Ryobi P236 18V ONE+ Li-ion Impact Driver
Ryobi P236 18V ONE+ Li-ion Impact Driver
If you're one of those DIYers that still questions your need for a cordless impact driver, pay attention. Or, if you're one of those tool skeptics that questions the value of consumer-class tools, pay even closer attention.
I've heard your arguments and I reject them.
"I have a perfectly good drill, I don't need an impact driver."
To you I say: You're not trying hard enough. Of course, I am willing to concede this point if your home improvement aspirations don't soar any higher than installing curtain rods. But if you ever imagine that you might need to drive multiple screws into unyielding material, you're going to want what this tool has to offer. Likewise, if you can imagine yourself ever dismantling a structure that's held together with rusted, seized-up hardware, I promise you this tool will erase your doubts and earn your admiration.
"I only buy the tools the pros buy, that way I know I'm getting quality."
Go ahead, buy the premium tools. You won't be disappointed, they're worth every dime. But so is food, and clothing, and shelter. And you may have heard that the dollar doesn't go as far as it used to. So why overspend them on tools? Honestly, unless you make your living with power tools, you're not likely to notice a meaningful difference between this impact driver and one that costs two- to three-times as much.
Weighing in at just under three pounds and cranking out up to 1,600 in./lbs. of torque, this DIY dynamo is more than able to power through the most demanding projects in and around the house.
I had a chance to put mine to work hanging vertical steel siding as part of a barn makeover. Not the average DIY project, to be sure, but I was curious to see how the tool would handle the load. And after two full days of driving countless self-tapping sheet metal screws, I'm utterly impressed.
The short, small diameter screws certainly didn't tax the power of the tool, but I did gain an appreciation of the stamina packed into the 18-volt Lithium Ion batteries. And I was grateful to be using such relatively lightweight and compact tool while my counterparts lugged their full-sized cordless drills up and down the ladders and scaffolding.
Additionally, our worksite was less than hospitable – a partially frozen, mostly muddy quagmire, really. And while I'm not one to be careless with my tools, drops do happen when fatigue starts to set in. I don't recall my impact driver hitting the ground more than a couple times and not from any fatal heights, but it's reassuring to know that I don't need to baby this tool to keep it running.
Likewise, I was pleased with the variable-speed trigger because, while it's easy to think of impact drivers as being all about power, they need to offer a worthwhile level of control also. This one does.
Ryobi's tag line is “Pro Features. Affordable Prices,” and I feel comfortable saying this tool embodies that spirit. It's powerful, durable, relatively compact, reasonably weighted, and decked out with niceties like the “tri-beam l.e.d.” work light, a magnetic hardware tray, and a set of rubber overmolds that give the tool a substantial feel.
My favorite feature, though, has to be the auto-load chuck. Just push a hex-shank bit into place the chuck virtually snatches it out of your hand locks it into place. I'm not real sure about the spring-loaded removal feature of the chuck. I actually shot a couple bits into the mud before I started remembering how springy this thing really is. That's a great feature on jigsaws and recip saws when you want to eject hot blades, but I don't see that as an issue with driver bits. But then again, maybe I'm just not trying hard enough!
But that's the beauty of impact drivers – they do the trying for you! Check this one out. It's worth more than they're asking for it.
For more information on the Ryobi P236 Impact Driver: Ryobi Site
Amazon Purchase Link ($69.99 tool only @ post) : CLICK HERE
Home Depot Pricing/Purchase Link: CLICK HERE