Ryobi ONE+ 18V Cordless Drill/Driver Kit Review

Day-to-day use

The drill itself disappears into the routine within a weekend: hang the shelves, assemble the furniture, swap the cabinet hardware, drive deck screws until the clutch politely clicks. The 24-position clutch keeps delicate work delicate, the keyless chuck swaps bits one-handed, and the battery gauge means no mid-project surprises. What you notice against a premium compact drill is heft - the ONE+ is thicker through the grip and nose-heavy overhead - and the brushed motor's appetite means the second battery is a worthwhile early add.

Knowing its class

Ryobi plays a different game than the pro brands, and it's worth being clear-eyed about it. This is a homeowner tool: the plastic is thicker, the tolerances looser, and the brushed base motor is a generation behind the brushless units DeWalt ships at twice the price. None of that matters for a house's actual workload - but the platform math does. That 18V battery clicks into leaf blowers, shop vacs, fans, sprayers, and saws, which means tool number two costs $40-60 instead of $150. No premium brand's ecosystem is priced like that.

Should you buy it?

If this is your first drill - or your first battery platform - yes, and with unusual confidence: the kit price is barely more than a premium bare tool, and the ONE+ ecosystem rewards the commitment for a decade. Buy the two-battery kit if it's on promo; Ryobi runs them constantly. Tradespeople and daily heavy users should read our DeWalt reviews instead - this drill's ceiling is real. Everyone else's projects will run out before it does.

Best for

First-drill buyers and homeowners who'd rather fund a whole tool platform than one premium drill.