So I got asked this question in a comment on my YouTube channel
(shout out to Andy) and I could just have said yes because generally I think they are. But I’m not one for snappy one word responses so I’ll expand on it a bit.
What are they?
One+ is a range of cordless (battery powered) tools that run on a single 18 volt battery fitting. To be clear there are different capacity batteries ranging from 1.5Ah to 5.0Ah (in 7 increments) but with only one fitting.
In total Ryobi say there are over 150 tools in the range (October 2021), everything from drill drivers to lawnmowers.
They also now do a 36 volt Max Power range
What tools do I have?
As at October 2021 I’ve got:-
Air blower / inflator
So what do I actually think?
As I said above, generally I like them but the first thing I’ll admit is that personally I think they’re a DIY level tool, I’d place them at somewhere between the kind of Lidl / Aldi stuff and the likes of Makita / DeWalt / Milwaukee / Bosch.
If I had the money to invest in a high end platform I’d go Makita but when I started my collection I had very little money to spare and so went with what was affordable.
Do I regret the decision? Definitely not, save for the angle grinder that’s a bit gutless there’s nothing basically wrong with any of the tools I’ve got.
If I was a tradesman using them every day I might risk it as a low budget starting point but I’d expect to be replacing them early on so I’d be more likely to start with the Blue, Red or Yellow marques because once you start on a particular platform it’s a pain to change.
How did I start?
First tool I got was the drill driver and it’s taken some serious punishment and never let me down. There’s newer models available now (my son has a better one) So it’ll probably go on the Christmas list but to be fair I’ve no real need to replace it.
The other most used tool is probably the project vac that I’ve had for a year or so. The batteries only give it about 10 or 15 minutes total running but I find it’s great for a quick tidy up after drilling holes and stuff or a once over of the footwells of my van.
The impact driver has worked fine for me every time but I had a comment on my YouTube review from someone who wasn’t happy with the performance of theirs.
I take the circular saw if I’m picking up full size ply sheets and the like and use it to cut them down in the car park. Provided I don’t rush, it zips through 18mm (3/4”) ply with no drama.
As I mentioned the angle grinder is a bit gutless and stalls fairly easily but it was the first model they did so I’d hope later ones would be better. I know it's limitations so we get on fine. I think there might also be two power ranges available but I don't need another right now so I haven't done the research.
The Multitool is the second one I’ve had, the first one died on me after I cut about 4 floorboards in quick succession. Amazon replaced it without question so I’ve no complaints and the replacement tool hasn’t faltered it's also done a lot more work.
If you wander aimlessly through my YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/c/oldmanwith you'll find a video where I talk about the Ryobi inflator I bought to pump up my paddleboard. It's utterly useless for that BUT to blow dust of a project you're working on or to pump up my tyres it's fine so it hangs in the entrance to my garage and gets used for exactly that.
I use the jigsaw more than my cabled one because it's not got the faff of the cable but also because it has a quick change blade where you just turn a lever and the blade comes out.
The little router is great for just cleaning up an edge on laminate or running a chamfer down a panel. I used it a lot to edge all the timbers on the pergola project.
The nail gun was a bit of a "ooh I really need one" purchase without REALLY needing one, nonetheless I've used it a fair bit for just temporarily pinning stuff while glue dries or just to see how something looks.
I guess the sabre saw is the least used and it's also the other one that failed but I broke it rather than it going wrong. I slammed the battery in after I'd got something caught in the battery aperture (a screwdriver in my toolbox from recollection) and I broke a battery connection tab. A quick search online found a replacement part for under £10 and I was back in business. It's a great "rough and ready" tool for hacking through stuff you're tearing down and I used it a lot on fence repairs at someone's house. I just don't do so much work like that.
Will I buy any more? Yes sure, I don’t have the need at the minute but when I do, unless there’s a very good reason not to I’ll stick with the One+ platform.