10 Ryobi Expand-It Attachments To Supercharge Your Home Tool Kit
Offering a huge range of tools at reasonable prices, Ryobi has plenty of fans for a reason. The brand's swappable battery packs will be a familiar sight to any existing Ryobi user, and the brand now offers a wider range of battery pack sizes than ever before, since it recently unveiled a new range of small but useful USB Lithium tools.
Another recent addition to its lineup is the Expand-It system, which promises to make it easier than ever for users with a suitable Ryobi Power Head to add new tools to their setup with minimal hassle. The Expand-It attachments include a range of yard work essentials alongside a few more niche tools that are exclusive to the Expand-It range. The brand continues to add even more tools to the Expand-It lineup, but for now, here are ten of our favorites that can be picked up via Ryobi's website or through authorized retailers.
Ryobi Expand-It 15 Inch Articulating Hedge Trimmer Attachment
A hedge trimmer is a key home landscaping essential, although as a standalone tool, it takes up valuable storage space. Buyers looking to keep their arsenal of tools as compact as possible have an alternative option in the form of the Ryobi Expand-It 15-Inch Articulating Hedge Trimmer Attachment, which is both smaller and lighter than a standalone hedge trimmer. It's also more versatile thanks to the articulating head, which snaps into nine different positions.
With a 15-inch blade, the trimmer is a few inches shorter than Ryobi's standalone hedge trimmers. It's capable of dealing with branches up to 3/4 inch in diameter, which makes it best suited to small to medium sized hedges. To ensure safety when it's not in use, the tool also comes with a protective sheath. The hedge trimmer retails for $149, and like all Ryobi Expand-It attachments, will require a suitable Power Head and battery to function.
Ryobi Expand-It Rubber Broom Attachment
While many Ryobi tools are available as both Expand-It attachments and as standalone tools, the Expand-It Rubber Broom Attachment is completely unique to the Expand-It system. It's designed to remove debris from lawns more quickly and easily than a manual broom, and without damaging the lawn surface. It features a 15.5-inch clearing wheel with rubber paddles that scoop rogue mulch and other detritus back into beds where it belongs.
The broom's wheels are designed to be easy to roll across both lawns and harder surfaces, and the broom can be used on either. A plastic shield finished in Ryobi's signature luminous green stops users from getting debris kicked back towards them while the tool is in use. Since the tool weighs just under 16 pounds, it's also easy to haul back into storage when the job is done. It retails for $199, making it one of the pricier attachments here, but a potentially worthwhile investment for buyers looking for the most pristine lawns.
Ryobi Expand-It Gutter Blower Attachment
Another tool that's exclusive to the Expand-It range is the Ryobi Expand-It Gutter Blower Attachment, which retails for $129. It's capable of producing air speeds of up to 145 mph and volumes of 185 CFM (cubic feet per minute), making it a great for removing all kinds of debris and buildup from gutters. It's versatile too, with a 9.5-foot reach, meaning users will need to reach for a ladder much less often.
It only weighs five pounds, which helps keep it comfortable for use over longer periods. When it's not in use, it can be hung on a wall with Ryobi's innovative mounted storage rack, or kept in a corner thanks to its compact size. The tool's quick change coupler makes it as hassle-free as possible to fit back to the Power Head when it's needed again. Like most of Ryobi's Expand-It attachment range, the tool benefits from a three year limited warranty.
Ryobi Expand-It 8 Inch Cultivator Attachment
Soil preparation can be one of the most thankless parts of home landscaping, particularly for anyone who doesn't have the right tools. Ryobi offers a range of tools to make it less of a chore, including the Ryobi Expand-It 8-Inch Cultivator Attachment. Its adjustable tilling width gives users an extra layer of precision for smaller jobs, while the four steel tines ensure that all soil types can be readily dealt with.
Churning up debris is an inevitable part of the job, but the built-in guard is designed to shield the user from as much of that debris as possible. The tool's all-terrain wheels also make it easier to transport in between jobs. At $149, the cultivator is one of the more affordable Expand-It attachments, and it's notably cheaper than Ryobi's 18V One+ standalone cultivator. The latter offers similar performance but costs $189 excluding a suitable battery and charger.
Ryobi Expand-It 475 CFM Blower Attachment
It might not be the most powerful leaf blower on the market, but for buyers looking to tackle lighter jobs as quickly and conveniently as possible, the Ryobi Expand-It 475 CFM Blower Attachment might be just the ticket. It's one of the most affordable Expand-It attachments to date, retailing for just $99, yet it's capable of a peak air volume of 475 CFM and a peak air speed of 140 mph. It'll tackle light dustings of dry leaves on pathways or lawns, although for wet leaves, it might be worth upgrading to a more potent Ryobi blower.
The brand offers a range of blowers in its lineup, with the most powerful of those being capable of generating air speeds of 190 mph. However, these high end options come at a significantly higher price and, since they're standalone tools, will take up more room in storage than the Expand-It blower. Some buyers prefer to prioritize overall power while others consider affordability and size to be top priority, and for those in the latter camp, the Expand-It blower is the clear winner.
Ryobi Expand-It 10 Inch Brush Cutter Attachment
Another affordable Expand-It attachment is the Ryobi Expand-It 10-Inch Brush Cutter Attachment, which much like the blower, retails for $99. It's capable of cutting through tougher weeds and brush than a string trimmer, allowing users to tackle larger, trickier jobs without the need to buy a second standalone tool. The blade features Ryobi's "Tri-arc" design and is reversible, which helps significantly prolong its life. The tool also comes with a shoulder harness to ensure better user comfort over long periods.
This latest Expand-It brush cutter is one of the most recent additions to Ryobi's lineup, and features several key design improvements over its smaller predecessor. The latest iteration features a 10-inch blade while the older tool makes do with an eight-inch blade, and the newer version also includes a revised guard for better debris protection. The older Expand-It Brush Cutter Attachment is still available to buy from Ryobi's website for the same price as its newer sibling, in case any buyers prefer the older product.
Ryobi Expand-It 18 Inch String Trimmer Attachment
While a brush cutter is great for cutting through tougher foliage, a string trimmer is still the best option when it comes to neatening up tricky lawn corners or hard to reach areas. The Ryobi Expand-It 18-Inch String Trimmer Attachment is therefore an essential for any home landscaper looking for a complete arsenal of Expand-It tools, and at a retail price of $103, it won't break the bank, either.
The cut swath is adjustable up to 18 inches, with a larger swath prioritizing cutting area and a smaller one prioritizing accuracy and battery life. When needed, the line is designed to be easy to reload too, with Ryobi claiming that the process takes less than a minute. Like any good trimmer, it features a guard to keep cut grass from flying up towards the user, and there's also a quick change coupler for easily swapping between attachments between jobs.
Ryobi Expand-It 8 Inch Edger Attachment
Ryobi does offer a standalone 18V One+ Edger, but the brand's Expand-It 8-Inch Edger Attachment is significantly cheaper as well as taking up less storage space. So, for buyers already familiar with the Expand-It line, it's naturally the sensible choice. The Expand-It Edger's eight inch blade offers a cut depth of up to 2.25 inches, but is fully adjustable. Placed on the tool's guard is a handy blade indicator for better cutting accuracy, while the guard itself features a more open design than rival tools. Ryobi claims this helps prevent the buildup of dirt or debris.
An all-terrain wheel means the edger is easy to control, and it's easy to maintain too thanks to the blade's straightforward spindle lock. At a retail price of $99, the edger is also one of the cheapest Expand-It attachments, making it a tempting addition for home landscapers looking to level up their lawn care game without breaking the bank.
Ryobi Expand-It 10 Inch Pole Saw Attachment
SlashGear's ranking of major pole saw brands saw Ryobi fare well, placing fourth, behind only the likes of DeWalt and Milwaukee. Its current lineup offers several variants of its pole saw design, but the one that will appeal most to Expand-It system owners is the Expand-It 10-Inch Pole Saw Attachment. Retailing for $149, the saw is capable of cutting through branches up to eight inches in diameter and at heights of up to 12 feet.
It's equipped with all the standard features buyers expect of a good pole saw — an automatic oiler, a precisely adjustable chain tensioner — and since it's a Ryobi tool, it's bundled with a three year limited warranty, too. Whether it's for occasional or regular use, the saw should make a capable companion for tree maintenance, and one that remains comfortable for use over long periods thanks to the included shoulder strap.
Ryobi Expand-It Sweeper Attachment
Any kind of yard work almost inevitably generates mess, and sweeping up that mess can be a pain. The Ryobi Expand-It Sweeper Attachment promises to make the task a little easier with a 15-inch brush, which features nylon bristles that are effective across a variety of surfaces. A built-in guard keeps swept debris from hitting the operator, while the two all-terrain wheels allow for greater control when the tool is in use. Like most of Ryobi's other Expand-It attachments, it features a quick change coupler to make it easy to swap between attachments.
The sweeper is exclusive to the Expand-It range, with no standalone variant available. At $179, it's one of the most expensive attachments, and an awful lot more expensive than a manual broom. However, for less mobile users looking to keep their yards tidy, or those simply looking to eliminate the strenuous work of manual sweeping, it might just be worth the investment.