10 Ryobi Products You Didn't Realize You Shouldn't Buy Secondhand

Ryobi has been around for a lot longer than many folks realize. The company started as an automobile components manufacturer before moving into tools in the 1970s. You most likely recognize Ryobi for its nuclear yellow color scheme that it uses on most of its modern tools, which makes it an instantly recognizable part of any aisle at your local Home Depot. They are best known as a cheap and effective lineup of tools for home DIY use. After all, you don't need a professional-level drill to hang a picture or an industrial saw to cut a few pieces of crown moulding. 

Since the brand is popular with DIY folks in a non-professional setting, it's only natural that a lot of Ryobi's tools end up in the used market once the original owner no longer has a need for it. While it can be great to pick up Ryobi tools on the cheap, it's not always the best option. After all, not everyone who sells used items online is honest. Plus, with such a wide range of tools, there are certain Ryobi products you should avoid. As such, it may be better to head into the used market with a good idea of what to buy and what to avoid. 

So, here are some Ryobi tools you should probably avoid on the open market. In general, when going shopping for stuff online, you'll want to avoid the usual red flags, like eBay listings that only use product photos and product listings that are vague or lack information about the tool itself. Those simple tips along with the list below should help you avoid buying a lemon Ryobi tool used. 

Buying used batteries comes with risk no matter which brand sells them, and Ryobi is no exception. Like most power tool manufacturers, Ryobi has been at this for a long time and that means that some of their batteries are paleolithic in terms of battery age. The brand also has a variety of battery sizes, including 12V, 18V, and 40V, and they've been using those combinations for a very long time. Ryobi proudly says on its website that they began their One+ 18V lineup in 1996. That means there are 18V batteries out there that are nearly 30 years old at this point. 

Buying old batteries carries risk because batteries degrade as they age. The older a battery gets, the lower its maximum charge. Eventually, the battery becomes too weak to hold a charge at all and then you have to replace it. This is what makes shopping for used batteries online a little difficult. Batteries that get used more often will lose their charge faster than ones that don't. Since many folks don't adhere to the tips and tricks necessary to prolong the life of their batteries, you can bet your bottom dollar that few — if any — used batteries on the market have been properly maintained. 

That isn't to say that used Ryobi batteries are universally bad. If you do go shopping for one, ask the seller to look at the date of manufacture. It should be located on the sticker label on each battery. As long as the battery is relatively new, it should be okay. 

Ryobi sells a lot of tools but most of them use the same types of batteries. In general, Ryobi sells 18V and 40V tools. The 18V tools tend to be power tools like drills, impact wrenches, and things like that while the 40V tools tend to be yard tools like mowers, string trimmers, and leaf blowers. If you're shopping used, you may run across a lot of Ryobi's old 12V tools as people sell their old tools to make way for new ones. 

There isn't anything intrinsically wrong with 12V tools. In fact, the vast majority of the ones you'll find use still function properly with few issues. However, there are some things you should know before buying them. For starters, Ryobi only ever sold a handful of 12V tools, although that does includes Ryobi's awesome auto hammer. So, if you wanted to start a tool collection that used the same batteries, 18V is the better way to go. Additionally, Ryobi has discontinued its lineup of 12V tools, so you'll be buying products that the brand doesn't support anymore.

Perhaps the biggest reason to possibly avoid 12V tools is because Ryobi doesn't sell replacement batteries for them anymore. You can buy third-party replacements relatively easily on Amazon and other retailers, but there's no telling how long this support will continue to last. You can likely find official Ryobi 12V batteries floating around, but they are all aged and we've already talked about why aging batteries aren't the best idea to buy used. You'll get longer support and more battery options if you step up to the 18V collection instead.

Aside from deprecation, there are other reasons to steer clear of older or discontinued Ryobi tools. The biggest reason is that the 18V lineup exists. There are several good reasons to swing for the newer models with the more powerful batteries. For starters, we looked around and were able to find an 18V power drill for less than $10 more than a 12V drill when buying used on. For something that may sit in your garage for years, we think the extra few bucks is a good investment to get the more modern drill. 

The other big reasons is power. I own a 12V Ryobi drill and it's been delightful for simple tasks like hanging pictures on the wall or drilling holes in dry wall. However, I also own an 18V drill from another manufacturer and if I need something tougher done, that's the drill I always reach for. In short, 18V tools are almost universally more powerful than their 12V counterparts thanks to the higher power capabilities. So, while you do lose the versatility of having a more compact 12V tool, you'll gain more versatility in terms of actual power. 

Since Ryobi's 18V tools are more powerful than their 12V counterparts and are only marginally more expensive, it's probably a good idea to shop for 18V tools over 12V tools. There are exceptions, though. Ryobi has yet to release an 18V auto hammer so if you want one of those, the 12V variant is your only option. 

Ryobi's tools range from fairly inexpensive to hundreds of dollars. When shopping used, this context actually does matter. If you're looking for something pricier, like a $400 One+ HP Brushless Miter Saw, then yeah, going used can potentially save you quite a bit of money. Even drills and other smaller power tools can be up to 50% off or more if you buy them used instead of new. These are all good deals on the face of it. However, for many of Ryobi's less expensive tools, spending more and buying new is the superior idea. 

Let's use a real-world example. As of this writing, an 18V Ryobi Cordless Drill costs $79 on its own and it's currently on sale for $59 at Home Depot. The exact same drill used on eBay in reasonably good condition is running for around $35. So, you're saving about $24, which is approximately 40% off. Not a bad deal, right? However, the eBay listing is only for the tool. If you spent the extra $24 on a brand-new version on sale, you get the tool, a 1.5 Ah 18V One+ Battery, a charger for the battery, and Ryobi's three-year warranty. The battery alone goes for $49.95 new on Ryobi's website and that's without a charger. 

You see where this is going. When you start shopping for things under $100, it's very often more economical to spring an extra few dollars and buy a tool new over buying the same tool used. Plus, Ryobi's tools go on sale fairly frequently, especially during holidays, so a little patience will nab you a brand-new tool under warranty and whatever extras that come with it for not much more than you would spend if you bought it used. 

This one may seem obvious but for some folks, it isn't common knowledge for everyone. There are handy people out there who will intentionally buy things used and broken at a steep discount, fix them up, and then either use them or resell them. For some types of products, this is a sound business model. After all, people often do this with smartphones by refurbishing the phone and selling it back. However, for Ryobi tools we recommend you pass on that business model. 

The reason why is because Ryobi isn't always great with fixes and replacement parts. We found myriad complaints about people waiting weeks or even months for replacement parts to arrive or for faulty tools to be repaired and sent back. Thus, while you may get a great deal on a used tool that isn't functioning, you may be waiting longer than anticipated for the parts to come in for you to fix it. In most cases, it's faster, although more costly, to buy other broken tools and simply Frankenstein the parts. 

So, while it is certainly an option, we don't imagine most people will opt for it. The remaining folks should have their fair warning. Ryobi isn't the best brand for DIY refurbishing, whether to sell or use, unless you have a larger operation that already does this sort of work. You're better off buying used or new than you are trying to skirt the system and fix very inexpensive broken Ryobi tools. 

The Ryobi 18V One+ Xenon Hi-Beam may seem like a sound decision to buy at first. It's super bright, can spread its light over a wide area, and it uses the same Xenon lighting that some cars do. However, this is one you may want to stay away from if you're buying it used. The most obvious reason is because this is not the best Ryobi flashlight you can get. Reviews of the product cited inconsistent lighting from one flashlight to the next and this particular model wasn't very good at throwing light long distances. 

That's probably the reason Ryobi discontinued this model despite its use of the modern 18V One+ battery system. The other reason is Ryobi has a superior LED spotlight available both on its website and at Home Depot. This upgraded model seems to shore up the weaknesses of the prior model with near perfect reviews across the board in terms of brightness and how far the flashlight can effectively shine. Ryobi says that the newer flashlight is 20% brighter and has an effective difference of 650 yards. It's also compatible with Ryobi's existing 18V One+ battery system, which makes finding replacement batteries easy.

So, while the Xenon Hi-Beam is an okay product, you'll get more bang for your buck if you get the upgraded model, even if it's a little more expensive. Plus, it's under $100 new for just the flashlight, which means you can probably just go ahead and get this one off of the store shelves instead of Facebook Marketplace. 

The Ryobi Garage Door Opener was a pretty neat concept when it first came out. It employed a battery backup that was compatible with existing One+ products, so your garage door would work even in a power outage. There were also some other features that made ease of use much better and it honestly competed with the big garage door opener brands. If you were able to score one of these when they were new, it was a nice system to have and even the LED light on the bottom was bright enough to light up most garages.

Unfortunately, Ryobi ran afoul of those big garage door opener brands, collectively known as The Chamberlain Group. Those brands sued Ryobi successfully, causing Ryobi to discontinue the garage door opener. The lawsuit was around two patents that Ryobi violated, which caused the judge to force Ryobi to stop selling the product. The discontinuation had some negative effects on folks who already owned the garage door opener, as software support ceased and some of the features and customers can't connect to Ryobi servers anymore. In short, even if you got one, you may not be able to use even half of its features. 

So, with that in mind, it's probably better to pass up on this one. It was a neat product when it came out and had plenty of positive reviews. However, without that software support, there are better garage door openers for the money that are easier to fiddle with if need be.

In all fairness to Ryobi, there isn't much wrong with its handheld paint sprayer. It's excellent for small tasks like painting some house trim pieces or other small, DIY projects. However, like many Ryobi products mentioned on this list, Ryobi discontinued it some time ago and it can no longer be purchased in new condition except from resellers, where stock is dwindling. So, based on that premise alone, it would be wise to look elsewhere for your handheld paint sprayer needs. 

There are two other things to take into consideration as well. The first is the finicky nature of paint sprayers in general. There are many ways to break them, up to and including not cleaning them out properly. It's nearly impossible to know how well a paint sprayer was maintained before it hits the open market and if someone didn't rinse their paint sprayer out properly before selling it, it'll clog and jam up on you within the first few uses. Since paint sprayers are a serious pain to unclog, you're better off not wasting your time with a used one unless you can verify that the seller properly cleaned and maintained theirs. 

The second reason is because handheld paint sprayers are available in great abundance in both corded and cordless varieties and most of them cost less than $200. So, it's likely a good idea to bite the bullet and get a new one so you can ensure it's properly cleaned and maintained from its very first use. It'll relieve you of potential headaches down the line. 

Before shopping used, it's a good idea to check out open box and refurbished Ryobi tools. You can often get a like-new item at a discount from its brand-new counterpart while also often getting the same goodies that come with a new one. For example, here is our old friend, the 18V cordless drill open box deal on eBay for $45 that comes with the spare battery and charger. That drill is $79 brand new when not on sale with the same goodies, so that's a hefty discount and the only thing you don't get is the warranty. 

There are also some websites like Ryobi Deal Finders that are dedicated to selling open box and refurbished Ryobi tools specifically. Stock on such sites rotates based on availability so you won't be able to find every Ryobi tool there. However, they do have plenty of options and they are less expensive than they would cost brand new. Since they are refurbished, whatever was wrong with them out of the factory will have been fixed, which means there's a chance the product will last longer than normal. Such websites also have sales of their own, offering deeper discounts. 

Going open box or refurbished isn't always the best choice. After all, it is in the nature of mass-produced goods that some products are simply going to last longer than the exact same product made several days later on the same assembly line. With that said, refurbished and open box deals offer the same risks and rewards as used, so it's a good idea to include them in your search for tools. 

At the end of the day, the vast majority of Ryobi tools are perfectly fine to buy used, provided that they were well taken care of by their prior owner. I have personally owned several Ryobi tools for many years and all of them still work. One such purchase was a used Ryobi 40W lawnmower that I purchased shortly after I bought my home from an older neighbor who was moving into a retirement home. That lawnmower has worked perfectly fine for the last five years once I sharpened the blades. I have since added a string trimmer and leaf blower to the collection and they all work like the day I bought them.

Anecdotal evidence like this is just one example but if Ryobi products were so bad that buying them used presented a chronic issue, you'd be able to find thousands of Reddit threads and social media posts about it. We did tons of searching to research this article were unable to find any examples of used Ryobi tools being intrinsically bad. The only time a specific product from Ryobi is bad to buy used is if the product itself was poorly conceived or if the product was discontinued, making replacement parts, support, or batteries hard to find. The Xenon Hi-Beam is a great example of the former while the garage door opener is a perfect example of the latter. 

So, if you're on the fence about that tool you saw on eBay, there is a greater than average chance that the tool will be fine. Just be cautious — as you would any other purchase of a used item.