3 New Ridgid Power Tools That Just Dropped At Home Depot

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As one of the major power tool brands, Ridgid has built a reputation around more than just performance, thanks in part to its Lifetime Service Agreement, which provides lifetime coverage for eligible registered tools. Another part of its appeal is the sheer variety of tools available on a single battery platform, with the company's 18V catalog now featuring nearly 200 product listings.

That menu extends well beyond conventional drills and impact drivers, offering everything from those staples to saws and specialty tools, all sharing its 18V battery platform. Several have already proven popular with buyers, including 18V power tools with hundreds of 5-star ratings. More importantly, the shared 18V battery system means someone who already owns a Ridgid drill can expand into other categories without investing in an entirely different battery platform. And Ridgid isn't done expanding the lineup yet, with three more power tools recently joining the range.

Two of them belong to Ridgid's relatively new Nuke SubCompact Brushless family, a line built around packing plenty of power into smaller, more manageable tools. The third is a simpler (and possibly cheaper) alternative to a brushless saw the company already sells. All three are new additions rather than simply different packages for existing tools. As with Ridgid's other 18V power tools, these new additions are sold exclusively through Home Depot, even though Home Depot neither manufactures nor owns Ridgid.

The first tool on the list is yet another addition to Ridgid's Nuke lineup, although that family is still relatively small compared with the brand's newer and broader 18V power tool collection. Ridgid currently lists just 11 Nuke SubCompact Brushless products, and this is the first blower to join them. It's also only one of two cordless blowers currently listed by Ridgid.

The new RNKSWB01B Nuke SubCompact Brushless High-Speed Blower retails for $79 and reaches 350 mph, which is more than three times the 105-mph rating of Ridgid's existing R8604301B jobsite blower. The tradeoff is airflow. The Nuke tops out at just 40 CFM, while the older model can move as much as 280 CFM, meaning Ridgid has dramatically increased air velocity while cutting maximum air volume to roughly one-seventh. That difference comes down to what each blower is designed to move; the older model pushes a much larger volume of air, while the Nuke concentrates its output through a much smaller nozzle for more targeted cleanup around tools, workbenches, and tight spaces. Ridgid includes three attachments — a speed nozzle, inflation nozzle, and pinch-valve nozzle — with the latter two also letting the blower double as a high-volume inflator.

There's a variable-speed trigger with a lock-on function and an onboard LED, and like Ridgid's other 18V tools, it works with the company's existing 18V batteries. However, the RNKSWB01B is sold as a bare tool, so the battery and charger aren't included.

Some of Ridgid's cordless drills can outshine Ryobi's in price and quality, and the brand's latest Nuke SubCompact hammer drill brings a substantial power increase over its older model. Like the high-speed blower, it's another addition to the Nuke lineup, but the new RNKSHM01K1 hammer drill kit, available for $159, delivers 750 inch-pounds of torque, a 50% increase over the older R87112 SubCompact hammer drill's 500 inch-pounds. The Nuke also outpaces its predecessor in speed, reaching 2,000 RPM and delivering up to 32,000 blows per minute in hammer mode, compared with the older SubCompact's 1,750 RPM and 26,000 BPM.

Also, the extra power hasn't made the Nuke particularly bulky. It measures just 6.3 inches long, although its bare-tool weight has increased from approximately 2.2 pounds on the older model to 2.6 pounds. And while torque has jumped considerably, the clutch has gone in the opposite direction, dropping from 24 adjustment positions on the older model to just 16 on the Nuke.

Ridgid says the hammer drill's design is 30% more compact, and the emphasis on keeping the package small carries over to the included battery. The kit comes with a 2.0Ah MAX Output battery pack, charger, belt hook, and tool bag, whereas the older R87112K includes two standard 2.0Ah batteries. The new drill is still compatible with all Ridgid 18V batteries, so you can swap in a higher-capacity pack if you'd rather prioritize longer runtime over keeping the tool lighter.

Ridgid is already a major reciprocating saw brand, and its latest addition expands the smaller end of its 18V lineup. The last tool on this list is also the only one that isn't part of Ridgid's Nuke lineup, and interestingly, it doesn't outperform the one-handed saw Ridgid already sells. The new RRS01 18V One-Handed Reciprocating Saw reaches 3,100 strokes per minute (SPM) with a 3/4-inch stroke, while the existing R8648 SubCompact Brushless model manages 3,200 SPM and a longer 7/8-inch stroke. The difference in speed is small, but the shorter stroke means the new saw's blade travels less distance with each cutting cycle.

More surprisingly, the RRS01 uses a brushed motor, which is more susceptible to wear over time than a brushless motor, as brushless tools don't require a ton of maintenance. The one-handed design, however, is a practical advantage for overhead work, cutting between wall studs, and other confined spaces. Whether you're trimming lumber inside wall framing or reaching into a tight cavity, the smaller one-handed design makes it easier to position the blade without needing room for a second hand. 

There's also a variable-speed trigger, allowing users to start cuts slowly and increase the speed as needed rather than immediately running at full tilt. Ridgid offers the saw in two configurations. The RRS01B includes a wood-cutting blade but no battery or charger and sells for $99, while the RRS01K1 kit adds a 2.0Ah MAX Output battery and charger for $129. Both use the same saw and are compatible with Ridgid's existing 18V batteries.