I’ve had to put together a lot of furniture in my life. Chairs, dressers, shelving units, trampolines, or outdoor furniture bins have all been tackled with my two hands. Many times, a small Allen wrench or a key is provided with the hardware in order to assemble the product. I think I have a stash of about 50 of these small wrenches that have been used strictly to assemble pieces.
But there are plenty of times when things around my house need tightening because they’ve gotten too loose or I need to install something on a wall. Screws are the best way to keep them up in place, and I have to put some force behind my wrist turns in order to get them going. After countless blisters on my palm from all the manual screwing, I had enough and looked for an alternative. The RYOBI ONE + 18V Cordless Drill Driver Kit has turned out to be the right move for me, not only because of all its versatility, but also because of its price.
I’ve put this to use all over my home
It handles a lot of tasks and quickly
The RYOBI ONE is a well-known line of power tools, and this one has a lot of features for a nominal price. It retails at The Home Depot for around $60 but is currently on sale for under $50. It comes with a 1.25 Ah battery and charger, which works on all kinds of ONE products.
The drill comes with a 3/8″ keyless chuck, so it works with all kinds of drill and driver bits, which are sold separately.
Obviously, there are times when a power driver might be more difficult to use than a regular flathead or Phillips head screwdriver. There are smaller areas that need to be fit into, and the drill probably won’t do the trick. So I still have one of each kind of screwdriver in my toolbox for those occasions. But I rely on the cordless driver and drill more than I thought I would.
I had to put together two shelving units for my daughter’s playroom one day, which helped store all of her toys. They had compartments inside the design for added storage purposes, making them a nice addition to the house and a savior in terms of having the room feel overwhelmed with toys (even though there are still times that that room is covered in toys). Needing to put together two of them, I had my work cut out for me, as each one was slated to take about an hour.
There were over 40 Phillips head screws that needed to be driven into the shelving unit to assemble it. I did about 20 of them by hand before my hand was red from the constant rubbing of the screwdriver against my skin. Knowing I needed to do 60 more of them that day, I switched over to the RYOBI cordless driver. I wanted to ensure I wasn’t using too much power so I wouldn’t damage the wood. The RYOBI ONE has multiple speed/torque settings, making the speed go slower but the torque go higher, allowing the head to drive screws into wood in a more controlled way. I finished off the units in a much shorter time and without any more blisters. Now I look at those shelving units with fondness, as they make the room feel more relaxed, and I didn’t have to stress to put them together.
This driver is easy to hold
I can drill something over my head with ease
Credit: Chris Hachey / MakeUseOf
I was recently replacing the lights on either side of my front door, as the ones installed by the previous owner had a short in them and were flickering (seriously, nobody told me about all that goes into owning a home.) They are low enough that I can take them down with my hands by reaching upward. But having to hold the light and turn a screwdriver continuously to take out a few screws would have taken longer, and my arms would have gotten tired holding the light as I did so.
The RYOBI ONE weighs 2.8 pounds, even with the battery in, so I was able to take the screws out of the light even while having the drill over my head, and my arms weren’t as tired as they would’ve been with the screwdriver. When I went to put up the new lights, I had to drill some pilot holes for the back plate before screwing in the screws. Being able to use the same tools rather than an awl and a screwdriver made quick work of the fixtures.
The drill has the power to reach 600 RPM, so it can really spin and breeze through tougher jobs. But I like it because it does not have a particularly sensitive trigger, meaning if you tap it, it doesn’t immediately start to drill quickly. It has a nice balance of easing into the drilling or driving, keeping you and your work safer.
Take care of jobs at all times of the day
The design is well thought out
Credit: Chris Hachey / MakeUseOf
There’s a small LED light built into the drill that illuminates as you’re using it. I didn’t think much of this when I first started using the RYOBI ONE, but I’m really impressed at the thought of it. Adding a small worklight is just an added bonus and one that comes in handy more than you might realize.
You can easily swap the direction of the drill as well, as the forward and reverse motion buttons are very close to the trigger. This allows you to make the change while you’re in the middle of the job with a quick push of the button. Drilling a hole into something and quickly being able to reverse the direction and spin the drill bit back out of the hole makes it more complete and protects your drill bit from breaking.
I haven’t needed to do major construction projects in my home, so having something like this tool has been perfect for my uses. Despite its lower price, it is sturdy and works incredibly well.
Original image shot by the author of MUO super feature How to Operate Your Cordless Drill Like a Professional.Image Credit: Nachiket Mhatre
Related
How to Operate Your Cordless Drill Like a Professional
Confused by the dials and sliders on your brand-new cordless drill? Here’s how to use them effectively like a pro.
The RYOBI ONE drill and driver works above its price
I gave up on the constant need to use a manual screwdriver for all my tasks. While there are times I still do need to use one, I have opted for the RYOBI ONE cordless drill and driver. It reaches up to 600 RPM and has a 3/8″ keyless chuck, so drilling goes quickly, as does changing out bits. It’s lightweight and easy to use in all sorts of angles. I’ve relied on this more than I thought I would, doing household tasks, and I’m glad I opted for it.
