Craft

Ryobi Cordless Saws

Cheap portable power saws

Cordless power tools are obviously the way to go. I have a drill but what I really wanted was a portable cordless circular saw and sawzall. All instant cutting, no cords.

After eyeing the pro tool sections for years, I’ve finally got my wish with an inexpensive set of cordless tools from Ryobi. For $150 I got an 18 volt system with a cordless circular saw, a cordless reciprocating saw, a cordless drill/driver and two batteries. (A lamp is thrown in, too.) The driver is standard but the saws are a treat. I grab a cordless saw and charge out to the backyard, or garage without having to unwind a trailing extension cord. Zip, zap. Then back in their box. Neither tool is super powerful or industrial strength. Just zippy enough for weekend projects (nothing thicker than a 2 x 4), but cheap! Fine with me since I don’t use them every day.

The battery charge lasted beyond my usual chores of cutting up plywood, rebar or pipe, and so on. I have not pushed them to their limits yet. I have an issue with the buttons on the reciprocating sawzall, but otherwise each tool is easy to handle. They yield astounding quality for the price.

The handiness of a cordless power saw, like all great tools, urges me to take on stuff I would otherwise not do.

-- KK 10/3/08

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