Ryobi 18V ONE+ HP Brushless Compact Drill review: enough drill for most blokes

TL;DR

The Ryobi 18V ONE+ HP Brushless Compact Drill is the sort of tool you buy when you want more grunt than a cheap cordless but don’t want to lug a pro-sized hammer drill to the weekend jobs. At $139 (tool-only) it gives a surprisingly capable 60 Nm of torque, a two-speed gearbox, a 13 mm chuck and a sub-kilogram weight that keeps it easy to swing all afternoon. For most Aussie homeowners — hanging shelves, decking repairs, driving long screws, and the odd hardwood pilot hole — this is more than enough. If you’re drilling big holes in concrete every week or doing heavy structural bolting, look at the bigger 18V kits or corded SDS options.

What it is

Ryobi’s ONE+ range is huge, and the RDD18C1 (the product-page name) slides into that family as the compact, brushless option. Brushless motor, 0–450 / 0–1,750 RPM gearbox, 13 mm chuck and a rated peak torque of 60 Nm. The tool weighs ~0.95 kg bare and ships as a tool-only SKU for the price listed on Ryobi Australia and Bunnings.

Why that matters: brushless motors heat less, live longer and hold torque better under load than brushed motors, so you’re not losing performance the minute you hit a big screw.

How we tested

We used the drill for three solid weekends across a mix of tasks: hanging 90×45 deck joist screws into treated pine, drilling pilot holes in Jarrah for furniture runners, fitting wall brackets into plasterboard with plugs, and a handful of metal pilot holes for gate hinges. We alternated with a mid-range 18V kit (older brushed Ryobi model) and a compact Makita 18V to compare feel and duty cycle. Torque and speed impressions are our hands-on sense rather than instrumented lab numbers — the manufacturer’s key specs (60 Nm, speeds) are linked.

In the hand

This is where the compact drill earns its stripes. The chassis is short, the grip profile familiar Ryobi rubber, and balance is forward without being nose-heavy. At under a kilo the fatigue factor is low — I drove dozens of 90 mm decking screws on high-torque without wrist protest. The trigger has a predictable ramp, and the two-speed selector is easy to toggle with your thumb.

The 13 mm chuck is ratcheting-style and grips driver bits and masonry bits alike without slip. For homeowners who swap between Phillips, Torx and driver bits, that confidence matters — nothing kills a job faster than a rounded bit. The built-in LED helps in darker cupboards but isn’t a substitute for a dedicated torch.

Performance — what the numbers feel like

Ryobi’s claim of 60 Nm reads big on paper for a compact. In practice that translates to solid screw-driving power and the ability to sink pilot holes in hardwood with a 13 mm spade bit without bogging. On the fastest gearbox setting the drill will scream through small-bore holes and countersinks; the low gear is where the torque lives for screw-driving and large-bore pilot drilling.

Compared to the older brushed Ryobi kit we tested alongside it, the brushless ONE+ HP felt stronger on heavy screws and didn’t slow as much when pushed. Against the compact Makita it’s similar for day-to-day jobs; the Makita had slightly snappier electronics and a marginally nicer trigger feel, but the Ryobi wins on sheer torque per dollar.

Where it isn’t king: sustained masonry drilling. If you’re drilling lots of hammer-drill-sized holes in concrete, an SDS hammer or a heavier 18V combi is the right call. This Ryobi will do occasional masonry pilot holes fine with the right bits and patience.

Price & availability — the wallet bit

Ryobi AU lists the tool-only SKU at $139 (RRP on Ryobi site and matched on Bunnings). That price is a hard-to-ignore proposition when most brushless 18V bare-tools from mainstream brands sit near the $150–$220 mark. The ONE+ range also means you can drop it onto an existing Ryobi battery if you’re already invested.

If you need batteries, buy a kit — and check retailer bundles for familiar retailers like Bunnings or Amazon AU. For the average bloke putting together a weekend shed kit, starting with the $139 bare tool and a mid-capacity 2 Ah battery from the ONE+ line is a practical path.

Downsides

• No clutch detent markings on the low torque band — you’ll be guessing torque levels until you have a feel for it.

• The supplied tool-only SKU means you must buy a battery and charger separately if you don’t already have ONE+ cells.

• Not a pro SDS replacement for heavy, frequent concrete drilling.

• Plastic motor housing around the vents feels thinner than some competitors, though we saw no durability issues in our short-term test.

Who should buy it

Buy this if: you’re a homeowner who wants a compact, high-torque drill for decking, furniture, fitting, and odd jobs in hardwood timber — especially if you already own ONE+ batteries. It’s an excellent value-for-money entry into brushless performance.

Skip it if: you’re a tradie or you drill concrete regularly. Get a dedicated combi hammer or SDS unit instead.

Verdict — buy / don’t buy / buy-if

Buy-if: you want a compact brushless drill that can hold its own on deck screws and occasional timber work, and you either already own Ryobi ONE+ batteries or you’re happy to buy one battery to start.

Don’t-buy: if your weekly work includes large-diameter masonry holes or heavy-duty drilling tasks — this tool isn’t a replacement for an SDS hammer.

Bottom line: for $139 tool-only the Ryobi 18V ONE+ HP Brushless Compact Drill is a hard value recommendation for the weekend bloke. It’s light, torquey and sensible — the kind of tool we reach for when the job isn’t worth hiring a tradie but deserves more than a cheap cordless from the bargain bin.

Where to buy

• Ryobi product page — Ryobi 18V ONE+ HP Brushless Compact Drill (tool only)
• Bunnings listing — Ryobi 18V ONE+ HP Brushless Compact Drill — Bunnings
• Amazon listing — RYOBI 18V ONE+ HP Compact Drill (Amazon)
• US retail listing — Home Depot product page (US)