Will New Ryobi Batteries Work With Older Ryobi Tools?

There's no shortage of high-quality power tools available to consumers these days, but over the course of the past 80 years or so, the Japanese brand Ryobi has established itself as one of the premiere names in the consumer power tool game. They've done so despite only selling their tools online in the U.S. or through their exclusive brick-and-mortar retailer, Home Depot. In recent years, the brand's popularity has been bolstered by its One+ line of power tools, which now boasts more than 300 offerings, including everything from drills and saws to augers and blowers. 

The real coup of Ryobi's One+ line is, of course, that their 18v Lithium Ion Battery packs that are interchangeable between every single tool emblazoned with the One+ logo. That game-changing advancement has made Ryobi's One+ lineup as versatile as any in the power tool game. While those batteries are shareable throughout the entire One+ lineup, the question becomes whether or not they can be used with older Ryobi power tools. Ryobi has, after all, been cranking out power tools for several decades now, and longtime fans of the brand may not be ready to make the One+ upgrade just yet.

If you're still using one of those old school 18v Ryobi power tools, the good news is that the brand's newer 18v Lithium Ion batteries should work with any older 18v battery-powered tools. In even better news, it seems those who've used newer batteries in older Ryobi tools claim to have seen a dramatic uptick in performance.

As happy as longtime users of Ryobi devices will be to learn that their older tools can be powered by the brand's newer rechargeable batteries, there is one potential issue for those who choose to do so, in that the One+ Lithium Ion battery packs should not be charged on older charging docks. Yes, the new batteries will likely fit many of those older charging stations, as Ryobi has not re-designed the method in which their power sources are affixed to their tools. However, the older charging stations are not calibrated to safely charge lithium ion batteries, and this could potentially lead to dangerous overheating.

If you're unfamiliar with the different types of rechargeable batteries, it seems that many older Ryobi model chargers are designed for the brand's older nickel-cadmium batteries (sometimes called Ni-Cd or NiCad), which obviously bear a different chemical makeup than lithium ion batteries, and therefore have dramatically different charging requirements. Ryobi made that power supply change around 2010, with some even attributing the change in battery to the brand's color-switch from the old school blue to the One+ lineup's distinctive lime green.

Whatever the case, the change in battery composition means that old Ryobi charges should not be used to charge their Lithium Ion line. There is, however, one exception, as 18v chargers marked Dual Chemistry can be used to charge both styles of battery. If you're interested, Ryobi does sell a Dual Chemistry charger, offering them right alongside their standard 18V One+ lithium ion chargers.