, code‑appropriate 14/2 NM‑B for typical indoor, dry‑location wiring. It’s a solid pick for small remodels, lighting runs, and general 15A branch circuits where budget matters more than premium handling. If you prioritize maximum flexibility and the fastest box work, or you’re routinely working in tight, device‑packed spaces, you may prefer a softer, higher‑priced NM‑B. For most straightforward residential tasks, though, this cable is a dependable, good‑value choice.