Does Ryobi Do Any Decent Sales These Days?

Lkeongyip on 15/06/2025 - 22:16
Last edited 16/06/2025 - 13:00 by 1 other user

I'm seriously considering getting out of the Ryobi ecosystem. Pricing very similar to top of the line, eg AEG. I know they're owned by the same company, BUT Ryobi is a DIY brand, and AEG is a "pro" brand. Here's what I'm seeing. Let's say I'm looking for a new hammer drill and impact driver. Right now I can walk into Bunnings and get a Dewalt McLaren kit for $399 off the shelf. I like them and we have them at work, but my issue is with that 3yr repair warranty. Ryobi has a similar kit for $369 from memory, really not much cheaper.

Makita slightly more expensive, their kits are also more expensive. But arguably most commonly used brand for tradies. 5yr warranty which is decent. Most tradies and advanced DIYers I know swear by them. My garden tools are Makita gear and would consider buying more if sales are on when I'm looking.

Looking at AEG, $999 for a starter force/fusion kit with 4 of their top tools, 1 more midrange tool via redemption, and Bunnings was doing a 20% voucher for the spend (finished last weekend, but this has happened THREE times in the last month or so). Which makes it 5 great tools with great batteries, for $800.

Ryobi's new 4-pc brushless kit with 4AH HP batteries come in at $599, new kit, looks great until you look at the value the AEG kit mentioned provides. With the Ryobi also, probably suits a DIYer more due to the "compact" tools, not overly heavy and doesn't come with unnecessary amounts of power for stuff around the home.

While I can appreciate I'm not a "tradie" when it comes to tool use, I do use mine heavily for car/reno/general stuff and I don't baby them. I've had maybe 4 Ryobi bottom range (read: entry level cheap that came in an old kit 4 years ago) tools burn out, were refunded and I have then upgraded to the brushless models which have all held up fine. But again, why would I stick with the range when AEG is similarly priced (or less when I consider getting 5 tools, and the AEG also has better batteries)?

Surely I cannot be the only one thinking like this. I can't remember any decent recent promotions, even a 10% voucher weekend for Ryobi purchases would have swayed me to stay in the ecosystem.

Thanks if you've made it this far, I'd love to hear your opinions. Please keep it friendly. EnD oF rAnT.

Electrical & Electronics RYOBI

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Comments

  • Empharand on 15/06/2025 - 22:21
    +7

    As a consumer you have every rights to keep supporting the Ryobi brand and ecosystem or abandon it and seek a more budget friendly option (eg. Ozito)

    • Hugh G Rection on 15/06/2025 - 22:32
      +6

      yea, why would you get ryobi when ozito is available and always on sale. they both are diy level tools.

      i use mostly ozito, and have been upgrading my pieces to makita when they go on sale.

      • Dr Phil on 16/06/2025 - 14:52
        -5

        Ozito is DIY BUDGET BUYING.
        Its absolute bottom of the barrel.
        Some Ozito products are good. Others are simply cheap and cheerful.

        Ryobi is mainstream DIY.
        Much better quaity build
        It does a good job most of the time.

        You just need to compare thier lawn mowers and its glaringly obvious!

        At the end of the day Ozito is fine for occassional light duty jobs.
        Ryobi is better for more regular and medium duty work

        • Boioioioi on 17/06/2025 - 14:00
          +3

          Have you tried any of the Ozito PXC tools? The quality is great. I've got some Ryobi tools from 2015 era, honestly the Ozito PXC is way better ]

        • borrisz0r on 17/06/2025 - 22:27

          You're spare parts aren't ya bud.

  • Rodyland on 15/06/2025 - 22:31
    +2

    Sales are still there but IMHO fewer and less often than they used to be. It's very much a case of having to be on the lookout (ozbargain alerts yay!).

    I just picked up an orbital sander, battery and charger for slightly more than half the price of just the battery and charger. But if you blinked you missed it.

  • Jimothy Wongingtons on 15/06/2025 - 22:31
    +2

    After a weekend with Ozito recip saw when Bunnings price matched ALDI I’m seriously considering picking up the tools I’m missing in Ozito instead eg impact wrench, drain auger, nail gun etc

    • geekcohen on 16/06/2025 - 05:48
      +1

      Over the weekend, my Ozito Angle Grinder (which is a few years old) did a better job than my Dad's Makita when grinding the same-size pole and using the discs.

  • joolz50 on 15/06/2025 - 22:33
    +4

    Ryobi doesn't go on sale often, but I did get a Ryobi crushing shredder a few weeks ago for about $170 off. And then I managed to pick up an orbital sander with battery and charger for $49 which at that price is a steal.

    Also, when Aldi have tools for sale, Bunnings often reduce a similar Ryobi product to the same price, which is how I got the Ryobi belt sander for about $50 off.

  • Ltsmash on 15/06/2025 - 22:34

    I've got Dewalt tools and have had little issues with them.

    Only cons from the Dewalt range that I've experienced.
    The low end blower carks it, have had it replaced twice from Bunnings/Total Tools with full coverage and repair (in 3 weeks).

    Lawn mower is quite average too. That's it - otherwise absolutely love all the tools I have.

    • hothed on 16/06/2025 - 11:04

      The 54v mower or the 18v. Most 18v mowers just dont have enough grunt.

      I was about to buy a 54v dewalt mower.

  • AustriaBargain on 15/06/2025 - 22:58
    +17

    Bunnings have exclusive rights to sell Ryobi so there is no need to price match or put on sales.

    • BanannaMan on 16/06/2025 - 11:36

      Oh this explains it

  • p1 ama on 15/06/2025 - 23:09
    +8

    Issue is that Bunnings have exclusive rights to sell Ryobi, so no real incentive for them to discount. Ryobi is in a funny spot, reasonably more expensive than Ozito and other bottom-drawer brands, but also not really all that much cheaper than Makita, DeWalt and other trade-level tools.

    Depends on what you want, at the end of the day. One of the nice things is that Makita, DeWalt and the like have a pretty good second hand market going. You can get some pretty nice stuff used. Get to know your neighbours, if you share a system, that's not a bad way to expand your arsenal. Both myself and the guy next door use Makita - I've borrowed a circular saw from him once and he's borrowed my chainsaw a few times to chop down some trees. Works out well.

  • groook on 16/06/2025 - 00:41
    +2

    I would recommend don't get Ryobi or AEG if I'd you're looking for deals, AEG especially. They're both Bunnings exclusive so rarely any deals, they have no one to price match

  • apsilon on 16/06/2025 - 06:53
    +4

    Why are you looking at starter kits if you're already in the system? They're typically a mix of stuff you already have and stuff you likely don't need/want. Can be OK for someone really just starting out but if you already have tools they're rarely an attractive option.

    IMO the big attraction to Ryobi is the shear number of tools in the system, the 6 year warranty and the fact Bunnings give out on the spot replacements like lollies.

    It's also not law that you have to stick to one brand of tools. Buy the best tool for the job IMO. I just got rid of the last of my Bosch Blue but I still have some Bosch green, Dewalt, Milwaukee, Ryobi and Festool in the tool cabinet.

    • geekcohen on 16/06/2025 - 06:55

      Why are you looking at starter kits if you're already in the system?

      I think the OP is just doing a price comparison and using it as an example.

      It's also not law that you have to stick to one brand of tools. Buy the best tool for the job IMO.

      But then you end up with 2, 3 or 4 brands with their variety of charges and batteries, all causing you issues.

      • apsilon on 16/06/2025 - 07:00
        -4

        Well that doesn't work, pricing on starter sets are never inline with single tools in the range and if they don't get why someone might spend $599 instead of $999 regardless of what's in the kit is likely simply budget then I'm not sure what they're looking for.

  • joka on 16/06/2025 - 07:45

    On the recent Four Corners Bunnings episode, they mentioned that Bunnings have an exclusivity deal with Ryobi. Not sure if the means nation wide or just near a Bunnings store but that would make sense as to why they don’t drop the prices. They’re not competing with anyone and it’s probably the perceived view of the brand being a DIY tool.

    • Gunnar on 16/06/2025 - 08:06
      +1

      It’s nationally, Bunnings is the only stockest of Ryobi (including parts/accessories)

      • joka on 16/06/2025 - 15:54

        Post solved id say

  • JimmyF on 16/06/2025 - 09:04
    +1

    You answered your own questions, some come with better warranty replacement options, some come with a longer warranty. Some are marketed at different things. No tradie is going to be seen dead with a Ryobi tool, even if they are decent.

    Buy what you like. Sounds like you should be going Makita as you have some tools/batteries already.

  • montorola on 16/06/2025 - 09:17
    +1

    Hmm this thread got me thinking…

    I have the Ryobi 36V whipper snipper, blower, etc and I think they're really great tools.

    Are the bigger brand names AEG/Makita etc really that much better? Like what would I see better than a 36V whipper snipper?

    • rawm on 16/06/2025 - 09:30
      +1

      Depends on the tool and usage. In my experience, I purchased a Ryobi lawn mower at Bunnings and regret this evey day - My older Victa mower does a better job and feel Ryobi are quite gutless in this category. The Ryobi 36V 46cm Brushless Lawn Mower 4.0Ah Kit I bought in 2022 for about $479 and I should've remembered the old saying "you get what you pay for" when buying. Should've gone with the Makita ($849) or even the Stihl mower. TBH, even the Ozito range of mowers are similar IMO.

      • montorola on 16/06/2025 - 09:39

        Haha I got that exact mower from marketplace and love it!

        I use my petrol one when I haven't done the lawns for awhile, but if I'm doing it regularly I'll take the Ryobi as it's super lightweight in comparison.

  • Fergy1987 on 16/06/2025 - 09:31
    +2

    I mean i got a sander and battery the other week for $49 - seemed like a pretty good deal

  • faricity on 16/06/2025 - 09:31
    +1

    Most Ryobi sales come out as a red "limited time only" on the box with a different SKU to original. Mostly during holiday sales too. There are the occasional real sale on the original SKU like the mulching shredder that someone mentioned too.
    Anyway if you are after promo deals such as "free tool" or free battery. Best you get the trade brands. But if you want cheap prices, yea Ryobi, Ozito, Rockwell (Mitre10), Toolpro (supercheap auto) would be the way to go.

  • hagendaaz on 16/06/2025 - 10:02

    I bought into ryobi while in North America, Home Depot would have Ryobi Days were everything ryobi was on sale at good discounts. Home Depot has the same exclusive deal with ryobi. Have been very disappointed with the lack of sales here. I bought quite few tools, most still go well but batteries are lacking.
    Drills, sanders etc seem ok. Best tool of the lot was the air compressor for inflating tyres, balls, air beds etc.
    All the garden tools have been underwhelming. Partly 18v is not good enough for garden tools but also the quality. The mower is very disappointing, plastic and weak.
    So when the petrol whipper sniper died I went with de Walt, the ryobi prices were simply not worth it. Only complaint about the de Walt is on high speed it vibrates so much, any more than a few minutes has you rattling.

  • Bob Svargis on 16/06/2025 - 16:46

    They go on sale occasionally, but nowhere near as often as they used to. You can thank the ACCC for this, and Bunnings of course.

    Bunnings entered into an exclusive distribution/retail deal with Techtronic who own Ryobi, and the ACCC gave it the OK despite complaints/protests from competing retailers.

    Now that Bunnings have exclusive rights, they don't care.

    It's a shame because Ryobi sits at a really good spot in the market. Better than base level stuff, but not professional. I also adopted the Ryobi ecosystem and have noticed a significant reduction in discounting over the past couple of years.

  • n3ck3ntry8bort0rgasm on 16/06/2025 - 17:19

    I've heard of this brand I saw on youtube it's coming out with a Power station. Thanks for remind me!
    1800W but I don't know if it's LifePO4 or not. https://www.ryobitools.com/products/46396020321

    but from early reviews seems like pretty average quality. some said can only do 1600W continous and less surge. some said it doesn't have solar 12V input which is dumb. some had reliability issue.

    otherwise not very familiar with any power tools companies other than Ozito. Ozito is australia's choice isn't it? I also have a feeling someone said they are only sold at bunnings, like Aldi's sold similar products but they had to change the branding so it wasn't ozito.

  • photonbuddy on 17/06/2025 - 14:52

    AEG is a "pro" brand.

    Yeah … "pro" at screwing over the pro's!

    We have 58v gear aimed at professionals, and they just stopped selling it. We have our gear registered on their site, but no notifications of the impending end of life for these products.

  • Leeroy Jenkins on 17/06/2025 - 21:50
    +1

    The lack of sales also stands out to me.

    I have some Ryobi tools, like blower, whipper snipper, impact wrench, but I've recently gotten into Ozito due to their battery sale, I picked up a torch light, a ratchet, a vacuum cleaner and a usb charger. Pretty happy with them. I think I'll keep expanding my Ozito tools.

    I've also bought my first Milwaukee M12 tool recently.

    I'm not locked in any system. I get the tool/brand that makes sense.

  • holdenmg on 21/06/2025 - 10:37

    The only thing I can add is the Bunnings currently offers Double Flybuys on Power Tools like Makita, DeWALT, Ryobi and more. Until 30/06/25.
    Activate via Flybuys app, maybe be targeted and not for PowerPass purchases.

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