11 Ryobi Products That Could Come In Handy In An Emergency

The real threat of emergency conditions exists no matter where you call home. From the natural disasters that place residents of every corner of the country at risk during peak seasonal windows to the emergency repairs that suddenly spring up as a result of standard wear and tear, there's always something you'll find yourself dealing with on short notice. You might need to quickly pump water out of a flooded basement or keep perishable food goods cold while the power is out after a storm. It's entirely possible that you'll face off against a man-made emergency, too, like a baseball-induced broken window in the dead of winter or a faulty pipe that leads to a steady leak down one of your interior walls.

Even with the reality that you'll eventually need to face down an emergency, there's plenty of gear that can help you weather the storm (or accident). Ryobi tools have long offered cutting edge solutions to a bevy of problem areas. Plenty of Ryobi builds feature high-tech inclusions that go above and beyond what you may have thought possible, while others are new to the catalog yet pack a huge punch when handling everyday tasks and emergency calls alike. No matter your emergency needs, these Ryobi tools are purpose built to get the job done when the pressure is on.

Kicking things off, a power supply is a must-have solution in virtually any emergency situation. There are a variety of Kobalt, DeWalt, and Milwaukee tools perfect for use in a power outage, but a trusted power station like Ryobi's 18V ONE+ 1,800-Watt Power Station can't be beat. The tool weighs 24 pounds and operates with the help of four 18V Ryobi batteries. Once you've got the power station up and running, it can supply critical power to a host of tools, appliances, and devices. With USB and standard power output connections, the device can power a full-sized fridge for up to 28 hours, or provide juice to your laptop, TV, and other entertainment or work gear. The power station can be charged with a solar hookup, and features Ryobi's hot swap functionality that allows you to exchange batteries when needed without cutting power to your connected devices.

The power producer runs quietly, avoiding the creation of a disturbance in your home or around elsewhere when it's being used. It generates zero emissions (as a diesel generator would, for instance), making it a clean power option to use in a pinch. For emergency preparers, there's no substitute for a durable, portable, and powerful energy provider that can kick into gear at a moment's notice. What's more, the power station is both capable and light enough to work as a portable generator option for camping or road tripping when traditional power production isn't available.

When everything goes belly up, it's important to know that you've got a way to keep your food cold. This can be the difference between throwing away a grocery haul's worth of food and starting from scratch or maintaining comfort and budgetary balance with protected meats, dairy products, and more. Keeping your refrigerator door closed while the power is out will help preserve what's left of the cold air trapped within its cavernous interior space. But there's only so much the insulated fridge can do when the power cuts out and continued cooling isn't possible. Eventually, the goods within your fridge will fall prey to the warming temperatures within the apparatus. But this race against the clock when waiting for the power to be turned back on doesn't have to feel like a minefield. Ryobi's 18V ONE+ 21-Quart Hybrid Power Cooler can chill a full load of refrigerated or frozen goods down to -4 degrees Fahrenheit. It maintains its chill with the help of two 18V batteries and can provide 35 hours of uninterrupted operation when paired with a duo of 8Ah Ryobi battery packs.

The cooler features a USB-A port for small device charging in a pinch, too, and includes compatibility with a car adaptor and 120V wall adaptor for use beyond just emergency situations that call for portable battery power. The LCD screen gives users a clear window into the performance of the cooler with temperature controls and a battery monitoring gauge.

Getting the car started in inclement weather or simply after a battery dies is made all the more drastic if you don't have the right equipment on hand. If your car doesn't have a reliable power source to get the engine started (perhaps your battery is acting up and needs a replacement) these kinds of situations become all the more desperate. Even worse, there's always the freak circumstance that sees everything go wrong at the worst possible moment. A completely fine battery might pick the day you evacuate ahead of a storm to kick the bucket. With a jump starter tool in your arsenal, this worry is one less headache to think about.

Ryobi calls the 18V ONE+ Jump Starter Kit "the industry's first jump starter within a cordless system," and notes that it can be leveraged to get your car going up to 20 times with just a single 2Ah Ryobi battery for the 18V ONE+ system. This means that stopping to get gas (necessitating an engine cut off) won't put you back in danger of getting stuck. Jumper cables are a key inclusion in your trunk, but they won't help you if there's no one around to give you a boost. Ryobi's jump starter delivers 1,600 peak amps and can provide a critical jolt in temperatures as low a -4 degrees Fahrenheit. The quick starter allows you to go from stranded to engine on in 60 seconds or less.

Snow might offers endless fun for kids, but it can create some destructive conditions, too. Snow is slippery, heavy, and can wall in communities if left unchecked. When the snow is particularly bad, some people are occasionally forced to admit defeat and ride out the weather at home — or wherever they might find themselves.

Because snow buildup can be so detrimental when left unchecked, it's important for homeowners to own a big of snow clearing equipment for the area around their property. Getting out of the driveway can pose a real hazard if you're someone who needs to get to doctors' appointments, the office, or out to the store for emergency provisions. No matter what your need in the moment, the ability to leave the house can make a huge difference when it matters. The Ryobi 40V HP Brushless Whisper Series 24-Inch Two-Stage Snow Blower Kit delivers more power than a snow blower operating on a 252cc gas engine, and it's 35% quieter. The blower can throw snow up to 55 feet and features a 24-inch width and 21-inch clearing depth to handle even the most immense snow buildup around your home. The blower can provide up to 45 minutes of runtime when using 6Ah batteries across all four active ports, enough time to clear 31 car spaces in a parking lot or neighborhood community, offering reliable power to get the job done and help out your neighbors.

Quick fixes to small problems are a key resource in any renter or homeowner's wheelhouse. The ability to tackle a problem while its still small is a great way to head off emergencies that can grow into major trouble. A versatile solution in your toolbox is an overwhelmingly valuable ally in this effort. The Ryobi USB Lithium Multi-Head Screwdriver is a wonderful option in this regard. With multiple, interchangeable drive heads that provide right angle, offset, and standard fastening power, as well as a 10-piece bit set, the screwdriver offers a range of fastening application solutions for all kinds of emergency repairs in a hurry.

What makes the Ryobi screwdriver stand out is its battery pack. The tool operates on a USB-rechargeable lithium battery that slots into the tool. This gives it a tiny overall footprint compared to a typical installation driver. It's compact, taking up minimal space in your toolkit, but offers enough driving force to repair all manner of troubles around the house, in the car, or on the go. This tool won't serve you very well as an everyday driver for standard building applications, but as a go-to electric screwdriver for use when things start to go haywire, it's easy to charge and utilize, is reliable, and is immensely portable.

The Ryobi 18V ONE+ Whisper Series High Volume Inflator Kit is key in any emergency go bag. It can rapidly inflate an air mattress (delivering a full fill for a queen size mattress in under 90 seconds) and doubles as a debris clearer tool when necessary. The inflator is part of Ryobi's Whisper Series, meaning it's uniquely quiet when in use. The tool is great for filling up pool toys and other recreational gear, but it's a major benefit when time is of the essence and you need to be quick about your set up and breakdown efforts to stay ahead of a storm or take a rest while on the move. Inflation of air mattresses can really take it out of you using lung power.

A fast inflation saves you when you need it most — after traveling from home in a hurry and driving to a safe location to wait out a weather event, perhaps. Deflation is also rapid, meaning it's simple to pack up and get moving again when you need to hit the road. As a debris blower, this tool can come in handy when making emergency repairs. Cleaning an area rapidly in order to assess the damage that a break or leak has caused allows you to diagnose an issue quickly and effectively. The Ryobi inflator might not be one of the first things you think of, but it should sit prominently in your kit.

In the event of a power outage during the winter months, keeping your home heated is essential. The Texas power outage that left residents across the state reeling in the winter of 2021 taught EV owners a hard lesson, but it also highlighted the need to invest in emergency power production options. People across the state fought to keep their homes warm enough to just survive in a truly tragic grid failure that affected millions of Americans. One option that people can bring into the fold is the Ryobi 18V ONE+ Hybrid Forced Air Propane Heater. Connected to a propane tank, the heating unit is able to generate up to 60,000 BTU across a coverage area of 2,500 square feet. It's the perfect small scale heating solution for outdoor events in colder weather, band makes for a tremendous emergency heat producer in the event of an outage that throws your home into chaos. The tool features Ryobi's hybrid power technology so that it can run on a wired connection from an outlet (if power remains available but your heating supply is out), or provide heat through the use of a Ryobi 18V ONE+ battery. The heater is compact and built with a steel body for solid durability. The 15-foot hose length allows for mobile heat without forcing you to carry the tank around, yet, with a 20-pound tank, up to 12 hours of essential heating can be achieved.

Tool organization and storage doesn't typically feature highly on a list of crucial tools to grab in an emergency. But the reality is that the thing you'll be grabbing when tacking an emergency repair or quickly packing up the car to hit the road ahead of an evacuation is a tool bag. No emergency prepper would be caught dead lugging load after load of key tools and supplies out to the car. Instead, organizing everything necessary to solve the problem at hand should be organized and accounted for. A tool bag is one of the key resources that helps make this happen.

The Ryobi Link 17-Inch Tool Bag features 39 pockets inside and out, and adds an adjustable divider to help you organize your essentials in any way that best suits your collection and needs. The outer walls are built to withstand the rigors of even the most demanding building site, too, so the bag is primed and ready for action when any number of emergency situations come calling. Organizationally, the Link bag is great for both larger power tools like your USB lithium screwdriver kit or inflator tool, and small hand tools like a ratchet set or Stanley knife. Loading up to the 60-pound weight capacity is likely to give you all the space you need to fully gear up to handle a sudden evacuation call or an emergency leak in the basement alike.

A light source can make all the difference in an emergency situation. Whether you're crawling around in the attic trying to fix a wiring fault or taking off into the unknown ahead of an incoming wildfire, illuminating the world around you eases the tension and helps make sense of whatever lies ahead. You might not need a light to get driving on the highway, but a small, maneuverable light source can come in incredibly handy when someone drops their phone down between the seats and stopping to retrieve it isn't an option. Likewise, a light that's easy to work with can make all manner of emergency repair jobs far less daunting. The Ryobi USB Lithium LED Magnetic Clamp Light Kit is a solid choice for emergency illumination in tight situations.

The tool is powered by Ryobi's USB Lithium battery technology. Rather than a bulky battery pack and illumination tool, this clip light (with a magnetic clamping base for easy use on metal structures and surfaces) is easy to operate and charges up via an included USB cable rather than an expensive and cumbersome battery charger unit. Featuring 10 hours of continuous runtime, the light offers three brightness levels that reach up to 1,000 lumens for intense lighting in the most demanding of work areas. The head rotates a full 360 degrees and pivots 180 degrees for a versatile solution to the darkness that can throw a wrench into any emergency circumstance.

Plenty of homeowners have discovered a leak in their basement or crawlspace. More still have had to contend with flooding inside the garage or home after a storm hits their area. Many people pile up sandbags or bolster their flood defense in other ways ahead of weather systems like hurricanes, but this isn't always enough to keep the floodwaters from creeping in. A water transfer pump can help reverse the issue when it does occur.

Ryobi's 18V ONE+ 20 GPM Submersible Water Transfer Pump Kit is fully submersible. It can be used to pump out hot or chlorinated water, making it a potentially valuable pool tool, and offers automatic shutdown timer settings and an intelligent detection option that kills the pump when liquid is no longer detected in the target area. It can pump down to 1-1/6^th of an inch, leaving just the remnants of floodwaters left to soak up with a sponge or towel. The transfer pump offers a 1/6 horsepower output and can reach a pump speed of 20 gallons per minute, quickly making short work of whatever flooding trouble you've found in your home. The tool features a separated battery clip segment on the end of a 15-foot cable, allowing you to position the pump right in the thick of it and the power source far enough out of harms way to tackle just about any standing water you might come across.

A chainsaw features heavily in any emergency preparation kit. Your home and belongings can easily become the victim of nature's might if you aren't careful. Falling tree branches are often far heavier than they look, making precarious limbs all the more dangerous when the weather begins to turn. The 40V HP Brushless 18-Inch Chainsaw from Ryobi packs more power than a 40cc gas variant and offers cutting capacity up to 32 inches via a full house chain and automatic oilier. The brushless motor is part of a raft of technologically advanced features, like a mechanical brake and variable speed trigger that combine to provide excellent durability and functionality in the face of any challenge you might encounter.

Your chainsaw is a unique piece of emergency gear in that it's a useful tool that can head off an emergency in certain circumstances, and help solve the problems that come in the aftermath of one, too. Cutting down dangerous tree branches before they have a chance to fall can help you get ready for a disaster scenario, while a chainsaw naturally takes its place among a pantheon of endlessly useful tools after things go sideways.