Jpgwoodworking Posted May 27, 2019 Report Share Posted May 27, 2019 I’m surprised by how many guys use longevity as the only criteria for quality. “My Ryobi is 8 years old and still turns when I pull the trigger, so it’s just as good as XYZ.” To me, power, speed, ergonomics, compactness, weight, comfort, etc, all matter nearly as much as longevity. I started buying the flagship Bosch 18v and corded tools several years ago when I got tired of replacing things that shouldn’t be disposable. I was happy with them but started looking for a new platform when I was outfitting one of my enclosed trailers as I only wanted to carry one type of batteries/chargers and Bosch has refused to produce, import, or discontinued many of the tools I need. Originally I purchased two sets of the top of the line Ridgid Gen 5X brushless hammer drill, impacts, and circular saws, based on being pleased with the Ridgid 7 1/4” sliding miter saw and somewhat content with their 18 gauge cordless brad nailer I had been using for awhile. Unfortunately, their tools felt bulky, unbalanced, and underpowered. Their drills were also extremely noisy and high pitched. I ended up going and buying a pair of the Dewalt 887 impact drivers, their 991 and 996 drills, and the 6 1/2 and 7 1/4 circular saws. My workers and I did a head to head comparison and the Dewalt tools blew the Ridgid stuff away, which I ended up returning. There was no comparison in terms of speed, weight, and overall feel. The impacts were significantly slower and struggled driving things like timberlock fasteners and even deck screws, their circular saws could be easily bogged down when ripping 2x material, even compared to the brushed Dewalt 6 1/2 saw, etc. I eventually purchased the Dewalt 18 gauge cordless brad nailer also, which I expected I would return as the Ridgid just didn’t have enough power and versatility getting into corners to be used on anything more than small jobs like replacing a front door casing. I was wrong and the Dewalt has become my go to, replacing my pneumatic guns even on larger jobs like multi-day wainscoting and crown moulding projects. I’ve also since found that my Ridgid batteries after a little over 2 years only seem to last around half as long as they did when new. Unfortunately their “lifetime service agreement” doesn’t apply to batteries purchased separately from tool kits, so it’s not worth the paper it’s printed on there. The Ridgid 7 1/4” sliding miter saw is better than the Dewalt, as it is dual bevel, more powerful, and lasted longer when the batteries were new. I say all this as someone who wasn’t a Dewalt fan at all, but eventually became one after trying several brands. They were blowing a buddy’s Makita stuff away on a job I did with him last week also. All that being said, I wouldn’t be surprised if my Bosch stuff is still chugging along in a decade and my Dewalt stuff only lasts half that long. For commercial applications bordering on abuse like drilling 1000 holes in steel a week, I’d go Bosch or Milwaukee M18 and give up the benefits of the newer more modern stuff. Also nothing wrong with Ryobi or Ridgid for a crew of guys that don’t treat them like they cost $. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToolBane Posted May 27, 2019 Report Share Posted May 27, 2019 5 hours ago, DR99 said: I follow the Milwaukee Facebook group and the hate for Ryobi is only eclipsed by Dewalt. I noticed a bunch of them invaded the Ryobi FB group maybe a couple months ago purely to troll everyone there. It’s already sad enough on its own but what should be outright embarrassing is when anyone and everyone who knows anything about tools know they’re both owned and managed by TTI. The two brands almost certainly share a lot of parts, actually... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King DORK Posted May 27, 2019 Report Share Posted May 27, 2019 1 hour ago, ToolBane said: I noticed a bunch of them invaded the Ryobi FB group maybe a couple months ago purely to troll everyone there. It’s already sad enough on its own but what should be outright embarrassing is when anyone and everyone who knows anything about tools know they’re both owned and managed by TTI. The two brands almost certainly share a lot of parts, actually... Along with another brand that many love to bash. Lol 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToolBane Posted May 27, 2019 Report Share Posted May 27, 2019 52 minutes ago, King DORK said: Along with another brand that many love to bash. Lol Yup 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mycrossover Posted May 28, 2019 Report Share Posted May 28, 2019 I follow the Milwaukee Facebook group and the hate for Ryobi is only eclipsed by Dewalt. Tool purchasing like trucks dosen't have to be that tribal, buy what you like. If it could be a GM product it would be appreciated they pay the bills.There needs to be an AA like group for tool fans. "Hi. My name is xxxx. I obcess about buying brand x tools. I get visibly upset if somebody says something good about another brand." It is Ford vs Chevy all over again. People constantly put them selves in groups to fight over something. It can be consequential like religion or ethnicity or red vs yellow. Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
honeyalex Posted June 8, 2022 Report Share Posted June 8, 2022 Thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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