This is a long and detailed article all about Ryobi One+ cordless tools. When you start thinking about buying tools, and especially power tools, it can often be a difficult decision to know exactly which brand to go with. Around 10-15 years ago most power tools were electric corded products that you plugged into the main's electricity.
That market has been transformed in the United Kingdom and now people are buying cordless tools which are powered by a Lithium-Ion battery that can be recharged.
All the big tool brands such as Dewalt, Makita, Bosch, Ryobi etc all have a whole variety of cordless power tools, and it can be really tough knowing which brand to go for. The other big question is should you just stick with one brand for all the different types of power tools?
In this article we are going to explain what the Ryobi company has to offer in terms of tools, batteries and chargers and if it makes sense to go with the Ryobi brand? In particular we will explore the Ryobi 18V ONE+™ system where one battery can power a range of over 150 different power and garden tools.
Ryobi Power Tool Summary
Just below you will find a complete buying guide for Ryobi tools explaining everything you will ever need to know about Ryobi tools for the home and garden. We think that what makes Ryobi different from most of the other tool brands is that they do a full range of power tools for both the home and the garden
Many other tool brands focus on tools like drills and saws and although they may have a few garden products such as hedge trimmers, they don't have a wide range of garden tools. Ryobi do have this and they all operate off the same battery.
The really important things to know, when buying any brand of tool are:
- What range of tools do they have that you would like to own?
- Are Ryobi tools good value?
- Are Ryobi tools built to last?
- Do Ryobi tools have spares and accessories available?
- Is Ryobi customer service in the UK and is it any good?
- How good is their warranty and guarantee?
We answer all of these questions below so as you can decide if Ryobi is the brand for you?
What Range of Tools do Ryobi Make?
Let's start with their power tools. Anything listed below works off their ONE+ 18V Battery and there is quite a list. (150 and growing)Their product range includes tools for cleaning, combo kits, drilling and screwdriving, grinding and polishing, inflators, pumps and compressors, instruments, lighting, multi-tools, nailers and staplers, sanding, planing and routing, sawing and finally a few specialist power tools.
These are primarily sold as tool only (without the battery and charger)
Please note we have used average Retail prices and these may vary depending on where you make your actual purchase.
Ryobi Power Tools
Please note we have provided links in the table. If you click on the tool name, you can read more about that particular range of tools.
Tool | No of Models | Average Price |
|---|---|---|
Air Compressors/Inflators | 5 | £31-180 |
Angle Grinders | 5 | £95-170 |
1 - R18BS-0 ONE+ | £110 | |
Palm Sander | 1 | £47 |
Random Orbit Sander | 1 | £73 |
Workshop blower | 1 | £56 |
Buffer/Polisher | 2 | £56-105 |
Caulking gun (power) | 1 | £77 |
Cut off tool | 1 | £110 |
Debris sweeper | 1 | £199 |
Die grinder | 1 | £130 |
Drain auger | 1 | £105 |
Drill/Drivers | 6 | £110 |
Drill Right Angle | 2 | £110 |
Drill Combi Hammer | 7 | £75-160 |
Fans | 3 | £30-150 |
3 - RGL18-0 18V ONE+, R18GLU-0 18V ONE+, and the RGLM18-0 18V ONE+ | £37-52 | |
Grease guns | 1 | £168 |
Heat guns | 1 | £85 |
Impact drivers | 8 | £74-135 |
Impact wrenches | 4 | £120-185 |
Laser | 3 | £52-80 |
Moisture metre | 1 | £52 |
Multi-Tools | 3 | £85-120 |
Nailers | 3 | £210-260 |
Planers | 2 | £95-121 |
Power file | 1 | £95 |
Radios/Speakers | 5 | £51-131 |
Ratchet wrenches | 3 | £115 -160 |
Rotary Tools | 2 | £73-95 |
Routers | 1 | £105 |
Circular saws | 7 | £84-160 |
Jigsaws | 3 | £85-145 |
Mitre saws | 2 | £178-295 |
Multi-material saws | 1 | £135 |
Reciprocating saws | 6 | £77-155 |
Tile saws | 1 | £90 |
Soldering Irons | 1 | £52 |
1 | £115 | |
Water transfer pump | 1 | £105 |
Starter Kits | 21 | £82-400 |
Ryobi also have some very good starter kits - These are various combination of tools, along with batteries and charger.
e.g A jigsaw, with two 2.0Ah batteries, charger and case for around £150, OR,
a cordless compact combi drill, two 1.5Ah batteries, charger and case for £157
These starter sets can get you the tool that you want to own and you also have the battery and charger which can then be used with all their other tools. When that is the case you can but any other tool as a "tool only" option.
Ryobi Power Garden Tools
Ryobi also make power tools that can be used in the garden or yard. They include the 18V ONE+™ system. For extra power, you can choose the 36V MAX POWER range of garden tools for petrol-equivalent performance but without the noise and mess of using petrol.
Tool | Number of models | Average Price |
|---|---|---|
Battery Inverters | 1 | £52 |
Blowers/Vacuums | 8 | £65-150 |
Brush cutters | 3 | £142-178 |
Cultivators | 1 | £189 |
Edgers | 1 | £115 |
Foggers | 1 | £136 |
Grass shears | 1 | £73 |
Grass trimmers | 7 | £55-157 |
Hedge trimmers | 9 | £61-190 |
Pole hedge trimmers | 3 | £126-140 |
Lawnmowers | 6 | £105-346 |
Loppers | 2 | £120-230 |
Pressure washers | 2 | £136-140 |
Pruners | 5 | £99-140 |
Chainsaws | 6 | £90-210 |
Pruning saws | 1 | £100 |
Pole saws | 2 | £125-131 |
Scarifiers | 1 | £230 |
Secateurs | 1 | £115 |
Seed spreaders | 1 | £65 |
Hand vacuums | 3 | £37-47 |
Stick vacuums | 1 | £180 |
Wet & Dry vacuums | 1 | £126 |
Weed sprayers | 1 | £61 |
Ryobi Hand Tools & Storage
Ryobi also make around 20 tools classed as hand tools and storage.
Tool | Number of models | Average Price |
|---|---|---|
Storage cabinets | 1 | £105 |
Framing Hammer | 1 | £21 |
Lanyards | 1 | £21 |
Safety glasses | 1 | £13 |
Spirit levels | 3 | £6-26 |
Thermometers | 1 | £136 |
Tool bags | 11 | £47 |
Tool boxes | 2 | £42-58 |
Torches/Lights | 3 | £26-86 |
USB chargers | 1 | £126-140 |
Work bench | 2 | £51-110 |
Ryobi Tool Accessories
It is worth knowing that power tools all have accessories. It can be very important when considering any brand, if they have spare parts available, and what accessories they stock.
- Angle grinder cutting kits, angle grinder nuts
- Blades - Circular saw blades, Grass shear blades, Jigsaw blades, Lawnmower blades, Lopper blades, Mitre saw blades, Multi-material saw blades, Planer blades, Pole lopper blades, Pruning saw blades, Reciprocating saw blades, Tile saw blades
- Blower/Vacuum bags
- Buffers pads
- Brushes - Artificial Turf cleaning brush, Debris sweeper brushes, Nylon brushes, Scouring brushes, Scrubbing brushes, Sponge brushes, Wood scrubbing brushes, Wire brushes
- Chainsaw bars, Chainsaw chains
- Debris catchers
- Drill bits - Chisel bits, Drill Bit Sets, Screwdriver bit sets, Hole saws, HSS drill bits, Masonry drill bits, Spade drill bits, Wood drill bits
- Floor care kits
- Grass trimmer spools, grass trimmer heads
- Harnesses
- Impact socket sets
- Multi-tool accessories - Carpentry accessories, Grout removal, Tiling accessories
- Pole pruner bars
- Polishing pads
- Pressure Washers - Detergents, Filters, Foam jet nozzles, Horizontal brushes, Hoses, Lances, Multi-purpose brushes, O-rings, Surface cleaners, Trigger guns, Water tanks
- Right angle adaptors, Offset adaptors, Drill adaptors
- Rotary tool accessories
- Router cutters
- Sander pads - sheets
- Vacuum - Hand vac filters, Vac accessory kits
Ryobi Batteries
Batteries are vitally important for doing any work away from a mains power source. The Ryobi ONE+™ range of batteries and chargers fit with over 150 other tools in the same system.
They come in various storage sizes and have a four stage fuel gauge which displays remaining power at 100%, 75%, 50% and 25% so you know when it's time to recharge.
They also have a 36V battery for extra power and should be used with the power garden tools such as Blower/Vacuums, Grass strimmers, Hedge trimmers and Lawnmowers
- 18V One+ 1.5Ah battery
- 18V One+ 2.0Ah battery
- 18V One+ 3.0Ah battery
- 18V One+ 4.0Ah battery
- 18V One+ 5.0Ah battery twin pack
- 18V One+ 9.0Ah battery
- 36V Max Power 2.0Ah Battery
- 36V Max Power 4.0Ah Battery
- 36V Max Power 5.0Ah Battery
- 36V Max Power 6.0Ah Battery
- 36V Max Power 9.0Ah Battery
Battery Capacity Explained
The capacity of a battery is measured in Ampere Hours (Ah). You can buy batteries in different Ah sizes. The easiest way to understand the difference is that the bigger the Ah rating, the longer the battery will last.
Unfortunately the bigger the Ah rating is, the more expensive the battery will be.
Ryobi Battery Chargers
You do need a charger to charge the Ryobi batteries. We have listed those just below:
- 18V One+ 1.5Ah battery charger
- 18V One+ 2.0Ah battery charger
- 18V One+ 5.0Ah battery charger
- 18V One+ In Car battery charger
- 18V One+ 2.7A 6-Port battery charger
- 18V One+ 1.5Ah battery and 2.0A charger kit
- 18V One+ 4.0Ah battery and 1.5A charger kit
- 36V Max Power 6A Fast Charger
- 36V Max Power 1.7A battery charger
Ryobi One+ Tool Buying Guide
Just below you will find an extensive buying guide for Ryobi tools.
Are Ryobi Tools Good Value?
In the tool range shown above we have shown average prices. So how to Ryobi tools compare with other brands. Generally speaking when it comes to tools they fall into three price ranges, cheap, mid-range and high end.
Cheaper Tool Brands
There are brands such as Black & Decker, Terratek, Mylek, Hychika, Wakyme, Essgoo etc. These tools are made for home use mainly and are really aimed at the person who needs to do the odd bit of DIY from time to time.
Mid-Range Tool Brands
These are brands such as Bosch, Ryobi, Einhell, Draper, Evolution etc. These are high quality tools and made for home use and for professional use. With reference to the home user these tools are made for serious DIYers and for regular use. Some trades people will also use these tools for particular trades such as electricians, plumbers and construction.
High End expensive Tool Brands
These are brands such as Dewalt, Makita, MIlwaukee, Irwin etc. These brands make their tools for professionals and trade people to use on an everyday basis. They are extremely high quality, very well made, built to last but they do cost a lot of money.
Ryobi sit in the mid-term price range when compared to other brands. Their tools are not cheap but they are not as expensive as the higher end brands such as Dewalt and Makita.
Ryobi tools are similar in price to Bosch and Einhell and all of these brands get very good satisfaction buyer ratings. The build on these tools is very good and they all have good support and customer service.
Is Ryobi One+ Any Good?
The Ryobi ONE+ system offers a wide range (over 150 tools) that can all be used with one battery. Their tools are very good quality, lightweight but durable with very good features. They are certainly very good value for money, offer good warranties and an excellent customer service as well.
What makes Ryobi different to other brands is that they have a wider selection of tool types, and they keep their battery and charger selection much simpler to understand.
Are Ryobi Tools built to last?
The bottom line is that the length of time tools last is related to how well they are made, how often they are used and how well they are looked after. We know having read thousands of reviews that we only noticed a few complaints about faults.
It would be less than 1% and that is always a very good sign. They use metal for their gears and motors so avoid plastic if they can. That means they will last longer.
Is Ryobi Good Quality?
We would recommend Ryobi tools as they are very good quality. Almost every tool they make gets very high customer satisfaction ratings. In addition to that Ryobi are constantly updating their tools by introducing features such as brushless motors which greatly extend the lifetime of any tool.
Do Ryobi tools have spares and accessories available?
We have shown above the full list of accessories that they have on offer. They have a full list of instruction manuals, spare parts and accessories. You can find those out by using the service number on your Ryobi tool.
On their website they also have a very useful video page which you can find by clicking here.
Ryobi Customer Service
They do have a UK customer service
Address:
Techtronic Industries (UK) Limited
Suite A, Second Floor,
Marlow International,
Parkway,
Marlow,
SL7 1YL
United Kingdom
Telephone Number 0333 006 9474
Ryobi Registration & Warranty
Ryobi offer a 3 year warranty for all of their electric and cordless tools, including the 18V ONE+ System and the 36V range of tools.* The 3 year warranty on their battery powered or electric tools, excluding accessories and component subject to natural and normal wear and tear, please refer to their warranty conditions in the user’s manual for the complete conditions.
The standard warranty is 2 years however if you register that gets extended from 2 to 3 years for battery powered and electric tools.
Understanding Bare Tools (Tool Only)
This is the real dilemma and it is what makes the brand decision really difficult. For any cordless tool to work, you need a battery, and you need a charger to power that battery when it runs out.
So before you buy any power tool you should know that there is a cost to buy your first battery and your first charger. Depending on the brand the cost for both of those can sit between £90-300. In our opinion that is a big expense and a big decision for anyone to make.
Once you own a battery and charger, then it opens up what manufacturers refer to as either "Tool only" or "Bare Tools." These are power tools that can be bought without a battery or charger and as such will be cheaper to buy.
That is because they will work with a compatible branded battery and charger.
Ryobi Brand
The Ryobi brand is part of the Techtronic Industries Company Limited TTI Group. This group also owns brands such as Hoover, Milwaukee, AEG, Kango, VAX etc. The group is a world leader in Power Tools, Accessories, Hand Tools, and Outdoor Power Equipment. They are based in Hong Kong with world wide distribution.
Ryobi Make power tools, garden tools, hand tools, batteries and chargers and much more. They are best known for their 18V ONE+™ system where one battery can power a range of over 150 different power and garden tools.
Our Summary of the Ryobi Brand
We have used a lot of Ryobi tools and they are in our opinion very good. They all work really well and we genuinely have no complaints with them. If we had to compare them to another brand then we would pick the Bosch home collection of power and garden tools.
There are lots of other tool and garden brands in the UK market who are much cheaper than Ryobi. They offer some good tools but are very limited in the range of tools they offer. They don't have UK customer service and when we search for replacement parts such as a simple replacement battery we really struggled to find them.
Likewise there are many brands who offer better quality and engineered tools such as Makita and Dewalt. They really do tick all of the boxes but the price points for these will send most people running. The higher end brands make their tools for the trades like construction, engineering, builders, plumbers etc.
They will use all metal transmissions, all metal gears and brushless motors and that pushes the prices up. They are designed for daily use and when that is the case they will always be more expensive.
Ryobi tools are aimed at the home owner, offer a wide selection of tools for the home and garden, use a simple battery and charger solution and also support those well with good warranties, good customer service and a high availability of spare parts and accessories.