Ridgid has announced a new line of 18V cordless outdoor power tools that they will be launching exclusively at Home Depot in 2023.
This is new territory for the brand, which has typically focused on general AC and cordless power tools and accessories in the past.
Ridgid has not yet shared information about what their future roadmap looks look like, but there’s plenty of potential for greater expansion.
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The new line of Ridgid cordless outdoor power tools includes 7 products:
18V 14-inch String Trimmer (R01201) – brushless motor, adjustable 12-14″ cutting swath with 0.095″ line, 2-speed switch.
18V Brushless Blower (R01601) – “best-in-class power” 510 CFM, 130 MPH, turbo button, speed tip with metal scraper, cruise control function.
18V Brushless 12-inch Chainsaw (R01101) – 12″ bar and chain, lightweight design, automatic oiler, 10 m/s chain speed.
18V Brushless 22-inch Hedge Trimmer (R01401) – 1″ cutting capacity, anti-jam tech, 180° rotating handle, magnesium gearbox to save weight.
18V Dual Battery Brushless Auger (R01701) – delivers gas-like digging performance, anti-kickback system, quick-connect 8″ earth auger bit, high and low speed with reverse.
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18V Brushless Pruner (R01301) – 1-1/4″ cut capacity, delivers 2750 cuts per charge with 2Ah battery, less than 1 second cutting speed, LED light.
18V 4-Gallon Backpack Sprayer (R01501) – Up to 105 PSI and 37ft spray distance, adjustable flow rate, includes 4 nozzles (adjustable, flat fan, dual, shower).
All of the new cordless OPE offerings will be available in tool-only and kit configurations, except the auger, which will only be available as a kit.
Ridgid has also announced a new MaxOutput EXP 12Ah battery, joining an 8Ah that’s currently available at Home Depot.
Nathan
so downgraded milwaukee OPE. still glad to see it’s avaialbe. and that Auger appears to be a first, I haven’t seen a battery auger before but it’s compelling.
Joellikestools
Ryobi 40v has some augers. I am sure someone else must as well.
MM
Makita does too.
Stuart
No. Since this is tied to TTI North America and not Milwaukee Tool in any way, it’s probably more accurate to consider this upgraded Ryobi or Hart.
Joel N
TTI owns Milwaukee
Stuart
Yes, that’s common knowledge.
Under TTI North America, Ryobi and Ridgid 18V are like siblings that do everything together, arm-in-arm. Milwaukee and TTI North America are like distant cousins that know of each other but live hundreds of miles apart and never hang out.
Joel N
Even though some of the Milwaukee and Ridgid tools are the exact same?
Stuart
No, Milwaukee and Ridgid tools are not “exactly the same.” I’m open to seeing any examples you can provide.
Joel N
I won’t argue with you all knowing tool god. Since you know their family tree so well, only you can know about tools lol. I wasn’t picking a fight but you were ready. I doubt if I had even said “very similar” instead of “exactly the same” you would have been willing to agree. No need for me to be here ✌🏼
Stuart
So, that’s a “no” to being able to provide any examples to back up your claim?
Djbrad2100
Wow, lots of back-biting going on in this conversation.
So, I’ll throw in my two cents. I own Makita, Milwaukee, Ryobi, Ridgid and even a few old Dewalt cordless tools. I have nearly every Ridgid cordless tool made and 12 Milwaukee. I can say from my point of view, that they are both excellent tools. But for my money, the Ridgid tools are an excellent value and have served me very well.
Rob
Stuart, I can see that there are overlaps on some Ryobi and Ridgid tools and less so with Milwaukee, but do you have sources you can cite that indicate RYOBI/Ridgid share designs and are via TTI NA and Milwaukee is not? And where is Milwaukee hq?
Stuart
Milwaukee is headquartered in Brookfield, Wisconsin. I have been there many times, and seen their prototyping machine lab, research rooms, battery lab, accessory rapid manufacturing area, accessory testing center, industrial design floor, and so forth. Nobody there works on anything except for Milwaukee Tool brands and products.
I believe TTI North America is headquartered in South Carolina. I have never been there, and don’t know what they do.
https://toolguyd.com/ridgid-ryobi-vertical-pancake-air-compressor/ – that was an interesting situation.
I cannot speak to similarities between Ridgid/Ryobi, but they share PR and marketing, and have for as long as I’ve worked with the brands. TTI North America seems lead product management for both, but design and development could also be done overseas. Who designs the AEG tools that many Ridgid cordless power tools either resemble or are identical to?
Milwaukee and Ridgid/Ryobi seem to operate as completely separate companies, to where their common parent company isn’t relevant in the context of tool designs or engineering.
For manufacturing, maybe there could be shared pins, fasteners, or similar, but Milwaukee specs their parts and components very differently from Ryobi.
I am very confident about the very solid lines separating the brands as different companies.
jsb
Ryobi has 40V one
https://www.homedepot.com/p/RYOBI-40V-HP-Brushless-Cordless-Earth-Auger-with-8-in-Bit-with-4-0-Ah-Battery-and-Charger-RY40710VNM/314127852
fred
I bought the Mahita XGD01Z earth auger at the end of last year. I also bought the 4 augers (2.5-to-8-inch dia.) that go with it. I’ve used it several times and think that it is pretty pricey for what it is capable of doing. But I still don’t regret its purchase.
You can’t force it. Small diameter is naturally easier. Start small and expand upwards. Water-in hard soil or wait until after a good rain for 8inch holes. Not as capable as the engine-drive tool that I used to rent – but much lighter, way quieter and less vibration jangling your shoulders and arms. It was great this fall, making dozens and dozens of smaller holes for bulb planting.
fred
https://www.acmetools.com/makita-18v-x2-36v-lxt-earth-auger-bare-tool-xgd01z/088381730518.html
$75 off at Acme tools
JoeH
Ryobi (so TTI) also has a battery Auger in both 40V and 18V.
Joe H
I’m interested. I’d like for them to come out with an 18v drain auger though and pole saw.
Joe H
And 18v powered wheelbarrow
ddobs
you betcha, Joe! when will this volts insanity/impracticality end? give me a bowsaw any day for speed&’reliabilty’, arm strong rules, eh?
TonyT
Cordless drain augers aren’t common; the ones I know about are Ryobi 18V (I had the original; it’s a good value, but limited), Milwaukee (both M12 and M18 I think; I have the M18 and love it), and DeWalt 20V Max.
itsgalf
Worx also has a cordless 1/4″ drain auger.
Personally I use a $35 no name brand off of Amazon for work (but I’m not a professional plumber, only apartment complex maintenance). Works like a champ unclogging tub drains and bathroom sink drains.
afidel
I don’t think you’ll see the drain auger, Emerson/Ridgid Tools kept exclusive use of the name for plumbing related tools when they leased the name to TTi.
Nathan
isn’t most Ridgid (the HD stuff) mostly downgraded Milwaukee. and I see that string trimmer like a downgraded Milwaukee. their M18 device is a 16 inch cut of 0.095 – this one is a 14 inch.
The backpack sprayer is quite similar to the milwaukee – and unlike the Ryobi stuff that is 40V this is still meant for a dual row 18V battery pack.
Or is the Ryobi 40V stuff a slide pack too – I’ve not held one.
Harrison
I wouldn’t say it’s a downgrade, it’s just different.
Outside of North America, TTI sells their ‘orange‘ tools under the AEG brand as a genuine flagship competitor to Makita, Bosch, Dewalt etc. The AEG catalog is much deeper, with more industrial & pro-grade tools. Milwaukee has a presence, but are not nearly as dominant as they are in North America.
If there is a downside to buying orange TTI (Ridgid) here it’s not quality- you’re simply at the mercy of whatever Home Depot bothers to import for their (primarily DIY) customer base.
TTI must have figured that they controlled enough of the independent North American tool market with Milwaukee when they decided to let Home Depot sell their orange tools exclusively.
Harrison
Another takeaway is that Home Depot has an absolutely behemoth sales presence, with no equal in the international market.
Fyrfytr998
Lol, I’ve been in a couple threads on other forums about what brands Europeans use as their go to’s.
It seems across the pond Bosch (Blue) is the big dog. They say a lot of DIY’ers also buy Bosch (Green).
The Milwaukee faithful would be livid, lol.
fred
Pre-pandemic we travelled a lot in Europe. I don’t recall ever seeing a red tool (other than Hilti) in use. I recall lots of blue, some yellow and perhaps some teal. My couple of visits to Australia and New Zealand – I recall seeing teal.
I also did some chasing around on one trip to Germany looking for a set of Wera tools that a son-in-law had requested. It seemed much easier to spot Stahlwille and Gedore tools. I ended up wondering if Wera is more popular west of the pond than it is in Germany.
JasonM
Finally! All of these have been available as AEG worldwide for quite some time.
Phil
I have wanted them to release the dual battery miter saw. AEG has it in Australia.
Phil
I have used ridgid for 25 years with no lack of power or problems. Great products.
Mackenzie
I was just considering adding ryobi to my Ridgid tool box for a weed whacker, limb lopper, and lawn mower. This is great to see. Now they just need to make an electric polesaw, and lawn mower and I’ll be set.
Sash
If the line trimmer is the same as the one in Aus (Australian AEG user here) it will take ryobi expand it range of attachments. So you can just use the ryobi pole trimmer attachment on it.
Mackenzie
Interesting…
Kent E Hanson
Long time ridgid user (I think I have roughly 25 ridgid batteries) and I just caved and got the Ryobi lawnmower, string trimmer and blower combo this summer because I didn’t think ridgid would bring OPE to market.
David.
I just broke down on the Ryobi 40v carbon fiber shaft string trimmer just long enough ago I can’t return it.
Tired of dealing with the carb and feul line on the 20 year old Ryobi 4 cycle power head.
I put this off for a couple of years waiting for this announcement and it’s just a month or 2 too late now 🤦
Mackenzie
I can’t wait to put the 12 amp battery on my subcompact 3/8 and subcompact screw gun at work. The looks that will get…
Steve
Grrrrreat, just what HD needs, another limited OPE line from a captive brand. These look a lot like orange Ryobi from a distance BTW.
Ray
As a DYIer who loves his RIDGID power tools I have been waiting for this for years! I was avoiding buying into another cordless system just for OPE as my needs aren’t enough to justify it, and so this is tremendous in my book. Freaking took long enough for sure….
mattd
the big question will be, will they be eligible for their Lifetime Service Agreement? I know alot of their new woodworking stuff like miter saws, table saws, spindle sanders, and a few others are NOT eligible for their lifetime agreement. I own several ridgid tools specifically because of their LSA and would be saddened to see them going even further away from it.
Mackenzie
The nxt stuff and those new large tools without LSA are mostly made by Delta. I wouldn’t be surprised if they last 20 years of hard use with minimal maintenance.
Saulac
Thinking about getting into Ryobi 40V but this make me pause and question if something above 18v is a must. Makita seems to have been through so much pain with the dual 18V/40V…Dewalt has Flex…(Milwaukee Fuel does not seem to in the “hand held” class) But lately, there are many high capacity (8/9/12 ah) 18v batteries available…What would be the max ah for 18V? Is above 18v batteries still the future or there is a pause/reverse in direction due to availability of high capacity 18v batteries? Sorry for a bit off-topic. I was surprised they start a new line of OPE with 18V.
Chaz
I don’t get the 18v outdoor tool space when 36/40/60, etc. exists.
Especially when alot of the bigger voltage items have kits making the price of entry worth it.
Can someone put me at ease?
MM
I think 18V makes sense for small tools, it’s plenty for a basic homeowner trimmer, pruning saw, blower, or sprayer. Meanwhile it can use the same batteries that someone might already have and doesn’t have the size and weight of larger packs.
I have an older relative who loves to garden, they have no problem using the smaller Ryobi 18V tools but there’s no way they could handle the weight of a 60v class trimmer or saw. Imagine someone who doesn’t have much hand strength or they have arthritis so they want an electric pruner instead of manual secateurs…they’d want a light, compact, tool not one loaded down with a monster battery. I have a lot of pro tier gas OPE, I’m well into the Flexvolt system, but I still plan on buying the small 20V Max pruning saw when it finally hits the market because the job I have in mind for it favors a small, lightweight, tool that’s easy to handle with one hand.
Chaz
I know things like pole saws, pruning saws can benefit from 18v systems. But judging how much my 18v Ryobi jobsite blower drains the batteries, I couldn’t imagine 18v leaf blowers. Ryobi has a few models of 18v and 40v blowers.
The higher draw stuff like the blowers concern me. Almost like they are marketing a space they think is there…it is, just not as large as it seems? I’m shrugging, but if Ryobi and others have assorted 18v blowers for quite some time, my wariness is in the wrong.
MM
Oh, 18v blowers have been on the market for years. My elderly family member bought a Ryobi nearly 5 years ago, I can’t recall the model number but it was a very basic 18V model, whatever was cheapest. I’ve used it many times to clean my my own messes, no way will it compete with big gas backpack blower but it performs about as well as my Husqvarna 125BVX, and a single 4ah battery lasts long enough to blow off my driveway which is pretty significant at about 75 yards long plus a similar length of footpath, while still having half charge left. I don’t think a pro would be satisfied with it but for basic homeowner cleanup? Works fine for that.
I think the market for electric blowers is only getting bigger: California recently passed a law banning gas OPE smaller than 25 HP. That kind of thing will surely happen in other states as well so there will only be more demand going forward. No doubt the pro models will be something other than 18v but 18v seems adequate for the average homeowner or DIYer.
Sash
AEG have had 2 iterations of an outdoor blower. The first one wasn’t exactly a replacement for a petrol, but the second iteration (https://www.aegpowertools.com.au/outdoor/products/details/18v-fusion-jet-blower-skin-abl18f?list=all_products&list_name=All+Products) is a replacement for a petrol 2 stroke unit. I had a stihl blower, and once i got the second iteration of the 18v blower coupled with a 9ah battery, the thing is a beast on ‘turbo’ mode. I have about 100sqm of lawn and the 9ah blower lasts probably 20 minutes potentially more. i only need to recharge the blower after mowing twice. Also i have the first generation Ryobi 40v line trimmer, and then moved onto the AEG 18v brushless. The AEG does an as good a job as the Ryobi 40v, and its much lighter and. Some tool really dont need 40v if you have quality batteries. They will just draw more current, and a 6ah battery can get 40amps out and a 9ah can get 60amps… I think that is more than enough for most things…. And i have most of the AEG 18v tools available..
Jared
That auger looks to have two 18v pack hanging off of it. Maybe Ridgid will go that direction for other tools that need more juice.
Otherwise, I figure why not stick with 18v until you run out of power? The blower for example, has very respectable specs for an 18v tool. Plenty to be useful even if it won’t keep up with the newest Flexvolt. Seems like it’s worth having in the lineup for someone invested in the Ridgid platform.
Harrison
There are a lot of people around the world with small backyards that can easily be maintained by a mower with a couple of 5ah batteries in it. Takes 15 minutes, and they’re done. Little bit of edging, maybe a few boxwoods that need the occasional trim.
It’s easy to get caught up in pro grade tools, but the vast majority of consumers don’t really need or even want them. They’re replacing hand tools, shitty corded mowers, or grandpa’s cast iron push mower that hasn’t been sharpened since the 1970s. Lots of old folks with all the time in the world- they just can’t pull start a gas mower any longer.
Case in point: My in-laws returned a middle of the road 18v Makita hedge trimmer for a tiny Ryobi one with a 2ah because the Makita with its 5ah battery was “Too big and powerful.”
They love the Ryobi, even though it only runs for like 10 minutes. Go figure.
Bernie
I love my ridgid tools , I’m glad to finally see more tools , I’m still waiting on a lawnmower from ridgid , any idea when these are coming out , I’ve got my savings saved for shopping at Home Depot when they do come out
George E. Brice
I’m not seeing a lawn mower they need to drop a mower weed wacker combo for presidents day $339.99 one battery one charger so I can finaaly retire my poor lawn mower and weed wacker