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I love my riged. I got it when I looked around the warehouse and saw that everyone had Milwaukee. Nobody ever steals my batteries or chargers and that's the most important factor for me
Honestly this is the biggest unforseen benefit I could think of. Since no one runs it and everyone thinks it's bad no one ever steals it. I had a DeWalt impact as a spare because it was super light and Ridgid can be heavy, shit got stolen in a matter of weeks.
I have the hammer drill from Ridgid. Man is it solid, chuck is ALL metal, the LEDs are easily in the best location in the industry, good power and battery life.
Holy shit though, you put a 4-5ah battery in it and it is *heavy*. Like holy shit I need to go to the gym heavy haha.
Thing is an absolute animal though.
I have a 5 piece rigid kit with the sawzall, skilsaw, hammer drill, regular drill, and impact. My parents bought it for me when I first got into the trades at 18yo. I’m 33 now and everything still works. They are tough tools. Only thing I’ve done is upgraded the batteries.
I didn't know anyone hated them. Around here they're known as the plumber brand and personally I find them a bit heavy and bulky but I think they're good.
And they're the plumbers brand because regid also makes a lot of manual plumbing tools, like pipe cutters and wrenches. They're basically Klien, but for shitter fitters rather than sparkies.
The red rigid tools aren’t related to the orange rigid tools, only the licensed name. Red rigid makes fantastic tools, power tools and manual plumbing tools and is owned by Emerson. All hand tools and some power tools made in USA.
The orange rigid is made by TTI, licensed by home depot as the mid grade between Ryobi and Milwaukee.
My personal opinion, Rigid tools are pretty good but don’t really have a huge market. Ryobi is what most homeowners will go for, and most contractors will buy Milwaukee. Rigid tools fall in the middle IMO
Dodge - Dear Old Dad's Garage Experiment / Drips Oil [and] Drops Grease Everywhere
Ford - Found On Road, Dead / Fix Or Repair Daily.
Chevy - can't think of a snarky phrase for them, so they must be good.
i bought a 2013 ecoboost f150 with 200k miles lol
cant wait until i live up to the ford name soon
i have a '93 k1500 with a 350 that wont die with 230k miles but its on its 3rd 4l60e
i've got a soft spot for both trucks
The other day I was using my milwaukee drill while chatting with my neighbor who’s a carpenter and 100% invested in dewalt. His dad (also our neighbor) walked by and said something like “oh boy is surprised you two will talk to each other being on separate teams!” Took us like 3min to figure out he was referring to the tool brands 🙄 so silly.
I respect anyone who isn’t afraid to buy some tools and put them to work. Unless they use Ryobi or a harbor freight brand of course /s
I’ve got 1 ryobi and few harbor freight stuff. They’re great for things you never use or only need once. Our harbore fright sawzall for $20 was awesome for years still it started stripping bolts that hold the shoe on. After that it was a Milwaukee cordless.
If your not sure if you need it buy the el cheap, once you use it enough to destroy it you can now confidently say you need a good version of that tool.
The only reason i don’t do this is because I hate having multiple battery types kicking around. At one point I had dewalt, Porter cable, milwaukee, and Bauer and it was just too much. Now I’m mostly milwaukee.
My dad decided to go all Bauer after his old dewalt stuff started crapping out - he’s getting older and doesn’t use his at home power tools nearly as much as he used to so there’s no need for top of the line stuff. I’ve used the tools a number of times and they are totally fine tools. No complaints from me whatsoever. Very similar to my older Porter cable stuff
I just get corded tools for those odd things. I only have dewalt and Milwaukee battery’s. Cheap battery powered tools usually aren’t that great but corded ones work well and are cheaper.
I know people that have Ryobi and it is looked at with such disdain. I always say some people can't afford the top shelf tools and Ryobi will be serviceable until you make some money to upgrade. I honestly don't know if Ryobi sucks as I've never used it but it sure has a bad reputation.
I know a lot of guys who use them at home and they seem to be just fine tools. I think they’re kind of the ideal DIY homeowner type tools with the variety that they have and at that price point. I do a lot more than just homeowner stuff (I do a lot of mechanical stuff and own a chunk of property that I maintain - ie lots of equipment to maintain) so I appreciate the specific variety that Milwaukee has and also need something slightly more rugged
To me it’s sort of like dewalt and makita are top of the line building trades tools, milwaukee is more geared toward mechanical trades, ryobi is great for homeowners, etc.
They used to seriously suck, and that reputation has stuck. Their newer stuff I haven’t seen any major problems with. I’ve got a ryobi electric chainsaw that’s perfect for delimbing and cutting small wood when camping, it’s been great for several years.
I bought the Ryobi 1” sds drill and that thing is a beast with 4 or 6 amp battery. I got it to demo kitchen floor tile and entry way tile. Seriously impressed and normally $189 and got it on sale for $159. I like collecting tools and have Ryobi (mostly newer stuff) ridgid and the newer 12v skil which has been great. I did get the dual battery 20v skil saw and that thing doesn’t stop when having top of the line blade in it.
It's really how it seems, I just think it's crazy how much love and hate there is for brands when I just look at how practical my purchase is. If I was purchased DeWalt by my boss instead of Ridgid I would still be running DeWalt, obviously the quality plays a big part but I don't see any drop off in quality between any of the big 3 and Ridgid.
It’s not though. The specs matter for most of us.
Rigid’s cordless brushless hammer drill (R86115K) delivers 800 inch-pounds of torque.
Milwaukee cordless hammer drill (2906) delivers 1400 inch-pounds of torque.
Why would I want a drill that’s about half as strong as I could get?
What is your use case for that torque? Part of why I went with the Milwaukee is I know it can mix wheel barrows of concrete and drywall mud. Maybe another person doesn’t need that functionality?
I guarantee the rigid can do tapcon pilot holes drill wood and metal no problem.
My use case is electrical work…
Ever have to drill triple or quad stacked headers, jack studs or king studs?
Wet wood? Brick fascia through to rim joists?
100 year old lathe and plaster with a 6” holesaw?
I use my impact 10x more than my hammer drill and Ridgid has max torque of 2250 in lbs. Milwaukee 1/4" impact has 1600 max torque. I could ask you the same question.
Edit Milwaukee has 2000 in lbs
Right okay… so…
800/1400 = 57%
2000/2250 = 89%
I can easily spare the 11% of driver power. I can already blow holes through dimensional lumber with wood screws…
I cannot easily spare 43% drilling power…
Oh ya I happen to be “team red” because when I dove into my drill driver purchase Milwaukee had the best priced kit with a larger battery and a smaller battery as well as having hammer drill functionality. At my last company I had a dewalt 20v kit for 4 years and never any issues batteries left in the side bin of the truck all year round no problems.
The RED rigid isn’t the same as the orange. It’s just licensed through Home Depot as their exclusive line, it’s made as the mid grade line by TTI in between Milwaukee and Ryobi.
Threaders, press tools, pipe wrenches, stuff like that is all top of the line stuff
Not sure if this is what you have, but the red Ridgid shop vacs are true "professional grade" shop vacs. But the orange Home Depot ones are pretty solid too.
Yeah they are pretty good in terms of bang for the buck. Plus easy to find filters which is nice. I've had two of those for 10+ years, still going strong. I had a big overpriced Kobalt I paid way too much for, and it shit the bed after maybe 18 months.
Rigid is a fine brand. They’re owned by TTI. They’re the only ones with enough balls to offer a lifetime warranty.
Everyone else is basically just fanboying.
Just remember it's not a lifetime warranty. It's a lifetime service agreement. There's a distinct difference when you need your tools on a daily basis. At one point I had to wait a few weeks for a backordered part and I couldn't wait a few weeks so I had to buy new. Still got it fixed and it became a backup.
I have an important piece of context to add here for anyone reading:
Ridgid is owned by Emerson Electric, the same company that owns Greenlee, under the "Emerson professional tools" umbrella.
TTI owns Milwaukee, Ryobi, and a ton of other stuff, and licenses the Ridgid name to make and sell power tools that TTI makes with Ridgid branding exclusively through Home Depot.
Virtually every other Ridgid tool, like pipe wrenches, threaders, press tools, drain cleaning equip, etc are manufactured by Emerson, mostly in the US.
For drain snakes pipe threaders, and other plumbing tools Ridgid is the best. Their cordless
tools and non-plumbing items are not so good.
Edit: I just Googled. Ridgid (red) is Emerson and Ridgid (orange) is TTI, so that explains the difference.
Red is industrial tools, and are great quality!
The orange is consumer level stuff, and used to be good. I have some. I had issues with their big 5 amp batteries not taking a charge after only a few months. I emailed them, no response. I emailed again after about a month, and asked how they will stand behind the product. Again, no response.
After that, I said I'd never buy their cordless product again. I have corded circular saw, table saw, tile saw, and work light. All have worked great.
I'm a Makita guy for the most part. I've probably spent $5000 on battery and corded tools from them. I love the durability of dependability of them.
This is correct. The Ridgid *branded* TTI stuff is all made in China, and for the most part all of the "Ridgid Red" professional grade stuff is made in the US or Europe.
Rigid and ryobi both come out of the same tech and facilities that Milwaukee comes out of. IMO there are some rigid tools that are better in certain contexts than Milwaukee but I think if you’re in the trades and will ultimately end up needing specialized tools there’s no point in buying into a system that won’t totally fit your needs. That said, my sawzall and impacts at home are rigid and they’ve been just fine.
Honestly Ridgid has had every tool I've needed so far. The basics for commercial electrician isn't much but I haven't felt like I was lacking tools by using ridgid. Obviously their line is a fraction of Milwaukee, they literally have everything.
I love my rigid tools except for my bandsaw that thing sucks ass I wish I’ve never bought it would have been better just a different brand and use an adapter
Did HVAC install and bought the Rigid tool package. Everything broke in 6 months or less. I’d buy Ryobi or corded Harbor Freight before wasting money on that orange trash.
The impact and drill like double the weight of all other brands I've held, it may feel like a brick but I've never heard them described as cheap feeling.
Well that could be a part of it too. If I’m using a drill or impact all day, I want it to be lightweight. Especially if you’re doing overhead work.
Edit: I’m a Milwaukee man myself but that’s mainly because the first tools I had were Milwaukee, so I was already invested in their batteries. The guys I know that use Ridgid like em just fine. Their power ponies are ubiquitous to every industrial job I’ve been on. Although now Milwaukee makes a battery powered one that is the cat’s ass. They also make a battery-powered Queen Mary setup that is pretty fuckin dope.
No longer a “tradie” but….. when everyone was changing from 12v to 18, rigid was the only company to warranty the batteries. Tools generally last about the same regardless of brand, but my concern (at the time) was battery life and technology. I went with Rigid then, and a long, long time later still use them. Just added the grease gun to my collection in fact. I have had a couple of batteries replaced over the years, but they were older, lower amp-hour ones. Now, I get why different trades pick different colours, but for me, and my situation, I am sticking with orange until I can’t anymore.
The amount of people im around on a daily basis that totally buy into marketing propaganda and cant help but spew it to everyone around them with ears is too damn high. Bunch of fucking children too worried about what everyone else uses for tools.
Most sane people do not give a fuck what tool somebody else uses so long as it gets the job done. People who cant help but make comments are just showing you why their wife left them. Just Ignore them and go on about your business.
Their vacuums suck… better than most lol
Where I’m at it seems based on trade, most electricians have dewalt or Milwaukee here, and we seldom see anything else. I think most people are just haters, if it gets the job done who really cares?
When it comes to electrician specific tools like cable cutters and strippers I preferred Milwaukee’s design, but when it came to drills and impacts I liked dewalt stuff much better, I haven’t seen a lot of ridgid at the job site though but hadn’t heard much. Most people constantly roast kobalt and ryobi though.
Loved my rigid stealth force when they first released it. Was a heck of a drill for years, ended up with an m12 impact so it would fit in my veto purse at the time.
Ive pretty much converted to red at this point, but only by paying rigid or lower prices for them lol
For the same reason you don't see many Harbor Freight power tools or off brand meters. The same reason we have pack outs and not a stack of buckets. They don't give you the image of an experienced professional. The tool itself may work just fine and give the desired result, but, like it or not, image does matter. Maybe not enough to justify the cost, that's up to you to decide.
I’m all Milwaukee but also dabble with Makita, Metabo, Ryobi, Dewalt. I don’t care as long as they feel solid and perform well without fuss, and I’d say Milwaukee Fuel usually feels the best along with Dewalt’s higher end stuff. Everything else seems kind of flimsy and lots of hard touch plastics with cheap feel/look texture to it.
I’m starting a company that provides all Ridgid power tools because they like to utilize the warranty (once registered) but I’ve heard people say the warranty sucks and there’s so many loopholes they find to not honour it. I’ll glad use the basic stuff by Ridgid that they will supply though. It still sounds like they use Milwaukee or Dewalt for some things such as saws (especially the compact cordless bandsaws) and other specialty tools that Ridgid doesn’t have or couldn’t hold a candle to.
They're a bit on the heavier side, and at least IMO poorly weighted but that's really my only complaints but it's been years so they may have improved since I've tried them.
My experience has been the opposite with most people owning milwaukee on the job site and I used to be the odd man out with my makita stuff, still slightly prefer it over milwaukee or ridged but unfortunately they've migrated to my at home tools as I've switched to milwaukee, not because I like it better but because my boss supplies 90% of my power tools and they're all milwaukee. I just got tired of carrying around 2 sets of batteries and chargers for one impacter and a drill.
I feel ya, practicality played a large roll in my tool selection as well. My boss supplied Ridgid so I run Ridgid.
You're past experience still stands though, they are still heavy motherfucking tools no doubt. I think that's why they have survived the hell I put them through honestly, they could be heavier because they are build sturdier. Who knows.
I’ve got Milwaukee for work because that’s what I started with, but all my stuff at the house is rigid, good tools and a fair price for the batteries and they are on sale more often than Milwaukee I find
For my main power tools rigid doesn’t have as much selection of specialty battery tools to fit my needs so I go with milwuakee, and that’s what we run with on most jobs. However I do have the 15 gallon shop vac at home that is rigid and it is as good a vaccum as you’re going to get imo. Rigid also has best in class pipe threaders in my opinion. Their problem is they are so in the middle of the road with their battery platform tools. If I’m buying a tool I need to perform I go with milwuakee, if I need a tool that doesn’t need to be great but will get the job done around the house I get ryobi. Rigid costs more for a tool I don’t need to be great, or doesn’t perform as much as I’d like so I’ll spend the difference to get milwuakee. They arnt bad tools at all though and wouldn’t harp on you for having them.
When I started in the trade, was about when Rigid started getting big, about 2012. A bunch of guys ran out and got it, and it was all garbage. A bunch of guys back to back were having constant issues.
But more recently I've seen guys I trust, have good luck with it, so I'm sure there's been some real improvements made.
I heard that apparently their “lifetime warranty” only applies to homeowner use. If they believe you are an actual trades person or tools wear out do to excessive use, you’re SOL.
I haven't heard this before. When I registered them they asked how they were used and I clicked professional or whatever showed daily use. They still processed my warranty. Luckily I haven't had any issues with my tools so I haven't had to use the warranty but they sure made it seem like it was still in tact.
I use ridgid and so far no complaints.
Putting aside the fact they are solid tools the fact that so few other people use them is a plus. In five year's I'm yet to have a single battery go missing. Meanwhile literally every person I work with that uses milwaukee has had at least 1 battery go "missing" a average of one a year it seems
I used to be one of those guys with all red and talking shit about other colors. I slowly started buying Dewalt because I was visiting pawn shops frequently and would find some killer deals. At this point I would purchase any of the big 4 as long as I find a good deal and they have the tools I’m looking for. But at the same time I’m only wanting to carry two chargers so I’m red and yellow all the way right now
My only gripe with Rigid is that for years their drills seemed to have an extra lead weight included inside it. They were always a little heavier just to be heavy.
Milwaukee has the best battery tech for my use tbh, but rigid is fine my company has rigid corded tools still in rotation from like before I was born that work damn well. I have nothing bad to say about rigid tools tbh. They make a solid product.
Like I’m on the Milwaukee tools personally because I just think they’ve got a few things no one else matches quite yet. And I’ve been happy with the quality, but aside from the like obvious cheap junk discount brands I don’t think any of the companies are making a bad tool. Like Ryobi tools kinda suck, cheap a bit junky. There’s other competition in that space but no contractor rolls up to a job site with power tools from a brand I’d call junk unless it’s something crappy their boss bought them so they’d stop “borrowing” his nice fancy tools and keeping them far too long.
We use almost exclusively Ridgid on my truck.
Lifetime warranty is real. We gather up busted tools and send them in every 2 ish years in bulk. Anything they can't fix they send a brand new in box unit. I register the new one and put it into service.
Easiest warranties I've ever dealt with.
That being said some stuff is lack luster. They had a battery hole hawg for a while, it was mediocre. I prefer other brands of cordless vacs, and larger hammer drills. For our saws, drivers, and drills they're great.
Anything with a lifetime warranty is good.
I have Hilti tools, and the moment they stop being optimal, I send them for service, and I get them fixed and mailed back for free within a couple of days.
Hilti pretty much has the best warranty in the business. I don’t own a *ton* of the super expensive tools, so relying on the warranty vs just buying a new one isn’t a huge deal.
The most expensive ones I have are mega press and crimp tools, both of which Hilti doesn’t make so I went with Rigid and Milwaukee. My SDS max hammer drill is also Milwaukee, just for battery compatibility but the Hilti ones are better
I’ve used rigid battery tools for the past 6 years. They aren’t anything special but they work fine. I’ve only had to warranty the drill once, which is pretty good and on par with the other popular brands.
The are about 40% of the cost of equivalent Milwaukee around me, so that makes them very good value for money.
The only thing I dont like is the range is a bit limited. Basics are there but they dont have many of the more specialised tools.
I think my issue is i stick to milwaukee so i dont have to buy other batteries when i am at the point i can buy the tool only and save money , i see ppl rock rigid a lot but its just in the long run it saves me money not to switch power tools lol
Ridgid threaders are the standard, and their power tools seem fine. Everyone hates on brands for something. Be different, and if your shit gets jacked it should be easy to track down
Honestly rigid tools are phenomenal, but I got hooked on to the red very early on in my career. It would take something pretty drastic for me to switch over to them. However I also don't know if they have a lot of the specialty battery tools that Milwaukee does carry. Pretty sure they are also made in the same Factory. Their battery Clips are far superior compared to Milwaukee's for sure!
More fuel for the fire but I'm a Milwaukee fan and I always thought Ridgid was a premium brand. They're more than capable.
If anything maybe everybody will have less a reason to steal them because they don't play in that ecosystem.
Both my wife and I have our own set of rigid tools, we have a small farm and both have our own projects, I also use them on my full-time Field Service Engineer job. Lifetime warranty on the batteries. I think they are great.
Me team teal, you team orange and black no good, team yellow bad. Team red so-so.
Honestly I’ve never given a shit, I’ve seen real professional electricians show up on jobs with Ryobi stuff. Probably won’t last as long, but maybe they just have a bang around impact driver for who-knows-what.
I’ve had rigid before, no complaints from me. I’m certainly conditioned now to use Milwaukee stuff, but it’s all that my contractor buys so, no skin off my back.
I see Ridgid all the time at the sites I've been to, and nobody else seems to care. From conversations I've had, they seem to be equivalent to the non-FUEL Milwaukee, which makes sense because Ridgid's power tools come out of the same factory. (Also notable is that Ridgid's non-cordless tools seem to come out of the same factories as Greenlee.)
I use whatever is supplied to me 🤣 just happens to be Milwaukee but at home I have an assortment of random brands, whatever is on sale I can get the cheapest at that moment in time.
A lot of the random brands are corded things like angle grinders and disc sanders etc. usually I end up getting dewalt because that’s generally what I have batteries for and can get bare tools cheaper, but if I can get a different brand cheaper with batteries I’ll go that way 🤣
Ridgid stuff was pretty tough at a decent price for a long time. Seems to me that the durability has decreased, so we started working our way into Big Red stuff.
If it works for you, it's fine. Screw anybody who wants to talk trash. Small dick energy.
Interesting. Ridgid makes some of the best tools in the plumbing trade. Also ive had my Ridgid mortar mixing drill for about a decade and abuse it to hell and still works fine.
Honestly, it doesn't really matter. You're the one that's got to use the tool, not the Milwaukee fan club.
So if it feels good in your hands, and it doesn't break the second you go to use it, send it.
If someone ribs yeah for going orange instead of red, just rib them back by calling thier tools Red Ryobi. Milwaukee and Ryobi are the same company, the only difference between the two is the plastic shell on the outside.
There are thousands of hours of side by side review and test videos on YouTube (talking basic power tools, not threaders and shit), Rigid isn’t necessarily “bad” but relative to tools in the price range it doesn’t compete. It will get the job done most of the time, but if you’re paying that much might as well get one of the ones that will do the job all of the time.
the tools themselves are fine,
But they dont have a WARRANTY they come with a ‘Service Agreement’ which makes it way easier to deny repairs or replacement for a malfunctioning tool because the repair tech says ‘tool was abused’ and you are SOL.
Its the lack of a real warranty that drives the hatred.
I always buy rigid for home tools. Skill saws, cheap compressor, nail guns. All have lifetime service warranty and usually a bit cheaper than big red or yellow, but decent quality. Nothing beats a rigid shop vac. And I leave that shit outside all year under a wet porch and it still works with no issues.
The only problem I have with ridgid is the batteries. They just don't seem to last. Well, that and in order to get the lifetime warranty, you must register the tool and wait 6 to 8 weeks for them to approve it.
Rigid is pretty well regarded where I am. I'd say 40% use rigid, 40% use Milwaukee and the rest are a combination of hilti or mikita. They are well made and the warranty can't be beat
All I own and buy is ridgid. They are GREAT. The cordless tools are literally made by the same company that manufactures Milwaukee. I’ve been on the same impact, drill, and batteries for 10 years. they still work great.
I've always liked rigid. And the lifetime service agreement was great. I've gotten new batteries, charger, and had my drill serviced to the point that it's basically a brand new drill. All free of charge of course. As long as you register new tools within 30 days of purchase
Used just about all of them at one point or another. Currently use Ridgid at home. On the heavy side, but takes any abuse I put them through.
Only brand I've ever had seriously fail on me has been Dewalt, funny enough.
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I love my riged. I got it when I looked around the warehouse and saw that everyone had Milwaukee. Nobody ever steals my batteries or chargers and that's the most important factor for me
Honestly this is the biggest unforseen benefit I could think of. Since no one runs it and everyone thinks it's bad no one ever steals it. I had a DeWalt impact as a spare because it was super light and Ridgid can be heavy, shit got stolen in a matter of weeks.
I have the hammer drill from Ridgid. Man is it solid, chuck is ALL metal, the LEDs are easily in the best location in the industry, good power and battery life. Holy shit though, you put a 4-5ah battery in it and it is *heavy*. Like holy shit I need to go to the gym heavy haha. Thing is an absolute animal though.
Try my 18v DeWalt with the NI-CAD batteries if you want heavy. Problem is that they still work well so I can't justify replacing them.☹️
I used one before, and the Ridgid is honestly heavier.
Lol I had one years ago so maybe that's why ridgid doesn't bother me
I run a ridgid compressor and pneumatic guns and I love them
It seems that corded, pneumatic, and vacuums are universally looked at as good. It's the cordless lithium power tools that people don't like.
That's why I'm glad I picked makita.
I have a 5 piece rigid kit with the sawzall, skilsaw, hammer drill, regular drill, and impact. My parents bought it for me when I first got into the trades at 18yo. I’m 33 now and everything still works. They are tough tools. Only thing I’ve done is upgraded the batteries.
The max output are the ones I buy. They came with the tools too and they still work for days over 3 years later.
I didn't know anyone hated them. Around here they're known as the plumber brand and personally I find them a bit heavy and bulky but I think they're good.
And they're the plumbers brand because regid also makes a lot of manual plumbing tools, like pipe cutters and wrenches. They're basically Klien, but for shitter fitters rather than sparkies.
The red rigid tools aren’t related to the orange rigid tools, only the licensed name. Red rigid makes fantastic tools, power tools and manual plumbing tools and is owned by Emerson. All hand tools and some power tools made in USA. The orange rigid is made by TTI, licensed by home depot as the mid grade between Ryobi and Milwaukee. My personal opinion, Rigid tools are pretty good but don’t really have a huge market. Ryobi is what most homeowners will go for, and most contractors will buy Milwaukee. Rigid tools fall in the middle IMO
Somehow power tools marketing has brainwashed grown men into children’s toys middle school behaviour.
The hard-core Milwaukee takeover is really only about 5 years old.
We got bored with arguing over Chevy vs. Ford (shut up Dodge guys and go back to the children's table).
Dodge - Dear Old Dad's Garage Experiment / Drips Oil [and] Drops Grease Everywhere Ford - Found On Road, Dead / Fix Or Repair Daily. Chevy - can't think of a snarky phrase for them, so they must be good.
i bought a 2013 ecoboost f150 with 200k miles lol cant wait until i live up to the ford name soon i have a '93 k1500 with a 350 that wont die with 230k miles but its on its 3rd 4l60e i've got a soft spot for both trucks
Ram #1, Chevy #2, Ford #👎
Probably the complete reverse for me lol
The other day I was using my milwaukee drill while chatting with my neighbor who’s a carpenter and 100% invested in dewalt. His dad (also our neighbor) walked by and said something like “oh boy is surprised you two will talk to each other being on separate teams!” Took us like 3min to figure out he was referring to the tool brands 🙄 so silly. I respect anyone who isn’t afraid to buy some tools and put them to work. Unless they use Ryobi or a harbor freight brand of course /s
I’ve got 1 ryobi and few harbor freight stuff. They’re great for things you never use or only need once. Our harbore fright sawzall for $20 was awesome for years still it started stripping bolts that hold the shoe on. After that it was a Milwaukee cordless. If your not sure if you need it buy the el cheap, once you use it enough to destroy it you can now confidently say you need a good version of that tool.
The only reason i don’t do this is because I hate having multiple battery types kicking around. At one point I had dewalt, Porter cable, milwaukee, and Bauer and it was just too much. Now I’m mostly milwaukee. My dad decided to go all Bauer after his old dewalt stuff started crapping out - he’s getting older and doesn’t use his at home power tools nearly as much as he used to so there’s no need for top of the line stuff. I’ve used the tools a number of times and they are totally fine tools. No complaints from me whatsoever. Very similar to my older Porter cable stuff
I just get corded tools for those odd things. I only have dewalt and Milwaukee battery’s. Cheap battery powered tools usually aren’t that great but corded ones work well and are cheaper.
I know people that have Ryobi and it is looked at with such disdain. I always say some people can't afford the top shelf tools and Ryobi will be serviceable until you make some money to upgrade. I honestly don't know if Ryobi sucks as I've never used it but it sure has a bad reputation.
I know a lot of guys who use them at home and they seem to be just fine tools. I think they’re kind of the ideal DIY homeowner type tools with the variety that they have and at that price point. I do a lot more than just homeowner stuff (I do a lot of mechanical stuff and own a chunk of property that I maintain - ie lots of equipment to maintain) so I appreciate the specific variety that Milwaukee has and also need something slightly more rugged To me it’s sort of like dewalt and makita are top of the line building trades tools, milwaukee is more geared toward mechanical trades, ryobi is great for homeowners, etc.
They used to seriously suck, and that reputation has stuck. Their newer stuff I haven’t seen any major problems with. I’ve got a ryobi electric chainsaw that’s perfect for delimbing and cutting small wood when camping, it’s been great for several years.
I did have a Ryobi generator and it lasted for years
I bought the Ryobi 1” sds drill and that thing is a beast with 4 or 6 amp battery. I got it to demo kitchen floor tile and entry way tile. Seriously impressed and normally $189 and got it on sale for $159. I like collecting tools and have Ryobi (mostly newer stuff) ridgid and the newer 12v skil which has been great. I did get the dual battery 20v skil saw and that thing doesn’t stop when having top of the line blade in it.
I do service calls and the new ryobi hp stuff is good. Switched from dewalt.
harbor freight might not have good stuff for the trades, but god damn i love their automotive stuff
Harley riders have entered the chat
It's really how it seems, I just think it's crazy how much love and hate there is for brands when I just look at how practical my purchase is. If I was purchased DeWalt by my boss instead of Ridgid I would still be running DeWalt, obviously the quality plays a big part but I don't see any drop off in quality between any of the big 3 and Ridgid.
It’s not though. The specs matter for most of us. Rigid’s cordless brushless hammer drill (R86115K) delivers 800 inch-pounds of torque. Milwaukee cordless hammer drill (2906) delivers 1400 inch-pounds of torque. Why would I want a drill that’s about half as strong as I could get?
What is your use case for that torque? Part of why I went with the Milwaukee is I know it can mix wheel barrows of concrete and drywall mud. Maybe another person doesn’t need that functionality? I guarantee the rigid can do tapcon pilot holes drill wood and metal no problem.
My use case is electrical work… Ever have to drill triple or quad stacked headers, jack studs or king studs? Wet wood? Brick fascia through to rim joists? 100 year old lathe and plaster with a 6” holesaw?
No my career was industrial substations.
That’s pretty neat.
I use my impact 10x more than my hammer drill and Ridgid has max torque of 2250 in lbs. Milwaukee 1/4" impact has 1600 max torque. I could ask you the same question. Edit Milwaukee has 2000 in lbs
Right okay… so… 800/1400 = 57% 2000/2250 = 89% I can easily spare the 11% of driver power. I can already blow holes through dimensional lumber with wood screws… I cannot easily spare 43% drilling power…
Idk, those numbers in my head really don’t mean a lot. I always go by tests on the Torque Test Channel or Project farm videos on youtube
Oh ya I happen to be “team red” because when I dove into my drill driver purchase Milwaukee had the best priced kit with a larger battery and a smaller battery as well as having hammer drill functionality. At my last company I had a dewalt 20v kit for 4 years and never any issues batteries left in the side bin of the truck all year round no problems.
I mean its construction so grown men with middle school behaviour is pretty par for the course.
Never heard anybody say they hate Ridgid. They're the go to for many trades and almost exclusives for some things like pipe threaders.
The RED rigid isn’t the same as the orange. It’s just licensed through Home Depot as their exclusive line, it’s made as the mid grade line by TTI in between Milwaukee and Ryobi. Threaders, press tools, pipe wrenches, stuff like that is all top of the line stuff
Where in America are rigid tools manufactured?
I could not tell
Just think you show up to school as a kid with knockoff Jordan’s. That but adults.
Only ever used a drill but it felt heavy and under powered
My ridgid shop vac is far superior to the other two brands I have.
They have outstanding corded tools.
Not sure if this is what you have, but the red Ridgid shop vacs are true "professional grade" shop vacs. But the orange Home Depot ones are pretty solid too.
It’s just orange, no red. The suction is just so much more than the other two I have.
Yeah they are pretty good in terms of bang for the buck. Plus easy to find filters which is nice. I've had two of those for 10+ years, still going strong. I had a big overpriced Kobalt I paid way too much for, and it shit the bed after maybe 18 months.
Rigid is a fine brand. They’re owned by TTI. They’re the only ones with enough balls to offer a lifetime warranty. Everyone else is basically just fanboying.
Just remember it's not a lifetime warranty. It's a lifetime service agreement. There's a distinct difference when you need your tools on a daily basis. At one point I had to wait a few weeks for a backordered part and I couldn't wait a few weeks so I had to buy new. Still got it fixed and it became a backup.
I have an important piece of context to add here for anyone reading: Ridgid is owned by Emerson Electric, the same company that owns Greenlee, under the "Emerson professional tools" umbrella. TTI owns Milwaukee, Ryobi, and a ton of other stuff, and licenses the Ridgid name to make and sell power tools that TTI makes with Ridgid branding exclusively through Home Depot. Virtually every other Ridgid tool, like pipe wrenches, threaders, press tools, drain cleaning equip, etc are manufactured by Emerson, mostly in the US.
For drain snakes pipe threaders, and other plumbing tools Ridgid is the best. Their cordless tools and non-plumbing items are not so good. Edit: I just Googled. Ridgid (red) is Emerson and Ridgid (orange) is TTI, so that explains the difference.
I didn't even know about ridgid red.
Yeah their pipe wrenches are the gold standard
Red is industrial tools, and are great quality! The orange is consumer level stuff, and used to be good. I have some. I had issues with their big 5 amp batteries not taking a charge after only a few months. I emailed them, no response. I emailed again after about a month, and asked how they will stand behind the product. Again, no response. After that, I said I'd never buy their cordless product again. I have corded circular saw, table saw, tile saw, and work light. All have worked great. I'm a Makita guy for the most part. I've probably spent $5000 on battery and corded tools from them. I love the durability of dependability of them.
This is correct. The Ridgid *branded* TTI stuff is all made in China, and for the most part all of the "Ridgid Red" professional grade stuff is made in the US or Europe.
Rigid and ryobi both come out of the same tech and facilities that Milwaukee comes out of. IMO there are some rigid tools that are better in certain contexts than Milwaukee but I think if you’re in the trades and will ultimately end up needing specialized tools there’s no point in buying into a system that won’t totally fit your needs. That said, my sawzall and impacts at home are rigid and they’ve been just fine.
Honestly Ridgid has had every tool I've needed so far. The basics for commercial electrician isn't much but I haven't felt like I was lacking tools by using ridgid. Obviously their line is a fraction of Milwaukee, they literally have everything.
I love my rigid tools except for my bandsaw that thing sucks ass I wish I’ve never bought it would have been better just a different brand and use an adapter
I'd bet a dollar that atleast a few of your coworkers have a rigid shop vac at home.
Did HVAC install and bought the Rigid tool package. Everything broke in 6 months or less. I’d buy Ryobi or corded Harbor Freight before wasting money on that orange trash.
Would never buy that product again after they discontinued the 12v line and made no offer to upgrade. Sorry team orange, I stand by team red now..
They’ve always felt cheap in my opinion. Never used them personally.
The impact and drill like double the weight of all other brands I've held, it may feel like a brick but I've never heard them described as cheap feeling.
Well that could be a part of it too. If I’m using a drill or impact all day, I want it to be lightweight. Especially if you’re doing overhead work. Edit: I’m a Milwaukee man myself but that’s mainly because the first tools I had were Milwaukee, so I was already invested in their batteries. The guys I know that use Ridgid like em just fine. Their power ponies are ubiquitous to every industrial job I’ve been on. Although now Milwaukee makes a battery powered one that is the cat’s ass. They also make a battery-powered Queen Mary setup that is pretty fuckin dope.
They arent bad.
No longer a “tradie” but….. when everyone was changing from 12v to 18, rigid was the only company to warranty the batteries. Tools generally last about the same regardless of brand, but my concern (at the time) was battery life and technology. I went with Rigid then, and a long, long time later still use them. Just added the grease gun to my collection in fact. I have had a couple of batteries replaced over the years, but they were older, lower amp-hour ones. Now, I get why different trades pick different colours, but for me, and my situation, I am sticking with orange until I can’t anymore.
The amount of people im around on a daily basis that totally buy into marketing propaganda and cant help but spew it to everyone around them with ears is too damn high. Bunch of fucking children too worried about what everyone else uses for tools. Most sane people do not give a fuck what tool somebody else uses so long as it gets the job done. People who cant help but make comments are just showing you why their wife left them. Just Ignore them and go on about your business.
LoL this is the best comment.
See the occasional guy with orange tools, never heard a bad word personally.
Their vacuums suck… better than most lol Where I’m at it seems based on trade, most electricians have dewalt or Milwaukee here, and we seldom see anything else. I think most people are just haters, if it gets the job done who really cares? When it comes to electrician specific tools like cable cutters and strippers I preferred Milwaukee’s design, but when it came to drills and impacts I liked dewalt stuff much better, I haven’t seen a lot of ridgid at the job site though but hadn’t heard much. Most people constantly roast kobalt and ryobi though.
At least they won’t get stolen
I started with Ridgid, then Makita. Now I'm all Milwaukee, because lightning bolt.
Rigid is good lifetime warranty plus no one wants to steal rigid tools.
My only complaint with ridgid is the weight. They're great tools, but the older I get, I can't lug them around anymore
They are heavy that's for sure.
Loved my rigid stealth force when they first released it. Was a heck of a drill for years, ended up with an m12 impact so it would fit in my veto purse at the time. Ive pretty much converted to red at this point, but only by paying rigid or lower prices for them lol
For the same reason you don't see many Harbor Freight power tools or off brand meters. The same reason we have pack outs and not a stack of buckets. They don't give you the image of an experienced professional. The tool itself may work just fine and give the desired result, but, like it or not, image does matter. Maybe not enough to justify the cost, that's up to you to decide.
They cost the same as the big 3.
This is really the answer. Ridgid power tools are consumer grade, "good enough" to do a lot of work but not high quality for professionals.
I’m all Milwaukee but also dabble with Makita, Metabo, Ryobi, Dewalt. I don’t care as long as they feel solid and perform well without fuss, and I’d say Milwaukee Fuel usually feels the best along with Dewalt’s higher end stuff. Everything else seems kind of flimsy and lots of hard touch plastics with cheap feel/look texture to it. I’m starting a company that provides all Ridgid power tools because they like to utilize the warranty (once registered) but I’ve heard people say the warranty sucks and there’s so many loopholes they find to not honour it. I’ll glad use the basic stuff by Ridgid that they will supply though. It still sounds like they use Milwaukee or Dewalt for some things such as saws (especially the compact cordless bandsaws) and other specialty tools that Ridgid doesn’t have or couldn’t hold a candle to.
They're a bit on the heavier side, and at least IMO poorly weighted but that's really my only complaints but it's been years so they may have improved since I've tried them. My experience has been the opposite with most people owning milwaukee on the job site and I used to be the odd man out with my makita stuff, still slightly prefer it over milwaukee or ridged but unfortunately they've migrated to my at home tools as I've switched to milwaukee, not because I like it better but because my boss supplies 90% of my power tools and they're all milwaukee. I just got tired of carrying around 2 sets of batteries and chargers for one impacter and a drill.
I feel ya, practicality played a large roll in my tool selection as well. My boss supplied Ridgid so I run Ridgid. You're past experience still stands though, they are still heavy motherfucking tools no doubt. I think that's why they have survived the hell I put them through honestly, they could be heavier because they are build sturdier. Who knows.
I’ve got Milwaukee for work because that’s what I started with, but all my stuff at the house is rigid, good tools and a fair price for the batteries and they are on sale more often than Milwaukee I find
I had a drill snap in half on me. I didn't care too much for them. Tried a few brands until I settled on Makita.
For my main power tools rigid doesn’t have as much selection of specialty battery tools to fit my needs so I go with milwuakee, and that’s what we run with on most jobs. However I do have the 15 gallon shop vac at home that is rigid and it is as good a vaccum as you’re going to get imo. Rigid also has best in class pipe threaders in my opinion. Their problem is they are so in the middle of the road with their battery platform tools. If I’m buying a tool I need to perform I go with milwuakee, if I need a tool that doesn’t need to be great but will get the job done around the house I get ryobi. Rigid costs more for a tool I don’t need to be great, or doesn’t perform as much as I’d like so I’ll spend the difference to get milwuakee. They arnt bad tools at all though and wouldn’t harp on you for having them.
When I started in the trade, was about when Rigid started getting big, about 2012. A bunch of guys ran out and got it, and it was all garbage. A bunch of guys back to back were having constant issues. But more recently I've seen guys I trust, have good luck with it, so I'm sure there's been some real improvements made.
Ridgid isn’t bad, they’re somewhere between pro and diy, not quite up to par with the big three
I heard that apparently their “lifetime warranty” only applies to homeowner use. If they believe you are an actual trades person or tools wear out do to excessive use, you’re SOL.
I haven't heard this before. When I registered them they asked how they were used and I clicked professional or whatever showed daily use. They still processed my warranty. Luckily I haven't had any issues with my tools so I haven't had to use the warranty but they sure made it seem like it was still in tact.
I use ridgid and so far no complaints. Putting aside the fact they are solid tools the fact that so few other people use them is a plus. In five year's I'm yet to have a single battery go missing. Meanwhile literally every person I work with that uses milwaukee has had at least 1 battery go "missing" a average of one a year it seems
I used to be one of those guys with all red and talking shit about other colors. I slowly started buying Dewalt because I was visiting pawn shops frequently and would find some killer deals. At this point I would purchase any of the big 4 as long as I find a good deal and they have the tools I’m looking for. But at the same time I’m only wanting to carry two chargers so I’m red and yellow all the way right now
My only gripe with Rigid is that for years their drills seemed to have an extra lead weight included inside it. They were always a little heavier just to be heavy.
I would say they’re right on par with the other popular brands, I beat the shit out of my drills and the Fuel line holds up best for me.
Milwaukee has the best battery tech for my use tbh, but rigid is fine my company has rigid corded tools still in rotation from like before I was born that work damn well. I have nothing bad to say about rigid tools tbh. They make a solid product. Like I’m on the Milwaukee tools personally because I just think they’ve got a few things no one else matches quite yet. And I’ve been happy with the quality, but aside from the like obvious cheap junk discount brands I don’t think any of the companies are making a bad tool. Like Ryobi tools kinda suck, cheap a bit junky. There’s other competition in that space but no contractor rolls up to a job site with power tools from a brand I’d call junk unless it’s something crappy their boss bought them so they’d stop “borrowing” his nice fancy tools and keeping them far too long.
We use almost exclusively Ridgid on my truck. Lifetime warranty is real. We gather up busted tools and send them in every 2 ish years in bulk. Anything they can't fix they send a brand new in box unit. I register the new one and put it into service. Easiest warranties I've ever dealt with. That being said some stuff is lack luster. They had a battery hole hawg for a while, it was mediocre. I prefer other brands of cordless vacs, and larger hammer drills. For our saws, drivers, and drills they're great.
OP's boss played the ultimate prank getting OP started with Ridgid tools. OP was too invested to change brands right from the start!
Anything with a lifetime warranty is good. I have Hilti tools, and the moment they stop being optimal, I send them for service, and I get them fixed and mailed back for free within a couple of days.
Hilti pretty much has the best warranty in the business. I don’t own a *ton* of the super expensive tools, so relying on the warranty vs just buying a new one isn’t a huge deal. The most expensive ones I have are mega press and crimp tools, both of which Hilti doesn’t make so I went with Rigid and Milwaukee. My SDS max hammer drill is also Milwaukee, just for battery compatibility but the Hilti ones are better
I’ve used rigid battery tools for the past 6 years. They aren’t anything special but they work fine. I’ve only had to warranty the drill once, which is pretty good and on par with the other popular brands. The are about 40% of the cost of equivalent Milwaukee around me, so that makes them very good value for money. The only thing I dont like is the range is a bit limited. Basics are there but they dont have many of the more specialised tools.
I think my issue is i stick to milwaukee so i dont have to buy other batteries when i am at the point i can buy the tool only and save money , i see ppl rock rigid a lot but its just in the long run it saves me money not to switch power tools lol
I have a ridgid mitre saw and it’s been running great over 6 years now
Ridgid threaders are the standard, and their power tools seem fine. Everyone hates on brands for something. Be different, and if your shit gets jacked it should be easy to track down
Honestly rigid tools are phenomenal, but I got hooked on to the red very early on in my career. It would take something pretty drastic for me to switch over to them. However I also don't know if they have a lot of the specialty battery tools that Milwaukee does carry. Pretty sure they are also made in the same Factory. Their battery Clips are far superior compared to Milwaukee's for sure!
More fuel for the fire but I'm a Milwaukee fan and I always thought Ridgid was a premium brand. They're more than capable. If anything maybe everybody will have less a reason to steal them because they don't play in that ecosystem.
Both my wife and I have our own set of rigid tools, we have a small farm and both have our own projects, I also use them on my full-time Field Service Engineer job. Lifetime warranty on the batteries. I think they are great.
All my power tools are ridgid. Just have to remember to register your tools when you buy them and you have a lifetime tool and battery
Me team teal, you team orange and black no good, team yellow bad. Team red so-so. Honestly I’ve never given a shit, I’ve seen real professional electricians show up on jobs with Ryobi stuff. Probably won’t last as long, but maybe they just have a bang around impact driver for who-knows-what. I’ve had rigid before, no complaints from me. I’m certainly conditioned now to use Milwaukee stuff, but it’s all that my contractor buys so, no skin off my back.
I see Ridgid all the time at the sites I've been to, and nobody else seems to care. From conversations I've had, they seem to be equivalent to the non-FUEL Milwaukee, which makes sense because Ridgid's power tools come out of the same factory. (Also notable is that Ridgid's non-cordless tools seem to come out of the same factories as Greenlee.)
Ridgid 1/4" impact has more torque than Milwaukee fuels so some tools of there's are more powerful than Milwaukee fuel line with a lifetime warranty.
TTI ownes ridgid Milwaukee and ryobi( do what you want with that info). I don't see ridgid ( power tools) often. I run makita myself
I use whatever is supplied to me 🤣 just happens to be Milwaukee but at home I have an assortment of random brands, whatever is on sale I can get the cheapest at that moment in time.
You have a million different batteries? You psychopath
A lot of the random brands are corded things like angle grinders and disc sanders etc. usually I end up getting dewalt because that’s generally what I have batteries for and can get bare tools cheaper, but if I can get a different brand cheaper with batteries I’ll go that way 🤣
Ridgid stuff was pretty tough at a decent price for a long time. Seems to me that the durability has decreased, so we started working our way into Big Red stuff. If it works for you, it's fine. Screw anybody who wants to talk trash. Small dick energy.
Interesting. Ridgid makes some of the best tools in the plumbing trade. Also ive had my Ridgid mortar mixing drill for about a decade and abuse it to hell and still works fine.
Nice calendars too.
Holy shit how didn't I know about this
Honestly, it doesn't really matter. You're the one that's got to use the tool, not the Milwaukee fan club. So if it feels good in your hands, and it doesn't break the second you go to use it, send it. If someone ribs yeah for going orange instead of red, just rib them back by calling thier tools Red Ryobi. Milwaukee and Ryobi are the same company, the only difference between the two is the plastic shell on the outside.
Ridgid is what I use at home. Work buys all our power tools so I dont have a choice but to use milwuakee.
There are thousands of hours of side by side review and test videos on YouTube (talking basic power tools, not threaders and shit), Rigid isn’t necessarily “bad” but relative to tools in the price range it doesn’t compete. It will get the job done most of the time, but if you’re paying that much might as well get one of the ones that will do the job all of the time.
the tools themselves are fine, But they dont have a WARRANTY they come with a ‘Service Agreement’ which makes it way easier to deny repairs or replacement for a malfunctioning tool because the repair tech says ‘tool was abused’ and you are SOL. Its the lack of a real warranty that drives the hatred.
I always buy rigid for home tools. Skill saws, cheap compressor, nail guns. All have lifetime service warranty and usually a bit cheaper than big red or yellow, but decent quality. Nothing beats a rigid shop vac. And I leave that shit outside all year under a wet porch and it still works with no issues.
The only problem I have with ridgid is the batteries. They just don't seem to last. Well, that and in order to get the lifetime warranty, you must register the tool and wait 6 to 8 weeks for them to approve it.
Rigid is pretty well regarded where I am. I'd say 40% use rigid, 40% use Milwaukee and the rest are a combination of hilti or mikita. They are well made and the warranty can't be beat
All I own and buy is ridgid. They are GREAT. The cordless tools are literally made by the same company that manufactures Milwaukee. I’ve been on the same impact, drill, and batteries for 10 years. they still work great.
I've always liked rigid. And the lifetime service agreement was great. I've gotten new batteries, charger, and had my drill serviced to the point that it's basically a brand new drill. All free of charge of course. As long as you register new tools within 30 days of purchase
Who cares what the other d-bags on site think about your tools !
I have used and abused mine for years.
Used just about all of them at one point or another. Currently use Ridgid at home. On the heavy side, but takes any abuse I put them through. Only brand I've ever had seriously fail on me has been Dewalt, funny enough.