3 New Ridgid Energy Tools That Simply Dropped At Home Depot

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As one of many major power tool brands, Ridgid has constructed a status round extra than simply efficiency, thanks partially to its Lifetime Service Agreement, which gives lifetime coverage for eligible registered tools. Another a part of its attraction is the sheer number of instruments out there on a single battery platform, with the corporate’s 18V catalog now that includes almost 200 product listings.

That menu extends properly past typical drills and influence drivers, providing every thing from these staples to saws and specialty instruments, all sharing its 18V battery platform. Several have already confirmed in style with consumers, together with 18V power tools with hundreds of 5-star ratings. More importantly, the shared 18V battery system means somebody who already owns a Ridgid drill can develop into different classes with out investing in a completely completely different battery platform. And Ridgid is not carried out increasing the lineup but, with three extra energy instruments just lately becoming a member of the vary.

Two of them belong to Ridgid’s comparatively new Nuke SubCompact Brushless household, a line constructed round packing loads of energy into smaller, extra manageable instruments. The third is an easier (and presumably cheaper) different to a brushless noticed the corporate already sells. All three are new additions quite than merely completely different packages for present instruments. As with Ridgid’s different 18V energy instruments, these new additions are bought completely via Home Depot, despite the fact that Home Depot neither manufactures nor owns Ridgid.

The first software on the record is yet one more addition to Ridgid’s Nuke lineup, though that household continues to be comparatively small in contrast with the brand’s newer and broader 18V power tool collection. Ridgid at the moment lists simply 11 Nuke SubCompact Brushless merchandise, and that is the primary blower to hitch them. It’s additionally solely one in every of two cordless blowers at the moment listed by Ridgid.

The new RNKSWB01B Nuke SubCompact Brushless High-Speed Blower retails for $79 and reaches 350 mph, which is greater than thrice the 105-mph score of Ridgid’s present R8604301B jobsite blower. The tradeoff is airflow. The Nuke tops out at simply 40 CFM, whereas the older mannequin can transfer as a lot as 280 CFM, that means Ridgid has dramatically elevated air velocity whereas reducing most air quantity to roughly one-seventh. That distinction comes all the way down to what every blower is designed to maneuver; the older mannequin pushes a a lot bigger quantity of air, whereas the Nuke concentrates its output via a a lot smaller nozzle for extra focused cleanup round instruments, workbenches, and tight areas. Ridgid contains three attachments — a velocity nozzle, inflation nozzle, and pinch-valve nozzle — with the latter two additionally letting the blower double as a high-volume inflator.

There’s a variable-speed set off with a lock-on perform and an onboard LED, and like Ridgid’s different 18V instruments, it really works with the corporate’s present 18V batteries. However, the RNKSWB01B is bought as a naked software, so the battery and charger aren’t included.

Some of Ridgid’s cordless drills can outshine Ryobi’s in price and quality, and the model’s newest Nuke SubCompact hammer drill brings a considerable energy improve over its older mannequin. Like the high-speed blower, it is one other addition to the Nuke lineup, however the new RNKSHM01K1 hammer drill kit, out there for $159, delivers 750 inch-pounds of torque, a 50% improve over the older R87112 SubCompact hammer drill’s 500 inch-pounds. The Nuke additionally outpaces its predecessor in velocity, reaching 2,000 RPM and delivering as much as 32,000 blows per minute in hammer mode, in contrast with the older SubCompact’s 1,750 RPM and 26,000 BPM.

Also, the additional energy hasn’t made the Nuke significantly cumbersome. It measures simply 6.3 inches lengthy, though its bare-tool weight has elevated from roughly 2.2 kilos on the older mannequin to 2.6 kilos. And whereas torque has jumped significantly, the clutch has gone in the other way, dropping from 24 adjustment positions on the older mannequin to only 16 on the Nuke.

Ridgid says the hammer drill’s design is 30% extra compact, and the emphasis on maintaining the package deal small carries over to the included battery. The equipment comes with a 2.0Ah MAX Output battery pack, charger, belt hook, and gear bag, whereas the older R87112K contains two normal 2.0Ah batteries. The new drill continues to be suitable with all Ridgid 18V batteries, so you’ll be able to swap in a higher-capacity pack if you’d quite prioritize longer runtime over maintaining the software lighter.

Ridgid is already a major reciprocating saw brand, and its newest addition expands the smaller finish of its 18V lineup. The final software on this record can be the one one which is not a part of Ridgid’s Nuke lineup, and curiously, it does not outperform the one-handed noticed Ridgid already sells. The new RRS01 18V One-Handed Reciprocating Saw reaches 3,100 strokes per minute (SPM) with a 3/4-inch stroke, whereas the prevailing R8648 SubCompact Brushless mannequin manages 3,200 SPM and an extended 7/8-inch stroke. The distinction in velocity is small, however the shorter stroke means the brand new noticed’s blade travels much less distance with every reducing cycle.

More surprisingly, the RRS01 makes use of a brushed motor, which is extra prone to put on over time than a brushless motor, as brushless tools don’t require a ton of maintenance. The one-handed design, nonetheless, is a sensible benefit for overhead work, reducing between wall studs, and different confined areas. Whether you are trimming lumber inside wall framing or reaching into a decent cavity, the smaller one-handed design makes it simpler to place the blade with no need room for a second hand. 

There’s additionally a variable-speed set off, permitting customers to start out cuts slowly and improve the velocity as wanted quite than instantly working at full tilt. Ridgid presents the noticed in two configurations. The RRS01B features a wood-cutting blade however no battery or charger and sells for $99, whereas the RRS01K1 kit provides a 2.0Ah MAX Output battery and charger for $129. Both use the identical noticed and are suitable with Ridgid’s present 18V batteries.