8 Ryobi Tools That Could Come In Handy For Off-Road Enthusiasts
With their interchangeable batteries and affordable prices, Ryobi tools make great companions for all kinds of automotive work. Many Ryobi tools do more than one job, making them even better value for money, but even those that don't are usually light and compact and therefore easy to store away when not in use. Cordless Ryobi tools are also great to keep in your car in case of emergency — many of them can use the same battery pack, so you'll save money and space compared to lugging along a separate battery for each tool.
With the added strain that off-roading puts on a car's components, off-road enthusiasts are even more likely to need quick access to tools than the average driver. SlashGear has put together a list of eight top picks from the brand's website, all of which might come in handy whether you're on the trail, getting into some overland off-road camping, or back in your garage.
Ryobi 18V One+ ⅜-Inch Ratchet
A ratchet is a garage basic, and it pays dividends to get a good one. The Ryobi 18V One+ ⅜ Inch Ratchet won't break the bank, and it uses the brand's 18V battery for added convenience. Anyone who's already in possession of several Ryobi tools will likely have at least one 18V battery pack handy, as they power many of the brand's best-selling power tools. As a result, most Ryobi tool enthusiasts will have no need to buy a separate battery. The ratchet retails for $79.00 on the toolmaker's website.
It delivers up to 35 ft-lb of torque and features a built-in LED light to ensure you can always see what you're doing, even in the depths of an engine bay. The head of the ratchet can be adjusted, with four positions available to suit cramped workspaces. Without resistance the tool can achieve up to 230 rpm. Like most of Ryobi's 18V power tools, the ratchet comes with a three-year warranty for added peace of mind. Even if you're not going off-roading, this is one of the best new Ryobi tools to add to your garage setup, too.
Ryobi 18V One+ 10-Inch Orbital Buffer
Off-roading will inevitably result in some damage to the paintwork of a vehicle, whether you're carefully navigating a rocky trail in Utah or drifting a Lamborghini Urus around a dirt circuit in Italy. Buffing out minor scratches can help keep the car's paint looking great even after a few off-roading trips, and there's no need to shell out a fortune for a top-end example. The Ryobi 18V One+ 10-inch Orbital Buffer does the same job and costs just $44.97 as a standalone tool.
With a suitable 18V One+ battery, it boasts up to 90 minutes of runtime and speeds of up to 2,500 rpm. Anyone who doesn't already have a suitable battery can purchase one separately through the brand's website. The tool comes with an applicator bonnet and a buffing bonnet included as standard, but replacements of both can also be bought on Ryobi's website for less than $10 each.
Ryobi 18V One+ Dual Power LED Spotlight
Out on the trail or in your garage, a spotlight can often be useful to keep around. The Ryobi 18V One+ Dual Power LED Spotlight costs $59.97 and boasts up to 2,500 lumens of light, making it suitable for a variety of uses. It's sold as a tool only, so will require a suitable 18V Ryobi battery for cordless use. It can also be operated using the included cord, by plugging it straight into a car's 12V outlet.
The brand notes that the spotlight can illuminate up to 635 yards ahead, and so it can double up as a camping torch if needed. Anyone looking for a more comprehensive range of LED lighting can opt to buy the spotlight as part of a 3-Tool Light Combo, available on Ryobi's website. The combo bundles together three of the brand's most popular LED lights at a discounted price compared to buying all three separately.
Ryobi 18V One+ SwiftClean Spot Cleaner Kit
No matter whether you're heading just off the beaten path or deep into the wilderness, it's very likely that you'll encounter plenty of dirt, mud, and gravel on your travels. Inevitably, plenty of that will end up being trodden or transferred into your car's interior. Cleaning it out again can be a thankless task, but the 18V One+ SwiftClean Spot Cleaner Kit might well come in handy here. It's designed to clean debris and light stains from all kinds of interior upholstery, from seats to floor mats.
The spot cleaner kit comes with 6oz of included cleaning solution, which is automatically dispensed by the cleaner and then removed from surfaces via the built-in vacuum. A scrub brush also ensures there's no debris left on the surface. As well as the tool and cleaning solution, the kit also includes a 2Ah battery and charger, making it a great all-in-one entry point for buyers who aren't already knee deep in Ryobi tools and batteries.
Ryobi 18V One+ HP Compact Brushless 4-Mode ½-Inch Impact Wrench
The latest generation of the Ryobi 18V One+ HP Compact Brushless 4-Mode ½-Inch Impact Wrench boasts several key design improvements over its predecessor, with the brand claiming a weight reduction of 35% and a size reduction of 26%. Despite that, it's still just as powerful as the previous model, with up to 275 ft-lb of torque on offer. It can be picked up for $139.00 on Ryobi's website as a standalone tool.
There are three standard speed modes available plus a new Auto Mode. Many of Ryobi's power tools have built-in LED lights to help users see what they're doing in suboptimal lighting conditions, and the impact wrench is no different, with three LEDs built in. That lighting might well also come in handy for repairs on the trail — wheels and tires are some of the hardest hit components during off-road use, and so any tool that makes changing them easier is worth investing in.
Ryobi 14-in-1 Multi-Tool
Ryobi might be best known for its cordless power tools, but the brand also boasts an increasingly wide range of hand tools too. Among the most versatile of them is the 14-in-1 Multi-Tool — no prizes here for guessing how many functions Ryobi claims the tool can perform. Each tool is made from stainless steel and covers all the key functions buyers expect in a multi-tool of this type. There's a slotted screwdriver and Philips screwdriver, pliers, scissors, wire cutters, and even a bottle opener.
The can opener may well also come in handy for nights spent camping while on the trail, and the tool's miniature saw and knife ensure that opening any other kind of package or container is no hassle either. The tool retails for $14.27 on Ryobi's website and comes with a storage pouch to keep it from scratching anything in the glovebox when it's not in use.
Ryobi 18V One+ 3-Inch Variable Speed Detail Polisher/Sander
Off-road vehicles come in all shapes, sizes, and conditions. Whether you're polishing paintwork on a pristine truck or sanding away surface rust on a faithful old-timer, Ryobi's 18V One+ 3-Inch Variable Speed Detail Polisher/Sander should come in useful. It's available as a standalone tool from Ryobi's website for $129.00. When being used as a sander, it can reach speeds of up to 7,800 rpm, but while polishing, that speed is limited to 2,800 rpm.
Ryobi says that the tool is good for up to an hour of runtime with a suitably powerful battery – although to achieve that runtime, you'll need one of the brand's 9.0Ah 18V batteries handy. Most Ryobi 18V power tools ship with significantly lower-capacity batteries, so it's worth checking what you already own before buying.
If you do already have a suitable battery and charger, there isn't much else you'll have to buy to make full use of the tool. The polisher/sander comes with three different sanding discs, a foam correcting pad, a foam finishing pad, and a wool pad, as well as backers for both polishing and sanding. Anyone looking for an even wider variety of discs and pads will find plenty of additional options available as accessories through Ryobi's website.
Ryobi 18V One+ 1-Gallon Portable Air Compressor
Punctures are an annoying but inevitable part of driving off-road, but the Ryobi 18V One+ 1 Gallon Portable Air Compressor aims to make refilling a tire with air as painless as possible. It retails for $179.00 from Ryobi's website and, like many of the products here, will require a suitable battery and charger that can be bought separately.
No one wants an overly complicated compressor, so the Ryobi compressor packs only the features it absolutely needs. There's a universal quick coupler for easy setup and two easy-to-read gauges, one for the tank and one for the outlet. The compressor delivers pressures up to 120 PSI and so is capable of dealing with all kinds of automotive tires, and when it's done its job the compressor's metal hose can be stored on the built-in wrap until it's needed again. Like most of the brand's other 18V tools, the air compressor comes with a three-year warranty as standard. If you're interested in trying your hand at homesteading, or just staying off the beaten path for a little longer, this Ryobi tool could be great for living off the grid, too.