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

[kevinr]

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.

Er. I suspect not - I am assuming they are bundling the nicad only charger with these (clearance?) nicad sets. The Li-ion charger in the li-ion sets, etc will charge the older batteries too though. So an eventual upgrade is more flexible. Ofcourse in a few months (xmas?) the nicad sets will have presumably disappeared and the li-ion sets might creep down in price.

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?

Er - well its quite big, its blue, its not an own brand and despite having "proline" in the name its even got a ridiculously short power lead, so the plug is always dangling! Its always worked OK although I've often been convinced the shaft isn't 100% right. Its taken years of DIY use without getting better or worse. Unlike a similar circular saw that takes longer to tune square on most axis than it does to make the real cuts. Didn't know better all those years ago, didn't have a reason to upgrade when I was flush (see I avoided the slope at least) but now the tools are just annoying again and funds are more limited. Which is why I'm considering Ryobi as a better DIY product (rather than a trade bargain).

 

[Ross K]

Why all the Ryobi-bashing?? Based on what experience I wonder?

I'm a pro cabinet maker and have a Ryobi 18v to go with a Makita 18v. Both are used a lot, so batteries get charged very regularly (three for each).

The Ryobi is an absolutely fine workhorse (I use it mostly for screwdriving, the Makita for drilling) and other cabinet makers in the workshop agree. One has used and abused his Ryobi for years and it's going strong.

That Screwfix offer is an absolute bargain.

 

[Gary]

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.

Your worried about them being clearance stock.

What do you think the ni-cad stock will be?

Ok, I agree they are low on the amp hour, but with three batteries holding their charge in the case from one weekend to the next and a better performing drill, I thought they may have suited your needs.

 

[kevinr]

Your worried about them being clearance stock.

What do you think the ni-cad stock will be?

Ok, I agree they are low on the amp hour, but with three batteries holding their charge in the case from one weekend to the next and a better performing drill, I thought they may have suited your needs.

Hey Gary no argument. You're talking about the deal on the bosch which is pretty good if you've £200 to throw at it. I was talking about the Ryobi £99 deal being clearance and having only 1.5Ah Nicad, I'd pointed out elsewhere in the thread that searching can find the ryobi 1.7Ah sets on a few websites from about £110.

 

[big soft moose]

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.

They arent dewalt/ makita but then you dont expect it at that price - my ryobi belt sander works fine and we've just killed the ryobi 18V combi at work after 8 years of hard use.

that said they are designed for hobby use not pro site/trade use so its expecting a bit much to use them like that - be like entering a go cart in formula one then complaining when it didnt win.

 

[big soft moose]

also see here http://www.screwfix.com/prods/73596/Pow ... l?ts=71179

possibly a better deal for 99 notes - okay you dont get the second drill driver but you do get a one hour charge and two batteries (still nicad tho)

 

[petermillard]

Sorry to dredge up an old thread, but the Ryobi twin-pack the OP refers to is now on special at Buy 'n Queue for £50 - here

Might be worth a punt at that price for someone, if only to get a toehold on the Ryobi One+ 'system'??

Cheers, Pete

 

[Ross K]

That's the 14.4V version.

 

[petermillard]

That's the 14.4V version.

Whoops, missed that!