3 Ryobi Tools DIYers Are Pumped To Get Their Hands On This Fall

Ryobi introduced its 18V ONE+ cordless line of tools to the American market in 1996, and since then, the line has grown to include over 300 tools powered by the company's 18V ONE+ battery. This fall, the company is slated to add to the collection with a storm preparation kit, which DIYers are pumped to get their hands on. If so, it may come just in time for the intense winter weather the super El Niño is predicted to bring to the southern and southwestern parts of the country. At the same time, the company may release two other new tools that aren't part of its 18V system: a 12V rechargeable drill/driver and a 40V brushless hedge trimmer.

The storm preparation kit includes a powerful area light to get you through the power outages that typically happen during storms. It delivers 400 lumens of light output, which is roughly equivalent to the output from a 30W incandescent bulb or a 5W LED. Also included is a 4-inch clamp fan that circulates air at a rate of 180 CFM, a USB power source for charging laptops and mobile devices, a 2Ah 18V ONE+ battery and a battery charger.

The provided battery can operate the light for up to 40 hours and the fan for 13 hours at its lowest speed. Of course, anyone already committed to the Ryobi system already has compatible batteries, and if they are fully charged when a storm hits, they can provide many extra hours of light and air circulation.

The 18V battery has been the mainstay of the brand ever since Ryobi went cordless, and the battery design hasn't changed. However, in an effort to create a product line with enough power to compete with gas-powered tools, the company now sells a 40V battery and an ever-growing line of tools that use it. The latest addition is a 26-inch brushless hedge trimmer. 

All of the tools in Ryobi's high-performance (HP) line are brushless. Instead of using carbon brushes to transfer electricity to a rotor coil to energize it, a brushless motor uses electronic controllers. That eliminates frictional resistance and makes the motor more powerful and efficient. Brushless technology and the higher-voltage power source combine to produce a very powerful hedge trimmer, and because brushless motors are also more compact than brushed ones, the Ryobi trimmer is lightweight and manageable. 

The 26-inch bar is the longest Ryobi offering yet, and it can handle branches with diameters up to 1 1/4 inches. The 2Ah battery that comes with the tool (if you select the battery-included option) provides up to 45 minutes of runtime per charge. If you have to work for a longer period, you can purchase an extra battery and keep one on the charger while you use the other, or you can upgrade to a 4Ah battery. The Hedgesweep debris remover, which clamps onto the bar and makes it easy to clear cuttings while you're working, is a good additional purchase.  

In another departure from the 18V ONE+ system, Ryobi plans to release a 12V rechargeable drill/driver in the near future. Unlike most other Ryobi tools, this drill doesn't use an external battery. Instead, the battery is enclosed in the housing, and you charge it by plugging the USB-C charging cable into a wall outlet. This drill has many of the same features as the 18V drill, including an LED work light, a variable speed trigger, and a 3/8-inch keyless chuck. It just isn't as powerful, but it makes up for that by being lighter and easier to handle. It weighs only 2.2 pounds. 

This tool could suit anyone who needs a drill for occasional use, but doesn't want to pay extra for an external battery or commit to the ONE+ system. It has enough power for many home improvement tasks, such as assembling IKEA furniture with a modified Allen key. You can even use it to grind pepper quickly. Simply remove the top from your pepper grinder, connect the shaft to the drill chuck, and grind all the pepper you need just by squeezing the trigger.

The internal battery eliminates the hassle of keeping a charger in your workshop, but you lose the ability to keep a back-up battery at the ready to replace the one you're using when it runs out. If the battery dies, you have to stop what you're doing, plug in the drill, and wait for it to charge.