Chris wrote in, asking about our take on Ridgid tools:
You seldom review rigid tools and I don’t see them in any of the “top…” lists. Are they not as good as the big 4 brands? Thanks!
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Thank you Chris for the great question!
A look at our Ridgid tools post category, and you might think that I’m not much a fan of Ridgid power tools. On the contrary, I’m actually quite fond of their offerings.
You might not seem very many Ridgid reviews for two reasons – they don’t release as many new tools as other brands, and because reader interest isn’t always as strong as for other brands.
I have limited time and resources, and cannot test every product of potential interest.
I consider Ridgid, at least in regard to power tools, in the same light as Hitachi. That is to say, they’re more budget-friendly professional-grade options.
Ridgid’s cordless selection might not be as vast as other power tool brands’, but they do have great corded and benchtop tool offerings that help to make up for this.
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As you might know, Ridgid’s power tool division is handled by TTI for Home Depot, under an agreement with Ridgid’s parent company, Emerson. A couple of other OEMs manufacture some of Ridgid’s benchtop and floor-standing tools.
A lot of times, someone will ask whether I like or dislike a brand, based on the number of posts about their tools. But quantity is not always a good indicator of whether I like a brand or not.
In my experience, Ridgid tools are quite good. They’re often well designed, and durable. Some tools might not have the latest and greatest features and specs, while others might offer unique functionality. My 5″ random orbit sander and hole saw set come to mind, as well as their new pro toolboxes that I recently reviewed.
It’s easy to sometimes forget about Ridgid, which is why I thought it would be good to springboard Chris’s question into a post and hopefully comments section discussion about the brand.
In my opinion, the brand is a little under-advertised, except maybe around the winter holidays and Father’s Day. Home Depot’s marketing efforts tend to focus on their Ryobi offerings, which sometimes pushes their Ridgid power tools even further from immediate attention.
Many Ridgid power tools are also found under TTI’s AEG brand as well, although there are many AEG tools that aren’t available in the USA under Ridgid branding. AEG came out with a brushless hammer drill, a brushless impact driver, and a brushless angle grinder, but there don’t seem to be any immediate plans to release these tools in the USA.
Overall, I think Ridgid makes top-notch tools at mid-range prices. Again, I’m strictly talking about their Home Depot-specific power tools.
What are your thoughts about the brand, at least in regard to the power tools and related accessories?
Mack
I own several. They are tough and last. The warranty is unmatched. I have had a 14.4V drill for 7 years and they have replaced the batteries 3 times.
Garrick
Mack
I was wondering why your batteries aren’t lasting long. Do you tend to leave them in hot environments and/or fully charged (affecting ‘shelf’ life) or are you using up their cycle life?
Paul
Speaking of batteries, the winning point for Ridgid is a newer tech Lithium battery is backwards compatible with the older NiCad tools. My old NiCad set keeps banging out projects with newer, lighter batteries and I can add new tools to my set without carrying 3 different chargers and battery sets. Props to Ridged for backwards compatible batteries and dual chemistry chargers.
Tayler
If you read their warranty, they provide free battery replacements, free service and free replacement parts for life. (Must be original owner and register the tools, which is also free.) This takes effect after the 3 year warranty expires. (Which covers batteries too.)
Pretty good deal in my mind.
https://images.homedepot.ca/s7viewers/html5/eCatalogViewer.html?config=Scene7SharedAssets/Universal_HTML5_eCatalog&asset=homedepotcanada/Warranty_File_1000837744.pdf
Mike
Sure sounds good, doesn’t it?
Have you ever had a tool repaired? YOU have to send it to Ridged and YOU pay for shipping. It’s up to “them” to determine if it’s their problem or YOU damaged it.
If they “think” YOU damaged it, you pay for shipping back to you.
I had a problem with them I got my state attorney general involved.
They are a good homeowner tool.
I’m switching back to Dewalt, they don’t break.
You’ll see when you have problems.
Joe blowurself
Ridgid power tools are extremely poor quality, the materials used if you have ever broken down a Ridgid tool completely and chemically and engineeringly analyzed every aspect of it, which only myself with the proper equipment and proper people to do so is known to ever have done just that, it’s very easily proven the tools worth a total of on average $4.37-$6.74 depending upon the size and power. The going rate however is $80-$100+-$200 +us dollars for each individual tool sold. The fact is mostly all manufacturer’s tool brands of useful contractor battery powered tools are in about the same catagory however believe it or not Ridgid is the lowest within the known names. The difference comes from the actual dealings with the people choosen to sit in an in un-disclosed location 5 days s week and handle individual claims of replacements or repairs needed . Believe it or not Ridgid has an actual policy in place to deny claims and get extra bonuses for doing so. The other companies actually have incentives for the employees who you can have an office address easily found listed online who actually get bonuses for making and keeping customers happy. With the thousands of percent profits made of each tool sold, they certainly should and in fact do have that policy in practice however Ridgid for whatever reason DOES NOT. Watch where and what you spend your hard earned money on I say or just don’t buy Ridgid and you’ll be happy in other words, the proof was already proven by me, so enjoy!
Elias
All there battery tools are garbage, unless you just need to hang a picture, if you need to work they don’t!!! As for the warranty, I filled out the online required information and they sent an email stating that I needed to send the original receipt to them to verify the purchase and the life time warrantee was not valid till they received the original receipt. So more BS!!!
Dp
My point Exactly! Ridgid wants to market 7day a week hard working contractors but when we ask for a small favor back , forget them Ridgid sais, Just not worth the hard earned pay going to them.
KRoth
The tools actually work well for my general maintenance projects, looks like I got lucky with the batteries because mine last a good long time.
However, the chuck on my drill stripped out and my only option for repair was Home Depot. There’s a big red flag!
They had my drill for over two weeks and first time I used it, it was still stripped. Second time they had it over three weeks and I had to call them to see if I might ever get it back, it was sitting on the shelf ready to go. Chuck is great but the forward/reverse button is loose and it is backwards, so what I think should be forward is actually reverse. I emailed Ridgid and their response was we are sorry for the frustration but sometimes it can take up to twelve weeks to get the tool back. Never mentioned the fact that it wasn’t repaired.
NoMoreRigidForMe
The warranty is a joke. The batteries and chargers keep dying and eventually so does their willingness to assist you. After I couldn’t get anymore batteries for my old combo kit, I stupidly bought a second one. Now the charger is dead on the new one, Rigid claims it’s not Registered to me, it’s still registered to a previous buyer who brought it back to Home Depot is now I have no warranty. When I asked about getting the old ones replaced he said it was no longer registered. Buy at your own risk, the batteries will fail and you may or may not get replacements
Cory
Incall bullshit on joebloeyourself., And the other rigid haters.
There’s numerous YouTubers (AvE comes to mind. He’s also a journeyman millwright of like 40 years) tears tools down professionally, and reviews them. He’s usually got great things to say about rigid.
My labourers newish, lightly used DeWalt set, today. 3/4 hole with a body daredevil Spade, on torque setting (spd 1) started to smoke. Something my 129 dollar on sale drill, or X5 impact chew through. The drill will eat it up on speed setting even (almost wants to leave your hand when she bites, but she goes, and chews HARD)
My DeWalt nail gun is the bane of my existence. I shoulda spent the extra hundy on a Hitachi. The DeWalt miter saw I bought LOLOL. She let the smoke out after 6 months. Didn’t bother taking it back, just replaced it with rigid.
SLOWLY upgrading to octane gear, and it’s even more poweful.
Their impulse driver… THAT THING IS SOMETHING ELSE!!! YOU NEED MORE TORQUE it gives it. It outputs more torque, faster. And quieter than the X5, which is already industry leading. I’ve snapped impact rated bits on the damned thing.
Also so long as the tool didn’t get wet, they warranty service it. Some tools it’s cheaper to replace (lookin at you recip saw. Was my first upgrade to octane) or upgrade.
Plus replacement batteries was easy.
Jamy Bunkley
I agree.. The tools are ok but the customer service is awful!!! I’ve had problems with several of my Ridgid tools recently and went through the proper steps for repair. Was told that it was gonna take several months for the repairs to be completed Pshhh!! So I’ve tried to contact Ridgid through email several times with no reply. I also called and was told by a representative that I should probably consider switching brands. That tells me they do not care about making their customers happy.
JD Phillips
Because the online registration wouldn’t work, I spent 2 hours and 51 minutes on hold trying to register my Rigid 5 piece set over 3 calls. Got cut off each time. Maybe because Ridgid “Orange” is part of a Hong Kong based company.
Filled out review about Ridgid’s customer service issues at Home Depot but that they refused to post because it concerned customer service.
No wonder the tools get good review on Home Depot, because they refused to accept a bad review!
Cancelled Home Depot card, trying to band them from my email list. Both Ridgid and Home Depot are on the top of my do not use list.
Marcony
If I could I’ll destroy the ridged company, not for the tools but for there costumer device when I got my drills I registered and at that time they don’t ask me to print ore keep record of my registration and when I claim my saw saw warranty they do nothing to repair it
JUAN OJEDA
I hav been a plumber for 24 years and I have owned my RIDGID tools for over 15 years and I never registered any of my tools..couldn’t be bothered,if they broke..I buy more. This isn’t the case,THEY NEVER BROKE!
Impact drill(15years)hammer(15years)1/2″18volt drill(15 years) 4 -4ah batteries(15 years)3-2ha batteries 15 years..lifetime guarantee..never had to use it.thes tools are top of the line..the best part they’re all compatible with every older model batteries..my RIDGID TOOLS are still going till this day..Thank You RIDGID
Mark
It seems only the batteries that come with the tool carry the Lifetime Service Agreement(LSA), as I just bought the18v 4Ah battery 2 pk and they tell me they’re only covered by the 3yr. The store displays clearly say Free Batteries, Free Parts, Free Service for life with no asterisk or fine print but I guess the fine print is invisible. I still think RIDGID makes very good tools.
Daniel R Perrotta
The warranty us not at all what they claim it is. They would not replace a battery I had registered when I told them of a problem with it. Never put in any claims in years, not one , but the one I do when I needed it, was denied immediately. I had a battery melt in a charger, I proved I purchased another charger because I threw them both away at the time, asked for a replacement battery and was denied immediately. They have zero warranty
Mike
Sounds like your warranty claim was declined because you threw out the defective product. Not because they have a poor warranty. For pretty much any warranty out there, you’ll need to return the defective product in order to receive a replacement.
Mike
Yes, you have to bring in the old to get the replacement. It is stated in the warranty as well as customer service. I actually spoke with a Ridgid rep at the store during the $100 off promotion and she explained it very clearly. I asked about the batteries as well, this is what was said word for word: The batteries that come in the kits are covered under lifetime warranty, If you purchase extra batteries they are only covered for the 3 year manufacturers warranty unlike those that come with the tool combo kits, that’s why they are registered.
Marcony Santos
com on guys my story is when I purchased my tools kit Home depot told me register my tools I though it was just the drill and saw saw, they never told me that I need to register the batterie’s so when I call for warranty of my batteries they denied me I think that Ridged looks for any loophole to denied warranties, if what they say about the warranties will be true I think they should replace your batteries instead of looking for ways of not keeping there ” reputation “
Dan
Maybe you should read the enclosed warranty papers yourself….not trust a min wage kid at HD to tell you what to do…..Bet he can build a nice house too….if he can figure out how to use a hammer.
Austin (dissatisfied ridgid owner)
Their customer service is a joke …finally after a big process I was told to email brian Jennings…he is an even bigger joke …when I call customer service they hang up on me … I own an 18v impact that works ok as long as the batteries dont overheat same with my 18v drill …my 18v finish nailer never had a problem except for warranty incompetence, same with my 18v circular saw works fine as long as it’s not over 80°f or under 50°f …my 18v job max multitool with oscillating head over heats without even cutting anything …the jigsaw head I can use to cut soft wood for a short amount of time …my speed charger flashes defective battery 5 times before it works properly … my ridgid stackable toolboxes are the only thing close to worth the money only because they are cheap although the locking clips dont stay clipped and boxes fall … I switched to ridgid from Milwaukee because of the warranty the chucks on all my drills broke several times ….when I call customer service I get get the most ghetto, rude, people on the other end who dont listen, wont transfer me to a supervisor wont give me their name… do yourself a favor and do not buy ridgid tools I wasted thousands of dollars and hundreds of man hours cooling batteries and tools with my ryobi 18v blower I purchased for my step daughter because it came with a deal on a small weedwhacker unfortunately she cant use the weedwhacker because I have the blower charger and only battery …I have all interactions with them documented through email and a call recording app (ACR) all calls are transcribed using another service (OTTTER) plus video of tools over heating in way less than extreme conditions I will provide for anyone upon request… it’s sad that I have to use my 12v Milwaukee impact, drill, multitool and hand held sawzall that I purchased only because my girl gave me the heated jacket for Christmas 3 years ago… anybody who tries to tell you customer service, the warranty, or the tools are good is a bold face liar and probably not a real customer and never actually used the tools or is paid to say so or all the the above … buy dewalt but not while on sale in bundles at the big big box stores around the holidays they use inferior parts(plastic gears and faulty switches)
Nelson
Thanks Austin, I appreciate the info. I intend to buy major brands in the future.
I have tried to e-mail Rigid about my roofing nailer with no response.
Donna
Agreed! I bought my 18 volt Ridgid screw gun. Within one year both batteries went bad. I never have this problem with my Other tool brands. Also purchased a 5” disc sander and before using it a dozen times it quit. I’m just done with Ridgid!
Ronnie Vance
They suck. Home Depot sucks. I sent my planer and table saw in for repair in the middle of December of 2019 ( I had exchanged both in the first 30 days of purchase for the same issues that follow)
and was told weeks later that it would be at least 2-3 months before they were even diagnosed. I threw a fit and they replaced both tools 3 months later. The new planer went down on the 3rd board. The second replacement lasted one board. When I got the 3rd it was almost an 1/8″ out of flat and the gear/guard was broken and laying in the bottom of the planer when I unboxed it. I will NEVER purchase from them again. EVER.
Tony Limina
They had my guaranteed driver for 6 weeks. I’ll never buy another Ridged product.
Bryon
I have had good success with the impact driver and drill combo, lifetime warrantee on everything, BUT THE WARRANTEE IS NO GOOD IF , AS I SPEEK HAVE HAD THE IMPACT DRIVER IN FOR REPAIRS ,AND AFTER 2months still have NOT got it back from the rigid repair contractor! So what good is a guarantee….over 2months!
Timothy M Bombery
Thier warranty sucks. Home Depot wont honor it after a short period (90 days I think) and it’s a 2 month turn around for factory repair. The only service center in San Diego ( a ship yard/Mechi ic hotspot) doesn’t service them anymore. And the next service center is in
L. Frickin. A.
I got 2 hears of use out of it. So they dont last. I got more out of a crappy Ryobi drill. 5 years.
No more rigid in my tool box.
Chris
Love my Ridgid 18V NiCD set, but its getting a little old and heavy. Just got the battery packs replaced (considering they are now 8 years old, its pretty impressive)
If weight is any indication, the tools are built pretty well. Ive put them through a lot of work since I bought the set 8 years ago and Ive had no trouble with anything. One of the ports on the dual port charger no longer works, but everything else in the kit is great. Ive picked up a few peripheral tools as well (jigsaw, caulking gun) and they work well too.
The warranty is great (new batteries to replace my 8 yr old ones, no questions asked!) but Ive read of issues with all the hoops that you need to jump through to actually register the tools. Also seen some people complain about the lithion battery packs, but those complaints seem to be limited to the older 1.5ah packs not the newer 2 and 4ah packs.
I still love my Ridgid stuff, but Im realizing maybe I dont need a 7 lb hammer drill at all times, so Im looking to replace (or supplement) with a lighter tool setup. It very well might be another Ridgid kit!
fred
I looked back over my old business tool inventory (2005-2012) to refresh my memory about our Ridgid power tool buys. What I kind of remembered was true – that is: we bought a few (actually only 3) items at Home Depot to try out. Once tried – I believe that we continued to occasionally use them but found that they were not so compellingly productive or game changing to merit buying a second of its kind. We bought them because they seemed unique for the Ridgid brand at the time we purchased them.
Compared to the hundreds of other corded and cordless power tools we probably purchased over the same 8 year period – we did not give much business to the Ridgid brand. This was not so much that we found the quality lacking – but more because for cordless tools (most of our small power tool buying) we had standardized on Makita and Milwaukee tools. There probably was another factor in that we bought few tools at Home Depot or other Ridgid Power Tool outlets on any regular basis.
For my home use – I bought a Ridgid Oscillating Belt/Spindle Sander – (EB4424) quite a few years ago – and I think it is excellent.
FYI – the 3 items we bought for the business were:
YEAR TOOL TYPE PART #
2008 ONE-HANDED RECIPROCATING SAW R3030
2009 FIBER-CEMENT SAW KIT R3400
2012 PNEUMATIC ROOFING CUTTER R040SCA
BikerDad
I think your slotting of them is about right. Mid grade. Better than Ryobi, Skil (except the superlative Skilsaw) and Black & Decker. Their product range here in the US is more consistent than the other “big house brand”, Craftsman. C’Man has a few really good power tools, and some real stinkers as well. I haven’t gotten any of their portable power tools, although I’ve come close. My shopvac is a Rigid, and I too have their oscillating spindle/belt sander, which is a fantastic tool. And I have their scrollsaw, which has done fine with what little I’ve called upon it to do.
Matt Ryan
In general there stationary tools are good. I have herd mixed things about there handheld tools. But in general I think the handheld tools are mid ranged.
Joe
Their!
Kent
I have always thought of them as mid to low grade tools, like Ryobi or Skil.
However, I really don’t like Home Depot. In most of the ones I’ve been to, they are understaffed by people who don’t care about their jobs or customer service. Since I can only buy Ridgid tools at The Depot, I don’t buy them at all.
Stuart
Were there any Ridgid tools in particular that led to your thoughts about the brand? In my experience, they’re a bit step up from entry-level brands such as Ryobi (which also offers a number of appealing mid-range tools as well), Skil, Black & Decker, and the like.
Regarding Home Depot in general, I’ve had mixed experiences. My local store seems slightly under-staff at times, but the associates are always willing to help me out.
Kent
It’s just bias against HD; I’ve never even picked up a Ridgid. Well, other than a pipe threader, which has nothing to do with their consumer tools.
My HD experience has been in large cities; LA and the Bay Area. In crappy neighborhoods (downtown LA) the parking lot can be frightening, but they treat customers like dirt.
I’ve had the following experiences:
– parking lots filled with aggressive day labor, to the extreme that I have had to use the air horn on my truck and act like I wouldn’t stop, just to get them out from in front of my truck (I was driving towards the exit)
– I’ve had guys come into the store and try to help me get my plywood or sheetrock *before* I got the the register
Bay Area stores aren’t as bad, but they aren’t good.
Last week I bought a utility sink package (sink, faucet, plumbing, etc). I got it home, and found that the quality was crap, so I took it back. It took over 30 minutes to do the return, because the clerk required somebody from plumbing to show up and look at it.
It’s a different experience in smaller towns and nice parts of town.
Matt Ryan
Yes I have never had any bad experiences with Ridgid, but they are not the best on the market by any means.
George Maslak
Ridgid and Home Depot is a scam!!!!! I own many 18 volt cordless drills,circular saws,impact guns, vacuum ,saw saws, air compressor,radio,once a planner, which is whole other story.,couple 4″ grinders. They replace my batteries once and fixed the one drill,charger,sawzaw. Under warranty after I took the slips in that faded that were kept in my office. They rebuilt the air compressor that quite working under warranty. They rebuilt the planner once. They replace some of the grinders one time. But now all the batteries are bad and they can’t replace them because they can’t find me in their system after they already replaced all that stuff. I’ve had same phone number and address for 28 years. They want me to send in all my slips that are faded to register them again. That was a scam faded slips and not registered anymore. Lifetime warranty joke!!!!!!!
Luke
This is basically your failure not as well as theirs. As a project manager, I/T fault tolerance consultant and minor handyman for fun on the side, I can tell you, this is just a process problem you should be managing to for your business or home. Just like taxes ;-).
You KNOW you’re going to have to have proof of purchase for any warranty or “service agreement” it says so on all warranties regardless if, like Rigid, you register the item.
Anyone who has purchased items since thermal register receipts became popular, say in the last 25 years, should know by now that the image often fades completely. If you live in a hot climate like Arizona, we know not to leave gas, parts and service receipts in the car because the heat accelerates the image disappearance there even quicker. For biz, we need those receipts.
Rigid offers a life time “service agreements” that include (at the moment) the batteries as well. I was told they Lithium Ion cordless drill I have was actually made by Milwaukee but I can’t find anything on that now. What a deal if you register it and want the exchange hassle!! But, guess what, if the battery is damaged, the replacement you buy is not covered except for the 90-day or 1-year or whatever “warranty” that comes with it. Sucks but it’s what is offered. And life time ONLY if you register the serial numbered tool and each battery, etc. within 90-days (as I recall).
Since when does anyone expect the company to have all their data in order. Keep your own paperwork to prove the purchase.
I can not recall if the “service agreement” is valid for such tools used professionally. But, professionals often don’t want to waste the time or go through the hassle of replacing tools or parts (batteries) under any kind of warranty unless they walk into say Home Depot and exchange it. They need to use it day in and day out. They buy and keep spare batteries. The spares have don’t have lifetime coverage. But, time is money too so many don’t bother or it takes too much time to figure out which battery has coverage and which does not.
So, don’t blame Rigid for your failure to make copies of your receipts. I/T systems fail, companies get hacked, data disappears, computer rooms get flooded and companies don’t or can’t recover all the data (they should but their failures are more common than you would dare imagine). It doesn’t make the TOOL any less. All Lithium-ion batteries have battery performance expectations that are rarely specified for more than 500 cycles even though manufacturers say 1000 or whatever.
Shame on RIGID for losing your information but, professionally, since you expense those items for taxes, shame on YOU too? Most professionals I know keep their tax records at least seven (7) years but often pretty much forever in a box in storage for each year. If the image is gone in less than 3, how are you going to survive an IRS audit? Most know to make copies of the records for taxes and keep them together the same way they keep copies of warranty items filed separately. COPIES with the original.
The failure is not technology on either part… it’s process failure. Rigid and you failed to have a process and understand specifically – fault tolerance. If you do this with receipts, you likely do equally as well with data and other business records. It’s not your expertise. Get a professional to help you with your business records, I/T etc. or learn to do it yourself. Accept the failures or mitigate the risk. Its all about risk vs. cost to mitigate the risk. Costs include your time, time lost on the job, etc. depending on what the risk affects. Tools, business records, customer jobs… pretty much can be treated similarly.
Some hints on filing Tool information:
1. Write the serial number of the tool on the receipt. Circle the date, write down the warranty. Write down the asset number (see below).
2. Make at least two copies of your original receipts on a laser or ink printer. #1 goes to tax records, #2 to the power tool file with the original.
3. Register the item(s) where ever (if appropriate like Rigid) within the time period.
4. Print out a copy of the registration paper work showing the registration as PROOF.
5. Make a copy of the tool (showing serial number or take a picture of it and print it out.
6. Put or write an “asset number” in each tool and a sub number on each warrantied part. (put that in a living spreed sheet). PRINT it monthly too…. Keep up with it.
(there are computer programs for Windows, MAC and Android that will do all this for you – and scan into their program, etc. BUT, people lose the program, their computer system crashes, they don’t back it up, they don’t keep it up. Hard copies and files is easy and doesn’t grow obsolete.)
7. Scan the whole package of materials to a PDF file and keep it on your computer (which of course you BACKUP as a business – if you don’t know what I am referring too – you have bigger problems.)
7A. File the paper along with the manual for each tool in a folder, each folder together with like tools in a fireproof(ish) file cabinet. Done…
8. Keep your computer file system JUST like you do a paper file system on your computer, on your data back up and burn a DVD monthly of all your data. Throw it in your SAFE that is fire, water, data secure… or take one home for your shop, to your mom or kids house, bury it in a plastic box under the rose garden, whatever.
Just like other things in life, figure out what process you need and then just do it like sales tax, income tax filings etc. taxes
Sound complicated but, it’s simple if you just do it.
George Maslak
Why dose it say on their warrant info that photo copies at not acceptable?!!!!!!!
Rob
Lol, it’s simple register on line they’ll email you your LSA. SCREEN SHOT and done period end of questions all your serial numbers are right there on your screen shot up load to the cloud you’re safe.
Mark Carnley
Bullshit, complete bullshit. Ridgid is banking on you losing your receipt so they don’t have to replace anything… What do those people do then? Basically f*ed right? Craftsman had the best warranty ever, they didn’t snivel about receipts or registering or any of that crap, they just snatched the tool out if your hand and threw a new one at you. Now THATS a warranty!
Mike Matzen
I agree. I just bought the Gen 5 tool set and when I was filling out the warranty info inline I discovered “all” the Ridgid tools I have purchased didn’t have a lifetime warranty. I registered about 2 dozen tools and they all said, 3 year warranty. I did “everything” they asked me to do. These are tools and they do fail.
Kenduro
You join the pro-rewards for free. You buy something, and by the time you get home there is an email containing a copy of your reciept. You sort them into folders like “tools” and “materials” so you can find the reciept when you need it for warranty work. Since each reciept also has a bar code and transaction # Rigid should be able to coincide the purchase with either the credit card you used, or your “pro-rewards” account.
Dalarge
pro-rewards, sounds great but when you have so many emails to sort through …inundated with paperless work. They do not make it easy… we live in a use it , toss it away ..world no looking back mentallity
ktash
The oscillating belt sander is a wonderful bargain and extremely well designed. I also have a couple of their shop vacs which come in special packages for the holidays/father’s day etc and very good buys. I have their trim router which I really like. I also like their lifetime warrantee, covering batteries though I don’t have any of their battery brand since I stick to the ones I already have for additional tools. I’d buy them, though.
Troy
I guess I’m all over the board: 1) I really like my trim router, 2) I feel as if my portable table saw is under-powered, 3) the portable table saw stand is solid with the exception of a poor design regarding the placement of the lift handle, and 4) I’m unimpressed with my shop-vac (notably, it was a black Friday deal, so my expectations should be low). Whenever I’m in the market for a tool I take a good hard look at Rigid, but I ultimately don’t find the price difference wide enough to steer me away from the “better” brands.
Jimmie
I don’t have any portable Ridgid tools but I’ve had a 6″ Ridgid-branded jointer for 5-6 years. No real complaints.
George Maslak
Do you use them. I buy my tools to use everyday. They shouldn’t life time warranty them if they can’t stand behind them.
Daniel
I was telling my stepdad, who has been a carpenter/contractor for nearly 40 years, about a Dewalt deal posted here recently. He thought it was a great deal but mention that he uses all Rigid, now. He has a problem, and they’re taken care of. Batteries going bad? Back to Home Depot where he is almost every day, anyways. I haven’t heard him complain about them even once.
Noah
IMHO, they’re better than Hitachi. I like them quite a bit and find them to be quite strong, I just find the balance a bit on them odd, or maybe they’re just a little heavier than the Milwaukees and Makitas I’m used to.
Jason
We have purchased 10-12 sets of ridgid x4 drills over the past year for our installers (HVAC). The guys love them, we have had some issues with batteries (3 out of over 40 total) but they were replaced with no hassle.
Not to Say there is a problem with batteries, our drills take some abuse and drops from over 6 foot regularly. It has never been an issue when getting replacements though.
Brian
I’ve been looking at their x4 drills and will grab one this fall at Depot. My Table Saw, Nail Gun, and sander I have bought from Ridgid have all worked great and I have had no problems with any of them. The warranty is just a bonus.
Troy
My 18 volt impact has lasted years. My only complaint which is not that big of a deal is it seems to be quite a bit louder, than my dewalt. I love it, the neighbors hate it.
Eric
I have always considered them middle of the road power tools. Not quite Dewalt or Milwaukee, but better than Ryobi, Black & Decker, even Hitatchi. I do not have extensive experience with them, but the couple of tools I have used in the past seemed to perform well.
Matt Ryan
Same here, but my only experience is with a cordless drill (not mine, just used it a fair amount), and a sander I own that I have had no problems with.
Henry
I really enjoy my 5″ random orbital, and 1/4 sheet finish sander. I did have the random orbital die on me, likely due to a soft start failure caused by static buildup, when attached to a Ridgid vacuum. It was repaired/replaced by Ridgid under warranty, with no issues.
I have a 10″ miter saw (non sliding), and it’s seen a lot of use. It’s been a great saw, though the back on the table isn’t quite square across the full length, and it’s nearly impossible to keep the blade perfectly trued, so my cuts are always off by a bit (not enough to matter).
My Ridgid vacuum has been going strong, so no complaints there (it sucks).
I have the 12v Jobmax, and like it, but it bogs down easily, which is to be expected from a 12v.
I’d say that if you’re in the range for decent DIY tools, so long as you get the lifetime warranty set up, they’re good tools for the price.
Brad
I own the R4512 contractor table saw, and I’m very pleased with its performance. I haven’t experienced any alignment issues, which is the primary complaint among users. I also found the warranty application process quick and easy. I’ve had it for two years, and plan to have it for years to come.
jason. w
My co-worker got a ridgid combo including a impact, drill, and little radio. The quality of all of them is great. I haven’t used them first hand a lot. But from what I’ve seen they do a great job. The radio has some great sound for being so small.
Also, all of our shop vacs at work are ridgid and they are great. They get abused but keep on working
Adabhael
Like Eric and Matt, my impression of Ridgid (the consumer brand) is that it is best among the middle of the road tools like Craftsman and Hitatchi, mostly thanks to some clever details and engineering, and the lifetime service agreement.
Like Stuart I am a sucker for unique engineering so when my decade-old craftsman died in the middle of moving last year, I did a fast but exhaustive search and picked up the x4 18v kit with the R86008 Drill, R86034 impact driver and (useless) radio. It is for personal, not professional use, and while I would have paid more, I found this drill had the best ergonomics of the models I tried. Also some the design details (e.g. rubber bumpers no matter how you lay it down, the separate “grip-switch” for the light, the location and security of on-board bit storage) were superior to the Milwaukee and DeWalt models I considered. Over the past year of fairly frequent use, I have been presently surprised: both tools chunk through pretty much whatever I throw at them, the batteries last long and charge quickly (helpful at our non-electrified camp) and are comfortable to use all day. Head to head, it out-drilled and out-drove my Dad’s Craftsman C3 XCP, even after he and I traded tools to minimize operator effects.
I will probably add the battery circular saw and possibly the JobMax over the next year or so so I can stop hauling out the generator for small jobs.
DanG
I’m crazy about Ridgid tools. I would consider them first before I take another brand. I strongly believe they make the toughest tools around. There is only one other tool in my belief that can take on a Ridgid tool and win. That is the DeWalt. In my opinion the DeWalt is a much tougher tool than the Rigid. Seems kinda silly but the one of the main reasons why I don’t like the DeWalt is because of the color of their tools. I know the color is what makes them stand out but boy does it ever get dirty after a few times of usage. I bought a DeWalt Gyro screwdriver and have not used it that much and it shows a lot of dirt. I think grey is a good color but the that color has already been taken by Porter Cable. And that’s the truth. THHHHHH(raspberry)
Bruce
When I took my current position one site had Ridgid cordless tools, a rather bulky 12volt screwdriver, a beaten up drill, a cordless vacuum, and quite a few NiCad batteries. The drill was pretty good and you couldn’t pry the screwdriver out of the part-timers hands without killing him. I found the drill worked well enough and the lifetime warranty is impressive. We needed an impact driver so I bought one. Killed it (through abuse) on week three. Local tool repair fixed it for free. The vacuum is awesome now that we have Li-Ion batteries. I upgraded the drill for the hammer drill model. Added a recip saw to the mix. I don’t like them as well as the Dewalt tools, but they work fine and I can’t point to any tangible reason that I like them less. They work and the warranty is great. The battery meter is handy when I’m stuffing them in the tool bag. That’s all I really need.
Tyler
I’ve had Ridgid tools since before I started working at Home Depot. I bought the X4 drill and impact driver specifically because the impact driver (at the time) had the highest torque rating of any driver on the market. While Ryobi looks like they’ve done a lot to professionalize their tools in the past few years, Ridgid is still a definite step above. The only downside I’ve ever seen is they have a limited amount of tools in their line. Ryobi has a boat load of tools in their line now. It’s a whole lot easier to jam pack an end cap when you make more stuff.
One other point (don’t know if this has been mentioned because I skimmed through the comments) is Ridgid power tools is only part of their business. Ryobi is primarily power tools and Dewalt and Milwaukee are just now pushing into the hand tool market. Ridgid is already heavily entrenched in the plumbing/pipe fitter market with their hand tools.
Mahalo
I own their hard-wired circular saw and reciprocating saw, and they are both a pleasure to use. Plenty of power, solid construction, simple blade change systems. I’m not fond of the soft bags they include with some tools, a hard case would be so much better. I agree with your assessment, Stuart, that these are a bit of a value tool in the pro segment. I.e., not quite reaching the heights of Milwaukee, DeWalt, etc., but really fairly close and definitely useful to professionals.
Because of limited selection, I have stayed away from their battery powered offerings for the most part, although the Lifetime Service Agreement has tempted me (free battery replacement). I do own the JobMax system, and it has come in handy on several occasions. A bit underpowered, but still a nice tool.
John
I only own 1 Rigid cordless power tool, that being a NiCad 18 volt drill which still works fairly well after 7 yrs. I do own 2 of the 6 1/2 inch circular saws. I love these saws, they work well and I feel they are well above the quality of Hitachi power tools. I’m still trying to decide on a jobsite table saw , but it always comes down to DeWALT, Bosch, and the Rigid saws that everyone seems to be buying and each has their lists of pros & cons and their loyal customers. I am mostly a Milwaukee guy but none of the top tool companies including Milwaukee make a smaller corded circular saw. Rigid does and they are a quality tool in my opinion.
Tom
As a homeowner I have had good luck with them. They are a great value. The building trades classroom at the VoTech school I worked at a while back used Ridgid drills.
I got a old NiCad 18v set 10 years ago. I wanted to get a impact driver and LiIon batteries so I just bought the Drill/impact driver/Radio combo for $179. I got the impact driver and 2 lion batteries I wanted for less than the cost of a battery and compatible charger. I considered the radio and drill to be free. The batteries are all compatible so I can put the new LiIon batteries in my old tools and vice versa. That alone is awesome and the “pro” tool companies don’t let you do that.
I also have a Ridgid planer, 5″ ROS, and vac. All have worked well and left some money in my pocket.
aaron barton
I got a 18v drill and impact combo a few years ago and loved it for about a month until the batteries took a dhit and completely stopped working, so I gave up on em. Then the job max tool came out and my local home depot let me putchase the complete system with all the attachments and 2 18v batteries for $130, but instead of the ridgid tool I got the ryobi body which is made for use with the ridgid attachments and worked out good for me cause I already had some ryobi 18v batteries from my air strike brad nailer. Its a great tool easy to pack up and break down into a small bag and I could bring It with me in my tool box and usually it comes in handy pretty much all the time saving me time and trips back to the shop to get a tool I didnt know I was gonna need. And with there ew lifetime guarentee im glad I gave them another shot, I also purchased a 12″ mitre saw that has the smoothest gliding turn table I have ever used not to mention its twice as big as the dewalt cutting table which makes cutting the material and holding it still a whole lot easier. In a huge fan now they won me over again, but I think ill stick with my 20v brushless dewalt cordless kit for now
ajw1978
I’m kicking myself right now because I bought a Drill/Impact Driver kit for $149 two weeks ago, but took it back for a Milwaukee 12V kit and stuck with my C3 kit. The 12V, obviously, is great. I had planned to actually go with the Ridgid set at first because I’m absolutely a sucker for their warranty. My trim router was my first ridgid tool and I love it. I’ve now added the $199 compact table saw to my collection and I’m really happy with it. I look at Ridgid as a step up from the “beginner brands” but for those not ready or needing to make the jump all the way up to DeWalt or Bosch or JET or … well, you get it. I think for the slightly advanced beginner or the occasional fix the house type, Ridgid is a good, reliable bet. Nothing fancy and set up to last for quite some time.
HomeDepotAssociate
As an associate of the Home Depot, I have spent much time researching the Rigid brand tools. From a warranty stand point, they are unmatched by the competitors. The only thing the consumer has to do at the time of purchase is take 10 mins to go online and register the tools. From there on, if you have any issues with the tool parts, batteries, etc. you simply take in in to THD and get them swapped out. I do prefer Milwaukee, however with Ridgids warranty, I am reconsidering future tool purchases.
adam
are you sure just swapped? I know for batteries that is the case, but isn’t the tool sent off to get fixed?
WB
Rigid Corp is allowing Home Despot to drag their good name through the dirt by allowing them to put the Rigid name on inferior tools
Home Despot won’t honor the warranty
You can’t get of many the parts to repair them
Save your money and buy a better brand
John Finity
I also worked as Associate at THD, and had high opinion of Rigid warranty. From their website, it is a 3 Year Warranty, with a Lifetime “Service Agreement”. It’s not as simple as ‘lifetime warranty, and covers everything’. If you are considering, and want to fry your brain a bit, chew thru this list:
https://www.ridgid.com/us/en/three-year-limited-lsa
I just now looked this up on the Rigid.com/powertools website – did not now this exception :
NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR:
Commonly, our tools are used on job sites in the most demanding applications and environments. Under these conditions and over time, the RIDGID product may experience normal wear and tear and require service. While normal wear & tear is not considered a “defect” and is not covered by the RIDGID Lifetime Warranty, it is our goal to get your tool back in service a soon as possible. To help expedite this service, Ridge Tool offers a complete assortment of service parts and a network of RIDGID Independent Service Centers to meet your service needs. Our Service Center Network has been Factory Trained to provide quality repair service as well as accurate determination & execution of RIDGID warranty if required. For a complete list of RIDGID Independent Service Centers visit http://www.ridgid.com.
Tom Brown
I own a Ridgid Miter Saw. It worked very hard for 4 years but now needs replacement parts for the mitering/adjustment section and no parts are available. This is unacceptable for the price paid. Same thing with a table saw I owned a few years back. Everything wears out eventually so replacement parts should be available for the most common wear items.
Matzen Const
I bought a lot of Ridgid tools and signed them up for the warranty right after I bought them. One day I was looking on their web site and discovered none of them were covered! I called Ridgid talked to customer service and not to sound like a broken record they were uneducated in the warranty process and no way were they going to help me, very rude. I decided to call my attorney general and bingo! I get a call from Ridgid and they couldn’t have been nicer. They told me to collect all of my receipts and broken tools and send them in. They will warranty the tools I have a receipt for and will fix my broken tools. Have problems call your state attorney general.
rawthang
I just purchased a Drill for Christmas. The LSA persuaded me to pick Ridgid over Dewalt. I am not a contractor, just a DIYer.
I was suckered into purchasing cordless B&D drills 2 times by deals that seemed too good to pass up. 1st drill the battery charger went up. Soon after purchasing the new charger, the batteries died and stopped holding the charge. 2nd drill, the reverse switch broke. Still works great drilling or screwing in something but I have to keep a screwdriver with me to take anything out. I could have purchased top of the line Professional Grade tools for what I spent on them. I now HATE B&D! B&D owns Dewalt and I will not give B&D more of my money.
As I looked at new drills, I also looked at the cost of replacement batteries and chargers. I decided for about the same price as Dewalt and Milwaukee I would try the Ridgid Drill. I should never have to buy a charger or battery again (which can cost close to a new drill’s price).
All the major complaints I see about these are the batteries and people not registering properly for the LSA. I opted to have THD send me a copy of the receipt electronically which I save in a free cloud account. I went home and immediately registered it online for the LSA. I set a reminder in my phone’s calendar to alert me to when the LSA should be processed successfully. I followed up when it was not completed in 10 business days. I called the Ridgid Customer Service line. The representative took my information and asked me to email him the copy of the receipt. He completed the registration instantly. I added Ridgid, the LSA number, serial numbers and customer number as a contact in my cloud based email/contact file. I have all the information they might need on my phone.
Not being a professional contractor, performance of the B&D Drills was fine. The issue was with the durability of the products. Only 2 years out of each before the problems started is not acceptable.
Everyone complains about the process of registering their tool(s). It took my longer to type this post than it took to register the drill, confirm successful registration and put all the information in my contact database in case of a warranty issue.
Keith Balram
I had to chime in on these. I am a professional installer working with audio video and tv mounting. I have to say that I absolutely love my rigid tool set. I was at the job working with a Dewalt set that I have had for about 8 years when it died on the spot. I went to Hdpot and by an associate’s recommendation went with the rigid brand. I am throughly impressed. So much so that I just purchased there x5 kit with the portable circular saw. Tomorrow I am going to buy the rolling tool box kit. Rigid had sold me for life. In my opinion the quality is close to unmatched. I would have a hard time finding something that works as well and is as durable as my rigid system. I buy no other type of tool.
ottis haney
i am 76 and have had a few other brands of drills over the years. I am glad to tell you that the rigid 18 v drill i have now is the best drill i have ever owned. Co. replaced the battery . I feel rigid is the best drill on the market for the price paid.
Jacky Luna
I have bought almost $1000.00 in ridged tools and extra batteries the batteries suck Im a plumber and they are not moisture friendly I sent a 3.0 battery back and they replaced it and its only 1 month old and its bad now it is very aggrevating when you depend on these tools to do the job and they fail.I’m thing about changing to Milwaukee I have sold a lot of rigid tools by talking to family and friends now i’ve got egg on my face… NOT HAPPY
allan l
I bought 1/2 hammer drill r 5011 I only used a few time word great on 1/4 putting hole in block then needed to 5/8 holes in a floor and only did 4 drill broke . this tool is harbor freight quality at 3 times the price we did 40 more with an old Milwaukee
Unhappy w rigid
The charger has always shown me with the double blinking that the batteries are bad.
It sucks because I love the tools. Rigid wouldn’t stand behind them so I have been a dewault guy ever since.
mark fischert
I honestly do not think Rigid has much to offer in terms of hand held power tools, can do much better with other brands
Pete
Bought a Ridgid drill 9 years ago because I got tired of buying Craftsman drills and the batteries would die in a few years. The new batteries cost more than buying a new drill with batteries. Plus they changed the battery design. Ridgid just replaced my 9 year old failed Nicads with new batteries. Replaced 9 yo failed charger also. They have replaced 3 failed Li-Ion batteries over the years. Fixed trigger on 5 year old impact. All free. Just follow their warranty registration rules. Not that hard.
The other Ridgid tools I have purchased have worked great: belt sander, hammer drill, circular saw, reciprocating saws (3), orbital sander, Jobmax interchangeable head system, blower.
The newer high capacity 4 amp-hour batteries give the tools plenty of power. They have a 5 amp-hour battery now.
ROBERT TREFFERT
Long story short, I use my tools alot changed over to ridgid because of quality and lifetime warranty. I have all X4 tools, 12 & 10in miter saws, and nail guns. sent in 1/4 impact for repair. It had lost power getting hot, and quickly draining batteries. Service center sent it back after 3 weeks, said it was working fine and keept my $18. Thinking of Trying DeWalt
Craig
I work a lot outside and my boss is a ridgid guy. All I have to say is he swears by his tools, but swears at them in the cold. He has to let them “warm up” in cold climate. My Makita works out of my tool box, cold or not. A warranty like ridgid has is useless to me if I can’t do my job because the tool needs to be warm first.
There has been a lot of lost time because of this, and since all the other workers at the company have changed brands.
David
What Do You Think About Ridgid Power Tools?
Okay, maybe. My 18V drill/impact driver battery charger would not work in less than 114 days of purchase and about 6 uses. The “lifetime” warranty was void, because the small text note to “register on-line within 90 days of purchase” was so small that it was not noticed and there was no card to fill out and mail.
Pete
David,
Sorry to hear that your Ridgid drill failed so soon, and that you didn’t have the lifetime warranty in place. You are covered by the 3-year warranty, so take advantage of that. Any time you see something that says lifetime warranty you should always pay close attention and look for the details. I did that on an AC compressor for my car and found out I had to buy several other components for the warranty to be valid. Rigid tools have been good for me, as you can see from my earlier post and many others here as well.
Steve Pilcher
Rigid makes a good tool But the customer service and response is dismal. You can post a question in the contact us and Days later still be waiting an answer or even an acknowledgment that they received your inquiry
thr man
Contractor: Been using ridgid cordless drills for a long time, mainly because once you buy one brand, you stick to it as to not have to buy new batteries, or charge multiple brands simultanously. Theyve been dropped, full of drywall dust, etc. They take a beating. Im amazed at their durability.
The only impact drill comparable is Milwaukee, but it is deafening. Ridgid is also a little loud. Makitas are quiet and smooth.
Cant speak for their other items but their drills are an A+.
Mike
Why is Ridgid NOT producing more cordless tools? I, like many others want only one battery platform. As a contractor, my need for a variety of tools is important to making the decision to stick with Ridgid. Love the Ridgid products and lifetime warranty, but I still NEED the Dewalt/Milwakee product lines. When are they getting the Double-cut/nibbler, caulk gun, small sawzall, nail guns, sanders, Lazers, blower/vacuum, band saw, ect.
The competition has many options. What is the plan??
Jacob
Im a plumber, I have newest 18 lithium set out for rigid. This is my second set the first one I did not register and killed all the tools within one year. Bought another set, registered and I will be taking my hammer drill back the repair shop this Monday for the SECOND time. It broke yesterday while easily drilling through a top plate. Now I have to wait until it is fixed which by the way takes for ever depending on which shop you take it to. I just got my sawzaw back last week it was in shop for 3 months, ridiculous. Sawzaw broke while cutting a while. One of The extra batteries I bought quit working completely. The only thing rhat will usually never gives me problems is the impact It is great. My wife bought me the dadio which the channel and volume dial broke, the mini compact saw for cutting sheet rock, grput lines ext.. broke conpletely. I am saddened by rigid. Other tools have been so much reliable and I will be for sure looking into Milwaukee power tools. I have to say otfher than being junk tools that cxant handle the job at least they get fixed for free if registered it just dosnt do me any good for them Constantly breaking.
Jim Dvorovy
I purchased the drill/driver/combo in 2012. It was an absolute nightmare attempting to gain the LSA, but eventually with a lot of frustration and haggling it got done. Everything worked extremely well and I really enjoyed using the tools until the batteries needed replacement. Home Depot at North Canton, Ohio gave me a hard time in attempt to getting the batteries replaced. Eventually that too got taken care of, but the replacement batteries were never as good as the original. I often wondered it they were reconditioned batteries. I keep telling myself I will have to go through the hassle once again, and have been putting it off. I had bought a 5ah battery to get by a little longer, but that battery too gives very little service life after only 1 year of usage. The once nearly perfect radio has lost its station gathering sensitivity and now gives lots of static. I am a home owner but use my tools much more than an average home owner. I have bought more Ridgid tools including the small hand saw, a recipricating saw, and a 4″ hand grinder. It is very frustrating not having good batteries to run these devices. I can charge the batteries until they show full charge, but they run down on the shelf in only a few days even though not used.
Damian morrell
Your stereo I baught lasted a month store wouldn’t return it what a hunk of junk
Al
Tools are great.costumer service totally sucks.i had a new 10 inch wet saw.the laser light wouldn’t work.in was destorted instead of a straight beam.all I wanted was to order a new one.each person I talked to said I will have to call you back.never heard from them.i ended up going back to home depot were I got it and the manager took care of me.i ended up getting a new saw over a 10 dollar light.i tried to get it registered on line but not happening so I called ridgid.BIG MISSTAKE.its clear they hate there job.thats all I will say about it.good tools,BAD SERVICE.
mikee
Tools are for homeowner use, they suck for commercial use.
I had a problem the “customer service wouldn’t help me with so I got ahold of my attorney general. Problem solved.
I’m switching back to DeWalt. More of a commercial tool.
tbenusa
Second go around attempt to justify Ridgid over Milwaukee. CANT justify.
Got asmoking deal from THD with the caveat that any missing parts would be provided by Ridgid.
GREAT so far. one call to Ridgid, and they said sorry no support for open box items, great deals, etc.
When asked what difference is from taking advantage of lifetime warranty vs asking for replacement part upfront…..or why it made a difference???
no good answers coming from agent…..
Second time burned by ridgids “lifetime warranty” . on first tool, was told that the part was “normal wear and tear- NOT covered for the 3 for $10. parts…small price to pay for customer satisfaction.
We will stick with Milwaukee – No questions, they just send replacements. AND follow up to make sure that you are Happy with service. Good tools, Great Service
Steve Lackovic
My company as well. Milwaukee automatically registers your tool the moment you purchase that and no further need to go online or fill anything out, etc. Just keep your receipt of course for future reference and tax purposes. I am concerned the last couple years though, as Milwaukee does not use the long time reliable chuck they used to use standard in their drills, and new model seems like an inferior part. We own DeWalt, Ridgid, Bosch, and Milwaukee. Milwaukee always been far superior in many ways since last 40 years I have owned them (Sad to see made in China today). Now as far as roto-hammers (Made in Germany item), Bosch always stands alone above the rest…
Dave
I certainly see a lot of bad comments here about Rigid. I have owned one of the Rigid 18v NiCd Combo sets (hammer drill, small circular saw, light, with a dual charger) for a long time. I honestly do not remember how long, but well before LiIon batteries cam out.
Before the Rigid set I owned a Craftsman combo set, which was okay. I can say that the Rigid set has always performed well for me, as long as the battery is charged. The hammer drill is the tool I use the most and has always done what I needed it to. And I do use it quite often. I do not make my living with it, but I am a DIYer and enjoy building things. I have had the batteries rebuilt several times (no, I have never sent them in under warrantee). The place that rebuilds them told me that when the batteries have been rebuilt 2 to 3 times the cases start to wear out and things loosen up. And, the cost of purchasing 2 new NiCd batteries is only about $130 to $150 less than buying one of the new drill combo kits. So I started looking to purchase something newer. I found out that the Rigid LiIon are backward compatible with the NiCd tools. So I continued to research just where the Rigid falls in with the other well know makers; i.e., Delta, Milwaukee, Makita, etc…What I found amongst those who actually did comparison/performance testing is that, yes, Rigid falls in the middle between the “higher end” makers and the Craftsman, Ryobi, etc..makers. No surprise. However, the advantage to us Rigid owners is the backward compatibility. And the fact that price wise, Rigid is considered a good bang for your buck
From what I have found in my research is that Rigid constantly gets decent marks in the scoring on the various rating sites. If the newer Rigid cordless tools are as good as the set I have now then I think it will prove to be a good purchase.
One more thing I will add: if your expectations are for a high end professional product then you need to be willing to spend the money for such a product. Buy a Hilti, if you have that kind of money. You can buy their best drill with 5.2 amp battery and charger for around $500+-.
Jon
I have numerous Ridgid tools that I have purchased for use in my remodeling business. They work great if I’m doing handyman type tasks, but when it comes down to real construction, I have to use my Milwaukee tools if I want to get the job done.
Now after 4 years with my cordless drills, the batteries will not hold a charge, I have 5 batteries, 4 of which came as part of a kit, and 1 larger amp battery was purchased separately . Just got off of the phone with them, and they won’t warranty any of them, even though they were all registered on their website at time of purchase!
I was also looking for a part for my tile saw that is just over 4 years old. It has the lifetime service agreement, but guess what….they don’t make parts anymore for that saw.
I was re-directed to another company to obtain parts for my miter saw, but when they looked up my serial number, they show it registered to some other person!
All these tools were purchased new from Home Depot. I guess what I’m trying to say is that buy the tools for what they are, a good homeowner quality. If you are looking for durability and dependability, for just a few more bucks, I would go with Milwaukee tools. The is not much comparison once you try them both.
Gary miles
Going to say junk. Bought ridgid sander for home crafts on the 18th lasted till the 28th. Sanded one side of 16 six ft. Long boards. Took it back. Got a replacement at Home Depot. It did not last 2 hours. Heard a lot of good about there products. Was getting ready to buy there full line of power tools for work. Thank goodness I did not
Steve Lackovic
Used to be good. Years ago. Today Ridgid power tools do not last, they play games IF you even try to use warranty on them and give you runaround… I have had the same sander you speak of break as well. Went to another brand on emergency purchase as we had to get that job done. When I went back to re-purchase same sander from Ridgid, it didn’t last either…
James
The miter saws are junk ridged will not stand behind their products. I have complained to them but get the run around. They will not call me back. I have emailed several times but Tim at one world Techologies inc. says my less than 3 year old saw is vintage and replacement/repair are no longer available.
Buyers beware!
James T. Holmes
Will
Actual professional contractors are not married to one brand. Different tool companies have different strengths. Hitachi makes the best nailers, Dewalt makes the best job site table saw, Bosch has the best hammer drills, Festool has the best track saw, Skil has the best worm drive etc etc. The only time it makes sense to stick with one brand is with your cordless tools. If you actually use those cordless tools daily, it makes no sense to buy Rigid. They are not professional quality tools.
Steve Lackovic
Will not buy another Ridgid power tool again after recent warranty need on a 12″ radial chop saw that broke (less than 3 years old). Enough BBB complaints have been filed as well as countless negatives on Ridgid’s own site regarding warranty not being honored, lost files or registrations or receipts from professionals like myself who have many tools/equipment and a 40 year industry veteran.
Bad customer service which was rude to my office manager, lies from them, and even a response from Corp to letter I sent weeks ago, and to date, still do not have anything done satisfactorily to this chop saw which could have resulted in massive personal injury to the person operating it when something”snapped” internal and blade came down cutting into the bridge and guard flew up !
Robert Barron
Make sure when you register this product get a conformation email that they recieved your information. If you dont they will NOT replace any product. This happened to me several years ago and a battery went bad. When i called to get the product replaced they said i didn’t register it. So I bought another drill and registered it and month later didn’t get an email so i had to call them. Still not sure it’s registered so I’ll call back next week to verify. Tricky tricky.
John Swiergosz
I bought a ridgid brad nailer Oct. 2018 product came with a Lifetime waranty registered it
Now there is an issue went waqs advise my warranty was 3 yrs. When i registered never did receive any emails that there was an issue with my registration
Bring it in for servicing to find out
This unit never really worked from day on and got worse for sinking nails reason I brought it in. They say 3 simple steps well guess they are not simple
Would not recommend ridgid or buy another product of theirs
Dana Brigham
I have Rijid tool they honor warranty my tools my saw zall broke I got a new one call in new numbers it needed work on it they would not honor warranty they said I never called it was a lie I called many times about my other tools won’t buy any more from them
Connor
I just bought a ridged router r29303. The fact that they knowingly designed this thing to not fit a Freud table where every other brand fits. It will be my last tool from them I buy.
Bob Cavicchioni
RIGID TOTAL RIP OFF COMPANY! They stop making parts after new models come out. Buy harbor Freight before Rigid and you will be better off. A company who won’t take care of those who purchased they product will soon find no one buying their product and will go out of business but who would notice because you can’t get parts anyway. Only a moron would buy something you can’t get parts for!!! Rigid SUCKS!!!
Clark H
Have had Ridgid tools for several years. The 18v products work fairly well. I’ve had to replace two batteries.a couple of years ago. No problems at that time. This year i bought a couple more products but Ridgid didn’t honour the LSA and only gather them 3yr. Had done the full registration with Home Depot online purchase receipt. Now fighting to get the LSA coverage. i have seen lots of reports of Ridgid failing to provide to provide the LSA lately. It is one of the primary reasons for buying their tools. If this keeps up, these will be the last Ridgid tools.
Bob
I would buy shit in a can at a flea market before I would buy rigid lets be truthful here, have you ever tried to get parts for them FORGET IT.. I tried 3 times to get parts for my rigid tools and each time they are NOT AVAILABLE AND DISCOUNTINED. Only a moron would but this shit you can’t fix. they discontinue making parts as soon as they change models.
this shit is not craftsman or Dewalt. Buy this and know you are going to have to throw it out when something breaks on it.
Renny
Your right
Brandi E.
Do not buy ridgid!! Save money in the long run and go with DeWalt or Milwaukee!! If you get ridgid like we did for the life time warranty and ever need anything fixed it’s a waste of money. The company sent me a replacement battery for free however when my tools had a need for the free replacement I was told I would have to pay 60 dollars to send it in to see if it could be fixed. For the additional money I could have bought a Milwaukee that would have lasted. I bought the big kit in ridgid. I wish I wouldn’t have listened to the worker at home Depot and bought the Milwaukee I wanted. My DeWalt and Milwaukee tools are over 3 years old and still going strong. My Ridgid tools are about a year old and all broken down.bplus the batteries do not last. My other brands batteries last to this day were Ridgid just don’t. Save yourself and go for with DeWalt or Milwaukee
Bob
Rigid sucks ! As soon as it changes models their stop making parts for it. Desalt is the only way to GO!
Robert Cavicchioni
2 rigid tools I bought used and could not get parts for little things so I sold them and went to DEWALT who service is so much better than rigid who discontinues parts as soon and a new model comes. I would never buy rigidagain!
Craig Paradise
Bought a new 7″ DESKTOP WET TILE SAW 3 months ago and today the motor fried out, screaming. I’m a glassblower by trade and used this very seldomly in my coldworking section of my studio, just use it to cut smaller tubing, nothing intensive at all, besides Ive have 15 years behind wetsaws prior to glass work. I just burnt the box thinking Im going to be fine, and have no receipt. Out of $225 as it looks as of now. Too bad honest people having honest manufacturing breakdowns are judged the same as degenerates just using the tool only returning for their money back. So sad only. Any suggestions would help, I initially thought this was really expensive, but have owned Ridgid on many different levels and supported them, never having a single issue, ever. Again, SAD only to see QC at such a low.
Jim ashton
I got one has a gift that did not work out of the box. I was to go to person that bought it, they were to send in the original receipt, registar. but since they no longer owned it there was no warrentee. Home depot, at least here does not stock batteries so when one goes bad you have to send it in, 3-6 weeks waiting. Fine for grandma that uses it for hanging pictures, but worthless for anyone trying to work with them. I was told if I bought one and gave it as a gift, like their adds say for Father’s Day, the warrentee is void. Ridgid tools that are red, are pro grade, sorry to see they sold their name for this crap.
Gary Blevins
I was a previous Dewalt customer. I started purchasing Ridgid cordless and corded tools from Home Depot about 6 years ago to do home restoration to resell houses. I have worked these tools for hours on end. Impact, drill, sawzall, circular saw, table saw, oscillating sander, radio, light, after 6 years a battery went bad. Replaced free of charge within 3 days. Today my impact finally died. It is now at the repair facility, but while I was at Home Depot I bought another impact. I am a proud owner of Ridgid tools, and I will NEVER purchase a cordless tool other than Ridgid. I never rate items online but these tools are the best in my opinion…….
Tim
I was happy with mine for a year as well. But then my 1/2″ impact went out and it was a nightmare to get it replaced. After calling the company they sent me a replacement free of charge. Personally, I feel that HDepot should have loaners available for use when waiting for your to come back k from repair.
William Adams
I have many (7) ridgid drills a there hold up pretty well. However, their batteries are the worst batteries I have ever used. I have switched to a better brand of tools and I am happy with the new brand. The battery warranty is a joke> DO NOT RECOMMEND RIDGID TOOLS TO ANYONE!
Ted Crocker
I recently purchased their new R4514/R4514T portable table saw after wearing out their previous iteration which I purchased 10-15 years ago. This new saw was a disappointment. The first thing I tried to do was replace the factory blade with a finer tooth, but the jaws of the wrenches provided splayed apart so I couldn’t make the swap. The second thing I noticed was the fence does not slide nor remove/install as easily as the old version. The third thing I noticed was the table was not flat. That’s right. It was bowed 1/4″ !!! I called Ridgid and they said they weren’t aware of either issue. Back to Home Depot it goes! It’s too bad because I liked the new folding cart design as it is much lighter and easier to use than the last version. I also liked the blade brake feature.
J
I have owned 2 sets of Ridgid 18v tools. I did have the blade attachment device break off on the first Sawzall, but all the other tools have held up extremely well. I bought the 18v brushless 1/2″ impact, the 450 ftlb model. I used it extensively on vehicle repairs, including with the threaded style ball joint press. I had to drive it on the highest setting for several minutes to get full press, but it did it (on 5 different ball joints) and never missed a beat. It never failed to remove any fastener I used it on. Unfortunately, it was stolen 2 weeks ago, but I have such faith in it I ordered a new one. Battery life has been exceptional.
Jesse
I have 20 ridgid cordless power tools and I’m ready to sell them. I bought the tools for the warranty – obviously it is my responsibility to register for the warranty within 90 days – however, the website listed on the box was down and unable to register the products, I called and emailed ridgid and they kept deflecting and redirecting to other website, email and phone numbers. Once I was past the 90 days they told me there wasn’t anything they could do to register them. OK fair enough but the tools themselves don’t hold up against Milwaukee and Dewalt which are at similar price points for far better tools/batteries. I’m never going to buy anything RIDGID again.
Salvador Cano
I’m a licensed contractor and have used Rigid tools and they’re ok for the most part for a mid tier price point. As long as you use the 18v brushless stuff, you should be good. If you use their
drills with the metal chuck, their just as good as the more expensive counterparts.. The only criticism I have is their oscillating multi purpose tool. The blade gets loose constantly and it’s annoying as hell. Mostly use bosch, makita, and porter cable. They make the best routers and sanders…
Jeff Kohl
I am a professional handyman, and I have used many different brands of power tools for more years than many commenters have probably been alive. I own several different Ridgid tools. There are some features I thoroughly like about Ridgid tools, and some that are not as good. They make improvements over time just like all tool companies do. There are also some other brands that have features I like better than others. One year my son and I were working side by side installing a large deck. My son was using my DeWalt drill, and I was using my Ridgid drill. They both had the same features and battery sizes. The Ridgid drill outperformed the DeWalt all day long. On the older model oscillating tool, I agree with a previous comment that the blade loosening constantly is very annoying. But they improved that on newer models. Ridgid has honored every warranty/service issue I have had with them (mostly battery replacements). Every major tool company produces products where some are better than others. In the past I really liked Milwaukee tools, but there were some years that the quality deteriorated. In more recent years they seem to be more on top of their game again. To me, the features I particularly want on a good tool brand are what influence my purchase. Sometimes it comes down to the warranty between brands, and no other company matches Ridgid’s warranty.