Ding, ding ding. That’s the sound of Ryobi climbing into the brushless arena, but only in Australia (for now?). We’re seeing the same “brushless is better” claims that are tossed around whenever a brand comes out with a new brushless product, but Ryobi also incorporated some interesting features into the new cordless drill.
There’s also the E-Torque Control, which is a different take on clutch settings. This technology allows for quick mode selection, (10) torque settings, 2 speed range settings (this looks like a regular gear switch on top of the drill), and it regulates the power output to avoid over-tightening screws.
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Instead of having to turn a ring to adjust the clutch, you slide a switch. It looks like this could make the drill more compact than if it had a traditional dial-adjusted clutch.
The Brushless Motor Means Up to…
- 40% more runtime
- 20% more power
- 10x longer durability
These figures are along the lines of what other brands have claimed as well, when comparing brushless cordless drills with entry-level brushed motor models.
Specs
- 0-440/0-1700 RPM no-load speed
- 60 Nm max torque (~531 in-lbs)
Price: $269 AUD (~$194 USD) for the compact and high capacity battery kit
More Info(via Ryobi AUS)
First Thoughts
The new Ryobi brushless drill looks like an interesting new cordless drill, but too bad it’s only available in Australia (for now?). It’s uncertain as to whether it’ll be available in the USA. Certain Ryobi products, such as their modular ToolBlox tool boxes, aren’t available outside of Australia.
I’m thinking that the pricing might be a roadblock here. ~$200 USD for the kit, even if brushless, and even with one of the batteries being a high capacity pack, might be a little high for USA.
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TTI’s AEG brand came out with brushless drills, and I believe other tools as well by now, but we have yet to see any brushless tools from Ridgid. (TTI is the company behind Ryobi and Ridgid power tools in the USA.) The only thing I could think of is that the retail pricing was perceived as being too great for the USA market. Hopefully that won’t be the case, and we’ll see this Ryobi brushless drill available here too.
Thanks to Glenn for the heads-up!
Jason
I think it’s a price point thing like you mentioned Stuart. Ryobi is considered a value brand in the USA. I’m not saying that the tools are bad, but HD and TTI have positioned the brand that way. Ryobi could put smaller cap batteries in the kit and lower the price even more. I think it would sell ok at around 125 or 150
Stuart
I think that $125 might be impossible, even for a bare tool, and eat into sales of their lower priced kits. Maybe $165 with one battery would be a better target price. But that still might not be economically feasible.
glenn
Stuart, I think you are on the money there. Judging by the price differences on Ryobi between here and over there I would be guessing at a 150-175 price point there.
Also we have had the 2.5ah and the 5.0ah batteries available for a few months now. The 5’s are only $20 more expensive for a 2 pack than the 4’s were, at $179 and $199 respectively.
http://ryobi.com.au/products/accessories/batteries-chargers
glenn
I also should add that I don’t know why anyone would buy this here at that pricing when you could buy a Milwaukee Fuel kit with a higher spec drill and longer warranty for $20 less.
https://sydneytools.com.au/milwaukee-m18cdd-202c-18v-2-0ah-fuel-li-ion-cordless-drill-driver-combo-kit
Jon
I bet we’ll see this kit i the USA under the Ridgid brand at around the same price point, possibly with one 4.0 li-ion battery.
I’m a Ridgid fan and have bought into their 18v line but I already have a Ridgid drill with a lifetime warranty so I’ll pass on this. That said, there is plenty of appeal for a brushless drill with a lifetime warranty. I could see this being a good seller for Ridgid if they can get the price point right.
Adam
Stuart, it looks like they are upping their batteries to 5ah & 2.5ah as well. At least that’s what my eyes were drawn to in the picture
Jason. W
Yeah the old ones were 2 and 4.
I have no need for this drill, but I want it really, really bad.
abnormalist
Not even 2…
the p102 was only rated at 1.33Ah and the p103 and p107 was 1.5Ah
the p104 and p105 were rated at 2.6Ah
the p108s are 4Ah which is why they run so much better
Matt E.
+1, I have the Cordless drill from their Drill/Impact Driver kit, and while it’s certainly a great value and gets the job done, I’d get this just to have a cool new toy.
I figure $200 USD for a kit that comes with the extended battery and a fast-charger (the one in the pic looks like an uprated version from what comes in my kit)
mizzourob
Ridgid has brushless mailers now so maybe more tools are to come in the future. TTI already brought this drill to the US as a Craftsman C3.
It seems like Australia gets the cool new tools first from Ryobi. I’m still waiting on the One+ lawn mower to cone to the US
Dan
Check out this video from Ryobi Europe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4j5EPBaPQ8
Miguel Marques
“There’s also the E-Torque Control, which is a different take on clutch settings”
It’s not new, it’s exactly the same as what you find in the Festool PDC and DRC drills.
Matt E.
OK, so new for a tool that doesn’t require selling a kidney to afford.
Rune Haugen
you can buy it in europe.
Chris
If Ridgid intend to sell a brushless compact I think it will be this one not a rebranded Ryobi.
https://aegpowertools.co.nz/products/hammer-drill/18v-compact-brushless-hammer-drill-kit
More torque than a DCD795N or 2702-20!
Matt E.
I could see this quietly coming to the US as a bare tool/ web-only special (sold via Home Depots website, of course) so as not to steal valuable retail floor space from Ryobis faster moving value models or Milwaukee’s higher end/bigger margin lineup of tools.
This approach means TTI still can cater to weekend warriors that appreciate the tool and are already invested in the One+ battery system, while also amortizing the R&D cost across another market. If nothing else, it’s a low-risk way to see if the more consumer oriented market has a taste for brushless, or if that tech should stay with it’s up-market offerings.
Remember, offering this drill also helps keep folks considering another brand (due to brushless offerings) from jumping ship. Clearly a core pillar of Ryobis offering is the One+ eco-system, once folks cross over to another brand.
Rob
I am very interested in this drill as I have many 0ne+ tools and a heap of batteries.
I have run one in store and cannot understand how the etorque is supposed to work. The manual mentions something regarding a memory so the tool will return to the last used torque setting when switching from drilling to screw mode. In practice the drill does not seem to de-clutch in low gear at all, and clutches out pretty early in high gear with the etorque lever having no noticeable effect. Can anyone shed any light on this? Hands on the drill is compact, smooth, and feels solid .
Rob
Here is Ryobi’s response to the e-torque mystery.
The tool does not have a clutch & it is electronically controlled to turn off at a point where depending upon the torque setting it will monitor current draw & the tool will shut down.
At present this functions in 2 nd gear only due to the gearbox & 2 nd gear having less torque than 1 st hence why you couldn’t get it to shut out.
The memory function is if you were screw driving on a particular torque setting & then requiring to drill a hole set the selector to drill & drill the hole. Then to go back to the torque setting you were previously at if you had forgotten click thru the torque settings & when you find the prior setting the lights will flash on & off several times indicating you have found the prior setting.
Ryobi Customer Care
Jon
The Ryobi drills that come as kits these days are weak and poorly built. My old blue & gold Ryobi drills were FAR more powerful, had 1/2″ clutch, had storage for two 2″ bits, and felt better in my hands. But eventually I burned them up (took almost 8 years). I got the new one just thinking it would be like the old ones, without really looking into it. 3/8″ clutch (and VERY shallow clutch at that, barely holding onto anything), doesn’t ratchet (neither did the old ones but they held much tighter than this new crap), no bit storage, poor ergonomics, and the plastic is cheaper.
So I was excited to see the headline for this one. But at that price I will much sooner get a Milwaukee. I love my M12 set and I’ve loved both of my brothers’ M18 sets. I can’t imagine spending more than $100 for a Ryobi cordless tool considering the terrible service and warranty policies and practices. (8-12 week turnaround, denying a claim if they even think it might have been used professionally, denying a claim because the serial number isn’t visible anymore because they put the serial number on a sticker that wasn’t even recessed to prevent it from getting worn off, etc., etc.) Milwaukee’s warranty coverage specifically acknowledges that tools get used by professionals and have to be back in their hands in a short time so we can keep working. $200 Ryobi? FORGET IT.
Kersley
Firstly I would like to say well done and thank you for keeping us informed with all these fantastic reviews.
I don’t have anything good to say about Ryobi power tools. they are design for the occasional Sunday DIYer.. nothing more. under powered and bulky compared to other makes.
The 18v Grinder burnt out after just one use. The 18v Impact driver wasn’t able to remove a 4″ screw from an old decking, where my Metabo done it with ease. The 18v circular saw wasn’t able to cut through 18mm hardwood ply it just keep stalling. you can get much better tools cheaper than Ryobi.
j.
Actually, ridgid brushless kits are already available in Canada https://www.homedepot.ca/en/home/p.ridgid-18v-brushless-hammer-drillimpact-kit.1000845632.html
280 CAD (about 210 USD) for drill, impact, and 2x 2ah batteries.
j.
oh and I was forgetting, so is the ryobi lawnmower (brushed and brushless). Strangely enough, we only just got the snow blower this season, but it’s been available everywhere else for a few years.
Rfs
Brushless is more efficient and sells at a premium , however most components are of similar manufacturing cost to the brushed equivalent machine , battery pack is common to both , printed circuits are cheap these days ,so maybe its primarily the permanent magnet rotor that is a bit more expensive than brushed designs , however I have seen a few recent patents which propose to use less complicated solid rotor composite magnetic particle rotors , so as with all things , new products develop techniques for cheaper manufacture , so in the near future prices will drop and we will all get a more efficient tool at a price close to that of brushed tools.
Rob
I have the brushless drill and it is definitely more powerful than the brushed equivalent 18v drill. I am still undecided if I am happy with the electronic clutch and definitely prefer a mechanical clutch. As for some of the above comments about Ryobi 18v tools being poor quality etc. I have a heap of them including an impact driver that is well over ten years old and has done at least 20,000 screws plus. I have never burned any of them out and they are all still going with little wear and I use them in trade work. I previously used Metabo and their battery tools were not worth the extra cost by a long shot. Ryobi were the first to introduce the one battery fits all and I have been happy with them ever since. The expense of replacement batteries and the changing of battery compatibility every model was my main reason for leaving Metabo.
Jason
I never broke a Ryobi tool before. I did have some problems with batteries failing early but Ryobi did take care of me on that problem. I still might be using Ryobi now if they had had a better recip and circular saw back then. They were the weakest tools of the line up back then smaller blades and just not enough power. Now Ryobi has a really nice 6.5 inch circular saw which is great to hear. Plus no other tool company has the depth of tools Ryobi has!!
Rob
I had the 150mm(6in) saw and it worked well but I replaced it with the 165mm saw and am very pleased with it, Pretty damn good for a battery saw. Ryobi Australia, (TTI) have been very good with customer service and will generally go out of their way to help customers. Don’t tell them you use their tool for trade though, they don’t seem to appreciate it. Now as the price gap between Ryobi and Milwaukee is getting smaller someone entering into the battery tool market may find Mailwaukee more attractive since you are bound to whatever battery platform you decide on.
Grill
These drills bare are in Europe now and I find the pricing utterly confusing. If you factor in tax and convert the current from AUS to UK sterling. These drills would only cost £99?