CMS-Japanese Motorcycle Supply Parts


Ryobi One Plus Compact Drill Driver Kit review R18DD-LL99S RCD1802


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The Ryobi One Plus range of handheld 18V tools gets a lot of media attention - but just what do you get for your money?
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If you're looking to buy into a cordless system, there are plenty of options out there to cover a huge range of budgets, voltage ratings and tools on offer. Ryobi's One Plus system offers an 18V range of batteries which connect to 40-something devices, ranging from drills and fans to a lawnmower. A cordless drill is a standard piece of kit for just about every home handyperson, and the Ryobi tool we're looking at today is the Compact Drill Driver kit (R18DD-LL99S) - a popular option for testing the waters of the One Plus tool range.



The Compact Drill Driver RCD1802 itself looks like this:

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It's feature list runs to:

As part of the kit, though, you get both a 1.5ah battery (RB18L15) and a 4ah battery (RB18L40). What's the ah? It stands for amp hours, which is basically how big of a fuel tank the battery has. The 1.5ah battery is smaller and lighter. The batteries are both 18V, and weigh 460gm and 720gm respectively. The batteries:



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The charger - Fast Charger BCL14181H - can handle 14.4V or 18V batteries.

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It claims a 60-minute charge time for the 1.5ah battery, and a 120 minute charge time for the 4ah batteries. There's also apparently a 1.3ah battery as part of the system, which could be charged in 45 minutes with this charger. The charger can handle both NiCAD and and lithium batteries. The batteries go upside down into the charger:

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Oh, you also get a manual with the kit:

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The main point of interest for those of us who like just jumping in and using it is this:

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Batteries don't come pre-charged! Oh well. One last thing is part of the kit - a bag to carry it all in which looks a bit like a lunchbag to me:

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Back to the business end of the kit. The drill has a switch on the top to choose between slow and fast:

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A dial around the front to choose the speed in more fine increments:

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A 13mm keyless chuck at the front:

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The chuck works quite well, and seems to grip nice and firmly without having to use a ton of force. At the top rear sits the spirit level:

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Useful - so long as you're using it at an angle where you can see it. Regardless, there's no downside to having it so as long as you remember it's there it may be useful to you. The trigger is nicely rubberised, as is the grip:

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Above the trigger sits the forward/reverse switch, which has a nice positive "click" as it moves from side to side. Beneath the handgrip sits the magnetic area for holding, well, anything magnetic:

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In front of that sits the LED light and the holder for the Phillips/flathead driver:

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The LED light is really darn handy when working in dark situations - the angle is pretty useful, and it's definitely a feature I have benefited from when working under cars or even in the shade under an awning. The Phillips/flathead bit is held in quite firmly in the clip and I have yet to accidentally shake it loose.

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So what is it like to use? The grip is pleasantly rubberised, and is quite comfortable to use for long periods of time. The batteries are impressive - this drill was used to strip the paint off a motorcycle frame using a wire wheel, and even the little battery lasted over 25 minutes of constant high-speed use without overheating or slowing down. The batteries hold their charge impressively as well - leave them for a couple of weeks and they shouldn't be flat.

They're currently - as at March 2015 - selling the kit for $199 not on sale at Bunnings Warehouse. You can of course always check eBay to see if there's a bargain - click here. Were you to buy the pieces of the kit individually you would be up for:

Total: $336

Not really economical. The compact drill driver kit represents a cost effective way of getting into the platform compared to buying the individual pieces. If you are considering buying into any of the available platforms take the time to check out the full range and see if it has everything you currently need and also what you think you might want or need in the future. The Ryobi One+ range has an advantage here in the large number of tools and pieces of equipment, but it may not suit everyone's needs so it pays to check.

All in all - it's a comfortable drill to use, with long-lasting batteries which charge in a reasonable timeframe and it's not ridiculously expensive. Recommended!



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