The Ryobi 18V “One+” System
By Chuck Cage
In a cordless power tool industry that’s struggling to bring new battery systems to market, Ryobi’s taking a slightly different tack: they’re keeping their batteries the same, shooting instead to make it easier and more cost-effective for you to cut the cord on all your power tools.
Ryobi offers all tools in the “One+” series in both a “kit” form (with batteries and a charger) and in a “bare tool” form for use with your existing Ryobi 18V batteries/charger. The “One+” concept is simple: you can start out with one existing 18V Ryobi tool — or purchase a tool in “kit” form — then add to your collection inexpensively by purchasing “bare tools” to use with your exisitng accessories.
Combo kits are also available, though Ryobi encourages you to “roll your own” from their complete One+ line, which includes (among others):
- numerous drill/drivers and hammerdrills
- a right angle “close quarters” drill
- a laminate trimmer
- a 5-1/2″ circular saw (w/laser)
- a 10″ chain saw
- a variable-speed orbital jigsaw
- a variable-speed reciprocating saw
- a rotary cutter
- an 8-1/4″ miter saw
- a caulk & adhesive gun
- a finish sander
- a nailer/stapler
- a flashlight
- a handheld wet/dry vac
Pricing on the “bare” tools and batteries is quite reasonable. For example, a single One+ system battery sells for $24.99, and a 1/2″ variable speed cordless hammer drill sells for $49.97. Ryobi offers a number of combo kits ranging from the ”starter kit plus” (drill, flashlight, circ saw, and sander) up to “the works” (drill, circ saw, recip saw, jig saw, chain saw, wet/dry vac, flashlight, and accessories).
If you’re considering jumping on the One+ bandwagon, Home Depot should be your first stop as they’re now the exclusive Ryobi source. Your local store should have a variety of One+ tools in stock for you to check out in person.
The One+ Series Cordless Tools [Ryobi]
Ryobi Products [Home Depot]
June 20th, 2006 at 11:55 am
I’ve found that the 18V One+ batteries *suck*. Even brand new ones don’t charge fully, don’t hold a charge, and it’s not uncommon for one of a double-pack to last two or three times longer than the other. And while Home Depot will happily swap out bad batteries during the store warranty period, good luck getting any help from Ryobi America.
June 22nd, 2006 at 5:31 pm
[...] We did see a relatively negative comment on our post Monday regarding the “One+” system — and you might want to look at the comments on the Amazon store as well before jumping in — but that’s awfully cheap for that many cordless tools. [...]
September 13th, 2006 at 3:57 pm
I own just about all the one plus tools, and use them all the time. these tools have performed well beyond what I expected when I bought them almost two years ago. I am very pleased with these tools and own many other ryobi products. sometimes you really do get what you pay for.
October 6th, 2006 at 3:08 pm
I own a large selection of both cordless and corded Ryobi power tools. I love all of them. None have disappointed. Flashlight in the 5pc. set is sort of silly, but everything else if first rate. The electronic speed brake on the drill is especially nice.
On the downside, I agree with Frank H. above that the 18V batteries are a disappointment. They don’t seem to hold a charge off the charger, so you pretty much need to plan ahead if you want to use one, so you can put it back on the charger.
November 28th, 2006 at 9:35 am
I must agree with other regarding the poor quality of Ryobi’s 18V batteries. My Makita 6095 drill has 3 year old batteries that have been recharged a goodly number of times. It hangs on my workbench and always has some power when I need it. However, the Ryobi 18V tools ALWAYS require a visit with their battery charger prior to use. These batteries just do not hold a charge for more than a few days. The price of the tools is fantastic and the quality is outstanding considering the price. Too bad Ryobi doesn’t get its head out of the sand so they can come up with a better 18V battery that holds a charge as well as the Makita 9.6V batteries do. Ryobi……. are you listening? You should be!!!
November 28th, 2006 at 9:36 am
I must agree with others regarding the poor quality of Ryobi’s 18V batteries. My Makita 6095 drill (9.6V) has 3 year old batteries that have been recharged a goodly number of times. That drill hangs on my workbench and always has some power when I need it. However, the Ryobi 18V tools ALWAYS require a visit with their battery charger prior to use. These batteries just do not hold a charge for more than a few days. The price of the tools is fantastic and the quality is outstanding considering the price. Too bad Ryobi doesn’t get its head out of the sand so they can come up with a better 18V battery that holds a charge as well as the Makita 9.6V batteries do. Ryobi……. are you listening? You should be!!!
January 8th, 2007 at 8:31 pm
Ryobi 14.4 volt battery power circular saw can not cut thro two (2) pcs. 4 ft x 8 ft of wood veneer paneling 1/4 inch thick . What a waste of time and money!! Battery drains down quickly. Drill is good for 12 screws than goes slow and needs a fresh battery.
My old Black and Decker battery powered drill outperforms Ryobi
March 7th, 2007 at 3:56 pm
I have the 18 Volt system and have used the circular saw cutting 2×4’s to length and used it all day and never needed to charge the battery. I have use the drill, recipricating saw and others and I have never experienced the Battery problems as of yet. I really stand by the quality and functionality of the tools. I was skeptical, but I am now a believer.
March 25th, 2007 at 2:51 pm
I have had a few of these tools until recently they were all stolen
but my batteries were not to bad though I have still got a couple of tools the sprial saw is a great drywall tool and I have one decent battery left
and I was very great full of that between my 2 crappy batteries and the one newish on I was able to get my new house drywalled and cut out all my plugs and other fixtures with only a couple of vistis to the charger over a couple of weeks
I had 2 batteries that I had refurbished with nimh cells myself and it makes a huge difference there are places that will refurb you shot batteries for you
April 21st, 2007 at 7:58 am
Hold those compliments until you’ve had them for a couple of years. If you knew you were going to have to replace the batteries every 18 months (I use my tools every week - not just for occasional projects) would you still think it’s a great deal? In 27 months, I’ve been through 8 batteries and only two were replaced under warranty. And Ryobi USA NEVER responds to complaints.
Like other posters, my Makita and B&D units are still going strong after years of continual use/recharging.
June 22nd, 2007 at 10:13 am
[...] We featured Ryobi’s One+ system, commenting on how they offer everything but the kitchen sink, all for cheap. Of course, some readers disagreed about the system’s reliability. [...]
June 22nd, 2007 at 11:15 am
Feels weird commenting on such an old post, but the ‘Year Ago’ post kind of bubbled this up to the surface.
I’ve not had the same battery issues that others seem to. I got a 5 pack (with the silly flashlight) about 3 years ago. I am still on the original 2 batteries. I cut 2×4s without a problem with the circular saw. I’m really bad about charging batteries and it isn’t uncommon for me to run my drills/saws off of a battery that hasn’t seen a charger in a week+.
I was so pleasantly suprised that I actually just picked up the jigsaw.
I’ve had lots of friends mock my ryobi tools, but I haven’t hit a job that I can’t handle with them. I’ve dabbled a bit in about everything and they’ve worked just fine. Do I get envious of the new DeWalts or what not? Sure. I know that they are higher quality. I’m just saying that these really fit the bill for a wide range of applications and they do it on the cheap.
Maybe I’ve just lucked out on the battery issue?
June 22nd, 2007 at 1:03 pm
I agree it feels weird commenting on the old posts, but I like the “one year ago” thing. It doesn’t seem like that long since I posted the comment above.
Glad to hear you don’t have battery issues, Kurt. Yes, I think you lucked out. I’d be curious to know how much you actually use them.
In the last year, I’ve bought at least six more batteries. I’ve got seven good ones out of maybe a dozen total that I keep in constant rotation. The good news is, maybe Ryobi has been paying attention to us… the batteries I’ve bought in 2007 seem to be a lot more robust than the ones I bought a year ago.
The tools themselves have held up pretty well. I’ve had a blade release lever break on the recip, and I stripped out the gearbox on the hammer drill. In both cases Ryobi replaced them in warranty, no hassles. I dropped a drill off a roof onto concrete and the case cracked but it still works. And I don’t have to worry about anyone stealing it!
All in all, I’ve been relatively happy with One+. Yeah, they’re heavy and mostly ugly, but I don’t have to worry about locking them up when I have to step off-site for a minute.
June 23rd, 2007 at 7:26 pm
In terms of use, I’d say they get weekly use. I’m not a carpenter or anything, but I do a lot of basic home-repair. I recently built a 12×4′ raised garden bed, a computer cabinet, and some smaller stuff. My drill hasn’t even been on the roof.
I originally got this set because I had a lab that was breaking fence slats with his head and getting out of my yard. After hammering several replacement slats up, I opted to get this set and it made fence repair very easy. I got a box of deckmate screws and bought a few dozen fence slats at a big box. My dog would bust a slat and I’d just grab one off the stack, use the circ saw to get it to the right size and then just screw it on (no pilot holes needed). Compared to using my corded circ and a hammer, this set made my life a LOT easier. I’ve since moved and my dog is 3 years older now and a lot more mellow. No more fence repairs for me.
June 25th, 2007 at 9:05 am
Same here, even though this is old, I thought I’d chime in with my experience. My 18v Ryobi tools get medium-heavy use. I’m an active homeowner and project hound, so they’re used at least every couple of days. The batteries aren’t the best, but the last set I bought lasted 3 years before they were useless. They did lose a bit of “oomph” towards the end, and I intended to replace them for about six months of that period.
HOWEVER, even if they only last a year or two, they’re a much better price than the Dewalts we use at work! The Ryobi 18v are $40 for two, and the Dewalts are $90 for one. Yes, the Dewalt is a better battery, but you do still get a usable life out of those cheap Ryobi’s. Rebuilding them with NiMH cells, as suggested above, would probably net a really nice battery pack for not too much cash. Careful with overcharging them, though.
June 25th, 2007 at 9:08 am
Oh, I forgot to add: unlike Chuck’s thoughts on the flashlight (that it’s “silly”), I’ve managed to get a ton of good usage out of that thing. It’s searingly bright, stands on it’s own, has an aim-able head, and rechargeable battery. Awesome tool. I use it frequently. My five-cell maglite has been relegated to back-of-shelf duty. (I don’t even have batteries in my maglite any more!)
June 25th, 2007 at 12:16 pm
I have the ryobi set and find the tools adequate and perfect for a homeowner that needs variety of tools at a reasonable cost. I got the multi tool set when I bought my first house and needed a drill and circ saw to do some fix-ups around the house. I had a corded drill and circ saw, but the cordless was convenient for what I needed to do. The batteries have lasted fine the last 3 years. I use the tools about every other weekend to about once a month. Having the tools available is sometimes more important than having the best tool. The reciprocating saw came in handy when doing a demo of a wall in the laundry room. was it the most powerful? Not really, but with 2 batteries and the charger handy, it was good enough to get the job done. If I used my tools to make a living, I’d choose better tools, but for a home handy man, these fit the bill.
July 12th, 2007 at 2:50 pm
I hope Ryobi or some inventer reads this. What we really need is an adapter that will let you plug one of these tools directly into an outlet. I know we are trying to cordless here but there are many times that I have my miter saw next to an outlet and I dont need to be sucking up my battery life. I have my original set for about 5 years or more. I think I bought one of the first sets Home Depot had. I still have all of the original tools and they all work great. I currenly have two broke chargers and 4 bad batteries. Anybody else having trouble with chargers? Anybody know how to repair them?
July 12th, 2007 at 8:16 pm
Mine used to say it had finished charging in only a few minutes but in reality it wasn’t because the plastic standoffs inside the charger break and the screw that holds the heatsink to the board inside the charger backs off and the heatsink doesn’t contact the circuitry anymore so the charger doesn’t work because it thinks it’s too hot (or something). Took mine apart and screwed the heatsink back to the board (with some loc-tite this time) and my charger works fine now compared to before when it would take all-day to trickle charge a battery.
July 28th, 2007 at 7:34 am
Hey, I agree with David about the flashlight. Man that thing is awesome! If you have to get flat on your back under a sink to work on the plumbing or something, “silly” flashlight will stand up so you can point it in any direction, plus, the battery is re-chargeable (kind of). I replaced the bulb with a much brighter one and use it all the time.
Well, I would, except that the batteries are the pits. I am currently overseas and am going to have to ship in new batteries to replace the 4 I got now. Had one decent 1 out the 4, but burnt it up on a hot day running my recip saw. Literally melted! Kind of awesome looking like one of those weird surrealistic art paintings.
I’ve seen mentions of places that re-condition batteries, ANY SUGGESTIONS (website, addresses, etc…)??
July 28th, 2007 at 9:17 am
If there’s a thriving R/C (radio control) hobby in your location, stop in at a race shop and see if they can replace the cells in your battery packs. They’ll have high-performance cells that beat the snot out of the stock ones anyway, albeit at a (possibly serious) price premium.
As for renewing the cells in a failed pack, there’s only so much you can do. Zapping a series pack with a high-amperage charge for a few moments can recover shorted cells and reform certain kinds of electrolyte damage, but it’s neither sure-fire nor particularly safe. Familiarizing yourself with Battery University would be a good step before any such antics.
September 23rd, 2007 at 3:33 pm
Has everyone seen this? http://www.ryobitools.com/lithium/
It looks like Ryobi is going to release a compatible lithium battery for their One+ line. This makes a lot of sense and also increases the power and performance of their entire line. Nicely done, Ryobi.
September 24th, 2007 at 10:55 am
Kurt, you mean like is mentioned here? http://toolmonger.com/2007/08/17/what-the-hell-is-hypergreenbox/
That said, thanks for the link — they’ve now put some more info there. I think I’ll wait for a tool sale to buy a LiIon charger/battery combo; I’ve been using my Ryobi tools pretty heavily the last few weeks (for me at least) and I’m quite happy with the NiMH batteries. But having a LiIon battery around for the inevitable “crap, I’m halfway done and my batteries are out of juice” moment.
September 24th, 2007 at 1:58 pm
Zathrus, I guess I saw that other link some time ago, but there was no real info attached so I forgot all about it. I probably should have kept up with that comment thread as I see others had already found out that it was lithium for the One+ line.
I have 2 One+ batteries that I’ve been using for several years without an issue. But if I need to get a replacement, I’ll be going for Lithium.
November 23rd, 2007 at 11:55 am
Bought Ryobi 18 volt plus-one, 5 1/2 circular saw, am/fm radio, drill /driver, and flashlight at Home Depot for 59.00 after Thanksgiving sale. That gives me big wood!
December 16th, 2007 at 7:12 pm
I bought the Lithium combo set and they have been working perfectly. The power stays strong until the battery is just plain dead. No wondering about how much power is left with the battery meter on the battery. Does it get any easier. The batteries run my hammerdrill just as strong at a full charge as they do when the battery is reading low. Awesome! Keep an eye out on eBay for lithium batteries at a better price than home depot. Just make sure to get the lithium charger as well because the regular charger won’t work. Happy Holidays!
January 9th, 2008 at 8:33 am
I don’t understand all of the complaints, I bought a refurbished kit with the miter saw and rolling case five years ago. It came with three of the old style batteries, and one of the three still works, I feel pretty good about that considering how much I have used them. I also have purchased just about every other one+ tool they have and have numerous batteries and chargers and they all work great. I don’t know how they compare to the Dewalts of the world but for the difference in price I can live with a little less power. I can’t wait to get the lithium kit.
January 18th, 2008 at 11:53 pm
I completely understand the dismay with the batteries. I sub on construction projects and use Ryobi one plus tools—all the time. I work with several contractors that use Ryobi tools and many many more that would not be caught dead with them. When I let some of the guys use the Ryobi tools they are often surprised (I always make sure I have a fresh battery), BUT I don’t think the tools are the issue, it’s the batteries. I have ten (yes 10) batteries and sometimes need all of them to cut and rip wood. When the other posts state they are cutting 2X4s I can only assume they are nipping them or they have found a balsa wood 2X4. If Ryobi got their act together and changed the batteries they would change their professional market. I’m sure they lithiums are great and will bring about change in their market, but the shelf life isn’t that of a quality ni-cad and with the cost of having your ni-cad Ryobi batteries rebuilt at $40-50 a pop, well, it just doesn’t make sense and we are forced to stay in the pain of the stock Ryobi train at $39 for two batteries. Now that the lithiums are out why not have a pro line 2000mAh ni-cad battery, liken to Duracell or Eveready—you know the difference between heavyduty and alkaline.
February 2nd, 2008 at 11:28 am
I’ve had the 18V Ryobi drill set for a few years for occasional home projects. Bought a backup battery pack/charger to avoid down time while working. At this point however, the packs only seem to hold a charge for a few days. I can charge them and one week later they are completely dead. What a p.o.s.
April 17th, 2008 at 12:50 pm
I bought a Ryobi 18V drill and used it to assemble a large metal shop building. It worked great and batteries lasted a long time. After a few years the original batteries took a dump, so I bought 2 new ones. Like others have said the batteries are a piece of crap every time I go to use it they need charging . I wonder if the original batteries are really better or if they have changed companies that manufacture the batteries or something ?
April 22nd, 2008 at 2:39 pm
I have had a One+ combo kit for about a year. Drill works good, impact driver has become my favorite tool, circular saw works ok, recip is good, light doesn’t seem the greatest but is very handy and used all the time, I thought the vacuum was worthless for the shop but the wife loves it for the kitchen. Haven’t had any issues with batteries. Don’t really know what people are expecting for about $20 each, these batteries are not professional quality, the specs make this pretty clear. But for most homeowners they will do just fine. Better quality NiCad ones can be bought or rebuilt from many battery outlets or you can upgrade to Ryobi’s LiION ones. If you need professional tools, buy professional tools, in the end you get what you pay for. These tools are not top-quality, but they have met all of my needs and exceeded expectations. Proper battery care is important no matter what you buy.
May 24th, 2008 at 9:55 pm
I like the Ryobi tools so much, I sold all my Dewalt 18v tools on Craigslist. $85 for one battery is a lot more than $40 for two. My Dewalt batteries died one after another and I still have my original Ryobi batteries. Tools are not quite up to the quality of the Dewalt but I got sick and tired of buying batteries at $85 bucks a pop.
June 8th, 2008 at 2:54 pm
I received an 18v drill with two batteries and a charger as a hand me down, this is even before Ryobi’s patented 18+ came out. I’ve used that thing for everything! I had my timing belt break and I had to pull everything, I used the drill as a die grinder with a brass brush to pull the gasket off of the head, i’ve used it to make numerous speaker boxes with screws every 4-6″ repeatedly without having to change the battery. I love this thing! I’ve used better tools that are torquier and such, but for all around general use this thing has been awesome. I got mine for free but I’d go out and buy another one immediately if this one broke. I’ve had it for four years now and its still going strong!
August 28th, 2008 at 11:03 am
The 18v tools are a good value but something happened to the “one plus” batteries. My old 18v batteries still work good but any with the “one plus” on them are poor at holding a charge and basically worthless. Even sitting on a shelf and not used they seem to drain their charge within 24 hours. I think Roybi realized they goofed on their new batteries and that is why they are out with the lithium ones …but at $100, wow, they are not appealing to their cost minded market!
Good- Tools
Good - Old batteries prior to one plus
Bad - any batteries with the “One Plus” name on them
August 29th, 2008 at 9:20 pm
I have to agree with Nate’s post about a year ago. I too would like to see a 110v power adapter that would plug into my One+ tools.
Sometimes I would like to just run it off regular power and not have to use batteries. I think having the option to run on batteries our via 110v power would be a real big boost to the Ryobi product line.
I can’t see myself going out and buying corded tools that I already have in cordless.
Any electronic types out there that would be willing to build one in an old batter case and sell it? I’d pay $100 for it rather than buying the lithium battery set.
September 28th, 2008 at 7:08 pm
We built our dream log house three years ago and it’s the “House built by Ryobi”! We had the shell built and we finished the whole inside ourselves. The thing we used the most was the little chop saw that mounted on a “cube” that housed a bunch of the other tools. They don’t carry that item any more, but it was sure indispensible. I wrote Ryobi and told them they could use our house for a commercial but they didn’t take us up on it. By the way, we like the silly flashlight, use it all the time out here where we live in the middle of the woods. We do, however, agree with many of the other commenters on here that the nicad batteries just aren’t holding a charge any more now that they’re getting older and the lithium replacements just cost too much!! Maybe Ryobi should offer some kind of “turn-in” special where you get a good discount on a new one if you bring in an old!
October 29th, 2008 at 11:55 pm
I bought the lithium ion 4 pack last christmas and soon added a hammer drill, angle grinder, laminate trimmer, and jigsaw. I work as a general contractor so the tools see a lot of different conditions and get used almost every day. The batteries hold a good charge yet and have plenty of power. i know they won’t last as long as my porter cable drill but love the fact that you can use them with all the other tools. Awsome product!!!!
December 5th, 2008 at 12:06 pm
I have about every 18V tool Ryobi makes. Awesome tools if you could keep the batteries running long enough to use them. I bought 8 batteries(at seperate times) to be assured I had several charged when I needed them. All but 1 stopped charging at the same time. I thought it could be the chargers, it wasn’t. I have so much invested in the tools, that I can’t switch and go to a different brand, or I absolutely would, just because of the batteries. Ryobi, how many customers have you lost on your tools because of these battery issues?
December 27th, 2008 at 1:39 am
Heres a DIY solution to the crappy batteries:
The original 18V batteries in my set were shot so bought the 2 pack one + 18v batteries 1-2 years ago. These batteries are supposed to have 1.7AHr rating new. I dont believe it. This means that the battery is rated to put out 1.7A for 1 hour at 18V. I measured my 1 plus battery recently and it was only putting out ~0.675 AHr after 1.5 years of medium use. Quite a reduction in supposed power! A 18V drill consumes 4.5A so you can calculate that my drills could only last 9 min.
The best NiCd battery packs are rated around 2.1AHr (Milwalkee, etc) but these batteries are priced similar to the Ryobi Li-Ion at 2.4Ahr. THe ryobi 2.4Ahr LiIon battery is supposed to power the same drill around 30 min.
Instead of paying $100 per battery for Li Ion, you can rebuild your battery pack with 1.8 or 2.1 Ahr NiCd cells. The instructions are all around - I used batteryspace.com (no affiliation) to buy the batteries and find rebuild instructions. You can rebuild each battery for ~$30-40 and get almost the same performance as the new lithium cells. I know, I know you can get a 2 pack down at HD for $50, but the cells suck in these and youll be in the same boat in a year.
By rebuilding with NiCds can use the same ryobi chargers and plastic battery housings. Dont be tempted to rebuild with any other cell technology, the stock ryobi chargers are for NiCd cells. In fact, you will need 15 1.2V Sc cells to rebuild each battery.
Now instead of charging the batteries in 15 min, it takes 1-2 hours for a charge. Thats a testament to how much capacity the new cells have. You can get dewalt, porter, milwalkee performance out of your ryobi tools - for many years. ENjoy!
remember, ryobi sells batteries for 1/4 to 1/3 the cost of milwalkee etc. There is a reason for this. The more expensive cells have more capacity.
Oh BTW, you will need to be able to solder to build your own packs. Not too hard, but its not as easy as changing battteries in your cordless phone or toys.
Also, Ive heard to maximize the life of any NiCd cell, never let your tool completely drain the battery to completely dead. when using a saw or drill, try not to let the tool bind to a complete stop - this is really hard on the batteries. Try to completely charge and discharge to maximize storage capacity. For the Sc batteries in most power tools, try to charge the battery every 3 weeks due to high self discharge rates.
December 27th, 2008 at 1:42 am
I forgot to mention that even the “good” tool NiCds will eventually go bad like the Ryobis. I just think that ryobis start with lower capacity batteries so they seem to die at a faster rate. In reality they all use NiCd technology unless you go with something else like lithium ion.
December 27th, 2008 at 10:39 pm
Do you know if there are rebuild cells for lithium ion batteries? Thanks for the information though.
December 30th, 2008 at 4:00 pm
there are replacement cells for Li_ion. You just cant use the NiCd charger with them. If you have a ryobi Li-ion charger, I guess you could upgrade your old NiCd batteries to Li-Ion. There are also homebrew and aftermarket chargers available.