Ryobi has been making waves in the power tool market with its latest social media campaign, where it has put its new cordless drill in a favorable light by comparing it to a Craftsman model.
The Ryobi – Craftsman Comparison
Ryobi recently launched its 18V HP brushless drill, which is said to “deliver over 35% faster drilling and up to 850 in – lbs of torque to power through the most demanding jobs.” This new drill is so powerful that it requires an auxiliary handle. Ryobi paired this drill with its new high – performance Edge tabless Li – ion battery and pitted it against a compact Craftsman cordless drill.
The comparison was quite one – sided, with Ryobi’s drill completing a series of large self – drilling holes while the Craftsman drill stalled on the first attempt. However, it’s important to note that these are two different classes of cordless drills, powered by very different types of power tool batteries.
Why No Comparable Craftsman Drill?
One might wonder why Craftsman doesn’t have a comparable cordless drill. This could be due to various factors such as differences in product development strategies, target markets, or technological capabilities.
Issues with Ryobi’s Product Page
Looking deeper, there are some interesting aspects to consider. The new Ryobi cordless drill is available for sale via Home Depot, but it is kitted with a different 4Ah battery than the one shown in the comparison videos. The videos feature the Edge tabless Li – ion battery, but that’s not what comes with the kit.
Another oddity is the product reviews on the new Gen 2 model’s page. The Gen 2 model just launched, yet it already has dozens of reviews and a 5 – star rating. However, upon closer inspection, the most recent review was posted in September 2023, and all the reviews seem to be for different products from a couple of years ago. This single – SKU product page has 47 reviews and an overall 5 – star rating that don’t apply to the new Gen 2 model. It’s unclear where these reviews actually come from and why they are being shown on the product page.
It’s not the case that Home Depot and Ryobi simply updated the product page for the Gen 1 model, as the Gen 1 is still available separately.
Comparison with Kobalt
Ryobi also seems to take some shots at Kobalt without directly naming them. It’s not clear which Kobalt model Ryobi is comparing its new drill to. The Kobalt XTR 24V Max brushless drill delivers 1200 in – lbs of max torque and is available in a kit with a battery and charger for 179. A video comparing these two models – the Kobalt 24V Max with 1200 in – lbs max torque and the Ryobi 18V brushless with 850 in – lbs max torque – would be interesting to see.
In conclusion, while Ryobi’s comparison with Craftsman highlights the power of its new cordless drill, there are several questions and issues surrounding the product’s marketing and comparisons with other brands. Consumers should be aware of these factors when making a purchasing decision.
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- Every Major Cordless Drill Brand Ranked Worst To Best
- CRAFTSMAN Drills at Lowes.com
- Are Craftsman Power Tools Any Good?
