Well, Ryobi, who currently offers over 75 products on their 40V platform, and a ridiculous 260 products on their ONE + platform, just announced a 3rd battery platform. Why not. Let’s go.
RYOBI just announced their all new USB Lithium System. The platform features a variety of compact, portable, and rechargeable solutions. The platform only offers a single battery, the USB Lithium 2Ah Lithium-ion Battery, which is compatible with all the new USB Lithium Tools they’re launching. And before we get into the tools, yes, it charges with USBC, because it’s not 2013 anymore, Milwaukee.
But who cares about the battery, what new tools do we get? Well to start, the pickings are a bit thin. But the few tools we DO get, have a ton of potential. And one of them, I am WAY too excited about.
First up, the Ryobi USB Lithium Rotary Tool Kit. It’s got a quick change collet that you’d expect, and includes 15 accessories for carving, sanding, polishing etc, with none of them breaking any new ground, which is fine. If it ain’t broke! The real feature here will be the size. Look how tiny that is.
If you’ve ever used a corded rotary tool, you know what a pain that cable can be. And at 59 bucks, it’s priced fairly competitively. The only question left is how long that single cell battery will run on a charge. They said there will be a variety of different kits available when it arrives at Home Depot.
The next tools looks almost identical to the Rotary Tool, but does something very different. This is the Ryobi USB Lithium Power Carver. They say it’s the industry’s first cordless power carver.
The stroke length is only 1mm, making it easy to do VERY detailed work. And at 14,000 spm, this carver is absolutely ideal for all wooden applications. It includes a straight chisel, a u-gouge, and a 90 degree v-gouge. The carver comes in at $69.
The most predictable tool is a small screw driver, but we don’t have many details on it yet. But what exactly would you need to know. From the single photo we have, it looks like a standard screwdriver format, with a typical 45 degree rotation in the middle, that rotates it into a standard drill grip format. These tiny powered screwdrivers are super handy.
But last of all, and EASILY the one I’m most excited about, is this. This is the Ryobi USB Lithium Power Cutter. This tiny self-sharpening circular blade is perfect for cutting through cardboard, carpet, rubber, leather, and of course, those obnoxious plastic blister packs your Ryobi One + batteries come in, which is literally what it’s doing in this promotional photo.
Having a power cutter is awesome, but having one in this new tiny Ryobi USB format? I had no idea how badly I wanted a tool I didn’t know existed. Best of all, this awesome little cutter comes in at only $59. Count me in.
No word yet on what other USB tools may be around the corner, but knowing Ryobi habit of making ridiculous tools like the floating disco party light, I can’t wait to see what they do with this new battery platform. I wouldn’t mind a jacket that ran on a bank of 5 of these things. It would be so easy to hide the batteries in a jacket, without stabbing me in the back every time I sit down. No I’m not bitter. Milwaukee.
