Over on Twitter, Tom Ellison asked about Ridgid’s new 18V brushless drill. Or is it a brushless hammer drill? Either way, there’s a new brushless drill coming to market, and it’s got Ridgid’s name on it.
Shown above is a new AEG 18V brushless drill that was recently released. TTI has brought numerous AEG tool designs to the USA, but there have been some holdbacks. For example, AEG came out with a brushless hammer drill that never made it to the USA under Ridgid branding, nor have we seen AEG’s 12V interchangeable chuck drill/driver set.
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The photo Tom shared (link above) was of a magazine scan, so I can’t post it here. It’s also a little dark. If I had to guess, I’d say the new Ridgid brushless drill will look a lot like either the AEG drill (above) or hammer drill (below).
The new brushless drill, or drills if there will be both standard and hammer versions, will likely launch into Ridgid’s 18V Gen5X lineup, which kicked off earlier this year. The battery platform isn’t any different than before, but the tools have been updated, hence the new styling and product family.
AEG’s 18V brushless drills look to be compact, and their product descriptions boast about short they are. They are also powerful, and it’s safe to assume that users will see longer runtime compared to when using comparably classed brushed motor tools. The same is usually true of bushless drills.
Update: Here’s a pic of the new Ridgid R86116K brushless hammer drill:
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So what do you think? Would you buy a premium Ridgid 18V brushless drill?
Ryobi also recently came out with a new 18V One+ brushless drill (overseas), and we’ve seen good indication that Porter Cable is joining the brushless arena as well. There’s room for one more.
Whereas we probably won’t see the Ryobi brushless drill here in the States, because the price point would be uncharacteristically high for the brand, Ridgid’s higher level tier would allow for a more premium brushless drill.
We’ll give you an update once we know more. In the meantime, should you happen to find more info before us, please let us know!
Toolfreak
The main reason I consider Ridgid’s power tool offerings is the lifetime ” service agreement” that covers batteries – well, at least until the tool is obsolete and the battery is no longer available. Ridgid had better come out with the drill and the hammer drill soon, it looks like Lowe’s is bringing in the brushless Bosch stuff and there’s only going to be more brushless competition as it seems this is where the market is going.
There’s no reason they can’t bring the Ryobi brushless drill over, either. Make it a kit with the drill, charger, and one of the small-capacity batteries to hit a decent price point, and offer the high capacity batteries seperately.
Adam
I’m curious to know what 12v pack that charger in the picture will charge? I dont remember a slide style 12v pack from them, nor ever a 14v tool (maybe only over seas)
Diplomatic Immunity
Well considering it’s AEG in the picture then yeah it’s probably only for overseas and not the US.
http://www.aeg-powertools.eu/systems/12v-range/
Stuart
Niether Ridgid nor AEG currently offer a 12V Max Li-ion slide pack.
Since the photo shows an AEG tool and charger, and I grabbed it from their Australian site, 12V means 12V. If we’re talking about current generation of 12V Max Li-ion power tools, it would then read 10.8V.
So that 12V part of the charger might refer to an older battery form factor style. Maybe even with NiCad or NiMH tech.
Frank Commendatore
they had 12 and 14.4 volt slide packs back awhile ago
Jacob S
This has my interest. Might have to put my Gen5x hammer drill up for sale. Wonder if they will do the LED ring chuck again?
DJ
As you know AEG it is branch of milwaukee
also the spare parts for milwaukee same spare parts for AEG
the difference only in body in so many machines
Stuart
TTI owns both Milwaukee and AEG, but Milwaukee handles their own tool development. Ridgid power tools and AEG share common designs and probably even parts; Milwaukee is completely separate.
Frank Commendatore
TTI does not own AEG or MILWAUKEE, they manufacture the tools for the separate companies, RIDGID and RYOBI as well.
Stuart
That is incorrect. You can check the facts for yourself (links below).
Here are other corporate affiliations: https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/tool-brands-corporate-affiliations/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
TTI owns Milwaukee Tool, and they own AEG, or at least AEG’s power tool business. TTI also owns Ryobi’s power tool business in North America and I believe Australia as well. They have an agreement with Ridgid’s parent company to manage their power tool business in North America, with the exception being plumbing-related power tools that Ridgid designs and markets themselves.
Milwaukee has their own facilities, but might make use of other shared TTI factories. I don’t know.
http://www.ttigroup.com/en/our_brands/by_division/power_tools_and_accessories
http://www.aeg-powertools.eu/header/about-aeg/
https://aegpowertools.com.au/about
Frank Commendatore
Sorry you are right, i guess i thought they all had the RIDGID kind of deal with them.
Stuart
No problem! Their arrangements are really tricky to decipher.
It’s unusual too, kind of like how Arm & Hammer owned Crest’s Spin Brush product line a few years ago.
With Milwaukee, it’s all out ownership. The same seems to be true for AEG and not just their power tool division. With Ridgid, there’s a perpetual licencing deal with Emerson. And with Ryobi, TTI owns the power tools and accessories division, but only in North America and I’m pretty sure Australia too. Maybe elsewhere too.
Some people think that TTI handles all operations for these brands, Milwaukee seems to operate completely autonomously, and Empire is
under their wing.
When I talk to a Milwaukee product manger last June, they said that they don’t have contact with PMs from other TTi branches. I asked because it was curious that Milwaukee, Ridgid, and Ryobi ask came out with cordless fans.
OhioHead
+ AEG/Milwuakee were a combined company under Pentair then sold to TTI in the mid 00’s.
When AEG/MKE were a combined company they shared tool development (reverse slide packs for example).
DeWalt started imploding under Nolan Archibald (CEO who sold out to Stanley), many, many executives/product managers left BD/DeWalt and ended up @ MKE and trying to recreate the marketing magic of the late 90’s/early 00’s.
Just my $.02
Mike
Wrong they own Milwaukee not ridgid ,Milwaukee is no longer a American company so ever time you buy a Milwaukee product your helping the enemy as much as like their products I’m no longer going to buy anything made by them the Chinese are building their armies and navies they are up to something.
Mike
(different Mike says:) You got me all confused now. Do TTi, or Emerson for that matter, have the same ownership as the military institutions of the PRC? Is the PRC planning to attack their super no.1 trading partner, the USA? Who will fill the role of most favored nation status super-lucky nation partner? North Korea maybe? And this planned Chinese military strike-will it manifest as a direct invasion of the USA itself, or will it be a bit more indirect? Maybe it will be an attack on one of the 160+ countries that the USA maintains military bases in. Hopefully the Pentagon’s suppliers have adequate reserves of the Chinese sourced components used in jet fighters, computers, and satellite manufacture. Thanks a lot, Obama. And Putin too. And now you’re telling me I gotta worry about the Chinese invading my country with best-in-class high torque impact wrenches? Ahhhh!
Stuart
TTI is a publically owned company. Anyone can own a piece of them.
And you are wrong. TTI has a partnership with Ridgid and handles every part of their power tool and power tool accessory business in the USA.
When I last visited Milwaukee Tools, they were still in Wisconsin. And their facility was larger and with more USA-based workers, too.
Anyway, talk more about tools, less about political nonsense. This isn’t the place for that.
DJ
main problem in Milwaukee and AEG in spare parts it’s common from germany that main reason to keep it expensive.
you will see so many machines made in China but spare parts comes from germany
):
I think Milwaukee still not control the quality in China.
Daniel de andrade
Let’s just say Home Depot slipped one of these days when looking for ridgid online I saw a brushless drill and impact driver kit for $279. Didn’t screen shot it because they had just released their gen5x so didn’t think anything big of it but thought it was a misprint. Looked for it the next day it was gone. Seeing this reassures something new is to be out in October a little birdie told me.
Tator
Check out those batteries, their a slim pack rated at 2.5 ah!!!!!
Stuart
The image of the Ridgid version showed 2.0Ah batteries. I’m waiting for official info before making any assumptions.
Jon
WOOHOO! Ridgid making some moves! Can’t wait for them to expand the tool line further.