Didn’t we just post about the Ryobi 18V brushless cordless belt sander? Oh wait, that was the Ridgid belt sander. This is the neon green version. Err… I mean the Ryobi one, model P450.
There are some similarities, but also some differences.
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- 5-position pommel (front) handle
- 850 FPM (feet per minute) max speed*
- Tool-free belt tracking
- Lock-on switch
- Front-mounted motor for even weight distribution
It also looks to have a flat face for flush sanding.
Compared to the Ridgid, the Ryobi doesn’t seem to have variable speed. That’s why I * the “max speed,” above. Ryobi says that the P450 18V belt sander can achieve speeds of up to 850 FPM, but I don’t see any speed controls, or mention of such in the product page.
The platten seems to be the same as on the Ridgid, which has an 18″ x 3″ belt size.
The Ryobi is bundled with an ordinary-looking dust bag, unlike the Ridgid’s AirGuard dust bag. Both have ports for a vacuum or dust collector.
The Ryobi has a 5-position pivoting front handle, the Ridgid has a sliding handle. Both have similar tool-free belt change lever, with the lever style looking to be the only difference.
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Ryobi’s is priced at $129, vs. the Ridgid’s $149. But, Ryobi’s lineup is also less expensive to buy into.
Price: $129
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First Thoughts
Where’s the Milwaukee version? Hehe, that was a joke – kind of. But seriously, will there be a Milwaukee version? Hmm…
Ryobi and Ridgid “good” and “better” models? It could be a good strategy. Stanley Black & Decker has tried this with their Dewalt and Porter Cable brands, but only a few times. Their tendency has been to design different tools, seemingly from the ground up.
There’s a Dewalt compact router, and a Porter Cable version, with the difference being variable speed and LED worklights on the Dewalt but not the Porter Cable. Now, several years later, the Dewalt kit pricing is lower than Porter Cable’s, although the bare bones Dewalt router is still around $10 more than the Porter Cable.
I’ve seen some cross-branding in Stanley Black & Decker hand tools, but nothing quite “good,” “better,” “best” in a similar sense as these Ryobi and Ridgid sanders.
It seems to me that the Ridgid is aimed at more serious users, the Ryobi at more budget-conscious users and DIYers.
I find the ergonomic differences to be curious. The Ridgid handle slides, but maintains the same angle, while Ryobi’s pivots, changing the angle and position.
Someone once told me that power tools aimed at DIYers are designed with smaller grips. Whether it’s universally true or not, I took it to mean that DIYer-focused power tools are designed with men and women in mind. Power tools aimed at professional use might then be considered as being designed more for those with medium to large hands – or gloved hands.
In addition to the ergonomics, the Ryobi lacks variable speed. Let me ask this, since it’s something I genuinely haven’t thought about before:
Does a belt sander need variable speed controls?
A belt sander is often used for rapid material removal, and belt sanders aren’t known for being very controllable. I’m usually of the mindset that variable speed is better to have and not need than to need and not have.
There’s also the battery ecosystem to consider – Ryobi’s batteries are considerably less expensive.
There’s good to have another option, and quite frankly the tools look different enough that one shouldn’t simply consider the Ryobi to be a cheaper version of the Ridgid. Yes, it’s less expensive, but also different. Sirloin vs. Ribeye. Yes, one is considered better than the other on paper, but take away budget considerations and it comes down to a matter of taste and preferences.
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Nathan
so is the belt guide and lever on the Ryobi plastic and metal on the Ridgid? Looks to be but again pics can be deceiving.
I would want variable speed for 20 bucks – but like you said buying into the battery system and all that rot. If only there was a ready available adapter series. . . . . . .
I suspect the ridgid runs better – smoother – longer – but just a guess. Either is a great device to have on the market. you know to go with that battery power planer I never thought would exist either.
JMG
Looks plastic to me on both units. Also in both pictures the sanding belt is loose.
Ken
The Rigid looks like a bent metal arm with a rubber or plastic cap slipped on. Can’t tell on the Ryobi, it’s at least a molded plastic pull handle. The belts definitely look loose.
Kirb
I purchased the ryobi sander which has a manual belt tension knob. I was able to tighten. Ridgid specs say theirs has auto tensioning? But yeah. I like the speed dial. I think i’ll exchange the ryobi for ridgid
JMG
I have two Bosch variable speed 4×24 belt sanders, and yes there are times when a slower belt speed is useful. Especially when you are trying not to overheat the material you are working on or just want to keep the gouges to a minimum. I do not use a belt sander for anything critical and it is normally the last tool I will reach for in the sanding process, but it has its place and occasionally is the only tool for the job at hand. At those times, speed control can be a great help.
Bob S
I think variable speed is an important feature on a belt sander because they remove a lot of material at full speed. Sometimes you want to slow the sander down as you get closer to the desired finish. Especially if you are using one of the finer grits to do the final sanding on a large flat surface.
I feel that battery operated belt sanders are niche product. The run time is so short that you could consume batteries faster than you could charge them on a large project unless you have several spare batteries.
JMG
I believe a cordless unit would be a great addition to a cabinet installers kit. Scribing panels to the wall doesn’t take up a large amount of time and is one of the few operations where, in my opinion, a belt sander is the best tool for the job. Door installers could also be a target audience for when the planer isn’t the best choice. Run time for those operations generally would not be a critical issue…
kent
I agree. Also for me I have 22 Ridgid batteries so I can use it all day and would never not be caught up.
Matt
I’ve never really liked the neon green so I’d honestly buy the Rigid version even if it were cheaper with less bells & whistles. I’ve mentioned before a friend (actually two) but one who buys DeWalt because he’s also a huge Steeler’s fan and the yellow’s match. It could be cheaper than the rest but provided the quality was good, yellow it has to be. When I look at the pricing between the so called DIY vs Pro brands concerning power tools, I honestly don’t see That much of a difference in tool cost. Particularly with battery stuff once you’ve bought into a platform. Unless we’re talking something like Festool that is… But the difference from a Rigid to a Ryobi to a Milwaukee for example, isn’t going to be astronomical. Not in my view anyway.
This was brought up the other day and a structured branding comparison was made to General Motors. Maybe 50 years ago it mattered but these days you can buy Chevrolet’s, Ford’s or Kia’s for that matter that are priced higher than many luxury brands. So when it comes to tools, I suppose I’d just buy what made me happy. In this case, that would be the Rigid. Though you’re right, what about the Milwaukee guy who has That battery platform and wants one of these? It seems that once you’ve bought into a platform, that particular brand needs to offer quite a bit in their line to make it worth the investment. A Milwaukee or DeWalt guy shouldn’t have to wait. Those are the largest battery platforms.
ktash
I always look at the Ryobi posts since I have bought into that as my secondary platform which includes my cordless yard tools. I was wondering if the new P516 reciprocating saw would be of interest to readers since it is reported to be much beefier than the older model. Not trying to derail the post, but if you’d consider a post about it that might be of interest. I have the older model recip. and it is too wimpy to prune small trees. The new one is supposed to be much stronger including pruning small trees.
My comments on the sander are that I’d consider the Ridgid model because of the variable speed. All my corded current sanders are variable speed and I use that often. The main use I see for this is if I want to keep the dust down and quickly sand something outside to remove a lot of stock, it sure would be handy to not have to deal with cords. I do both DIY and hobby woodworking.
HammerDrillJoe
I have the P516, and use it to prune tree limbs too. It is much better than the original green saw I got with a kit 5 or 6 years ago. The only issue is the mechanism that is use to hold the blade opening open for one hand blade change seems to wear out and you need 2 hands to change the blade.
ktash
Thanks, HammerDrillJoe. I was leaning toward getting one, hearing from someone who has both tipped me over the edge. Right now there’s a promo, online at least, where you can get a free battery/charger with $100+ of featured tools. I’ll have to see what else looks good on the list.
glenn
I will definitely be buying one of these when they release them over here.
It is perfect for my needs as I only use one for smaller projects and as I have gone nearly all cordless now I find dragging a cord out increasingly annoying. Plus I already have a few Ryobi products.
My current corded belt sander has variable speed control but with my limited and smaller projects I have never used that feature, only running at maximum speed. Not saying it not required or desirable but its not a selling point for me.
Would I like a Milwaukee version? Sure, but I don’t think I could justify the much higher price that I would have to pay In Australia.
The Ridgid version looks great and will no doubt be released at some point under AEG branding but the sole retailer here has positioned that brands pricing at a point similar to or higher than Milwaukee.
This is a shame as AEG/Ridgid are becoming a compelling option to buy into with the release of some great new products.
Looking at some videos of the Ryobi unit, it does indeed have a plastic belt release lever but the belt roller guide is definitely metal.
Toolfreak
I’ve got one of the older blue/yellow Ryobi corded belt sanders, and the plastic construction hasn’t been an issue.
I like the idea of a cordless belt sander, even better that it’s brushless, but the smaller roller drum on the front seems like a bad idea to me. It’s not nearly as small as the tiny front drum on the Black & Decker “dragster” belt sander of years ago, but still, a larger drum seems to be best for keeping sandpaper on the drums, both because a larger diamter keeps the belt from having to go around a tighter curve, and two different diameter drums seem to cause issues with the sanding belt sliding off because they’re moving at different speeds.
pete
belt sanders are made to remove material VERY quickly and thats it. once your close to where you want you STOP using the belt sander and use a orbital sander… i would bet you’d be more likely to burn up a motor using on a low speed and a bit of pressure on it bogging the motor down rather than on high where the motor can cool itself off… Just my thoughts.
I love my some ryobi and i’ll pick one up when i find a project i “NEED” it on lol
Ct
I have had a couple of quality issues with mine but I still love it. It had some loose screews. Now I think its lock on function is malfunctioning. And. Theres a peice rattling around inside it.. but it works ..battery life is a lil short even on the 4ah. But for my needs its fine
Ken Drakeford
I just got a Ryobi 18V belt sander. Works a treat for about 5 minutes till the newly charged battery is dead. So I use the other battery which is also newly charged. It too went flat in five. Completely drained both batteries. Mind you it does a great job in those 5 minutes. I’m just hoping this machine isn’t killing my batteries.
Kristie Otto
We just purchased the Ryobi hand sander and my husbands finger got sucked into the sander and shaved top of his finger off pretty much. I have been researching this and this seems to happen quite frequently with same exact outcomes. Is there not a safety switch on this hand tool?
MM
I’m sorry to hear about your husband’s finger!
I don’t know if this tool has a safety lock-out button, and I’m trying to figure out how it might have happened since when you use this tool, or you carry it around by either handle, neither thumb should be anywhere near the belt. Did it perhaps happen while your husband was changing the belt? I have seen accidents like that happen with other tools like grinders. It’s easy for us to forget but all cordless tools have the ultimate safety built-in: remove the battery when you change belts/blades, the same way you would unplug a corded tool from the wall outlet.