Ridgid Octane was the brand’s premium high performance 18V cordless power tool line, with the branding given to individual tools as well as a MegaMax modular tool system (shown above).
There were a lot of tools, ranging from impact drivers to angle grinders.
Octane was about performance, with many Octane cordless power tools being marketed as delivering “best-in-class” power specs.
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There were also 18V Octane batteries.
The same question has been repeated over the years:
What happened to Ridgid 18V Octane cordless power tools?
Some of these offerings are still available, but many were discontinued. It seems that Ridgid has abandoned their 18V Octane lineup. Why?
I keep seeing the same theory about why Ridgid’s premium cordless power tools were discontinued, but I cannot say I agree with it.
As many of you know, TTI owns Ryobi, Ridgid, and Milwaukee cordless power tool brands.
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It’s actually a bit complicated than that (Emerson owns the Ridgid tool brand) – see Tool Brands: Who Owns What? A Guide to Corporate Affiliations for more details.
It seems to be common belief that Ryobi, Ridgid, and Milwaukee cordless power tools are marketed in a “good, better, best” type of tiered arrangement. After all, they are all within TTI’s corporate umbrella.
However, Ryobi and Ridgid cordless power tool development and marketing is handled by TTI North America (which also goes by One World Technologies), and Milwaukee develops and markets their own tools.
From how I understand things, Milwaukee Tool is functionally independent.
A reader recently commented about Ridgid’s discontinued line of 18V Octane-family cordless power tools. Following are relevant snippets:
I have read this on a couple different occasions and it makes sense, I do not know this for a concrete fact. Perhaps Stuart can step in and clarify if what I mention seems to be incorrect.
From all of the articles I read, what was said is that TTI wanted Milwaukee to be their flagship brand, Ridgid their “Mid Grade” and Ryobi their entry level. Once Octane was released, with all of its power, apparently TTI began to notice that Milwaukee sales started to dip (not plummet) and Octane was the reason. That said, the decision was made to pull the plug.
The idea is that Ridgid Octane was too good and was affecting Milwaukee Tool sales. While possible, I do not believe this to be accurate.
Some brands do have “good, better, best” tiering between their different brands, with Stanley Black & Decker’s brands – such as Craftsman and Dewalt – marketed in such a manner.
Ryobi and Ridgid cordless power tools seem to be marketed in a “good and better” type of arrangement, as they are developed and managed by the same company.
But, keep in mind that Ryobi and Ridgid’s cordless power tool lines are exclusive to Home Depot. Milwaukee Tool’s products are not, although there are some promotional SKUs specific to the retailer.
Let’s say that Milwaukee Tool launches a new cordless power tool product. If there’s no room for it at Home Depot, will they still proceed with its manufacture and sale? Yes.
If Ryobi or Ridgid seek to launch a new cordless power tool product, and Home Depot says “sorry, we don’t want that at stores,” will they still proceed? Maybe, if it can still exist as an online-only product.
I have never received an official explanation about why Ridgid discontinued their 18V Octane line. “What happened to Octane?” is the type of question most tool brands would be unlikely to answer.
Was Ridgid Octane “encroaching” upon Milwaukee’s sales? I doubt it.
Home Depot is the customer here.
If Ridgid’s Octane tools were selling incredibly well at Home Depot, so much so that they were taking away from Milwaukee M18 tool sales, would either Home Depot or TTI really say “hold on, these tools are too good?”
Ryobi and Ridgid have proven to be incredibly market-responsive over the years.
Both brands went in the direction of power and performance at value pricing, and then backtracked to launch compact and lightweight tools, such as under Ryobi 18V HP and Ridgid 18V SubCompact product lines.
Ridgid launched an 18V miter saw in 2016. It was spotted on clearance later that same year. After that, it went out of stock for long stretches. Readers kept asking about its availability, and Ridgid told me it was temporarily out of stock. It was temporarily out of stock for a very long time.
They then launched/re-launched what looked to be the same exact saw in 2021.
Ridgid had standard 18V batteries, then Hyper Li, Hyper Octane, and now “Max Output.” Ryobi had 18V High Energy, now they have standard and 18V One+ “High Performance” batteries.
I could be wrong, but everything I know about the retail industry suggests that if a product family or sub-line doesn’t sell well enough in a test period, Ryobi and Ridgid switch directions.
If sales start off flat or diminish over time, they try something else.
Home Depot is these two brands’ exclusive customer.
For the year ending December 31, 2021, TTI reported that the Group’s largest customer accounted for approximately 47.5% of the Group’s total revenue. Their five largest customers accounted for approximately 59.1% of the Group’s total revenue.
For the same period, TTI’s total revenue was reported as $13.2 billion, $10.2 billion of which came from North America. Their largest customer – presumably Home Depot – accounted for $6.28 billion in revenue.
The breakdown is unknown; this figure includes revenue for all of TTI’s products sold to their largest customer.
Is it possible that those Ridgid 18V Octane tools were too good, to where they were affecting Milwaukee Tool M18 sales? Sure. But Milwaukee Tool and TTI North America are functionally separate, making intervening action highly unlikely.
If Ridgid Octane was selling well at Home Depot, we would have seen further expansion of the line. Wouldn’t you agree?
Home Depot would likely have insisted on more Octane tools.
Were Ridgid 12V Max cordless power tools so popular and fast-selling that they’re no longer available?
It does seem at times, that Milwaukee Tool, Ryobi, and Ridgid are all developed under the same roof. A few years ago, Ryobi launched a cordless fan, and then Ridgid, and then Milwaukee.
Ridgid had their Stealth Force impact driver, Ryobi had Quiet Strike, and Milwaukee had M18 Surge. Three brands under the corporate umbrella offered 3 out of 4 of the hydraulic impact drivers on the market.
Read Also: Milwaukee, Ridgid, and Ryobi, Sitting in a Tree… and Definitely Talking
I spoke with different people at Milwaukee and TTI NA since then, and have been repeatedly told there’s no cross-development.
I am sure there is know-how sharing at the manufacturing level, and maybe also between VP-level decision makers who all have access to the same data or customer and end user requests.
If Ridgid Octane – or any other of their discontinued cordless products – were indeed “too good” and “encroaching on Milwaukee offerings,” Home Depot and TTI North America would have surely capitalized on it.
It’s tricky, trying to perfectly understand the interactions – if any – between Ryobi, Ridgid, and Milwaukee Tool, and how and where Home Depot comes into play.
Ridgid is launching a new cordless hammer drill and new impact driver at Home Depot.
Will these 18V tools still be on store shelves or sales floor promo displays two years from now, whether they sell well or poorly?
There could be many reasons behind Home Depot’s decisions to sell or not sell certain Ridgid or Ryobi cordless power tools. I find it incredibly difficult to believe that Milwaukee Tool considerations could be involved in this, any more than Dewalt or Makita would be.
That all said:
Ridgid 18V Octane was all-but-abandoned because:
i) It didn’t sell well enough
ii) It sold too well and was disrupting Milwaukee Tool sales
iii) Other
What do you think? Why did Ridgid move away from their 18V Octane cordless line?
Darren
Would you please get it right Home Depot owns Ridgid. I have emailed them on their website asking questions about power tools. they have responded that Home Depot controls and owns the Ridgid power tool line and any questions about future products or when products are being released should be directed to them. TTI only manufacturers the tools under contract with Home Depot. Rigid is Home Depot’s house brand much like Craftsman was to Sears. Any retail chain that has a house brand product would much prefer to sell more of their house brand product because the profit margins are higher for their house brand product. Ridgid even has the good better best tearing within their own product line they have their low end brush tools than the mid-grade subcompact and then the top of the line is there brushless line which took over from octane.
Stuart
You are wrong.
Home Depot does NOT own Ridgid.
Emerson owns Ridgid.
Ridgid cordless power tools are designed and manufactured by TTI, and sold at Home Depot.
TTI and Home Depot have a rather unique partnership. Ridgid might appear to be a Home Depot house brand, but it is not.
I have fact-checked this thoroughly. You are welcome to try to prove me wrong, but facts are facts.
Randy
Ryobi is the Home Depot exclusive brand owned by tti. Rigid is owned by Emerson but manufactured by tti. Milwaukee is wholly owned by tti, not sure how independent. Hart is a tti brand I don’t see mentioned, sold at Walmart
Chris
YOU MAY BOTH BE RIGHT (HD EMPLOYEE 34 YEARS) . HOME DEPOT BOUGHT THE RIDGID MANUFACTURING FACILITY FOR VACUUMS BACK AROUND 25 YEARS AGO . THATS WHERE WE COPYRGHITED THE RIDGID NAME .
AND YESS TTI MANUFACTURES RIDGID TOOLS . NO ARGUMENT THERE. RIDGID OCTANE WAS GREAT BUT AT THE ADVENT OF BRUSHLESS TOOLS SHELF SPACE CAME AT A PREMIUM. HD SIMPLY DECIDED . TO DEDICATE SHELF SPACE TO ITS CONSUMER LINE BEST SELLERS RYOBI AND RYOBI HP 1+ BRUSHLESS . ITS ALL ABOUT THE BENJAMINS.
Kent_Skinner
Please Stewart, I’m sure that some random person who answers email for HD knows more than you do.
j/k; that was complete sarcasm.
Mark
Warranty differences was totally missed. The word is getting out, ridgid is lifetime tool warranty, lifetime battery replacement with tool purchase. So why would anyone want to buy anything else when a company actually honors free replacement and repair! I tell everyone I cross about this
Stuart
It might be time to ask again, but from what I’ve seen Ridgid’s LSA is hit or miss. https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/ridgid-lifetime-service-agreement-question/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
Daniel
I have robi Milwaukee and Sears Craftsman 9.2 I used Milwaukee batteries with adapters of I buy off eBay so it’s not an issue for me
fred
My understanding is the Ridgid brand-name derives from the Ridge Tool Company. That was founded in 1923 in North Ridgeville Ohio, It was acquired by Emerson Electric in 1966 – and according to Justia Trademark – the brandname /trademarks are still owned/registered by/with Emerson.
When Emerson was thrown over by Sears as the OEM for many Crafstsman brand power tools (like table saws) they cut a deal with the then emerging giant Home Depot. It is my understanding that they licensed the RIDGID brand name to Home Depot to be used on certain products that HD might have manufactured by other OEMs. This may be an exclusive license to HD – but with restrictions.
So, a RIDGID branded shovel might be manufactured for HD by Ames , while a RIDGID brand vacuum may be manufactured by Emerson and a RIDGID brand drill come to HD from a TTI factory. It appears that Emerson placed some exclusions on this licensing arrangement such that plumbing tools bearing the RIDGID name – all come from the Ridge Tool Co. RIDGID brand vacuums may also be exclusive to Emerson.
One way to glean who the OEM might be, for a RIDGID branded tool sold at HD, is to look at the UPC bar code – where the first six or 7 digits will denote the manufacturer.
Some RIDGID look-alike small power tools from TTI that are sold in Europe seem to bear the AEG brand name
Stuart
TTI designs and develops cordless power tools under Ridgid branding, presumably under license, with Home Depot as the customer.
I have asked about the availability of Ridgid prototypes before, and was told “it depends on whether Home Depot picks it up or not.”
Ridgid tool boxes sold at Home Depot are made by Keter.
Ridgid benchtop power tool products are now made by Delta. (https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/ridgid-next-tools-home-depot-lsa/%3C/a%3E%29%3C/p%3E
Emerson/Ridgid and Home Depot seem to have an exclusivity arrangement for products such as vacuums and the Pro Gear toolboxes.
TTI and Home Depot seem to have an extension of the exclusivity with respect to cordless power tools.
Emerson/Ridgid tools (plumbing and commercial/industrial) are also available outside of Home Depot.
Kevin
Ridgid is technically split into 2 brands which operate under the same names the original Ridgid brand which is owned by Emerson makes all the legacy products we all know like the plumbing tools, shop vacs, etc. the Ridgid power tools (AEG in other parts of the world) is owned and operated by TTI, however, you are correct that the Ridged brand name used under license, obviously because domestic brand identity is marketable. The first guy to claim it was owned outright by Home Depot is dead wrong. They may have retail exclusivity on it, but the sure as hell don’t own it.
Randy
You can find several non home Depot locations to buy rigid and Milwaukee, not so much with Ryobi and Hart
Darren
Okay I didn’t say it correctly. Home Depot owns the exclusive rights to Ridgid cordless power tools. Emerson still owns the plumbing tools banded Ridgid which are branded as red and black and not orange and black which is the Home Depot brand. TTI sells some tools that are basically rigid same color scheme but a branded AEG in Australia. If Home Depot wanted they could have another OEM make the Ridgid band of power tools for them besides TTI. Obviously they would have to get out of the contract they have with TTI and I’m not privy to the specific terms of this contract as I’m sure no one except internal people are. TTI cannot make a tool call it Ridgid and sell it anywhere else. they are made exclusively for Home Depot
Stuart
Ridgid has multiple cordless lines – tools developed and manufactured by TTI for sale exclusively at Home Depot, and cordless power tools marketed towards plumbers and other such customers, which are available at independent channels.
Ridgid’s plumbing tools are not simply “red and black and not orange and black,” they’re different products.
Home Depot CANNOT hire a different brand to make Ridgid 18V tools. In theory maybe they can, but the entire Ridgid 18V system has been designed and developed by TTI.
If you search press releases, it is clear that the tool relationships are between Emerson and TTI, and then Home Depot as the customer.
2003 news story (https://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/stories/2003/06/30/daily43.html)
2003 Press Release copy (https://www.ridgidforum.com/forum/general-topics/open-discussion/5491-emerson-announces-new-ridgid-power-tools)
This preceded the cordless lineup arrangement by a month.
https://doc.irasia.com/listco/hk/techtronic/press/p030813.pdf
The language all points towards TTI being a licensed partner for Ridgid cordless power tools that are destined to be sold at Home Depot as part of an exclusivity arrangement with Emerson.
What you’re saying is that TTI is Home Depot’s ODM, but that’s not accurate either.
To simplify things, Emerson’s Ridgid brand has an exclusivity arrangement with Home Depot, and TTI is effectively the OEM for Emerson with respect to cordless power tool products.
In theory Emerson could select a different OEM partner – maybe – although I doubt they would. They shifted OEMs for benchtop tools recently, but I don’t see that happening for cordless.
You say “TTI cannot make a tool call it Ridgid and sell it anywhere else” – this is true, because of TTI’s arrangement with Emerson as the Ridgid brand owner.
All this gets very complicated to explain, which is why it’s easier to simply consider Ridgid cordless power tools as TTI-managed, as opposed to designed, developed, manufactured, and marketed.
krashtd
The frequency with which this has to be explained is astounding. It’s not THAT hard to understand yet someone always insists it’s wrong. Guess it shouldn’t be a surprise what with the flat earth idiocy and all.
OhioHead
TTI owns AEG power tools in Europe, when TTI acquired MKE power tools (I think it was from Atlas Copco) they got AEG power tools as well.
In the late 90’s/early 2000’s AEG/MKE cordless drills were identical minus the colors (they had reversible NiCad slide on battery packs).
I would say that AEG is mostly likely the “ development arm” for the US based Ridgid cordless tools.
A few weeks ago in the MKE corded rotary hammer post by Stuart, I asked the question to the group (something along the lines) is AEG behind the development of new hammers for MKE? Historically MKE was not “known” for rotary hammers like Hilti, Bosch, DW in the states…….DW used to use their European arm to help w/ rotary hammer development for the US, suspect that AEG is helping w/ MKE because of how much more concrete construction is in Europe, as I recall AEG made good hammers.
Sidebar you used to be able to buy AEG branded power tools in the US (in the industrial supply houses), not sure when most of product line disappeared in the states.
it’s_jake
i just read RIDGID so many times that it totally lost meaning/recognition. i kinda love it when that happens
Tommy
The same orange tools are sold as aeg here in nz by Bunnings an Australian home improvement chain store.
Which also seems to have exclusive rights to ryobi here.
Jeremy Moore
That’s a lot of confidence for someone as clueless as you are🙃
Chris
HARD TO SAY . OCTANE WAS HD’S BLUE TOOTH SERIES MUCH LIKE MILWAUKEE FUEL AND DEWALT FLEX VOLT . HAVING WORKED AT HOME DEPOT FOR 34 YEARS I IMAGINE RYOBI IS SO POPULAR WITH CONSUMERS THAT WHEN THEY LAUNCHED THE RYOBI HP + SERIES THEY SIMPLY RAN OUT OF SHELF SPACE ! . HOPEFULLY OCTANE BECOMES AN ONLINE OPTION.
Nathan
indeed at some of the TTI outlet stores – it has a name but in the outlet malls there is a tool store that sells TTI products – but they never seel Milwaukee that I know of.
BUt they have dirt devil vacs and ryobi and ridgid stuff – things that get returned to the stores or “factory refurbished” etc etc. These stores carry Ridgid stuff that you would find at home depot. However other than these stores – and Home depot I don’t know of any other place to buy these ridgid power tools. their new stationary stuff is made by Delta power so I’m told and it appears.
the cordless stuff is TTI – and similar to milwauke in alot of ways.
Daniel L.
I’m curious about one offering, if my memory serves me right…
I remember thar ridgid miter saw, and how it immediately dissapeateared from the shelves after release.
IIRC, it was a 7.25″ battery powered miter saw, which happened to drop around the same time as milwaukee’s m18 fuel 7.25″ miter saw, and (again, IIRC) retailed for something like a C note more than the ridgid.
Granted, I have no evidence of what im about to suggest, only my own uninformed point of view as a consumer…
But I could imagine that release ruffling some feathers with Milwaukee. At the time, battery driven miter saws were pretty new and very much carried a price premium over many corded models. Milwaukee had come out with a few different saws, and was competing with dewalt in that realm. They release a brushless 7.25″ (again, IIRC, dewalt had a 7.25″ at the time, but it had a brushed motor).
So, Milwaukee had released a model that hit a lower price point and had a lot going for it in the prosumer space. Very marketable, not prohibitively expensive. And then ridgid releases a saw that is very similar for a bit less (or…was it the same price? I can’t remember)…
I could see the following being a possibility:
If the ridgid had a lesser net profit per unit sold, I imagine it’s entirely possible that milwaukee (being the big dogs in this space) was able to convince the higher ups in TTI to pull the ridgid model for a couple years so that the Milwaukee could benefit from its position in the price/performance range. After all, if the profit margin on the ridgid was lesser, they would have ended up cannibalizing their own sales by having both products in the same space while the specific category was enjoying a bit of “new and novel product” buzz.
Alternatively, it’s entirely possible that ridgid’s factory inside the hollow earth experienced a labor shortage when the greys went on strike. Of course the reptilians came in as scabs, but you know how they work. If they don’t get their 15 minute break every 2 hours they get a bit antsy, as they have to use that time to the phermone cloud that keeps the world believing we actually landed on the moon.
Here…take this shiny hat I made you…
TomD
It’s much more likely that Milwaukee convinced HD to pull it than “going behind their back” directly via TTI.
Or there was some other internal fault/issue detected, or HD just didn’t want to stock it.
Daniel L.
Sure, seems plausable. I don’t doubt that corporate politics could kneecap product lines between these companies…especially as Ridgid seems to be inhabiting a progressively more awkward section of the market…what, with milwaukee’s budget offerings and ryobi’s recent trend towards edging up to the prosumer market.
Not like any of us will be able to know 100% what goes on, with NDAs and such.
Mateo
The only case that “could” be argued for this is the mystery of the octane high torque. It outclassed the Milwaukee for substantially less, not the nickels and dimes that usually separate name brand prices. Then Ridgid kills it and brings out a more expensive and weaker new high torque that can’t challenge Milwaukee.
Even then it’s more head scratching than anything, I find it highly unlikely that Ridgid rides and dies by their impact wrench sales…
Jared
I think that’s a good point. “Octane” was really only markedly better with that one tool. If cannibalizing Milwaukee sales was the real concern, I would expect “Octane” to continue as a marketing term, with TTI pausing further development until Milwaukee had a bigger advantage. I.e. there’s no reason to discontinue Octane branding or the battery tech altogether if it is performing well.
TomD
Home Depot themselves may have decided that Octane wasn’t selling well enough or was encroaching on their own internal sales targets for the various brands.
I suspect that what happened is most people who were willing to entertain Octane ended up going with Yellow or Red instead.
Bonnie
This would be my instinct as well. Ridgid seems decent as a more budget-minded brand, and at the time was more pro-focused than Ryobi… But even with a few good Octane tools were they ever a real competitor to DeWalt, Milwaukee, or Makita? Not really.
A handful of high-end tools probably just wasn’t working as the overall draw the brand managers wanted. I also wouldn’t be surprised if the octane tools had some kinds of tradeoffs to hit their price points (longevity or profit margin) that didn’t make sense to keep doing.
BH
I think it works like this: Ryobi is for customers who only look at the price tag, Milwaukee is for customers who only look at the performance specs (and don’t care about the price), and Ridgid is for value-conscious people who want value and a lifetime “warranty”.
I love Ridgid, by the way, I think they nailed that market segment. Very happy with mine.
JEREMY MOORE
Milwaukee is only a bit more expensive than the other contractor grade lines like Dewalt and Makita. They’re not Festool or Mafell FFS. Ryobi(including Craftman, Kobalt and Skil) is simply good enough for most people and it makes no sense to spend more for tools that those people will likely barely use or cone close to taxing their limits
Eric S.
I’d say it was H.D. Demographics & Marketing focus seems to have has shifted to Ryobi in the last couple years. TTI has made Milwaukee the bread winner of the company.
s
I wonder if it comes down. To just having too many ‘sub-brands’
I just learned of Milwaukee’s M18 Armor batteries developed specifically for automotive maintenance use near fluids. But there’s no dramatic color or packaging difference, just a simple shield on that label that always falls off/gets scratched up. Personally, I end up in half those environments working on electrical, so the idea has benefits to me.
But I’m not interested in the increased cost, or the fact that a year from now, I won’t be able to differentiate that now beat up armor pack from all my other batteries, so the benefits are all but wasted.
I admit, I didn’t even know about the Octane series until this article. But again, it’s a dramatically different tool with only a small symbol to differentiate from the rest of the product line. I imagine that they had a slow uptake as rigid has solidly positioned themselves as a consumer-grade tool, which tends to get bought more on price point than features.
most contractors are team yellow or red due to tool diversity within the same battery ecosystem. Rigid never had that, so the market they sell to is somewhat limited. No one wants to lug around multiple brands of chargers/batteries all the time
Fyrfytr998
I was under the impression that the Octane line under performed, which lead to low sales numbers. So Ridgid, like you described, decided to see if it could get a foothold in the sub compact sector where the performance numbers didn’t matter as much as the size of the tool did. I could be wrong, but that’s what I remember being discussed among tool geeks.
aaron+s
I really tried to like ridgid 12v, and bought into 18v a little bit. In fact that’s what got me to step up the ladder to m12 and m18.
The ridgid 12v drill and impact were great, but there wasn’t a full ecosystem of tools to go with them. This made them great for when I was starting out, but put a natural ceiling on my use as I expanded my kit. Eventually I had to add m12 for a few tools, then might as well get the impact and drill and not carry extra batteries around.
I think that Ridgid continuing to produce a limited line of quality tools is to the benefit of both brands for exactly this reason. You can’t outfit your whole company with ridgid, you can’t use it for everything. As long as the line is reasonably small it naturally will restrict to handiman rather than contractor and won’t poach larger customers.
MM
In my opinion you and s hit the nail on the head. The size of the system is the weakness of the Ridgid cordless platform. There’s nothing wrong, generally speaking, with the quality or the performance of the tools. But, the line is rather small, and they’re only sold at HD, so if you’re choosing a system to buy into why pick one with those limitations? Sure you may not need those other tools now but who knows how your needs may change in the future? Ryobi may be HD only as well but at least they have a very broad product line.
Adabhael
I agree about the size of the line being limiting/awkward, I’m a little trapped myself after 9 years. To me this seems related to Ridgid having a history experimenting with multi-tool type offerings, like the Megamax at the top of this post, and the jobmaxx line. Both seem aimed at a prosumer/handyman who might not be able to justify owning each unique freestanding tool, but on a platform could justify many “good enough” modules or attachments. Ridgid also has a history of promoting these heavily at launch but never upgrading, not expanding past the initial offerings, and then killing them after a few years.
BH
Ridgid’s LSA is the issue — having to lifetime-service a wide product line for free is prohibitively expensive.
So most serious Ridgid folks end up like me — they notice the narrow product line and start picking up M12 stuff, weird tools like copper tubing cutters and mini chainsaws and installation drivers. Then they discover that they almost never use those and that they’re so flipping expensive that they can’t afford to buy the entire line without going bankrupt. Then they realize how nice the Ridgids feel in their hands and how the batteries have their own power meters and eventually settle into a Ridgid 18V + Milwaukee M12 existence that actually handles most things pretty well.
Jared
What bugs me is that they still sell Octane tools but don’t sell the Octane batteries.
I realize “Max Output” is the new top-tier Rigid battery, but it doesn’t provide the power boost on Octane tools that the original batteries did.
Is it a big difference? I don’t know.
Still irks me that there are power tools on the market that were designed to achieve higher performance levels but are capped by the batteries available to power them.
aaron+s
Somehow I had it in my head that dewalt has battery patents on the basic flexvolt idea, but that milwaukee has patents on the way they do power boost on the HD packs. I wonder if the ridgid battery tech infringed on their big sister’s pattents and then it had to be quietly swept under the rug?
Louie+Orama
Hey Jared, about 2 months ago, Home Depot did start selling the Octane Batteries, albeit just the 3AH. It’s 2 of them with a battery/charger kit. When they first started, they listed them at $139 and $80 off. They are now $219. I have watched plenty of videos of a 3AH Octane outperforming a 4AH “High Output battery on an Octane tool.
Harrison
I suspect the remaining Octane tools will eventually be phased out, and they are placeholders for now.
That said, for any one desperate- The full line of TTI orange tools and batteries are sold around the world as AEG, and from what I’ve read, are functionally and mechanically identical. High output batteries are available up to 9ah. The AEG line is much deeper than Rigid, as they are not a store exclusive and are considered more of a true flagship brand.
I’ve read about people even ordering various AEG tools to go with their Rigid tools and batteries.
Something to think about.
Juergen
“I spoke with different people at Milwaukee and TTI NA since then, and have been repeatedly told there’s no cross-development.”
This is complete bullshit from TTI.
They even have the same part numbers on various tools. And from a company perspective it would make absolutely no sense.
Stuart
Take a company like SBD. Craftsman and Dewalt products might be developed by the same team, but with some differences.
Milwaukee and TTI North America have completely separate teams.
Which part numbers?
At the manufacturing level, there are probably some shared aspects. Milwaukee engineers will insist there are no shared components, but things like screws or springs? Why not.
But you’ll also have some people making things up, such as “they’ve all the same on the inside,” which is completely untrue. I have never seen anything to support this.
Michael S.
> But, keep in mind that Ryobi and Ridgid’s cordless power tool lines are exclusive to Home Depot.
Well, in the UK (and I think the whole of Europe), they’re distributed much other brands: available from multiple stores and via different channels. Would be interesting to know what percentage of sales is non Home Depot (and therefore how much they might care about other users).
Aaron SD
One other possibility is as simple as a new VP wanting to make their mark and believing in a different strategy. The sales must have been low enough for the new strategy to make sense. This could be at either HD or Rigid…
Stuart
That could be true, too.
(Bobby Shaw, previously a VP at Milwaukee Tool, took over as President of TTI Consumer Power Tools in October 2019.)
JoeM
*Correction Goblin, No Judgement Intended*
“From how I understand things, Milwaukee Tool is functionally independently.”
I think you may mean something more like:
From how I understand things, Milwaukee Tool is functionally independent.
Or
From how I understand things, Milwaukee Tool is functioning independently.
I have no opinion on the Ridgid/Milwaukee/TTi situation for this particular line. I only see a bit of disappointment in that something so innovative and different wasn’t popular enough to cause Earthquakes from the numbers of people rushing to snatch them up like Locusts. If they were that good, I would also expect a wave moving from Home Depot to Home Depot, with a Mob trying to get everyone what they wanted from that lineup. I just looked at the double-battery angle grinder and said to myself “If Thor had an Angle Grinder instead of a Hammer, that would be it.” If I’m thinking that, I’m sure pros who swear by Ridgid were thinking even better things.
It sure is a weird situation, I’ll give you that much.
Mackenzie
I’m willing to bet that octane technology was costly and provided little benefit for consumers. App development is costly and keeping up security updates on an app that locks down your batteries if you walk away from your tool is a costly solution looking for a problem.
Octane likely didn’t sell well and supply chain issues probably made it easy to discontinue.
Costly tech that didn’t provide much benefit, The coordination between battery and tool would eventually have become a way of locking you into official batteries like printer companies do with ink. You don’t need communication between battery and gun for power anyway. So I’m happy.
BH
Re. the Octane line, if you followed the Facebook groups you noticed that most users didn’t care much about the bluetooth connectivity of the Octane batteries, and they often couldn’t get it to work anyway. The company seems to pay attention to those groups, and probably decided that the extra cost for the connectivity didn’t have great ROI, and opted to bail on it.
What *did* the users ask for in those groups? A grease gun, bandsaw, caulking gun, heating gun, better 18V nailer, planer, and the return of “the unicorn” (the 18V miter saw). Oh, and to LSA batteries without having to buy kits. So what did Ridgid do? *All of those things.* (But they stripped the rubber overmolding off the batteries, presumably to reduce the cost so they could afford to LSA all those extra batteries.)
Whatever market segment I’m in, Ridgid is squarely targeted at and doing great (brushless tools, anyway), which is why they get so much of my $$.
Darren
You made the best case in my opinion. I don’t follow the FB groups you mentioned. But if the groups ask for all those things and the company followed suit they definitely do pay attention to them. I also did hear somewhere that people really weren’t that into the connectivity feature of the batteries. Since I’m not a professional and just a DIY/weekend warrior as I get more cordless power tools I’m going to be buying more Ridgid because of the LSA and from what I’ve seen there top of the line tools are on par with the DeWalt, Milwaukee, and Makita for a lower price. I wish they’d make a die grinder like Cobalt does so I don’t have to plug in my air compressor every time I want to use mine. Lol
Allstarr419
I am a Ridgid user and own(ed) a few of the octane tools. They weren’t that great, except for the hammer drill and impact wrench. The circular saw was garbage, and the rest were not markedly better than the regular brushless ones.
Also, the octane tools were HUGE…hold one up to another brand, really bulky and heavy, especially the megamax. The batteries were also large, and for some reason a real PITA to remove from the tool.
I am not sure that the focus on torque above all else really resulted in amazing tools. Frankly, I’d much rather have a lighter and faster tool in most circumstances. Like I said, the hammer drill is great, hope mine lasts a really long time, and the impact wrench busted rusted nuts off a 22 year old truck I had, but the line wasn’t so amazing that I believe it threatened Milwaukee in the slightest. I think it failed and Rigid changed course. I like the new ones better on 90% of the line.
Kevin
Oh, this is ABSOLUTELY what happened. I own all and only Ridgid Octane tools. Many of them where unmatched by more than just Milwaukee. The big 1/2″ 6 mode torque wrench, the impact wrench, the 3/8″ 6 mode torque wrench, the impact hammer/drill, the reciprocating saw, the jigsaw and more are ALL STAR cordless tools; they are even better with the Ridgid Octane 3Ah battery!!!
Collin
>Three brands under the corporate umbrella offered 3 out of 4 of the hydraulic impact drivers on the market.”
Masterforce also offers a hydraulic impact driver.
So, it’s really at least 5 hydraulic impact drivers on the market:
1) Makita
2) Milwaukee
3) Ridgid
4) Ryobi
5) Masterforce
—-
Anyway–my reaction to all this branding nonsense is simply that it’s just a huge distraction from making actually better tools. Whatever the interaction is between Ridgid and Milwaukee and Ryobi and Milwaukee is frankly unnecessary and immaterial. The focus should, ideally, be on making better tools, not on branding, marketing, and corporate firewalls. The fact of the matter is that TTI is spending $ to make at least 3 separate lines of drills, 3 separate lines of impact drivers, 3 separate lines of impact wrenches, 3 separate lines of recip saws, 3 separate lines of circular saws, 3 separate lines of sanders, 3 separate lines of flashlights, 3 separate lines of jobsite fans, 3 separate lines of blowers, 3 separate lines of radios, 3 separate lines of vacuums, 3 separate lines of batteries, 3 separate lines of chargers, 3 separate lines of grinders … imagine if they instead invested that money into something more meaningful like non-garbage chucks for something like the brand new Gen 4 M18 drill/driver that doesn’t eject bits on a regular basis in YouTube tests, or a non-garbage collet for the brand new Gen 3 M12 impact driver that doesn’t eject bits in YouTube testing, much like the Gen 3 M18 impact drivers with one ball-bearing.
Rob
😆 ^ This.
When I see companies doing this, I can safely presume that none of it is the best of the best.
Kevin
My son works the tools at HD. I was surprised but understood when he told me – Ridgid doesn’t sell to well. Ridged tools are caught in the middle. People who don’t want to spend buy Ryobi & people who use the tools for a living + are willing to spend buy Red or Yellow. For me a DIY, the LSA for tools & batteries is great + the quality of most ridgid tools is really good.
OhioHead
Excellent post, I am prosumer……I have looked at Ridgid cordless before but did not pull the trigger because of a perceived lack of a “full system,” if I was to purchase a “system” it would be Ryobi for 18v, the color stops me……..
MKE for 12v cordless & best of the best for “electric” tools…….DW = screw gun, MKE = recipe, Metabo = grinder & hammer drill, Bosch = router, sanders & rotary hammer.
George
People go on and on about who owns what when it doesn’t matter. Octane was taking ridgid away from its preferred customer base the diy’er and got professional tool breakers who normally buy Milwaukee and dewalt looking to cash in on that lifetime ridgid warranty. Ridgid would much rather let Milwaukee and dewalt claim the pro label and sell their tools overpriced as the “professionals” tool while Ridgid rakes in nearly the same amount of money per tool catering to a much larger diy market… diy’ers who usually end up throwing their tools out before they break in favor of newer lighter cooler looking ones that still give you the same lifetime warranty. I still got my old gen2 ridgids in the basement and more batteries than I know what to do with. Didn’t stop me from getting compact brushless versions 10 15 years later.
Rob
Nobody buys Ridgid cordless tools.
Jeff
I think it has everything to do with the Lifetime Service Agreement. They made contractor grade tools and offered lifetime warranty so a lot of tradesmen purchased them because of the Warranty. Ridgid lured people in with false promises. Now if your Ridgid tool breaks they replace it with some homeowner grade piece of trash. They were probably losing money on the LSA for octane tools. No matter how good the power tool it will eventually break if used everyday for work.
Side note I believe Emerson owns Black and Red Ridgid that makes plumbing tools, pipe wrenches, etc. I don’t think Emerson is involved with the TTI side of Ridgid.
krashtd
I thought it was more widely known that RIDGID had to drop the Octane branding due to copyright/trademark suit from Milwaukee regarding the battery-tool communication process. They can’t manufacture any more Octane-branded batteries or tools but were still able to clear inventory, which is why Direct Tools Outlet (TTI’s corporate outlet store) had a fire sale on Octane items a couple of years ago. Add to that the Bluetooth aspect being poorly executed and not overly useful.
aaron+s
this is what I wondered/imagined, but I don’t have any evidence. Was there an article you remember or just discussion?
Stuart
Ridgid pre-emptively sued Milwaukee. Complaints back and forth were over Ridgid 12V and 18V, and I assumed this was all in regard to Emerson Ridgid cordless products.
Octane is a TTI trademark (serial 88496204). Complaints over Octane tech would have likely been handled between Milwaukee and TTI North America.
Emerson Ridgid 12V and 18V on the other hand, that’s what I presume the complaints and lawsuit was over.
@aaron – https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/ridgid-sues-milwaukee-over-cordless-power-tool-battery-patents-012020/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
aaron+s
Hah! Now I feel ridiculous because I’m the one who asked the question on that story. It’s been a busy few years is my excuse…
Thanks!
Frank H
I really like the Octane system, I have the Mega Max recip, grinder, hand router and much more. Reall disapointed to learn they fropped and i couldnt finish my Mega Max set. Ridgid has been my 18v platform for about 20 years, I still use my 25 year old miter saw on a regular basis and my 2006 tool set still works (heavy as all get out) and it has been retired. I added the M12 tools to my collection about two years ago and extremely happy with them
PawPawStew
I vote “other” and here’s why: Three levels of tools mean three price points. Customers want to get the best bang for their buck, but we’ve also been in the throes of a serious economic downturn. Inflation means your hard earned bucks don’t go as far. Why buy a Milwaukee product if Ridgid will do the job?
Petert
Was sorry to see the octane essentially dropped as I wanted some to supplement my 24v Ridgid set (which I love and the lsa keeps me in batteries. Never had a problem with any of the tools)
Rog
TTI and HD would be better served dropping Ridgid and focusing those dollars and hours into Ryobi and Milwaukee. Ryobi is already encroaching into prosumer territory and Milwaukee is firmly planted in their top tier.
Ridgid is the lost middle child that could easily be done away with and the market would just shrug.
MT
That aligns with how I buy. I’m not a pro, just a DIYer, so I don’t need top tier across the board. I bought Milwaukee M12 Fuel for the tools I use a lot—the drill/driver and impact driver—and Ryobi for everything else. Works great for me so far.
TorqueTestChannel
Sounds like a lot of thoughts and assumptions vs what the title suggested.
RE: Rigid sells poorly so they changed things up
Struggling brands (like Porter-Cable, Nissan ect) dont retire an entire line of tool designs and millions in manufacturing tooling 1-2 seasons after they came out and double down to replace the whole range with new SKU’s. They milk those SKU’s until they get their money back for as long as they dare.
RE: Rigid was too good and made Milwaukee look bad.
Not likely. I know I’ve said as much on the high torque because it’s sort of funny and may be true individually. But the whole line? That’s a stretch.
Let’s look at the timing of things. 2020, global chip shortage. Ridgid is slapping chips in everything, a handful in every tool kit, even the batteries have bluetooth.
Also 2020: Rigid Octane starts to disappear, the first to go? 3ah and other Octane batteries.
Does that then for sure explain it? No, but at least it’s some evidence. Everything else “well if this and that then it could…” conjecture
Stuart
Once I hear the same disagreeable theory conveyed as fact 10 times, it’s time to take a closer look. Here are more claims I felt necessary to address:
https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/dewalt-milwaukee-tool-not-the-same-company/%3C/a%3E%3Cbr /> https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/does-harbor-freight-own-snap-on-tools/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
Porter Cable and Ridgid are very different brands and shouldn’t be looked at through the same lens. A few years ago, if Porter Cable sales dipped, SBD could have held a new promotion at Lowe’s, Walmart, Amazon, or other channels.
If Ridgid Octane performed poorly at Home Depot, it would eventually be taken off the shelf to clear space for something else.
Ridgid 18V SubCompact entered the scene back in April 2020, the same time the last Octane tool was announced, the R86211B impact. Did the chip shortage cause Octane’s demise? That’s possible, or at least more likely than it being discontinued for being too good.
Conjecture is all we have. Nobody at a tool brand will ever say on the record “our tools sold too poorly, that’s why we discontinued them.”
Ridgid and Ryobi have a history of short-lived products.
Ryobi Phone Works: https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/ryobi-phone-works/%3C/a%3E%3Cbr /> Ridgid JobMax: https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/ridgid-jobmax-tool-free-oscillating-multi-tool-12v-starter-kit/%3C/a%3E%3Cbr /> Ridgid Gen5X: https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/ridgid-gen5x-18v-cordless-power-tools/%3C/a%3E%3Cbr /> Ridgid 12V: https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/ridgid-12v-drill-impact-driver-kit-r9000k/%3C/a%3E%3Cbr /> Ridgid Heated Jackets: https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/ridgid-heated-jackets/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
Ridgid launched an 18V miter saw that was regularly unavailable before being relaunched 4.5 years later – https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/ridgid-cordless-miter-saw-r48607b-012021/%3C/a%3E
This drill was Gen5X: https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/ridgid-18v-brushless-cordless-drill-review-black-friday-2018-deal-edition/%3C/a%3E%3Cbr /> Its replacement, R86115K, is simply “Ridgid 18V Brushless.”
What happened to the Ridgid 18V cordless wobble light, R8694820B ?
Ridgid and Ryobi had an air compressor back in 2014, and it lasted a season or two before disappearing. https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/ridgid-ryobi-vertical-pancake-air-compressor/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
Sometimes products disappear from the market, or are updated. Porter Cable and Dewalt had low profile sanders that were discontinued because they were engineered with a special motor that could no longer be sourced.
Why have there been so many short-lived Ridgid and Ryobi cordless power tools and other types of products over the years?
Perhaps not, but there has been a pattern of Ridgid and Ryobi tools launching, selling, and then disappearing. Was Octane’s life cycles cut short for the same reasons?
Collin
Speaking of high torques–I’m looking forward to your exploration of the cheapening of the M18 1/2″ high torque.
All this focus on branding is, in my view, a distraction from making actually better tools. What a shame to see the Ridgid octane high torque get nixed and then the “flagship” M18 high torque get nerfed.
Harrison
A lot of the theories flying around are easily debunked by the fact that TTI continues to sell the full lineup of orange tools around the world under the AEG brand, including the Octane ones, plus a bunch of other tools and high capacity batteries they never sold here.
There’s no getting around it- Milwaukee is a marketing juggernaut in North America. Their product line is wide enough to provide something for everyone, from professionals to DIYers making ‘aspirational’ lifestyle purchases. Lots of non-pros buy Milwaukee, and it doesn’t dilute the brand. TTI pretty much has their basis covered with Milwaukee and Ryobi.
This makes me think Rigid Octane wasn’t pulled to protect Milwaukee- It was pulled because people were just buying Milwaukee instead.
If TTI thought there was space in North America for their full line of orange tools, they probably wouldn’t have offered them to HD as an exclusive in the fist place.
This is a bit like Ford not bothering to sell the Ranger for a while in the USA. It was barely any cheaper than the F150, and not as compelling. The current world-platform Ranger is kind of like orange AEG/Rigid – Not necessarily better or worse, just different, and intended as a flagship for countries where smaller pickups are popular. Ford does bring the Ranger here now to milk it as much as they can, but it’s not a volume leader.
Now the new Maverick is kind of like Ryobi- Significantly cheaper, making it instantly popular with those who embrace not needing the full professional grade option.
Tony
I started with the limited edition gen 5x kit and have been all ridgid as far as my cordless tools go. For the last 2 years or so, I’ve noticed all 3 home depots in my area stopped having ridgid displays, deals, bogo’s at all. Even for the big holiday sales. It seemed that the only way to see anything new or on sale was online. I’ve been near certain that ridgid would be discontinued altogether. They seem to be slowly hanging around
That Guy
Just buy Metabo HTC
Way better tools and great cordless selection
And best of all
Not available at HOme Depot
Collin
Metabo HPT? Nah, I don’t want those high quality tools. I’d rather buy tools backed by a billion dollar marketing budget.
Me
They abandoned the octane because the boards inside the batteries and the batteries where not cost effective and not easy to get and they still have the octane tools just not the batteries so do some research people this is why they have moved towards the high output batteries
Stuart
“The boards inside the batteries cost too much” and “were not easy to get”? According to who?
Why would you think the “Max Output” batteries would be any different?
Btbelect
I was very interested in the megamax lineup of tools as I was in the market for 2 out of the 3 offerings (sds drill and right angle) and never got the chance to even get my hands on one. My local HD had the base available but never had the tool attachments, and online was brief. I felt that it was a super cool idea for a tradesman like myself who didn’t want to spend twice as much for two separate tools, and the testing I saw of it looked pretty decent. They have some good stuff, I liked their hammer drill/driver and the octane impact was great also. I feel like they’re so similar in price to dewalt or Milwaukee that people just grab one of those brands instead as they offer more tools for roughly the same price with more perceived value. I know as an electrician Milwaukee has everyone beat for tools for my trade, so I would gravitate towards that over a ridged tool if I were to do it all over again
TonyT
Just in case anyone is interested, my local HD has a bunch of Octane power tools on clearance: circular saw ($75), impact driver ($119), jig saw, and light.
S Groesz
Other (theory)
Home Depot and/or TTI expected higher usage of the blue tooth features than what reality provided. There is marketing (and $$) value in collecting usage data from users. If they expected a certain level of engagement that wasn’t realized, they may have decided to drop Octane (Bluetooth) while it was still in its infancy. The return may not have been worth the (hardware/software) resources and (warranty) risk of supporting the bluetooth functions.
S Groesz
Also just occured to me, consider the long running and still on-going worldwide chip shortage. This adds weight to management deciding to nip the line in the bud and avoid the associated risks and costs.
Remove the bluetooth (and related circuits and microprocessor(s)), keep the other hardware that made Octane “better”, call it “Max” and be done with it.
https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2021-semiconductors-chips-shortage/
Matt
Another reason Octane bit the dust is that Ridgidis a “prosumer”line, where the tools might sit for a while between uses. The regular and Max batteries hold a charge for months on end. The Octane garbage self discharges just sitting, the 3Ah in just a few weeks, and the 6Ah in a couple of months. So tools that sat all winter now have batteries that are completely dead and can no longer be charged.
Louie+Orama
Matt, I come in peace. I have 3 9AH, 2 6AH and about a dozen or so Octane Batteries. I have left them in my garage (no heat) in the winter and just never had the problem you are mentioning. This isn’t to say it didn’t happen to you, though.