CK5
Register an account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members.

Thoughts on Ryobi One+ 18V tools? (Opted for Milwaukee)

TerryD

Mildly demented...
 Premium
Joined
Jul 27, 2008
Posts
5,843
Reaction score
4,185
Location
Covington, Va
I'm looking to standardize on a single battery system for all my tools.

The sheer number of things Ryobi offers for their One+ system has them leading the pack but I wanted to see if y'all have any experience with them.

I'm specifically interested in the fact that they offer a string trimmer that uses universal attachments like a pole saw and edger that I already own.

Just to muddy the water, I have an older Hitachi 18V drill and driver combo AND a Milwaukee M18 Fuel Brushless hammer drill and driver combo now and I've been super happy with both of those.

My use is DIY and intermittent for reference.
 
We have a few of them for use at home. My dad bought me a One+ cordless chainsaw and sawzall. We've used the chainsaw quite a bit and I'm pretty impressed with it for the size. The other Ryobi we use a lot is a cordless string trimmer. My sons use that and it's held up to them. I think we've only had 1 of 4 batteries go bad to where it won't take a charge. Aside from that, I have a few of my Milwaukee cordless tools at home that I use most of the time.
 
They are decent tools but I don't think they have the power of the other brands. A guy I work with was gifted a set. I used the Sawzall and impact and thought they were a bit weak. He keeps them at home for odd jobs and has his Dewalt in the van for working. For some DIY they are probably fine but I never see them on construction sites, its only red and yellow on the pro jobs.
 
Ugh... y'all gonna make me drop a G-note on a weedeater huh......
 
Ryobi is typically only a bit better then the Covid freight. In fact with covid freight stepping up there game in the tool market they might be worse ......
 
Honestly I was 100% on board with the Milwaukee until their string trimmer took a propriety attachment system. That really stuck in my craw for some reason. I think it's the fact that I've gotta spend another $400 on attachments I ALREADY HAVE to upgrade to their trimmer.

The red tax (like green tax with John Deere) doesn't bother me that much. It's just their unwillingness to use the most widely used attachment option (even f'n Stihl is on board with this).
 
Ryobi is typically only a bit better then the Covid freight. In fact with covid freight stepping up there game in the tool market they might be worse ......

Some HF tools are better than ryobi for sure. Although I don’t think the ryobi tools are all that bad for the simple/basic DIY household type of user.
 
I’ve had my ryobi stuff for about 6-7 years now. They have built multiple vehicles, changed countless engines and what not. They have lived a hard life and all I had to do was buy a new set of batteries like 3 years ago. Upgraded to the larger packs when they were on sale. They will last me all day if heavy use on a single charge.

ryobi is bottom of the barrel in the quality tool world. If I could do it all again I would buy dewalt but at the same time dewalt would have cost me way more money and these have been good enough. There is a noticeable quality difference between dewalt and ryobi. You feel it in the hand and you feel it in use.

Ryobi name is licensed to TTI who make ridgid and Milwaukee stuff too.

43B734A1-BA77-4ECB-973A-3446B9401B30.jpeg
 
Last edited:
I say pick your price point and get the best thing you can for the money. I use Dewalt daily and consider it just barely pro grade. Milwaukee the same. These tools have all been engineered to be just barely good enough to get the job done and maximize profits.
 
Bummer about the trimmer attachment. I didnt know that. I thought the first run a year ago or so was killed and then the second generation took on the attachments like everything else. That is a bad move there waukee.
 
Bummer about the trimmer attachment. I didnt know that. I thought the first run a year ago or so was killed and then the second generation took on the attachments like everything else. That is a bad move there waukee.
The first run appears to be no attachments at all. Motor at the cutting head. The newer stuff uses a splined drive instead of the standard square that the "universal" stuff uses.
 
The first run appears to be no attachments at all. Motor at the cutting head. The newer stuff uses a splined drive instead of the standard square that the "universal" stuff uses.
I love the universal system. Even tho my weed eater is a little under powered I got a weed head, a small garden filler and an edger that pops in an out easy peasy.
I’m also spread across a few tool brands. Milwaukee 12v, ryobi 18 and makita 18.

My heavy work stuff is the makita. I’ve been picking up more of the ryobis for my hobby wood work. Plus they had a Father’s Day sale of buy two batteries for $100 and get $80 worth of tools free. I’m now up to 6 ryobi batteries, 4 for Milwaukee and 4 makita.

For generic home use I’d have no problem getting all Ryobi. Especially if you have a compressor/air tools in backup. I’m actually leaning heavily towards ditching my air tools and all my corded stuff and moving towards full battery.

FB3D7098-0BA5-4888-A093-59DEBF748499.jpeg
 
Sometimes I have cheap tool envy at the covid freight and Ryobi stuff.
The problem is when I actually buy some covid stuff it ****ing breaks right away and pisses me off. Then I get on the interwebz and listen to all you keyboard warriors tell me how great their crap is.
When I never seem to be able to replicate the results. So I just save myself the frustration and try to buy a bit better stuff.
 
Sometimes I have cheap tool envy at the covid freight and Ryobi stuff.
The problem is when I actually buy some covid stuff it ****ing breaks right away and pisses me off. Then I get on the interwebz and listen to all you keyboard warriors tell me how great their crap is.
When I never seem to be able to replicate the results. So I just save myself the frustration and try to buy a bit better stuff.
I have some of those moments as well. Sometimes it’s a roll of the dice. However the deeper I get into wood projects the more I loath my ryobi jobsite table saw. I’m looking at stepping into a hybrid or cabinet style next.
 
I have some of those moments as well. Sometimes it’s a roll of the dice. However the deeper I get into wood projects the more I loath my ryobi jobsite table saw. I’m looking at stepping into a hybrid or cabinet style next.
I got a heck of a deal for you. I got a 220v Delta unisaw cabinet saw for sale or trade..... :D
 

Latest Posts

Top Bottom