Ryobi Tools Review: Is Ryobi a Good Brand?

Ryobi tools are everywhere. You can find this brand of tools in virtually all Home Depot stores. And you can also find these tools well-stocked on Amazon. We’ve been wanting to dig into this brand a little more for a while, so we decided it’s time for an in-depth Ryobi Tools review.

We’ll be looking at the history of the brand, quality and what types of tools they offer.

Ryobi Tools Review

Who Makes Ryobi Tools?

Ryobi Tools is a brand under the Ryobi Limited brand. If you have seen these tools in stores, there’s a good chance that you saw them in The Home Depot where they’re exclusively sold. There was a time when Ryobi did sell their tools in Sears.

The company purchased Diehl Motor Company, the former supplier of Sears power tools, and sold their tools to the retailer afterward.

Ryobi Limited manufactures a variety of products and first opened its doors in 1943. Over the past 70+ years, the company has continued to innovate and has become a well-known brand of electric power tools.

Ryobi Power Tools is actually a brand of Techtronic Industries, but the brand is licensed to the Ryobi Limited brand.

Where are Ryobi Tools Made?

Ryobi operates numerous manufacturing plants with 12 facilities spread over six countries. The company has been operating a single manufacturing plant in Shelbyville, Indiana. If you’re looking for American made tools, Ryobi is not the brand that you’ll want to choose.

It was thought that the brand had their tools in the 80s and early 90s manufactured in the US, but they’re now made primarily in China.

The US plant is designated for manufacturing many of the accessories offered by Ryobi.

But you’ll find that it’s difficult to beat the price of manufacturing in China. Most of the major brands outsource their manufacturing to China because it saves a ton of money in expenses.

Tool Range

Ryobi continues to innovate and introduce new tools to market. The company, unlike many of their competitors, has a variety of tools that you can choose from. Power tools that the company provides includes:

• Drills.
• Drivers.
• Woodworking tools.
• Metalworking tools.
• Specialty items.
• Plumbing tools.
• Nailers.
• Staplers.
• Compressors.
• Inflators.

If you need a power tool, there’s a good chance that Ryobi sells it. You’ll find some very powerful brad nail guns, electric pole saws, speed drills, impact wrenches, grinders, reciprocating saws, and many other items.

Ryobi also understands that equipment can and will break, so the company offers OEM parts for fixing your broken tools. We know from all of the reviews that we’ve read and our own research that the company’s tools are not prone to breaking.

The tools may be made in China, but they’re some of the best tools to come out of China’s factories.

Ryobi Quality – Are Ryobi Tools Good?

Quality is what makes or breaks a tool. When we shop, we know that lower-priced tools come with some form of a quality drop. You cannot expect a budget power tool to have the same longevity as a high-end brand – it won’t happen.

But Ryobi is an affordable brand that isn’t high-end, nor is it cheap.

A lot of the brand’s tools are actually well-made and can outlast some of the higher-end brands.

In fact, we have seen many plumbers and contractors buy Ryobi power tools because:

• Prices are cheaper.
• Batteries last longer.
• Tools hold up for 5+ years.

Other higher-end brands, for example, sells drills, but the batteries to keep these tools going are very expensive. Since the batteries don’t last long, people go to Ryobi because you can purchase multiple batteries for cheap.

Don’t expect the batteries to last longer than a year with regular usage, but they’re also so affordable that it’s cheap to replace the battery.

We will say that it can be a hit-or-miss with some tools.

Multi-tools are especially prone to breakage, but you can return the tool for a refund or replacement. Other consumers have dozens of Ryobi power tools in their garage or workshop that are running fine after years and years of use.

Consumer Reviews

When we looked up any Ryobi power tool, we were happy to find that most tools had a 4- to 4.8 rating even after a lot of reviews. Consumers have a good opinion about the company, and the rave reviews show that the tools are actually of decent quality.

We read through a lot of reviews, and what we found was:

• Some of the tools are slightly heavy, but when using better overall material to make the tools, the additional heft is not an issue.
• Nailers, for example, need a little more oil to ensure that they don’t jam. Add a touch of oil to your unit, and you’ll find that firing is smooth and jams are kept to a minimum.
• Batteries work great when they’re working and offer longer operation than competing models.

Overall, people are satisfied with the company’s quality and don’t seem to have many issues with the brand. People say that their products work well and are a good value.

Different tools do have different reviews and comments.

For example, some impact drivers don’t have the same level of torque as other models, and this is an obvious complaint for a lot of consumers.

Top 3 Ryobi Power Tools Reviews

Ryobi is known for their kits and multi-tools. Budget-friendly yet durable, the following tools, based on our research, are some of the company’s absolute best tools.

1. Ryobi P883 Contractor’s Kit

The P883 is a contractor’s kit, and what this means is that you’ll be able to purchase a wide array of tools in one compact kit. Since all of the tools are from Ryobi, you also benefit from one point of contact if you need to return the tools or call in a warranty to have the tools repaired or replaced for you.

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Ryobi includes two P102 lithium-ion batteries that provide 1.3 amps of power each hour and are designed to be lightweight. The lighter weight allows you to confidently use the power tools overhead or in different positions without suffering from fatigue.

All tools are electric-powered, and the entire set comes with six pieces.

Ryobi offers this set of power tools because they want to make it as quick and easy as possible for homeowners and contractors to select the tools they need for most jobs. Instead of buying a high-priced single tool, you’re paying a little more for three tools and getting a significant break on the price of the tools.

If you’re on the market for your first power tools, you can’t go wrong with this contractor’s kit.
Battery life depends on the tool you’re using and the intensity of the project. But you will be happy to know that the battery will recharge within just 20 minutes, and Ryobi has also included a carry bag that you can keep all of your tools in for easy transport.

2. Ryobi P340 Cordless Multi-Tool

Ryobi’s P340 is a cordless multi-tool that comes with the P570 and P246 head. Offered as a bare tool, you will need to purchase a battery to be able to power this unit. The unit is feature-rich and includes a robust set of features.

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What’s nice about this unit is that you’re purchasing one tool that can do the job of many. Since Ryobi allows you to swap out different heads for different jobs, you can quickly and easily switch heads for one use to the next.

A few of the many jobs that you can complete with this tool and all of its accessories are:

• Sand furniture.
• Clear group.
• Cut wood, drywall or plastic.

Inside of the package, you’ll also find six sanding pads that will last you through quite a few projects before they need to be replaced. You’ll want to use the Ryobi One batteries which are 18V lithium-ion batteries.

Ryobi knows that you may prefer attachments and accessories from other manufacturers, and you can use these same accessories with the P340.

Rigid brand heads fit very well on this model and will allow you to use the heads flawlessly. You can even use a diamond pad for more enhanced sanding, but you will want to make sure that the pad has a Velcro back to attach it properly.

Fast and effective, this is a multi-tool that you can begin using right out of the box if you have a battery to operate the unit. Overall, this is a quality tool that has the potential to act as your base tool for a variety of sander and saw attachments.

Homeowners are the main buyers for this tool, and they will not be disappointed by the quality and longevity of it. If you’re a DIYer, this is a great value buy.

3. Ryobi Portable Power Inflator

If you don’t have one of these tools in your garage, it’s time to buy one. Ryobi’s portable inflator is a great option if you have bikes, boats or automobiles that have tires that need to be inflated.

Since tires will need inflation at some point, this tool offers some unique features at a great price.

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Small enough to strap to your bicycle, this unit can work on both sports’ equipment, such as basketballs and footballs or on a bike or automobile tires. The unit is powered by an 18V battery and has a 2” pressure gauge that’s easy to read.

Storage is built into the unit with a storage compartment that will hold all items, including your bits and nozzles.

Using the ONE+ battery system, you can use the portable inflator with any of the ONE+ power sources, making it even more beneficial to use all of Ryobi’s tools.

Inflation is very quick, depending on what type of tire you plan on inflating. You can quickly inflate lawn mower tires or a ball, but when it comes to truck tires, be prepared to wait. Larger tires that are completely flat can take a while to inflate.

You may want a more powerful tire inflator for a truck tire if you plan on having to inflate the tire often.

Otherwise, this is a great backup tool that will provide you with years of use and is very handy when you need it. We don’t think you’ll use this tool weekly or even monthly, but when your tire or ball deflates, it’s a fast, practical way to inflate them.

Is Ryobi a Good Brand?

Ryobi is a great brand. We’ve had the pleasure of reviewing a lot of brands, and this isn’t one of the cheaper brands like Chicago Electric. You will pay a decent price for Ryobi power tools, but the price is more in the mid-range than it is in the high-end range.

What you’ll get with Ryobi is a great quality tool at an affordable price.

Most of the tools work great, and you’ll find that the batteries are rather affordable compared to other tools in this tier.

During our Ryobi tools review, we found that the power tools last long, consumers rate these tools highly and they’re the perfect power tools for homeowners. Commercial contractors may want higher-end power tools, but most DIYers will find that Ryobi is a great, low- to mid-priced range of power tools.