The invention discloses a fuel-bar end plug pressing machine and an application method. The device comprises a base, a driving system and a control system. A fixing mechanism, an operating chamber, a sealing mechanism and a pushing mechanism are arranged on the base, an air feeding and discharging mechanism is connected to the operating chamber, and the control system controls the driving system to drive the pushing mechanism and the air feeding and discharging mechanism. The application method of the device includes the steps that vacuumizing and inflating are carried out in the sealed operating chamber, and after the proportion of inflated inert gas reaches a preset proportion, plug pressing is directly carried out till a plug is tightly pressed. By means of the device, the sealing effect of a fuel bar can be improved, sealing leakage detection is facilitated, operating is more convenient, the mixing possibility of other air ingredients is reduced, contact of a core block in the fuel bar and a shell covering pipe is effectively delayed, and the performance and the safety of the fuel bar are improved. By means of the application method, the volume ratio of the inflated gas can be accurately controlled, the plug pressing step is simplified, the performance and the safety of the fuel bar are improved, the cost is reduced, and the production efficiency is improved.