I Tested 6 Of Ryobi's Budget-Friendly Hobby Tools To Glue, Carve, Cut, And Clean: Here's What I Learned
Ryobi has a line of power tools that uses a proprietary battery system that seems custom-fit for creators. The Ryobi Lithium USB tool collection works with relatively low prices (like most Ryobi products) for tiny tools that do exactly what they're made for — and not a whole lot more. I've been sent a few of Ryobi's USB Lithium devices to test in real-life situations and judge in rundowns like the one you're reading today — today's feature focuses on "hobby" tools.
Most of the devices I'm looking at today, sent by Ryobi for the testing outlined in this article, appear in single-tool packages and combo kits. For example, The Home Depot has the Ryobi USB Lithium Rotary Tool and Power Carver packaged in a set called a "Pumpkin Carving Kit." There's another set called the "USB Lithium 4-Tool Hobby Combo Kit" that includes the rotary tool and power carver plus a glue pen and a power cutter. If you get to the end of this article and think, wow, I'd like several of these tools, you might want to look at that kit — you'd be paying significantly less for that kit (for approximately $120) than you would buying each tool individually.
Then there's a USB Lithium Compact Scrubber that's not exactly a creative tool, (unless you want to get weird with a bucket of paint), but might very well be a cleaning machine you're glad you have on hand when you need to spare your wrists from moving in circles with a brush. There's also a soldering pen on this list that's just about as barebones a power tool as you can get — but if you want just a little heat, what more do you need?
Ryobi USB Lithium Pumpkin Carving Kit part 1: Rotary Tool
This "Pumpkin Carving Kit" combines 2 previously released tools: the FVM51 Rotary Tool and the FVH51 Power Carver. A pair of Ryobi USB Lithium batteries are also in the box along with a pair of USB-C cords for recharging the batteries.
A few plastic/metal pumpkin carving mini-tools are included with a black marker and a few pieces of paper with jack-o-lantern stencils. You also get one single electric flickering candle. These extremely inexpensive bits could be purchased at a dollar store, too — but assuming you're looking to carve and display one singular pumpkin at Halloween, it's nice to have the whole collection.
The Ryobi rotary tool is great. It works with variable speed, a small size, low weight, and a non-proprietary bit system. This is, fairly easily, the best rechargeable battery-powered, cordless rotary tool I've ever used. It's not meant for big projects — that's what the 18V One+ Rotary Tool Station is for — this USB rechargeable system does the basics best.
As far as comparable rotary tools go — this one is pretty decent. It's difficult to recommend this device when the Dremel 4-Volt 3-amp USB cordless single-speed rotary tool exists since it's significantly cheaper — but the Ryobi device has a variable speed dial and can swap batteries — one charging while you use the other. The Ryobi USB Lithium Rotary Tool can be purchased (on its own) from The Home Depot now for around $60 — at this size and weight and with the versatility of a removable battery, it's well worth that price.
Ryobi USB Lithium Pumpkin Carving Kit part 2: Cordless Power Carver
The value of the cordless power carver tool is a little less clear-cut. The power carver works as your average replaceable-bit carving tool does, but it vibrates. If you've never used a power cutter before: the blade at the head of the tool is vibrated with a brushed motor, one speed, barely perceivable to the naked eye. Vibrating like this allows you to push the blade through materials like wood with slightly less force than you'd otherwise need to use.
This tool allows you to lift away bits of material with relative ease — it works very well for what it's meant to do. With the cutter, I'm able to make precise cuts into wood, linoleum, and rubber without exerting myself to an uncomfortable degree. Using this tool to carve linoleum for lino cut printing feels a little like I'm cheating the system — sort of the same as I feel when I'm using the Power Cutter (also featured in this article).
NOTE: I'll be testing the Power Carver on a pumpkin once pumpkins are once again in season. That said, given the success I've had with a variety of other materials, it's difficult to imagine a pumpkin would give this device much hassle.
The pricing on the carver all by itself is approximately $70 from The Home Depot. Meanwhile, you can get the full Pumpkin Carving Kit for approximately $100 — that price includes the carver and the other little add-ons listed above, too.
Ryobi USB Lithium Compact Scrubber Kit
The USB Lithium Compact Scrubber Kit is a simple device. It has a handle, two buttons, and a rotating head that connects to a hex bit brush. It comes with a brush bit, but you can use any other standard hex bit you want.
One of the two buttons on this device turns the device on, and the other switches between modes — there's a normal speed mode and a MAX. At MAX speed, this device spins up to 300 RPM — faster than the Ryobi USB Multi-Head Screwdriver, but certainly not faster than your average high-powered full-sized screwdriver.
You do get a brush bit with this device, so it has everything you need to get started brushing a few specific places in your house or garage. It's also small and light. You can find the USB Lithium Compact Scrubber Kit at The Home Depot for around $60. This piece of equipment does exactly what you'd expect it would do, simply and reliably.
Ryobi USB Lithium Soldering Pen Kit
The Ryobi USB Lithium Soldering Pen Kit has one button. This is not the sort of soldering pen you get if you need specific, precise heat — unless that precise heat is 900 degrees Fahrenheit. The device regularly takes over a minute to reach 900 degrees, but never over 2 minutes.
The kit has a single fine point tip and a very tiny onboard work light that activates whenever the device is turned on. The light is tiny, but surprisingly bright — and handy, unless you'd rather it be turned off, in which case, you're out of luck. The most thoughtful piece of this tool is the cap — thick plastic with a metal interior that, when placed on the soldering pen correctly, turns the device's power off immediately.
This device is perfect for people looking for a light, simple, small-point tool to heat things at 900 degrees Fahrenheit. The wirelessness of this tool is a blessing if you've only ever used wired soldering devices like this in the past — never again — unless of course I need a temperature that's more or less than 900 degrees. The Ryobi USB Lithium Soldering Pen Kit can be found at The Home Depot for around $70 right now.
Ryobi USB Lithium Power Cutter Kit
Using Ryobi's USB Lithium Power Cutter Kit for the first time was a shock to my system. I've been ripping apart cardboard boxes by hand for years — I did not expect that a device like this could be worth its price. I enjoy cutting down cardboard with this power cutter. It makes my whole process go faster — and I don't feel nearly as Old Man Tired as I used to after annihilating a stack of corrugated boxes.
This tool doesn't pull cardboard (or other materials) in to cut. You still need to use some amount of force to move it through a hunk of material, but the force is far less taxing than ripping cardboard-thickness-or-thicker materials without the tool.
Moreso with this tool than with any other tool I've reviewed any time recently, I feel like the value is well and above the cost. A lot of Ryobi tools are well worth the cash they cost, but this USB Lithium Power Cutter Kit is easily worth more than the $60 it costs at The Home Depot right now.
Ryobi USB Lithium Glue Pen Kit
The Ryobi USB Lithium Glue Pen Kit is a tough sell. When you can buy a simple little hot glue gun like the Arrow Dual Temp Glue Gun for $14.27, surely there must be some reason why Ryobi's USB Lithium Glue Pen Kit costs several times that amount.
The differences between the Ryobi glue gun and a lesser glue gun are found in precision, speed, and cleanliness. With Ryobi's glue gun, you can start applying glue in right around 30 seconds. The Home Depot's listing suggests "rapid heat up in under 30 seconds" and that's been true every time I've pressed the power button to start the glue melting process.
Where a lower-end hot glue gun is largely trigger push to melt situation, Ryobi's device has a sliding glue lever. The lever (or pair of levers, since they're on both sides) pinches an inserted glue stick and moves the stick toward the heated tip. Press to glue, release, and the lever's springs pull the glue stick back up so liquid hot glue stops at the tip immediately.
While the lever system isn't nearly as simple as a single trigger, the result is the most precise hot glue gun I've ever tested. The USB Lithium Glue Pen Kit can be purchased from The Home Depot now for approximately $50.
Also important to know if you've decided to buy this tool: this glue pen comes with three glue sticks. You're going to need a lot more than that, regardless of which project you're planning on doing — consider buying extras right away.