Ryobi vs. Craftsman vs. Hyper ToughWhich store brand power tools are best?

Are you curious about how Ryobi, Craftsman, and Hyper Tough tools compare? My answer may surprise you, but here's how each store brand power tool stacks up against the others.Ryobi is Home Depot's go-to tool brand With over 300 tools on one battery, it's hard to find something Ryobi doesn't make Close When it comes to power tools, Ryobi is probably one of the first brands that comes to mind.That's likely because the brand's power tool lineup dates back to 1996, when the ONE+ platform was first introduced, and TTI (Ryobi's parent company since 2000) has kept the same battery platform for the past 30 years.

I would honestly say that Ryobi is probably one of the best store brands out there.Not necessarily because of the quality — though they do make solid tools — but because of the longevity.Staying on the same battery platform for over 30 years is definitely something that instills confidence.

Ryobi has the widest range of tools that you'll find in a store brand, including some pretty odd things, like a bug zapper and pool vacuum.This means if you need a tool for a DIY project, there's a very good chance Ryobi has it.The other thing that I love about Ryobi is that you can easily find second-hand tools at great prices.

For instance, one of my favorite places to shop for Ryobi tools is Direct Tools Outlet, where I was able to get a 3-speed impact driver for $10 one time.No other brand offers something like this, since Direct Tools is run by TTI itself, not Home Depot.Overall, Ryobi is the go-to for DIY tools for a reason.

It's a trusted brand that's been around for decades, and there is a huge lineup of tools to choose from.Ryobi 18V ONE+ HP 1/2-inch Drill Color Green Tool Type Drill Warranty 3-Year Manufacturer's Warranty The Ryobi ONE+ 18V HP drill/driver is a great starting point for any project.Whether you're drilling holes or assembling furniture faster, this drill comes with a battery and charger.  $79 at Home Depot Expand Collapse Craftsman is Lowe's go-to tool brand now It's been around for almost a century, and V20 is its modern battery platform While you might associate Kobalt with Lowe's, did you know that Lowe's now primarily sells Craftsman tools? They still sell Kobalt, but Craftsman has become the main focus of Lowe's as of late.

Sears launched Craftsman tools nearly a century ago, but Stanley Black & Decker bought the brand in 2017, and Lowe's has carried it since 2018.In fact, Lowe's even honors the old Craftsman warranty on many traditional tools.On the power-tool side, the Craftsman V20 line launched in 2018 alongside Lowe's rollout, making it much younger than Ryobi.

However, just because it's young doesn't mean it's bad.There are over 100 products in the Craftsman V20 line.This does mean it has far fewer tools to choose from than Ryobi, but you'll still find the core tools here.

The Craftsman V20 lineup includes brushless motors, compact systems, drills/drivers, reciprocating saws, and even a sliding miter saw, so if you need a tool, there's a good chance Craftsman has it.Really, you can't go wrong with the Craftsman line.Lowe's also runs big sales on them, including battery trade-in deals and buy-one-get-one events.

So, if you prefer supporting Lowe's over Home Depot or Walmart, then definitely check out the Craftsman V20 line of tools.CRAFTSMAN V20 3/8-inch Keyless Cordless Drill What's Included 2Ah battery, charger Battery Capacity 2Ah Brand Craftsman Craftsman's V20 3/8-inch cordless drill is a fantastic tool to get started with DIY projects.It includes a 2Ah battery and charger so you're ready to go out of the box, whether you own other Craftsman V20 tools or not.

Plus, the included 2Ah battery works with all other Craftsman V20 tools you might already own.  $59 at Lowe's Expand Collapse Hyper Tough is Walmart's budget-friendly option It's the cheapest way to get a cordless drill, but the lineup is a lot thinner While it might not have the name recognition of Ryobi, Craftsman, or Kobalt, Hyper Tough is Walmart's low-cost DIY brand that many haven't even given a chance yet.Unlike Ryobi (which we know is made by TTI) and Craftsman (which we know is made by Stanley Black & Decker), with Walmart's Hyper Tough tools, we don't quite know who makes them.But Walmart stands behind them and offers support for them.

While Hyper Tough might be the cheapest brand I'm mentioning today, that doesn't make it a bad choice for your setup.With around 100 cordless tools across both its 12V and 20V lines combined, you do have quite a few options to pick from here.Walmart's Hyper Tough brand has also started to expand into offering brushless tools, which are more premium than the normal brushed tools you might expect to see from a budget brand.

Just how cheap can you get Hyper Tough tools? Well, a 12V drill combo kit with a 50-piece accessory kit costs under $40 at Walmart.Stepping up to 20V doesn't cost much more, really, with a drill and battery coming in at under $39, though there's no extra accessory kit included with it.If you're looking for the best bang for your buck, Hyper Tough could be a really solid option for you.

Hyper Tough 20V Brushless Drill Driver Combo Walmart's Hyper Tough 20V brushless drill and driver is perfect for all those DIY jobs around the house.  $38 at Walmart Expand Collapse All three brands have their own strengths and weaknesses Now, which is the "best" brand? That's purely subjective, but each brand has its pros and cons.For example, Hyper Tough only has around 100 tools between its 12V and 20V lines combined, and only offers a two- or three-year warranty depending on the tool.Meanwhile, Craftsman V20 has over 100 products with many more brushless options than Hyper Tough, and a three-year warranty on both tools and batteries.

Ryobi is the biggest group with over 300 tools in the 18V ONE+ lineup, and every ONE+ battery fits every ONE+ tool made since 1996.Ryobi also offers the same three-year warranty on both tools and batteries.At the end of the day, you're really picking a battery platform more than anything else.

Which battery platform and service provider do you want? Do you want to have to bring tools back to Home Depot, Lowe's, or Walmart if they need repair? Once you determine those two things, you really can't go wrong with any of these three brands.

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