Ryobi Brushless P238, P423, P508 & P517 - The new Ryobi Brushless impact driver, circular saw, angle grinder and reciprocating saw are a big hit due to the price for the average DIY person to get into brushless tools. We took each of the Ryobi brushless tools and put them through their paces in our YouTube video! Our goal is to provide information on the capabilities of these tools. As we state in the video, we highly recommend using the 4.0Ah battery (or higher) with these tools. If you do not want to invest in the larger capacity battery, we would suggest that you do not upgrade to these tools. Below are some features of each tool and our opinions.
Ryobi P238 18-Volt One+ 1/4 in. Brushless Impact Driver
Brushless motor
Compatible with lithium+ HP batteries
3-speed switch - high speed: 0-3,100 RPM, medium speed: 0-2,150 RPM, low speed: 0-1,100 RPM
Powerful - 2,200 in./lbs. torque
Up to 4,350 IPM (impacts per minute)
Tri-LED lights
1/4 in. auto-load chuck
New grip zone with micro-texture
Belt clip mounts to either side of tool
Magtray magnetic holder
The Ryobi P238 18-Volt One+ 1/4 in. Brushless Impact Driver is the best Ryobi tool we have used to date with all the power one could ask for from an impact driver. This tool took 6" lag bolts and buried them in our tests over and over in a very respectable time. There was a large difference in performance when used with a compact battery.
Ryobi P423 18-Volt One+ Cordless 4-1/2" Brushless Cut-Off Tool/Angle Grinder
Brushless motor
Compatible with lithium+ HP batteries
Versatile design is perfect for cutting or grinding applications
Lock-on switch
Compact design
Gripzone over mold with micro-texture
3-position side handle
Onboard storage for spanner wrench
Spindle lock for quick easy wheel change
The Ryobi P423 18-Volt One+ Cordless 4-1/2" Brushless Cut-Off Tool/Angle Grinder gives the DIY crowd a nice tool for ditching the cord and working on smaller jobs. In our use, we found this tool to give good power when grinding and sanding but was a bit finicky when it came to cutting. With occasional timeouts, we were able to get the job done. This is not a tool one would want to run with a compact battery in any situation.
Ryobi P508 18-Volt One+ 7-1/4" Brushless Circular Saw
26% increased cut capacity
Brushless motor
LED light illuminates cut line
Full-size 7-1/4 in. blade
Spindle lock for quick and easy blade changes
24T ultra thin kerf carbide-tipped blade
Compatible with lithium+ HP batteries
Gripzone over mold with micro-texture
0-56-degree bevel cut capacity
Left-mount blade
Dust blower keeps cut line clear and visible
On-board wrench storage
Front pommel handle with over mold for 2-handed operation
The Ryobi P508 18-Volt One+ 7-1/4" Brushless Circular Saw is a huge upgrade over their standard model circular saw. The design is excellent and the adjustments and blade changes are done quickly and easily. This saw cross cut like a champ with the 24 tooth blade that is included. The saw struggled when ripping sheet goods and dimensional lumber. we detail this more in the video, but this saw has good power and needs to have the large battery to run.
Ryobi P517 18-Volt One+ Brushless Reciprocating Saw
Brushless motor
Compatible with LITHIUM+ HP batteries
Stay-open blade clamp
Orbital action switch
Anti-vibe handle
LED light
Gripzone over mold with micro-texture
Adjustable, pivoting shoe allows depth-of-cut control
Variable speed trigger
Die-cast aluminum gear housing
The Ryobi P517 18-Volt One+ Brushless Reciprocating Saw has a 1-1/8" stroke with 3,200 strokes per minute making this saw a beast! Easily put in the correct blade with the tool-free blade holding system and enjoy a nice saw. Ther is a switch on the side to change between orbital and standard cutting. the variable speed trigger allows the user to get the correct speed for cutting any material. We had some time-out issues with this saw with the compact battery and suggest using the larger battery to really get the full use out of this tool!
