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And you thought I was down on Ryobi !!

Packard V8

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Mar 16, 2009
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7,380
Location
Spokane, WA
Some might recall I've mentioned my problems with Ryobi tools, batteries and chargers. However, a new neighbor took it to new heights; he gave away a new Ryobi electric mower.

Yesterday was pickup day for our garbage, recycling and yard waste. Heading out in my work truck, one block east of us, beside their household waste bin, sat a like-new Ryobi 20" electric mower; "FREE".

I always need another Ryobi battery, so I had to investigate and yes, it was complete; the battery and charger were included. "Works OK", so into the back of my truck and on to the shop. Once there, I checked it out; the battery was 3/4-charged and it ran.

Coincidentally, the first guy in the door asked how I liked my new Ryobi mower. Told him it just followed me to work, knew nothing about it. Turns out, he'd just bought one for a postage-stamp lawn. "Won't cut grass higher than a week old, won't cut wet grass, but seems OK for my little place. I paid $329 at Home Depot."

Of course, I always need another Ryobi 40-volt battery and will put the charger in reserve, but the mower would seem valueless without them. However, a look at the HD website shows them selling mower only for $250. Maybe someone with other Ryobi 40-volt system tools might pay something for it. Goes against my grain to junk a new mower, but it's lightweight for even trimming my edges. Guess I'll give it a try before I toss it, but hey, thanks for the new battery and charger!

jack vines
 
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CGarage

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Nov 23, 2018
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United States/Switzerland
I am a Bosch / Metabo / Festool guy, but I love my Ryobi hot glue gun with battery power supply.

My friend owns a Ryobi battery drill and it works well enough.

He also has a Ryobi chop saw and I really like it.

For the price, hard to beat.
 

The Cobbler

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Oct 24, 2013
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Niagara Region, Ontario, Canada
I have a mid 80's power planer by Ryobi. replaced all the bearings several years back, but it's done a ton of planing doors and other than the bearings & new carbides,maybe a belt... it does everything I ask of it . and sometimes not gently
 
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Packard V8

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Mar 16, 2009
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7,380
Location
Spokane, WA
Knowing what I know now, I'd never let a Ryobi on the place, but their genius marketing move was to keep the battery families the same as they transitioned from NiCad to LiOn.

Because it's the intro HD house brand, I've been given too many of them and like the tar baby, once you touch them, you're stuck.

Also, it's an old guy thing. I've got corded power tools more than fifty years old which I know will work perfectly the next time I pick them up. It's just hard to learn to live with the random battery and charger failures; for me, buy one good tool and that application is covered forever. Batteries are like snakes; bite you when you turn your back. Yep, old guys and battery tools will always be friction.

jack vines
 

Steve_P

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Joined
Sep 15, 2010
Messages
5,185
I'm sure we've all got plenty of corded tools with duplicates of them in cordless; I do. The reality is that cordless is way more convenient in most cases, which is why nearly everyone here has added them to their collection. By the time I can run an extension cord 50 feet to drill a hole outdoors, I can be already finished with a cordless drill.

I have three cordless Ryobi tools and they're great for the price.

Honestly, this seems like "old man yells at clouds".
 

dnschmidt

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Oct 3, 2014
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7,277
Location
Phoenix, AZ
Ryobi is what it is: Homeowner grade stuff. I like their glue gun and their cordless soldering irons. For real work I use Milwaukee, Bosch, Metabo, Makita and DeWalt.
 
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JradM

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Sep 4, 2019
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1,816
Location
Alberta
Ryobi has different grades. I think they're trying to keep users inside the battery line by introducing tools like the HP line that are intended to compete with "pro" grade tools.

I'm not suggesting the HP line is just-as-good as the newest Milwaukee Fuel or Dewalt XR, but some of the tools will in fact compete with offerings from brands like those.

On the other hand, Ryobi has cordless sanders they'll put on sale for $20, vacuums for $25, a bandfile for $79... if you think that's the same tool as the $330 Dewalt, you will be disappointed.

There are some dogs in the lineup - sounds like the mower is an example. I'm not disputing your findings - just your blanket assessment of the brand.

It depends on what you're after. Ryobi has tools you can't find anywhere else, sells some tools ridiculously cheap and encompasses a wide range of quality. If you want to use a brand name as a substitute for assessing quality, Ryobi isn't a brand you can count on.
 
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Packard V8

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Spokane, WA
Honestly, this seems like "old man yells at clouds".
This !!

Ryobi has different grades. . . . . There are some dogs in the lineup - sounds like the mower is an example. . . . .
It depends on what you're after. Ryobi has tools you can't find anywhere else, sells some tools ridiculously cheap and encompasses a wide range of quality. If you want to use a brand name as a substitute for assessing quality, Ryobi isn't a brand you can count on.
And this !!

jack vines
 

reader2580

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Dec 31, 2014
Messages
14,531
Location
Minneapolis, MN
I started with Ryobi because I bought a batch of used Ryobi stuff a good fifteen years ago to get the miter saw and staple gun. The staple gun was ****, but the miter saw is great and has cut tons of 2x4s and 2x2s for rough carpentry work. I ended up buying a Ryobi drill with two lithium-ion batteries just to get the batteries cheap. I also got a circular saw with the tool deal and it *****. I tried to use it and ended up driving a twenty minute round trip to go get my Makita cordless circular saw.

I also have the Ryobi sprayer for spraying weeds, and the pole saw. Neither are spectacular, but they are serviceable for my use. My main cordless tools are Milwaukee and Makita for the stuff that gets more use.
 
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Packard V8

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Mar 16, 2009
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Spokane, WA
I also have the Ryobi sprayer for spraying weeds, and the pole saw. Neither are spectacular, but they are serviceable for my use. My main cordless tools are Milwaukee and Makita for the stuff that gets more use.
If trying to maintain just one battery platform has the old guy yelling at clouds, just imagine what having three platforms under one roof would do. (Actually, the Ryobi 18-volt and 40-volt count as two separate battery platforms.)

jack vines
 

reader2580

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Dec 31, 2014
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Location
Minneapolis, MN
If trying to maintain just one battery platform has the old guy yelling at clouds, just imagine what having three platforms under one roof would do. (Actually, the Ryobi 18-volt and 40-volt count as two separate battery platforms.)
I bought Milwaukee M12 because they have stuff Makita does not. Way back when I got the Ryobi miter saw I don't recall anyone else having a small cordless miter saw. Certainly not Makita.
 
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