5 Ryobi ONE+ Battery-Powered Tools Crafting Enthusiasts Need To Know About

One of the big selling points of products offered by hardware brand Ryobi is its ONE+ universal battery system. Every single tool, product, and device in the ONE+ ecosystem utilizes the same battery pack, which means if you already have a couple of ONE+ batteries, you can use one and charge the other while you work, allowing you to get the most from the Ryobi tools you own. Not only is this a nifty system in general, but depending on what tools you're using, it can also be a big labor and time saver.

For example, do you like to engage in a bit of home crafting, such as gluing decorations together, sanding wood, or soldering small electronics? Normally, getting corded tools together for these various tasks would take up a lot of real estate on your workbench, not to mention result in a bunch of tangled power cables. If you're looking to save some space on your crafting table, there are a handful of tools in Ryobi's ONE+ framework that you can power up with the same battery pack.

If you're looking to get your crafting done in a hurry, you can't rely on plain old glue from a bottle. You need heated glue for that extra level of speed and adhesion. This is why a hot glue gun is a standard implement in the crafter's arsenal, but a corded glue gun is restrictive. The last thing you want is to be in the middle of a careful gluing line when the cord runs out and yanks your hand across the table.

Ryobi's Compact Glue Gun eliminates this scenario entirely by making the tool itself completely cable-free. Instead, the ONE+ battery pack is hooked into the included charging and heating base. After the tool is powered and fully heated, just detach the gun for up to five minutes of hot glue action. 

The tool also features a precision tip to help you carefully allocate your glue lines rather than just oozing glue globs all over the place. Even if a little glue does get loose, the base has a convenient drip tray positioned right under the tip to catch any stray drops.

Assembling small electronics is a great way to teach yourself and your kids about electrical systems, and you can make some pretty cool gadgets and gizmos to boot. However, assembling circuitry isn't as simple as plugging a power cord in — you need a soldering iron to physically bind wires to circuit boards. Perhaps even more than a hot glue gun, a superheated metal rod is definitely not ideal for a short power cord.

The Ryobi Hybrid Soldering Station may have its soldering iron on a cord to a base, but the base itself is powered by a ONE+ battery pack. Even if you pull the iron a little further than usual, there's nothing on the base to suddenly yank you back, assuming you would even go far enough to reach the end of the 3 ft. long cord anyway. Safety is the name of the game with this full soldering station, as it includes both a distinctive dial for minute temperature control and a sturdy spring holder to safely store the iron while it's not in use.

If you're working with wood in your crafting pursuits, whether you're making carefully shaped incisions or just cutting an entire 2x4 in half, you need a reliable cutting implement. A regular non-powered handsaw is a bit too exhausting for consistent work, while a full-on circular or table saw might be too intense and expensive for humble crafting purposes. If you're looking to split the difference, you'll want a tool that's both easy to cart around on its own and powerful enough to cut through most forms of crafting material.

The Ryobi Speed Saw Rotary Cutter is small and sleek enough to fit comfortably in one hand, even with a ONE+ battery pack mounted to the base. By attaching the right cutting bit, you can saw through various simple materials, such as plywood and drywall, at an impressive and precise 27,000 RPM. You can also adjust the depth of the cut if you need to saw through something a little thicker or thinner.

If you're not quite sure exactly what kind of work you're going to be doing in your crafting project, it would probably help to have a tool on hand that can do a little bit of everything. That way, no matter what kind of work falls into your lap, you can get it done without having to dig through the toolbox for another random implement. When it comes to crafting specifically, the best kind of multi-tool you can have is a rotary tool.

Ryobi's Precision Craft Rotary Tool can accomplish most hobby-level crafting tasks by simply changing out the attached head. By attaching the right bit, you can engrave your name onto metallic surfaces, sand down imperfections on wooden ones, etch shapes and patterns onto glass, and more. All of this is regulated via the attached base, onto which you can snap a ONE+ battery pack for uninterrupted usage.

If you're looking to get into some more heavy-duty crafting projects and your regular rotary tool can't quite keep up, you might want to upgrade to something with a little more horsepower. A higher-grade rotary tool provides increased power in its usage, longer runtimes, and a more stable, precise design for careful work.

If the regular Ryobi Rotary Tool doesn't meet your needs, then it's time to move on to the Ryobi HP Brushless Rotary Tool. This professional-grade implement utilizes a brushless motor and a variable speed dial in the base to give you the utmost in control and output. Just snap a ONE+ battery pack onto the base, pull out the full aluminum body, and you get 1,000 to 25,000 RPM of rotational force, perfect for sanding, cutting, polishing, and more. Whenever you need to switch tasks, just swap the bit out via the tool's Quick-Change Collet, which allows you to change accessories four times faster than the regular model.