--- title: "Ryobi 18V ONE+ HP Brushless Compact Drill review: enough drill for most blokes" author: "user_3BqXZ3NYzfpf1lkUtlMvtpK9ghN" datePublished: 2026-07-01T03:10:00.000Z canonical: "https://dudeworld.com.au/post/00thxmo0x2x90/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 ![Ryobi 18V ONE+ HP Brushless Compact Drill — product hero](https://ttianz.widen.net/content/nhd9omyyjd/web/RDD18C1_hero_45_ANZ_5C.png?v=8fd338c0-7e6b-4af6-8888-0d321c2fd2d4) 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 ![Carpenter drilling timber with a compact cordless drill](https://images.pexels.com/photos/5974058/pexels-photo-5974058.jpeg?auto=compress&cs=tinysrgb&dpr=2&h=650&w=940) 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 ![Drill bits and timber, ready for a weekend job](https://images.pexels.com/photos/17419782/pexels-photo-17419782.jpeg?auto=compress&cs=tinysrgb&dpr=2&h=650&w=940) 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)](https://www.ryobi.com.au/products/drill-drivers/18v-one-hptm-brushless-compact-drill-driver-tool-only-0) - Bunnings listing — [Ryobi 18V ONE+ HP Brushless Compact Drill — Bunnings](https://www.bunnings.com.au/ryobi-18v-one-hp-brushless-compact-drill-driver-tool-only_p0919292) - Amazon listing — [RYOBI 18V ONE+ HP Compact Drill (Amazon)](https://www.amazon.com/RYOBI-Compact-Brushless-Battery-Charger/dp/B0CTJ23R2H) - US retail listing — [Home Depot product page (US)](https://www.homedepot.com/p/RYOBI-ONE-HP-18V-Brushless-Cordless-Compact-1-2-in-Drill-Driver-Tool-Only-PSBDD02B/327697084)