Ryobi
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The Ryobi tool brand is one that vast swaths of homeowners and other tool users rely on. The brand has long been a staple of the home improvement marketplace, and even if it isn't frequently a mainstay in the tool bags of professional users, the blend of friendly pricing and high-quality inclusions makes Ryobi equipment a solid choice for many. The brand's USB Lithium range has lots of great tools to offer in scaled down form factors, but it's 18V ONE+ range is the bread and butter of just about any Ryobi tool user. These tools offer a look into the brand's full lineup, and there are over 300 compatible products that operate on the 18V ONE+ battery platform.
Lots of Ryobi's ONE+ tools garner rave reviews from users. The lineup includes numerous tools that offer niche performance, providing jobsite coverage in a variety of areas that might be a little hard to manage. Both standard tools and outdoor power equipment, as well as plenty of other solutions, run on Ryobi's 18V system, and many are excellent additions. However, not every tool can perform at its hoped-for ceiling. These five tools range from excessively helpful and affordable, to completely inadequate. Three tools feature here are big winners for the user seeking something new and potent for their workshop or home improvement collection. Two others may be worth passing on, based on feedback from users with hands-on experience with the units.
Worth it: 5-1/2-Inch Flooring Saw
Ryobi
The 18V ONE+ 5-1/2-Inch Flooring Saw is a wonderfully niche tool that delivers functionality across a surprisingly broad range of tasks. It features great reviews from users, amassing 111 buyer ratings that come out to a 4.8 star average. The flooring saw is a compact solution following in the visual footprint of a manual tile cutting tool. However, this saw offers a 5-1/2-inch blade designed to be used with LVT, hardwood, laminates, and other similar flooring material. It can deliver mitered cuts as well as rip and cross cuts, and is compatible with a 1-1/4-inch vacuum hose to clear away debris even more effectively. The tool can handle up to 240 linear feet of cutting when paired up with a 9.0Ah battery. The tool comes with a thin kerf, 24-tooth blade and cutting accessories that allow users to get right to work when buying this solution.
The purchase price, specifically, is an eye-popping feature of the unit. This is a specialty tool that delivers a significant amount of versatility for plenty of users. Flooring upgrades are a common focal point, and for under $200 this saw can significantly amplify your capabilities. It's a surprisingly low price tag for such a well received and versatile cutting element. The saw can handle a 3/4-inch cut depth and offers a rip cut capacity up to eight inches and crosscutting at a 15-inch maximum.
Worth it: HP 1/4-Inch Extended Reach Ratchet
Ryobi
Ryobi's 18V ONE+ HP 1/4-Inch Extended Reach Ratchet offers a slim head and extended reach to support increased utility in a wide range of applications. The tool's ONE+ HP designation marks it as one of Ryobi's heightened output options, as well. This ratchet features an enticing level of power production, delivering 40 ft-lbs of torque in the slimmed down body. The tool also features a rotating head that can lock into four different positions, accommodating a range of access needs and odd angles of attack. This solution is available on Ryobi's website as well as from Amazon, and both store pages feature excellent reviews. On Ryobi's website, the tool has received a 4.9 star average rating, with 48 buyers providing feedback. On Amazon, 182 reviewers gave it a 4.6 star average.
In addition to high power output, the ratchet features two LED lights to help make your workspace easier to operate in. The tool also features a variable speed trigger with a metal, paddle-style switch. This gives the tool enhanced user control, allowing you to tackle a range of tasks from simple installation to removal operations verging on the heavy-duty side.
Worth it: 3-3/8-Inch Multi-Material Plunge Saw
Ryobi
Saws are something that you can't have enough of. Home improvers and professional installers of all sorts rely on a range of cutting tools to tackle even the simplest jobs. From some of the best oscillating multitools around to track saws that can replace the straight cutting task of a table saw when necessary, lots of options tend to feature in just about any tool user's arsenal. A plunge saw is one that's a little more niche, although the Ryobi 18V ONE+ 3-3/8-Inch Multi-Material Plunge Saw makes it far more approachable than you might expect. This tool is available from Ryobi for $99. It offers multi-material cutting compatibility, including the ability to shear through nonferrous metals and tile. The result is a saw with wide-ranging applications and the ability to start cuts with a safe plunging action in the middle of a board or other workpiece (doing this with a standard circular saw gets dicey in a hurry!).
The tool operates with a 3-3/8-inch blade, and ships with cutting solutions including a wood blade, tile abrasive wheel, and metal blade. The saw can handle up to 1-inch plunge cut depths and can operate seamlessly with the help of an included edge guide to support precise straight cutting. Users give this a 4.8 star average rating across 56 reviews.
Avoid: 10-Inch Snow Shovel
Ryobi
Unfortunately, not all of Ryobi's power tools can be a hit. Some of the brand's offerings missed the mark in one way or another. For Ryobi's 18V ONE+ 10-Inch Snow Shovel, the chief complaint users report in their reviews is that the tool throws snow directly in front of its body rather than on its sides. This means that you have to carefully direct the snow shovel to successfully clean away a path or tackle patio clearance. Many users report having to operate the tool on the short length in numerous passes when clearing away the sidewalks and other places around the house. This has resulted in a 4.1 star average rating from 55 reviewers.
Even with this limitation in mind, many reviewers do like the tool and voice their approval of it. Ryobi notes that the unit is underpinned by a powerful motor that can throw snow up to 20 feet. It offers up to 20 minutes of runtime when paired with a 4.0Ah battery. This isn't going to blow you away, but it's more than enough autonomy to clear up a patio or decking area or tackle sidewalk clearance in front of your home. It features a 6-inch clearing depth and a 10-inch width that can make quick work of small snow-covered areas.
Avoid: 3-In-1 Mower, String Trimmer, and Edger
Ryobi
The Ryobi 18V ONE+ 3-In-1 Mower, String Trimmer, and Edger is a tool seeking to do big things across three important landscaping needs. However, it misses the mark on each one of these elements. Reviewers across storefronts give this tool resoundingly negative feedback on a consistent basis. At Amazon, only four buyers have reviewed the tool, but they collectively give it a 1.4 star average rating. 646 reviewers have combined to deliver a 3.5-star treatment at Home Depot, and on Ryobi's own website the outlook is only marginally better with a 3.9-star rating across 15 reviews.
The tool seeks to operate as a solution that can mow your lawn and then detach from the cut deck to run independently as an edger and trimmer. It features an adjustable cutting width between 10 and 12 inches and delivers a runtime of 20 minutes with a 4.0Ah battery. The idea is interesting, and the tool costs $149 directly from Ryobi, making it an affordable option for mowing and a potential steal when considering the added features. However, many users report that it fails to live up to expectations in a variety of ways. It cuts exceedingly slowly, for one thing. But that's only part of the story, as many reviewers note that the pivot point is easily broken, leaving you with an inoperable power tool that, having been purchased to clear multiple tools in a cluttered garage, will leave numerous holes in your collection.
Methodology
Ryobi
Each of these tools have amassed at least 50 reviews, limiting the potential for skewed results. The three tools noted with good ratings are niche enough selections that many tool users may not already have them in their collection. They also feature low price tags for the piece of equipment being discussed, making them valuable tools at a beneficial cost.
The two tools highlighted as potential options to skip have received a large quantity of bad reviews. Many specifically highlight points of failure or areas of disappointment with the tool's performance or general use. In both cases, reviews were found on Ryobi's website, while some additional ratings came from Amazon and Home Depot to add additional context.
