As part of Home Depot’s ProSpective program, I have the opportunity to try out lots of awesome new tools. Many of them have become regular “go to” tools in my rotation that I probably wouldn’t have otherwise discovered. Today I’m excited to share a few of the latest RIDGID tools I received, and tell you all about them. I tested them all out, so below you’ll find my thoughts as well as important info about each tool.
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Home Depot. All opinions are my own.
RIDGID TOOL REVIEW
Today I’ll be reviewing 4 tools. Let’s start with the RIDGID OCTANETM Brushless 18V 1 in. SDS-Plus Rotary Hammer. It offers 50% faster drilling than the previous version when paired with an OCTANETM battery, and its XVR technology reduces vibration for greater comfort and less fatigue. Plus, the mechanical clutch prevents binding and protects the tool.
I’ve never used a rotary hammer before, so I was excited to give it a try. This particular bit is for concrete, so I tested it out by drilling into a piece of cinder block. The 3-mode selector allows you to manually switch between hammer, drilling, and chisel modes, so for this test I used drilling mode. It drilled into it effortlessly. I could definitely feel the power behind this tool and it made the job easy.
The next tool I tested was the RIDGID OCTANETM Brushless 18V 3-1/4 in. Hand Planer. This tool is the industry’s only one that offers adjustable chamfer depth for decorative finish work, and it’s 2.5 times more powerful than its corded counterpart when paired with an OCTANETM battery. It has a depth adjustment knob with 20 positions and includes an edge guide, dust bag, and installed double sided blades. Also, its dual chip exhaust allows users to select left or right which makes it very versatile.
I tested this out on a 2×4 that had some raised grain. I wanted to experiment with smoothing it out, and this planer worked so well! I love that you can adjust the depth depending on exactly how much you want to shave off.
The edge guide makes this tool very easy to use. I made the mistake of removing it the first time I played around with this tool and it really does make all the difference. Since I typically use cheap framing lumber to save money, it’s rarely smooth or perfectly flat. This tool makes it easy to fix that problem, especially since I don’t have an expensive planer or jointer. This would be a great portable version to take to job sites if you need one for that purpose too.
This was really hard to capture in a photo but here’s how smooth the 2×4 looked after just a couple passes with the planer. See how rough the side of the board looks in comparison to the top?
Next up is the RIDGID OCTANETM Brushless 18V One-Handed Reciprocating Saw. This is by far the most lightweight reciprocating saw I’ve ever used. It has 30% less vibration for more control, 3 times the power for demolition work, on/off orbital action for faster wood cutting or for metal cutting applications, and is 2.5 times more powerful than its corded counterpart.
This saw cut this pallet like butter and it really was easy to do one-handed. The other reciprocating saw I own is quite heavy and I definitely have to hold it with both hands at all times. This one was super compact and easy to manage.
Last but not least, this RIDGID 18-Volt 9 Gal. Cordless Wet/Dry Shop Vacuum has easily already become the most frequently used tool in my workshop. I love this vac! I was using a tiny little shop vac before, and this one is much larger and is battery-powered. It runs with one or two batteries for double the runtime and is the first full sized vac with plenty of capacity and durability.
The fact that it’s battery-powered allows for so much flexibility, which I love. I can even take it out to the driveway and vacuum my van which is a major game changer! (If you’re a mom, then you know.)
Which one of these tools would be the most useful in your workshop? Let me know in the comments!
Disclosure: I acknowledge that The Home Depot is partnering with me to participate in the promotional program described above (the “Program”). As a part of the Program, I am receiving compensation in the form of products and services, for the purpose of promoting The Home Depot. All expressed opinions and experiences are my own words. My post complies with the Word Of Mouth Marketing Association (WOMMA) Ethics Code and applicable Federal Trade Commission guidelines.
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