Over at Home Depot, they have quite a few tool deals today, as part of a Green Monday deal of the day. There was one listing that stood out as being unfamiliar to me – a new Ryobi 4V cordless screwdriver set (HP74L).
Ryobi has had similar tools before – 4V-class cordless screwdrivers – but this one stands out because of the attachments it comes with.
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What we have here is a Ryobi 4V multi-head cordless screwdriver set, and at the time of this posting it’s a “special buy” at $35 with free shipping.
Home Depot’s listing says that this new Ryobi driver has 3 head attachments. To me, it looks to have a basic 1/4″ hex bit holder built-in, and with two tool attachments that can lock in to it.
The set comes with a right angle screwdriving attachment, and an offset attachment for reaching into tighter corners.
You also get a charging cable for the built-in battery, 10 screwdriver bits, and a carrying case.
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The micro USB charging cable can work with any of the chargers or charging ports you might already have.
Additional features include a built-in LED worklight, cordless drill-style forward and reverse switch, large squeeze-trigger, and 1.3Ah battery (built-in).
The motor speed is 200 RPM, and the language suggests that this is a fixed non-variable speed tool.
There is no information about maximum torque, but tools like this tend to deliver ~40 in-lbs of max torque.
It is not perfectly clear, but from the other product photos, the screwdriver attachment heads look like they could be adjustable.
Price: $35 with free shipping
Home Depot says that the price was $40, but we cannot verify that. $35 seems like a very good price for what you get – a USB-rechargeable cordless screwdriver with 2 attachments, 10 bits, and a case.
While this is surprising release, there isn’t anything revolutionary about this Ryobi kit, as similar features and attachments have been available in Bosch IXO (internationally) and Skil (USA, until recently) offerings for quite a few years.
Still, the price on this kit appears to be very good, and the attachments could very well come in handy. And if they don’t, $35 is a much lower investment than other brands’ 12V-class and 18V-class multi-head cordless screwdrivers and drills.
Nathan
interesting and I bet I will get one or know someone that does.
I can’t say I would buy that for myself but it might just be handy enough around the house.
Rog
Ha, I just ordered one!
Not sure when I’ll ever use it but the angled head attachments make it appealing for those times when I need to access an awkward spot.
Mike
They should have included a bit for Ikea furniture.
Jeremiah Ducate
Yes, this. It would be the perfect tool for that
Koko The Talking Ape
IKEA has its own drill/driver, the FIXA 7.2 volt, built-in batteries. $20.
https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/fixa-screwdriver-drill-lithium-ion-00196101/
AvE actually likes it.
Koko The Talking Ape
Oops, and they also have a stronger FIXA drill. 14.4 V , still lithium-ion (which is weird?)
https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/fixa-screwdriver-drill-lithium-ion-70232902/
John
That is a VERY good idea. I mean it would be perfect for that! Most tools are way too strong or bulky for Ikea building unless it’s like an AA battery operated or 4v like this. Even my M12 stuff is hard to use with them.
Jared
Seems like an excellent deal to me. It would be better with a drill chuck option and an adjustable clutch, but that’s what Bosch sells – for a much higher price.
40 ft/lbs seems respectable. Especially for the price and a meager 4 volts. To work for me I would need to see how easy it is to feel the torque – i.e. it could be pretty easy to snap electrical outlet covers, strip screws in ikea furniture etc, with that much torque if it isn’t easy to control.
It also occurs to me that it’s value might depend on what you’re comparing it to. E.g. compared to other 4v cordless screwdrivers, this looks good and adds some unique utility. Compared to a 12v cordless screwdriver this might be too wimpy and simplistic to compete.
Jared
A few seconds after I typed my post I realized: “Wait a minute, something doesn’t add up. That’s more power than my cordless ratchet.”
It’s in-lbs not ft-lbs. Where’s the facepalm emoticon?
Stuart
I was going to say…
And 40 inch-lbs is typical for this type of tool, but I haven’t seen any official ratings from Ryobi yet,
smithmal
Official rating is much higher on the Ryobi website (95 in-lbs which is equivalent to about 10.7 Nm). That’s pretty impressive for a 4V tool
Tony Oliver
I was look for one last gift idea. Thank you for sharing this. Just bought it.
Mopar4wd
Didn’t Ryobi do a new product launch thing a few days ago? I haven’t seen much about it other then a couple people on social media complaning there weren’t enough new things just improvements to the old.
Rog
Are we gonna see a write up about that?
Stuart
Yes.
Tim E.
There was, it was 100% focused on new “HP” moniker-ed offerings, expanding their lineup of brushless “high performance” tools. The ire from social media is that a vast majority of those things are just HP versions of existing tools, and in some cases the HP is a very incremental step rather than a next-generation type tool. For example, ryobi already has circular saws and grinders, and brushless versions thereof, so releasing a One+ HP circular saw or One+ HP grinder with all the fanfare they put around the event (and advertising 25+ NEW tools) rubbed some folks the wrong way, they wanted actual new tools, not just HP versions of everything Ryobi already has.
The 18V HP mowers seemed to be the biggest step-up type product, at least if the performance meets the advertising. The 40V auger was about the only “new” tool I remember seeing, and they also had an 18V auger in the background but didn’t mention it, so maybe possibly the 18V version is finally also getting a US release?
If you are bought in to Ryobi only, I think the new announcements and HP expansion are exciting because it’s pushing their performance into the higher-tier brands’ territory, of course with prices also on par from what I’ve seen, but that opens up access to higher power tools for more demanding but still ryobi-invested users, instead of having to invest and/or switch to dewalt, makita, milwaukee, bosch, or similar. You can get a very well-spec’d drill that is also more compact than some of their previous drills, which let’s just leave it that they were large and heavy, particularly for their specs, and particularly compared to stuff like Makita’s subcompact, DeWalt’s Atomic, and similar lines. The HP stuff to me is getting Ryobi back on track to be somewhat competitive given the improvements and lower-cost options coming available from the bigger names.
Mopar4wd
Someone mentioned the impacts got big performance upgrades too. which may be nice.
I started off needing tools for work and going Dewalt over 20 years ago. About 10 years ago I was behind a desk and got one of those Ryobi mega packs of 18V tools. I have used Ryobi around the house (along with my old Dewalt tools and some Makita thrown in) ever since. In general I have been impressed with Ryobi for the price. But started pickling up newer Dewalt tools on sale and they really are a step-up.
Jared
That’s interesting… makes me wonder if the move might be in response to Craftsman.
Ryobi is already better established than Craftsman, but SBD’s marketing materials indicated the Craftsman brand would have a very broad range of application – from homeowner to budget-conscious pro – overlapping other brands which are marketed to smaller niches.
I think this is borne out by having one of the cheapest 18v drills, for example, but also having higher-tier drills on the same platform available at a higher cost.
Your suggestion that Ryobi is venturing into better-spec’d and higher priced tools as a counterpart to their tried-and-true program of inexpensive and innovative tools makes me think it might be more than a coincidence.
Having an “HP”-marked line of tools (much like Dewalt XR), seems like a good strategy too, to help explain to customers why the “budget” brand suddenly has tools priced like the pro stuff.
Flotsam
This looks interesting. Ryobi 4v tools can be very torquey and its not as expensive as the Milwaukee or Bosch off set driver set. But i am disappointed on two fronts:
1. wish they used those Tek4 batteries. It is real nice to have extra batteries available instead of the built in single battery.
2. I would like to see other attachments. I do have the Skil (Bosch IXO ) rotary cutter so that would be a great addition.
Stephen
These 4V Ryobi drivers always seem to be designed specifically for the stocking stuffer price point. Designing one with a removable battery or more attachments might nudge the cost too high for that purpose.
Flotsam
you are of course 100% correct. Too bad
Frank D
Really, a 4v fixed battery USB charging thing? = SKIP. I hate stuff that goes obsolete because batteries cannot be replaced.
And, right after a bunch of new tools, and a super long boring video, which instead of 2x18v; have to be a new 40v battery platform?
Not impressed and not buying.
David Zeller
New 40V? I hadn’t heard they launched a new 40V. Different shape, or what?
Or did you just mean *you* would have to add a “new” 40V system? (I already use both, hence my concern over there being an actual new 40V.)
D.
Frank D
It is the latter. They added more 40v tools, and I would have to add Ryobi 40v on top of a dozen Ridgid 18v, two dozen Ryobi 18v and a dozen Bosch 12v. I specifically bought a small 2×18 lawn mower.
Flotsam
I got into the 40v system when i bought a Ryobi hedge trimmer. Really like it.
Stephen
I had a version of this 4V Ryobi driver from about 15 years ago. Fixed speed (slow), 1/4″ drive, adjustable clutch and an LED on the head.
It was very useful for basic, light duty tasks and I’m surprised I kept it as long as I did. The battery still had decent life after all those years.
I recycled it when I acquired the far superior M12 Installation Driver.
NigelDH
I maxed out the Worx 4V screwdriver offer at Amazon. So this offer is just in time for a couple of gifts. And non-Grinch green for me. grin
DAVID
I still have the prior TEK4 version and find it useful as something to keep in the house for small drilling/assembly tasks. Two speed ranges make it capable in that role. This version, with interchangeable heads, is a slightly different animal, but will like fill the same small task role. I recently bought the Bosch Flexiclick set and still have the Ryobi so no need for this one.
928'er
I’m in the same boat. I have the TEK4 version and recently acquired the Bosch Flexiclick.
When I first saw this I assumed it used the TEK4 battery and was excited to think that Ryobi was expanding the TEK4 line, Disappointed to learn that it has a non-replaceable battery 🙁
Aaron
It seems like the challenge in this type of contraption is getting the heads to mount securely. Dropping the torque this much has to blow the while thing wide open. This is the sort of thing that Ryobi should be doing all over the place. They should have announced this at their product launch thing. For me this might be adequate to stand in for the installation driver… Not so sure about the fixed speed though.
Hon Cho
Non-interchangeable battery = Throwaway Crap
Roger
I’m sure I’ve seen this somewhere in black and orange….
Must be a gag gift.
Nick
At least it’s got proper forward/reverse button! *Cough milwaukee cough*
Rx9
If there’s a market for 4v tools, why don’t they just make a line that runs on removable 18650s?
Jared
Ahem. https://toolguyd.com/cordless-power-tools-with-built-in-batteries/
smithmal
Yeah, I haven’t seen any tools that use removable 18650 batteries which would be awesome. They all have their 18650 batteries soldered in (which I’ve read provides better contact/stability). But hey, if you can use removable 18650 batteries with huge 1000 lumen flashlights, I see no reason why you can’t adopt the same principal for some nice light duty drivers. This is probably coming soon.
BTW, really like how torquey the WORX 4V powered screw driver is and the fact that it uses USB C for charging. Ryobi gets a big facepalm for making a brand new USB powered tool incorporating a microUSB connection.
John
It’s no longer available at HomeDepot. The listing is gone. I called Ryobi and they don’t have a clue. Their customer support is horrible. They couldn’t say if they’ll any in stock. They kept saying it’s probably a discounted item even though it says coming soon. I doubt any of them actually ever got shipped. Maybe they’re just testing to see if anyone would show interest.
smithmal
It was available as there are reviewers on the HD site that received it in early January 2021 but no it’s OOS.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/RYOBI-4V-Lithium-Ion-Cordless-Multi-Head-Screwdriver-with-3-Head-Attachments-10-Driving-Bits-and-USB-Charging-Cable-HP74L/314455799#overlay
Interestingly on the Ryobi site it still says “Coming Soon.”
https://www.ryobitools.com/power-tools/products/details/4v-multi-head-screwdriver
Most of the reviewers on the HD site were pretty happy about the tool. I gotta say, 95lbs of torque is pretty amazing for a 4V tool. The 4V WORX is only 44lbs and it’s got some decent kick so this is double that. For light duty furniture or installation work I think the price point for this tool @ $35 is great.
Very weird that this is little to no information on Ryobi’s end about this tool.
Malcolm Smith
Update on this:
I spoke to Ryobi about this tool. On the Ryobi site (https://www.ryobitools.com/power-tools/products/details/4v-multi-head-screwdriver) it indicates that this tool is “Coming Soon” which is weird since Home Depot sold it at on their website at the end of 2020, beginning of 2021. Ryobi informed me that the tool available during that time was a “limited release” and that Home Depot has not yet placed a new order as they were analyzing how well the tool sold during the release period (which since it is now OOS I guess it sold pretty well).
In any event Ryobi told me that if you still wanted to purchase this tool you need to call your local Home Depot and request a Special Order. They will then call Ryobi directly and order it from their warehouse. When I called on 2/8/21, Ryobi informed me they only had 55 in stock in their warehouse so it would seem that a very limited amount of this tool from Ryboi is currently available.
I called my local HD CS which in turn transferred me to the Pro Desk. From there the Pro Desk called Ryboi to request a special order. I provided my CC info over the phone to get a PO generated and HD completed the special order.
Shouldn’t be this hard to get this and who knows, maybe there will be a large order coming from HD any time now, but I thought yall might be interested in how to get this if you were really interested.
Stuart
Interesting – thank you for sharing!
I’m glad you were able to order one!