Why Do People Hate On Ryobi So Much? A Quick Dive Into The Discord

If you're even a little familiar with tools, you've surely seen or heard of Ryobi. At first glance, the lime green line of products seems solid enough, being readily available at any Home Depot and featuring a wide assortment of tools and accessories for various applications. But dig a little deeper, and you'll quickly find that tool enthusiasts are quite vocal about their hatred for Ryobi. 

While undeniably a major tool brand, Ryobi's reputation has seen its fair share of hits over the years. It's not uncommon to see many bash on the brand as being ugly, quick to break, and overall unreliable. Hearing such avid anger may be enough to turn you off from even giving Ryobi a glance, let alone a chance. But where does the hate stem from? Why would possibly the world's most well-known tool and home improvement retailer feature the brand so prominently if it was truly as poorly produced as countless people have deemed it? 

Of course, the truth is more nuanced than that. While the bitterness towards Ryobi isn't entirely unwarranted, it becomes easier to overlook those criticisms once you understand more about what and why Ryobi tools are the way they are and who they're best suited for. With that out of the way, let's dive into the good, the bad, and the ugly behind the fervent feelings towards the brand.   

Even if users will dog on Ryobi's look or lack of fanciful features, the most common complaints are aimed towards the tools' unreliability. Redditor u/Lumpy_Disaster33 commented as such, stating, "Batteries lasted maybe a year. I'd rather spend 30% more and not clog landfills." Likewise, while u/Xminus6 admitted to liking some of Ryobi's selection, they nevertheless noted that, "Some of their stuff is pretty cheesy. I had a friend who's corded drill broke. Taking it apart the whole thing was as cheap and flimsy as could be."

It's easy to understand why someone would be frustrated by a malfunctioning or poorly made tool, especially from such a big name brand. However, the blame may not be so much on Ryobi tools themselves as much as how they are presented. YouTuber Ultimate Tool Reviews illustrated this by comparing Ryobi's branding to that of Hart tools, a brand that is sometimes even manufactured in the same factories as Ryobi. Whereas Hart is commonly shown being used by average homeowners and DIYers, the imagery on Ryobi's website and social media platforms more often show it being used in more heavy duty professional settings. As a result, it's easy to believe that Ryobi is more high-end than it truly is, which is ultimately reflected in its lower price point when compared to names like Milwaukee or Makita.

So does Ryobi truly deserve the hate it gets? While everyone is entitled to their opinion, the old saying "you get what you pay for" is the name of the game here. Like every tool brand, taking the time to compare and contrast your options is of utmost importance to ensure that whatever tool you get best suits your needs.

In the case of Ryobi, many have come to recognize that the brand is best for those with less extreme project needs. One Redditor put it perfectly by saying, "Ryobi is a great way to start your collection and offers great bang for your buck ... if you're using a Ryobi tool so much that you wear it out, then that could be a sign that it would be worth it to upgrade to a higher quality tool. Otherwise, I think they're perfectly sufficient for a weekend warrior." Adding to this, the user, as well as many others in the thread, have noticed that a lot of the stigma towards Ryobi stems from higher-end tool owners who look down on it as a layman's brand. 

Even if its catalogue doesn't quite match up to some of the more premium offerings, that doesn't mean that Ryobi tools are worthless. Its economical nature, diversity of tools, and streamlined battery ecosystem are key to its value, and there are Ryobi tools even haters of the brand will love. So long as they're being used within the appropriate parameters and taking care to maintain them properly, you'll find that your Ryobi tool has plenty of surprises in store.