Are the Ryobi Drill + Nicad Sets still worth the money?

[kevinr]

I keep being tempted by the current Screwfix headline offer on the Ryobi 18V drills. This one.

I know the Li-ion packs are available and there are newer lime-green drills but for this price it looks like a good upgrade for my DIY use. The more branded solutions would probably be overkill for my usage if the Ryobi's are good enough rather than just cheap enough.

What do you think?

Alternatively is there any useful mileage in the various lower powered sets (14.4v, 12v, 12v li-ion) - I've sort of gained the impression over time on here that 18v is the minimum sane level for Nicad, although Lion might be ok at a lower level?

I'm talking Main Combi + Main Drill Driver here, not the handy sized 10.8v Li-ions...that Bosch kicked off.

Thanks.

 

[wizer]

It'll be fine for about a year or two (if you're lucky). Then you can chuck it in the bin and either buy another one and go around th

 

[Triggaaar]

I'm talking Main Combi + Main Drill Driver here, not the handy sized 10.8v Li-ions

Ryobi have a decent reputation for the price they're at, but I'm not a fan of combi drills (specifically hammer action) unless you're getting top quality. If you don't need the hammer action you'd find lower voltage drills are fine, my chippie uses the Hitachi 14.4v which is decent, and was cheap at screwfix (under £80). If you do need hammer action (other than a 1 off in morter) then it's best (IMO) to have a corded SDS as well (you can get a DeWalt for £70). That doesn't mean a combi isn't right for you, what are you planning to use them for?

I don't like the idea of 2 drills with only 2 batteries if you're using Ni-Cd. The reason being that when one is flat, you're down to one drill and hoping that doesn't also go flat (which it obviously will sometimes), because I don't think you can just pop a bit of charge into the first flat battery, you're supposed to charge it fully, which takes a while.

 

[wizer]

It htink the problem with Ni-Cads and the Hobby woodworker is that they aren't too good at sporadic charging. If they are used by tradesman who is using them and charging them regularly, they last. With the option of LiIon, I'd not go back to NiCads

 

[petermillard]

Fair points by Triggaaar and Wizer, though a lot comes down to personal preferences. I like combis, personally, and find them a good balance between the heavier-duty SDS and a regular drill/driver.

My brother (hobby woodworker) has Ryobi One+ (not sure if it's the same as the one in the Screwfix link) and as you say it's decent enough. Batteries are a bit lightweight at only 1.7ah and you may need to be a bit organised about charging them before you use them, but for the money, what do you expect?

Here's another way of looking at it; two batteries and a charger would cost you about £75 - here - so for an extra £25, you're getting a combi drill and a drill/driver. And it's a pretty cheap way of getting into the whole "One+" system...

Just my two-penneth

Cheers, Pete

 

[Gary]

Splash out on this, you know you want one. :lol:

Three Li-ion batteries and with their 10% off code they offer by email on a weekly basis you'll enjoy it more than a DIY drill.

 

[Majorlarf]

I have the 3 speed version and use daily plus all day i must have had it for about 2 years & its been great.
I have a couple of extra batteries & between them all they power the above drill, right angled drill, sander & circular saw which have all been great although the saw does really need more power or thinner timber but this is due to cutting worktops & fire doors!

I also have the same drill for home use and i have a 12 volt which i use mainly as a driver, I have been very happy with ryobi +one.

My previous drill was a bosch which on the surface did seem slightly better with power but only lasted six months so this put me off getting a replacement & instead got a refund & went for the ryobi for convenience.

 

[kevinr]

Thanks guys, good thoughts. The biggest downside of the screwfix deal - which presumably is clearance, as the li-ion batteries and green drills take over - is that they are the smaller 1.5Ah batteries instead of the 1.7Ah.

But as Pete said at £100 the set its still not bad. There are a few deals around on the set with 1.7Ah and the hard case at £109 (eg. Amazon) which may be better value.

 

[Triggaaar]

But as Pete said at £100 the set its still not bad.

No it's not bad. A few things to consider are:
will you make use of the one+ system (more tools sharing the batteries)
will they get quite light use, and consequently last you fine (and you can't justify spending more)
if they'll get a lot of use, do you want something that'll just last a couple of years, when you can go for something better

Although we're not tradesman, and don't need to go for li-ion, I think if I bought less it would always annoy me (since my tools tend to last a long time). How about a nice 18v lithium makita (£146 delivered) that will last for years

 

[kevinr]

But as Pete said at £100 the set its still not bad.

No it's not bad. A few things to consider are:
will you make use of the one+ system (more tools sharing the batteries)
will they get quite light use, and consequently last you fine (and you can't justify spending more)
if they'll get a lot of use, do you want something that'll just last a couple of years, when you can go for something better

Although we're not tradesman, and don't need to go for li-ion, I think if I bought less it would always annoy me (since my tools tend to last a long time). How about a nice 18v lithium makita (£146 delivered) that will last for years

A very tasty if more expensive alternative. Not 100% sure a single battery (even Li-ion) is an ideal solution.

For others looking for bargains a bit of searching can also bring up a Blue Bosch kit with Combo+Drill/Driver for £181, although that is creeping into another league on price its less than the RRP for a Bosch battery pack!

 

[Triggaaar]

Not 100% sure a single battery (even Li-ion) is an ideal solution.

I'm not wanting to persuade you to blow your budget when the Ryobi might be what you need, just thought I'd through it in there. But I don't think you should worry about the single battery - the 3.0 Ah lithium lasts for ages, even with trade use, and if it does run out it takes little time to charge, or you can even just give it a 5 min charge (which you can't do with Nicad) and continue to use it (until you grab a tea and can charge it more).

 

[Modernist]

Just bought one of the new 14V Metabo with 2 off Lithium batteries for £130. Haven't given it a lot of use yet but it seems excellent

 

[petermillard]

Guys, let's not forget that the Ryobi deal is for two drills - a combi and a drill/driver - which I would arguably find far more useful than a single drill, albeit one with the latest in battery tech. I've had (still have!) lots of cordless drills, mostly NiCd and NiMh, and a few Li-Ion, and in my experience the benefits of each battery technology over their predecessors has been exaggerated by the manufacturers marketing people.

All batteries need some care, and Li-Ion are no exception. Yes, they hold their charge well and are light-weight compared to NiCds, but they're not without issues; let the battery drop below a critical minimum voltage (e.g. run it flat then leave it in an unheated workshop or in the back of a van overnight) and it's likely it won't accept a charge any more - I know a couple of guys who have done this. Worst part is, they're so light you cant even use a dead li-ion as a paperweight, lol :wink:

So yes, it's horses for courses; it's nice to have quality tools and I wouldn't discourage anyone from spending their hard-earned (and taxed) cash on something they want or need, but don't discount something cheap(er) that'll do the job just because it's not using the latest sexy technology.

And as always, budget carefully - then at least you know how much you've overspent by... :shock:

Cheers, Pete.

 

[RogerS]

It htink the problem with Ni-Cads and the Hobby woodworker is that they aren't too good at sporadic charging. If they are used by tradesman who is using them and charging them regularly, they last. With the option of LiIon, I'd not go back to NiCads

Well said, Wizer. Explains precisely the predicament I now find myself in having a suite of 18v Bosch portable tools (jigsaw, circular saw and drill) and 3 very iffy batteries that can be guaranteed to be flat the next time I go to use them.

 

[wizer]

They just get worse. I retired my old Makita Nicad drill driver as my second\spare drill but every time I come to use it, all three batteries are dead and by the time they've charged I've made do with the one (Hitachi LiIon) drill.

 

[crazylilting]

In a pinch i bought Ryobi. hired someone who didn't have any tools so wanted to get him up and going quickly and cheaply. What rubbish, never again will i ever by Ryobi, or hire someone who doesn't own their own tools for that matter.

 

[RogerS]

They just get worse. I retired my old Makita Nicad drill driver as my second\spare drill but every time I come to use it, all three batteries are dead and by the time they've charged I've made do with the one (Hitachi LiIon) drill.

But there's the rub. Having invested in the actual tools, do you go out and buy a new set of NiCads or do you try and sell the tools on eBay and buy a complete new set of everything?

 

[Triggaaar]

Guys, let's not forget that the Ryobi deal is for two drills - a combi and a drill/driver - which I would arguably find far more useful than a single drill

I've not forgotten, and I agree, two drills is nicer than one - nice to have a drill bit in one and screw bit in the other. I was just suggesting considering a better quality drill if you already had an old one, or would buy another in the future (like one of the 10.8Vs for driving).

All batteries need some care, and Li-Ion are no exception. Yes, they hold their charge well and are light-weight compared to NiCds, but they're not without issues; let the battery drop below a critical minimum voltage (e.g. run it flat then leave it in an unheated workshop or in the back of a van overnight) and it's likely it won't accept a charge any more

Oh, I didn't know this, thanks. I shall be careful not to let that happen.

but don't discount something cheap(er) that'll do the job just because it's not using the latest sexy technology.

Agreed

In a pinch i bought Ryobi. hired someone who didn't have any tools so wanted to get him up and going quickly and cheaply. What rubbish, never again will i ever by Ryobi

They're not all bad, I've seen a few Ryobi last well (like my plumbers sds drill). What was it you had?

or hire someone who doesn't own their own tools for that matter.

Depends how much you're paying them and for how long. I've hired a few people without their own tools for a lot less money than those with tools, and it saves me a good sum (much more than the cost of the tools I lend them). I appreciate that if you need something doing that requires a lot of skill and care, a tradesman with all their own tools is likely to be better in the first place, but each job is different.

 

[kevinr]

Just bought one of the new 14V Metabo with 2 off Lithium batteries for £130. Haven't given it a lot of use yet but it seems excellent

Which comes back to my other question on the useful power of sub-18V tools. I remembered a few posts about 14v li-ion being satisfactory, whereas sub-18v nicad has always been criticised for trade/diy/hobby use.

You raise a good point about nicads fading in storage and not being ready to go - had that with a couple of (rubbish gift) light cordless screwdrivers in the 80s/90s. Plus the lack of cycles can/may (?) weaken nicads.

On the flip side li-ion batteries have a shelf life unused or used. I seem to recall laptop gurus saying 3-5 years then they can go funny, but that might be the "too empty" situation "too often". I suppose the nice thing with the Ryobi is that the nicad and li-ion are interchangeable (except in the older nicad only charger). For my sporadic usage the 1 drill at £140+ level may be too rich.

My existing drill is an old wired combi that's sufficiently embarrassing I won't even name it.

 

[Triggaaar]

Which comes back to my other question on the useful power of sub-18V tools. I remembered a few posts about 14v li-ion being satisfactory, whereas sub-18v nicad has always been criticised for trade/diy/hobby use.

I think the 14v Hitachi NiCd is decent and agree that the newer Li-ion tools are even more powerful volt for volt. The lower voltage tools also have the benefit of being lighter, and once you need a lot more power you often need an sds or similar anyway.

I suppose the nice thing with the Ryobi is that the nicad and li-ion are interchangeable (except in the older nicad only charger). For my sporadic usage the 1 drill at £140+ level may be too rich.

Indeed if you don't already have an old cordless a 2 drill package is probably better for you, and you can often get better deals when needing a 2nd body. So with the Ryobi you're looking at, could you charge a li-ion battery with the charger and use it with the drill as if you'd bought a li-ion drill in the first place? I know the one+ meant you could swap and choose, but didn't realise your charger would work - that's a really nice feature should you decide to switch to li-ion when your batteries eventually die.

My existing drill is an old wired combi that's sufficiently embarrassing I won't even name it.

Oh go on - is it a B&D?