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This will of course be my first review because it is the first and only set of power tools I have. I bought the Ryobi ONE+ 18V Starter Kit strictly for use around the house and not as heavy usage tools. My opinion of the intended use however, has now changed!

You see, I had no idea that I would end up enjoying working around the house so much. In the beginning, when my wife and I decided to purchase our house, I was a little put off by the fact that the house was 15 years old. By most standards, that’s not “old”, but it does mean that the house will require SOME work.

This kit has completely altered my outlook on doing home improvements. After buying these tools, I realized how easy some of the things can be. What’s more, with the Ryobi ONE+ 18V Starter Kit, you can add tools to the kit that utilize the same battery. I will talk about each item in the kit one by one.

First and foremost, the drill…it works perfectly. At this point in time, I have put the drill through pretty significant tests. I feel that I ultimately use the drill more than its intended use, but not enough to call it “industrial” or “commercial” grade. I have used the drill for random tasks around the house such as; curtain rod hanging, picture hanging, removing door hinges, etc. I have also used the drill for other things such as building shelves, using a hole saw to punch through a door and even for spooling a fishing reel! It has not faltered once. The drill is chuckless, meaning you can change out the bit easily. It comes with two double ended screwdriver bits. The bits, in my opinion aren’t that great, but not bad for a “starter” set. The metal seems to dwindle away very quickly on the bits. Also, the drill has a magnetic plate on the handle which makes keeping up with screws a breeze. There is also a leveling bubble on the rear end of the drill, which is nice when details really matter.

Next, the circular saw…again, like the drill, I have put this thing through some pretty good tests. It’s a very basic saw and I feel it’s a little limited. This hasn’t stopped me in any way from accomplishing everything I have set out to do with it, though. The saw holds a 5 1/2″ blade and is really easy to change out. The only real negative thing about the saw is it’s not meant to make long cuts. Not because the saw can’t do it, but because it chews through batteries. So, if there is a lot of cutting to be done, make sure you have an efficient system for charging the batteries.

The Ryobi ONE+ 18V Starter Kit also comes with two NiCad batteries and a charger. The charger works fine, gets a full charge in approximately an hour. The only problem with it I have found is that sometimes if you have been using the tools heavily and the battery dies, you have to wait a while before the charger will begin to charge the battery. Also, with the kit comes a pretty large tool bag. Nothing flashy, but it is convenient for storing and transporting your tools and is large enough for the new Ryobi tools that are part of the One+ system. The Ryobi 18V Lithium-Ion ONE+ Battery P103 (compact) can be purchased seperately and is well worth it! These batteries do not form a memory and seem to last a bit longer.

In conclusion, my honest opinion is that the Ryobi ONE+ 18V Starter Kit is completely worth the money. Like I said, I don’t know if it would hold up to the likes of a Dewalt or Makita set in the commercial arena, but for the money and for around the house, I believe they are a must have.