5 Lesser-Known Ryobi Tools That Any Homeowner Would Find Useful

When you're shopping for just about any kind of product online, the sensible thing is to prioritize products that have a high degree of user feedback. After all, if a product can maintain a good rating in the face of thousands of user reviews, that definitely says something about its overall quality. That said, sometimes it can pay to be a little adventurous in your shopping.

Take, for example, the many tools produced by the Ryobi hardware brand. If you were shopping for Ryobi tools at Home Depot, you'd probably stick mostly to the well-known, highly-rated tools like drills, drivers, saws, lights, and so on. If you're only looking at the absolute best of the best, though, you might be missing the proverbial forest for the trees. 

If you dig a little bit deeper, look for tools that aren't quite as universally known, you might just stumble upon something that could end up being surprisingly helpful in your day-to-day life. Homeowners probably already have an array of vital tools for all kinds of handiwork, but there might just be a few more Ryobi tools out there that could help in more niche situations. 

For more information on how we selected these products, check out our methodology at the bottom of the page.

If you have carpeting in your home at all, then there will almost invariably be an instance where it ends up with an unsightly stain. Whatever the cause, if you attempt to tackle that spot by hand, not only are you going to scrape up your knuckles, it might not even work.

A potentially more reliable option would be Ryobi's Mid Size Spot Cleaner. This small cleaning tool is kind of like a more specialized vacuum; rather than just sucking up dirt, it spits out cleaning solution in a rapid stream to deep-clean the nooks and crevices of a gross carpet spot, then sucks it all back up. Like many of Ryobi's products, this tool is powered by the brand's ONE+ battery packs, so you don't need to find an outlet to plug it into. In addition to its standard spraying and suction head, the tool also comes with two brush inserts for handling different kinds of stains, as well as a crevice tool for cleaning in tight confines.

With a 4.7 out of five rating based on 184 reviews, Home Depot shoppers generally agree this tool is perfect for home cleaning use. Users appreciate the power of both the water stream and the suction, and attest to the full removal of any spots it's used on.

Certain kinds of yard work involve a lot of throwing around large amounts of granular substances. In the spring, that means throwing seeds out onto a burgeoning grass patch, and in the winter, it's sprinkling salt on icy patches on the walkway. It's tedious work, as you need to either lug around a giant sack of seed or salt or constantly walk back and forth to the sack. There's also the constant strain on your hands and fingers from trying to flick it all out.

If you need to perform spreading work in the yard, that is what Ryobi made the 1 Gallon Spreader for. This battery-powered, motorized spreading tool allows you to carry a gallon of whatever grainy stuff you need to scatter around and launch it out in a wide arc. The fertilizer, seed, weed control, or ice melt goes into the large tub on the top, while the mechanism funnels it down and spreads it out the bottom in a 5-foot fan spray. This tool is rated for around 5,000 square feet of work on a single 18V battery charge, though you can control exactly how much stuff sprays out using the knob on the side.

This product has a 4.2 out of five rating based on reviews from 984 Home Depot shoppers. Shoppers appreciate how easy the tool is to hold and use, as well as its compatibility with all kinds of fine particulates. Some users do caution, however, that it may not be able to properly dispense thick, heavy salt or ice melt.

For new homeowners, a vacuum is a must for keeping your investment clean. Vacuums are also vital if you have pets, as they're likely going to be doing quite a bit of shedding.

Ryobi offers a variety of vacuum tools for various purposes, but one of the models meant for general-purpose cleaning is the WHISPER Series Stick Vacuum. This vacuum is thin and compact, yet also boasts one of the brand's more powerful vacuum motors for thorough cleaning and pickup. Its HEPA filter captures the majority of contaminants, while its pet-rated roller bar tears up captured hair and fur without tangling. As a part of the WHISPER series, it's also generally quieter than similar models, which is nice if you need to clean in the early morning or at night.

This product has a 4.1 out of five user rating at Home Depot based on 203 reviews. Users were surprised by the strength and efficacy of such a thin, relatively-small vacuum cleaner, and how well it handles regular use. Some users note that it's not as strong as something like a Dyson vacuum, but it is cheaper, which is still a selling point.

If you have a backyard, and especially if you have kids, there's probably some manner of fun time shenanigans going on back there now and then. For such situations, there generally needs to be a lot of inflating going on, from pumping up basketballs and those big bouncy hopper things to blowing up floats and water wings for the pool. Even outside the backyard, there's also the occasional inflation job to worry about elsewhere, such as an air mattress for guests, an inflatable Santa for the holidays, and even just your car tires. It's brutal to try to handle all of that with just your mouth, and you probably don't have a bike pump unless you already own a bicycle.

For various inflating purposes, Ryobi offers the Dual Function Inflator/Deflator. This battery-powered tool offers both high-pressure inflation for car tires and balls and high-volume inflation for blowing up large objects and decorations. It comes with six different valves and nozzles, so it should be able to fit most inflatable objects. It uses a digital pressure gauge to pre-set a desired PSI level, shutting down automatically upon reaching the level to prevent over inflating. All of this also works in reverse for when you need to store toys and decorations away for the season.

457 Home Depot shoppers have collectively given this tool a 4.5 out of five rating. Customers have attested to its ability to handle most inflatables, especially car tires on the road. The only real sticking point one user had is that the storage system for the various nozzles is somewhat unwieldy.

When the snow starts falling on and around your home, it needs to be dealt with promptly to ensure you can still reach vital walkways and your driveway, at least without getting yourself hurt. That means bundling up and tackling it with a big plastic snow shovel. Nobody likes shoveling snow, as it's exhausting and can take a very long time, but it always needs to be done if you live in a snow-prone location.

Ryobi's Electric Snow Shovel is meant to make this tedious process slightly less so. This tool is kind of like a combination of a snow blower and a weed whacker — the head has a spinning intake that grabs snow, then flings it far away. This tool is rated for piled-up snow up to 12 inches wide and 6 inches deep, so it can help to clear away a standard winter's snowfall from a walkway or deck. The trigger has two speed settings for more control, and the head is also equipped with a pair of wheels you can move along the ground for additional stability.

265 Home Depot shoppers have given this tool a collective rating of four out of five. While some users have said that the initial setup and learning curve for the Electric Shovel is a little difficult, those who have gotten it working were able to make short work of piled-up snow on driveways and sidewalks.

As we mentioned, checking online for a combination of high scores and plentiful reviews is a good policy, but it's not the only policy. That's why, to find the preceding items, we selected from Ryobi products available at Home Depot with at least a four out of five user rating, but less than 1,000 user reviews.