Anybody use Ryobi tools?

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What do you guys think of Ryobi tools in general?  Grinders, drills, miter saws, anything.  I don't personally own any, but I am getting ready to throw some money down on some new tools.  Just looking at them, they don't look as well built as other tools.  But how do they perform?  The guy at Home Depot swears that they're the greatest thing since sliced bread.  I'm planning to get a miter saw and a cutoff saw sometime soon.  What do you guys think of the Ryobi's?Matt in OKCLincoln 175HD
Reply:Home Depot is probably pushing Ryobi because I believe that they are the exclusive distributors of Ryobi these days.  I can't swear that that arrangement is true, but I heard that rumor.  Now that I think about it, I think I heard it from another tool dealer.I have two of the Ryobi 18 volt cordless driver/drills that I like very much.  No problems with them.  I think they were a great value for the price.  Consumer's recommended these drills as a best buy a couple of years ago.   (A friend did have the gear shift mechanism go bad on his Ryobi 18 volt driver drill.)I have the Ryobi tilting miter saw that slides on two round rods and has about an 8" blade.  It has also been fine and has pretty good cutting capacity for it's weight.I also have a Ryobi power plane from about 27 years ago in a prior incarnation of the company.  It's also been fine and is a workhorse.As with all purchases, you have to look very closely at the specific tool and compare it with the competition.  I'm not sure it is a good idea to latch onto a specific brand for all tool purchases.  The only advantage I see to that approach is for cordless tools for which interchangeable batteries would be a big advantage.awright
Reply:Originally Posted by awrightAs with all purchases, you have to look very closely at the specific tool and compare it with the competition.  I'm not sure it is a good idea to latch onto a specific brand for all tool purchases.  The only advantage I see to that approach is for cordless tools for which interchangeable batteries would be a big advantage.awright
Reply:I own a least one power tool from every major brand.  I have always had good luck with most of these major brands.  What I have found with Ryobi is they are generally on the low end of the scale for price, and thus, sacrificing some quality.  If you are a professional using these tools everyday, I'd suggest staying away for Ryobi.  I bought their reciprocationg saw (sawsall) and the adjustable foot casting popped and made it unrepairable (send it to Zap, he'll fix anything).  The cost of the part was as much as the whole new unit.  This is unacceptable to me.  If you are an occasional user, weekend warrior, it may serve your purpose.  Like many of HF tools, some may be better than others and suitable for your application, depending on use.Hobart 140 Handler w/ gasHyperTherm Powermax 380 Plasmaoxy/acetylene
Reply:I know that the Ryobi weedeaters aren't worth the material that they are made of.       I would reccommend going with a better brand....
Reply:"Ryobi" translated from japanese to English means "we can't believe Americans buy this crap"
Reply:When I was quite a bit younger I bought "top of the line" tools, fully expecting them to last most of a lifetime.At the rate tools walk away and vaporize these days, I've adopted more of a pragmatic approach and tend to buy cheaper, but reasonably good tools OR buy tools I can fix from a salvage store.Had a friend helping me put up a replacement section of steel-faced wood fence (that passers-by had torn down) using my brand new DeWalt line powered 3/8" drill in a fairly rough neighborhood (Richmond, California, if you've ever heard of it).  I told my friend to never leave any tools outside unattended because it would walk.  An hour later he asked me where I put the drill he'd left outside while making a pit stop.  We got a total of about 20 holes out of that drill before it disappeared.  And then there was my IR pneumatic pavement breaker and the 36" Crescent (brand) wrench that contractors on my building seismic upgrade carried away.Bottom line is, the pleasure of having and using a top quality tool is generally short-lived for me, so I tend to think economy.  In fact, although I've never bought a HF electric tool, I'm reaching the point of trying some out.  Help!awright
Reply:I won an 18-volt drill & miter saw as a door prize.  The drill doesn't have a shaft brake, making it very difficult to tighten the chuck fully.  The miter saw takes an odd-sized blade, and the battery gets in the way in certain cutting situations.  The charger failed after about two months.My wife was doing a lot of trim work in our hourse, so I bought her a Ryobi AC miter saw.  It seems to do OK.  I recently saw an 18-volt wood saw for about $50.  I bought it and put a Panasonic metal cutting blade on it and it works well for cutting steel.  (The 18-volt Panasonic Metal Cutter lists for over $600!)  I bought a Ryobi weed eater for use at my lake house.  It's not nearly as powerful as my Green Machine, but it starts reliably and works well for my needs.I'm a Panasonic tool fan, but they're expensive and still have problems.  The Panasonic cordless drills pack a LOT of power in a small tool.
Reply:I have a Ryobi chop saw and it works fine...as fine as an abrasive chop saw can...I also have a 4" grinder.  It has my grinding wheel and works fine.  I'm just a weekend warrior though.MM175 MIGCutmaster 38 PlasmaCraftsman 30gal compressor4x6 HF bandsaw1hp HF floor drill pressRyobi Cutoff SawAssorted grindersNot enough time
Reply:I have never owned anything Ryobi. Not alot of stores even sell them around here.I'm strictly MakitaPatriot Performance AutoLincoln Power Mig 255CLincoln AC-225 StickVictor Journeyman O/AQuincy QT-5 Compressor
Reply:I had a 18v Ryobi cordless that worked great till one battery quit in 6mo of light duty use then the other went 6mo later, It would have been cheaper to buy a complete drill set from Home Depot than to replace just one battery.I stay away from Ryobi now.
Reply:Get a Milwaukee.  Good ol  USA tools.  The only complaint Ive ever seen or heard about milwaukee is their price.  The Dewault is probably the way to go on the miter saw.  They seem to have a knack for making em (I was looking at em and other brands once, and alot of the cheaper ones had play either in the slide or pivot).Oh and consider a bandsaw over the chop saw.  Its a continuing debate as to which is the king of lopping ends of stock, but the band saw is more versitile, thats not in debate.Various GrindersVictor Journeyman torch200cf Acet. 250cf oxygenLincoln 175 plus/alpha2 gunLincoln v205t tigLincoln 350mpEsab 650 plasmaWhen you can get up in the morning, Its a good day.Live each day like its your last.
Reply:I have a Ryobi chop saw.  It's at least 15 years old, if not closer to 20.  It's always seemed like it has a lot of bearing noise and seems to run with a rough sound, but it just keeps cuttin' and cuttin'.When the  drops the  stops!Check out my website at:  Tombstone 180 ACHandler 120Millermatic 210Powermax 380Harris & Victor torchesSawzallChop Saw
Reply:I have a Ryobi Abrasive chop saw for about 8-10 years.  Didn't know about Milwaukee at that time.  It's still works fine, but I wouldn't likely buy another. I rather buy a better brand saw only once.  And I'd NEVER buy any harbor freight tools, ever.
Reply:I own two ryobi grinders and several cordless drills. They work OK for me. Most in my family are DeWalt users and they all rave about how good they are. I do not know if this helps but my 2cents worth
Reply:I have this one: I've done everything with it and though I've only had it for a few years, it's done a lot as it's my main utility cutter/grinder/slag cleaner. The only bad thing about it is that it can't take cut-off wheels, so I had to make a spacer so the flange nut would hold the disk.Student on a mission.   Be the best. If I can't be the best I sure as hell won't be the worst.
Reply:I'm not totally certain the Ryobi stuff we get in the UK is the same as the US (disclaim, disclaim!), but...The 18V cordless "universal" stuff (the batteries fit all the tools in the range - rationale is you buy "bare" tools and one set of batteries) seem pretty good - workmanlike and enough power. Several builders etc I know use them, and like them. The simplicity of only having to haul one set of bateries and one charger appeals.The corded stuff seems to vary HUGELY is capability / quality. Maybe it's because there isn't an obvious visual difference between the DIY and trade ranges (compare blue and green Bosch), and the prices don't seem to have huge jumps, but I have difficulty assessing what I'm going to get. I've got a Ryobi circular saw and it's done everything I ask of it over a number of years, and then again I had a Ryobi angle grinder and it lasted six months.Bottom line from me is that if was going to use it every day I'd get blue Bosch, Makita or Metabo. If I was going to use it once a month, I'd consider Ryobi.M
Reply:I have a bunch of Ryobi 18v tools.  They are generally pretty good but certainly not "professional" quality.  Better than Black and Decker branded stuff and not up to Makita or DeWalt or Hitachi etc.  My only real complaint is that the replacement batteries are so expensive.  Otherwise they are a good bang for the buck.
Reply:I Repair Tools All Day Long  All Major Brands   Part  Are Easy To Come  Buy . But  Roybi  Had To Wait  Two Weeks For  A SwtichMy .02 Cents  And  The Main Question Is Can I Get Parts  When This Breaks Down
Reply:I have some dewalt, some makita, and some ryobi tools. Tho the designs are not as refined as Makita or Dewalt, they represent a good value. The batteries are cheap and I can loan or leave them at jobsites without worry of theft/abuse. I used a Ryobi 18v impact driver, drill, recip saw, and trim saw to renovate 3 apartments recently, all the tools are still working despite heavy use and some abuse. The building was in a bad neighborhood and I didn't want to leave the good stuff there.
Reply:Ive got both a full set of Ryobi and Dewalt "box sets".  Have had both set for about 4 years now.  Bought the Dewalt and not a month later got the Ryobi free.  Thought that I'd torture...no, TORTURE the Ryobi tools on jobs that I just dont want to tear up the Dewalts (and use the D's when I dont want to tear up the Ryobi's).Funny thing is that Ive really given the Ryobi kit a run for its money and its still kicking strong.  Batteries last well too, and rarely do I use the Dewalts.  Ive built two homes and done a ton of remodeling on my home, restored my truck, etc.  For the cost its been great.  Thinking about it now I could almost buy three sets of Ryobis to one set of Dewalt.  I'd be hard pressed to spend more since its worked for me (luckily)!  As I type this I am also considering my Ryobis to my little brother to begin the torture of my dusty Dewalts.  They've lasted this long, but dont know if they'll last for 4 more years...ThermalArc 185MillerMatic 180 w/ AutosetVictor Cutskill Oxy/AcetyleneThermal Dynamics Cutmaster 38and spite!
Reply:i bought a ryobi stick welder and never again will i look at buying a ryobi.the amp control doesnt work and the handpeice just broke one day.never again.
Reply:Hd has a 7 pc. ryobi 18v kit on for cheap ($180 but an insider I know tells me wait, it'll be $99 soon enough.) I can't go wrong for that price.If it hits that price I'll be a ryobi tool owner. Then let the fun begin.(Geez, I paid $99 just for a 12v drill not that many years ago)Craftsman 230a Buzz-box,  Lincoln 140T & 180T, Century K2789, PUROX W202 O/A14" cheapo chop saw that cuts straight and square!A toolbox of the cheapest Chinese tools money can buy"Real" tools all old reliable Husky/Craftsman/Proto stuff
Reply:Had a 12"Ryobi cut off saw, lasted for 25 years, cut thicker steel than recommended with it many times.Replaced it with a 14" Metabo when it eventually burnt out.
Reply:i have several ryobi power tools, to many to name, they are quality tools, all mine are still working.Cummins tools has some pretty good deals on Ryobi tools from time to time.http://www.cumminstools.com/
Reply:underaged, one side of the of the nut on your grinder should be flat, and on side should have a raised ridge, just use the flat part for cut of wheels (turn the nut upside down)
Reply:Can't endorse Ryobi on my own experience.  But I bought a Delta 12" compound miter saw in the spring of '06 and cut well over 1800 sq ft of laminate flooring with it and then built a deck and it's one bad hombre.  I certainly respect Dewalt and Makita but I'm not a contractor so I couldn't justify the price myself.  I just know when I throw the switch to that Delta it will turn and burn.I got mine at Menard's but I don't know if they even have that store where you live, they have many stores in the upper midwest.Good luckFlatliner
Reply:I've used Dewalt as long as I've owned cordless tools. Dad has had Ryobi for the last 4 or so. In the last couple years I wondered why I kept buying the expensive stuff. We started remodeling the basement and I now remember why. Let me start off by saying the quallity of thr tools are very close. Its just after intense use that I've founf the dewalts last longer before needing a charge, and they seem to have more torque. Aside from that, I have no bad things to say about them. If you don't plan on useing any of the cordless tools, I guess this was for nothing, but someone might find it usefull. I don't think you will be disapointed either way.
Reply:I have had my 14" Ryobi chop saw for years, no complaints. The wife got me an 18 Volt Ryobi sawzall type saw and it is ok for the money . My general opinion is that they are OK tools for the money.
Reply:I rather dislike these threads because you get people like myself that pile onto the brand they hate. In this case it's Ryobi.My Ryobi chopsaw worked great for me. It always cut. The only problem was that it would pop circuit breakers all the time (15amp). That's not the saw's fault. Sometimes I applied more pressure than I should have.So I never had any problems with it until one day the motor shut off and that was it. No warning or anything. No big. Take it to the shop to be repaired under warranty. Warranty claim was declined. Tried to pay to have it repaired only to find that the repair parts were more than what I paid for it in the first place.Last time I bought Ryobi.Now go ahead and take my true story and put in any other brand name you want. On this forum you will find guys who both love and hate the same brand and model tool. Some of us are harder on tools than others, while some of us got tools made on Friday or Monday.Lincoln Power Mig 210MP MIGLincoln Power Mig 350MP - MIG and Push-PullLincoln TIG 300-300Lincoln Hobby-Weld 110v  Thanks JLAMESCK TIG TORCH, gas diffuser, pyrex cupThermal Dynamics Cutmaster 101My brain
Reply:Well, I will pile on a little late.  I completely rebuilt my home after Ivan destroyed it by saltwater flooding using a Ridgid Table saw, Ridgid 12" Compound Miter saw, and a 6 year old Ryobi 18v drill with 2 new batteries.  Hung a 3000 sq ft home worth of sheetrock with screws and did all cabinets, electrical etc with the drill.  Then I built a wood shadow box fence around 3/4 acre, 12 screws per board...  Batteries are bad now so I will buy a new Ryobi 18v set.  CANNOT beat the Ridgid tools for cost vs. quality.
Reply:I've got several in my hobbyist level workshop.  So far I have not had any problems with any of them, either corded or cordless.  I have an older 4" grinder that I have used and abused the be-jesus out of, and it still works fine.  My cordless sawz-all took a beatin' on a hunting lease a few years ago and it still works great.  Of all of the Ryobi stuff that I have, I would say that I was least satisfied with the little cordless circular saw I got in a kit; just not enough poop in 'er pants to do real work.  No doubt, they are not contractor level tools.  But for home/hobby use, I would say they are at least on par with the Northern tool and HF stuff.cricman
Reply:i will say for everyday use i would probably get something else. for weekend etc  you cant beat the price. one cool thing they have is if you already have a tool with 2 batteries you can buy another tool to go with it and use the same batteries you own which lowers the price of add ons. i would rate the ryobi along with B&D firestorm as for grinders ive had hf cheapie grinders that have outlasted a top notch dewalt and bosh grinder so i guess it depends on the tool good luck  one more tip ask them what there return rate is on them and as always dont take the salesman's word for it350P 30A spool gun cut master 51  syncro 250 other stuff " take a dog off the street and make him prosper and he will not bite you sad the same cannot be said for man" i didnt use punctuation just to piss you off
Reply:Bought 7 pc. cordless kit. The batteries wouldn't last long after about a year, but thats with everyday use (use the cordless drill for putting in electrical devises, and drilling). But for the price, we sure got our money's worth! The cordless saws all, and cordless skill saw use the batteries fast!
Reply:I had the cordless set with everything from drill to light.  I was not happy with it.  It worked and everything, did some drywall work with it but it seemed underpowered and sorta rinky dinky.I now use all dewalt for cordless and corded power tools.  My dewalt 18v drill has twice the power, my dewalt 4 1/2" grinder has twice the torque.  But jeez, I can hardly afford dewalt.
Reply:I have built over 125 new homes in the last 10  years along with countless deck, re-models, and additions. In the beginning I purchased an 18v Dewalt set (1/2" drill, 5 3/8" circular saw) when they first came out in '97.  I tried a Ryobi set as a back up some years ago and the tools didn't last 2 weeks, even with occasional use.  My Dewalt tools all beat to he** but still work fine.  Other than new batteries every couple of years, I've never had any issues with Dewalt.  I avoid Ryobi tools like the plague!
Reply:old threadI have the small Ryobi 4 1/2" $32 angle grinder from Home Depot. I use this for cutting, grinding, and sander with the conversion kit thingy mabob. 2 years and its still running strong! I might buy another one so i dont have to swap disks all the time. With 10% military discount its only $29 Lincoln 140 HD
Reply:Originally Posted by KC10ChiefWhat do you guys think of Ryobi tools in general?  Grinders, drills, miter saws, anything.  I don't personally own any, but I am getting ready to throw some money down on some new tools.  Just looking at them, they don't look as well built as other tools.  But how do they perform?  The guy at Home Depot swears that they're the greatest thing since sliced bread.  I'm planning to get a miter saw and a cutoff saw sometime soon.  What do you guys think of the Ryobi's?
Reply:Ive burned up a bunch of the cheap ryobi corded drills real fast. (I didnt buy them) my father had a ryobi cordless sawzall that was absolute garbage. I would never spend a dime on that company myself. Most milwaukee tools are NOT made in the USA. You'd be hard pressed to find any cordless tool made here. Some milwaukee corded drills are still usa.... maybe... changes with the weather. At work I use and abuse milwaukee, dewalt metabo bosch and hilti. Hilti and metabo are at the top of my list for quality. Panasonic has some excellent batteries. I have a cordless hammer drill by panasonic in my gangbox right now, and some cordless drills. Milwaukee makes a good product in general. we beat the hell out of their portabands and drills. It takes a decent amount of abuse to smoke them.I have a 9" dewalt grinder thats spent its life on the pipeline and is probably 15 years old still kickin like new.Ryobi is short on features and short on quality. Not worth it.anyone ever use that german company fein tools? heard theyre real good.Local 597
Reply:Saw this 1st, "metal chop saw recommendations?"I'm happy with my 36yr old ryobi 14" chopsawLast edited by cornemuse; 04-29-2012 at 02:29 PM.Reason: remove
Reply:I bought a Craftsman cordless drill combo, came with a free battery promo by mail, sent it in and got a Ryobi battery for the drill? Kind of threw me for a moment. Sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk 2
Reply:i once paid $99 in home depot for one of those packages they display..ryobli drill, 5" circular saw, flashlight and radio. radio was the only thing that wasnt trash. drill chuck liked to get loose on its own. flashlight bulb crapped out and hd had a dewalt-made bulb  available for $10..saw was nice for light cuts but the battery would only last a few minutes. and after a while, the batteries wouldnt take any charge at all. keep walking...
Reply:I am a fan of the ryobi tools, especially the 18v one plus....based on cost vs quality. I  have no complaints and the blade locking mechanism on the reciprocating saw and hand held jig saw cant be beat.bobs77vet/37ford4drEastwood digital TIG200HH190Lincoln Invertec 155sLincoln weldpak 100sears/craftsman (lincoln) 50a 240v buzz boxO/A rig Harris gaugesnexion cut 50 dxchicago electric (HF) 240v spot welder
Reply:I have the whole kit and it's good for what I use them for. I just bought a couple of those lithium ion batteries and they last a lot longer, just expensive tho.Will   Supports Autism Awareness                            My ToysBobCat 225 PLusMillermatic 130Miller Spectrum 300 CutmateEverlast Power Tig 185 Micro April is Autism Month .
Reply:I use to have saw/flashlight/saw combo, it had a thin rubber coating, was a great set of tools.  I used that set daily for years.  When both batteries were finally done I had a rubber band holding the battery in the drill.  I had broken the lower part of the drill using it as hammer.  Although it's not strong or long lasting as my new Makita, it was one third the price, it was however much better than the dewalt it replaced.  I did look at Ryobi to replace the old set but did not like the 'plastic' feel of the new ones.Cheers, Tom
Reply:Originally Posted by archerI had a 18v Ryobi cordless that worked great till one battery quit in 6mo of light duty use then the other went 6mo later, It would have been cheaper to buy a complete drill set from Home Depot than to replace just one battery.I stay away from Ryobi now.