These Ryobi Finds Could Help With Your Next Intricate PEX Or PVC Project

Two of the most common kinds of modern piping materials for plumbing work are PEX and PVC. PEX, which stands for cross-linked polyethylene, can be used to transport hot or cold substances with a greater degree of flexibility than a solid copper pipe. PVC, or polyvinyl chloride, is both lightweight and resistant to weathering and chemicals, making it great for outdoor piping. While both of these materials are very convenient in their intended purposes, if you're looking to actually work with them, you'll need to make some preparations.

The regular tools you have in your toolbox, whether for plumbing purposes or otherwise, may not be ideal for working with the distinctive flavor of flexibility seen in PEX and PVC. If you've got a very complicated project on the docket and need to be sure everything is done to code, you'll need some special gear for the job. As it so happens, the Ryobi hardware brand offers a trio of tools specially designed to work with both PEX and PVC, whether you're cutting, crimping, or clamping.

The tricky thing about flexible materials like PEX and PVC is that you can't cut through them the same way you would a firmly solid object, or at least not easily. Cutting through a PEX pipe with a utility knife is technically possible, but it would take a fairly long time and produce a very uneven cut. If you want to get your plastic pipes cleanly cut in a reasonable timeframe, you'll want a specialized cutting tool.

Ryobi's PVC and PEX Cutter is exactly what it says on the tin: a specialized blade mechanism designed to comfortably slot a plastic pipe and slash it in a single, clean chop. Just squeeze the trigger to open the port, then squeeze it again to cut. The tool's opening, combined with the 2-inch stainless steel blade, can easily cut through piping anywhere from 1/4- to 2-inch in thickness. You can get up to 300 cuts on a single ONE+ 18V 2Ah battery pack, and if the blade ever wears out, you can pop it out with the quick-release button and replace it with a fresh one. The Ryobi PVC and PEX Cutter is available at Home Depot for $99, where it has a 4.5 out of 5 user rating.

One of the big differences between PEX and PVC pipes is that, since the former is more flexible than the latter, making connections isn't as simple as plugging things in. To connect a PEX pipe to some kind of source, you need to attach a crimp ring, a metal fitting that gives the pipe a hard connection point. To fasten the ring, you need to tighten it onto the pipe, but the metal is thick enough that you can't do it with your hands. Enter, Ryobi's PEX Crimp Ring Press Tool.

This convenient device allows you to fit a crimp ring to a PEX pipe with just one hand and less than five seconds of holding. Just fit the tool's jaws over a crimp ring, squeeze the trigger, and in a quick cycle, the jaws firmly close and secure the ring. The jaws open wide enough to accommodate all PEX pipes from 3/8- to 1-inch in thickness and come with fittings for a variety of crimp ring sizes. For added convenience, the device includes a go/no-go gauge, which informs you of a successful crimping cycle and ensures your connections are solid. The Ryobi PEX Crimp Ring Press Tool is available at Home Depot for $229, where it has a user rating of 4.1 out of 5.

While crimping is usually the go-to means of fitting PEX pipes to sources, it's not the only one. For one thing, if you're trying to make a connection in a cramped, out-of-the-way space, a crimp connection may be too large to fit. In such a case, there is an alternative means of connection: clamping. It's the same general principle, but it does require its own specialized tool. Luckily, Ryobi offers such a tool.

The Ryobi PEX Tubing Clamp Tool, unlike most clamp tools, is battery-powered for both speed and convenience. Just place the tool's jaws over a clamp ring, squeeze the trigger, and in a quick cycle, the jaws pinch the clamp ring firmly into place. The jaws are large enough to fit clamp rings of any shape or size, ensuring that you can always make a connection no matter how obtuse of a spot you're working in. Speaking of, the device also includes a pair of bright work LEDs for lighting your way in dark, confined areas. The Ryobi PEX Tubing Clamp Tool is available at Home Depot for $139.00, where it has a user rating of 4.8 out of 5.