As a content creator here at Gardening Know How, you might think that I spend more time behind a keyboard than behind a string trimmer. And while I do spend my days writing about plants, making videos, and sharing tips across social media, I also tend a 2-acre property in Ohio filled with landscaped beds, perennial borders, pollinator gardens, and a small but productive vegetable patch.
From pruning and trimming to planting and general maintenance, I am outside almost everyday to keep up with the demand of my property. Over time, I’ve come to appreciate the essential gardening tools that make my outdoor tasks easier, not harder.
So for me, my set of Ryobi tools from the Home Depot have been a total game-changer. My husband has loved this brand for power tools for years and since I discovered their line of landscaping equipment, I've never looked back. Whether I’m using the handheld blower to tidy up, the mini chainsaw to prune stray branches, or the power inflator to keep my tractor tires filled, I rely on these tools every single day. I'll share why I made the switch to this battery-powered brand, my favorite tools in my arsenal, and my recommendations for gardeners who are brand new to electric landscaping equipment.
Why I Love Ryobi Tools
I have to thank my husband for getting me hooked on these tools. Years ago, he picked up a drill and driver kit from Home Depot at a special price for Father’s Day. The following year, he added another kit with a flashlight and circular saw. It quickly grew into a whole collection of tools – then I started asking for tools for birthdays and Christmas, too!
Ryobi's landscaping tools are lightweight, easy to use, and designed with practicality in mind. As a woman with smaller hands, I especially value their size. Not only do they pack plenty of power, but they’re also compact and comfortable to handle.
Unlike bulky, heavy gas-powered equipment, these tools let me go about my day without the struggle. With Ryobi's range, I have portable power right in the palm of my hand.
Another thing I especially love is how easy these tools are to spot. Their bright green color makes them hard to misplace, which is perfect for those of us who sometimes set a tool down and forget about it.
Plus, they’re easy to find both in stores and online, and I’ve found Home Depot usually offers the best price. You might be tempted to buy these tools elsewhere out of convenience, but Home Depot consistently has the best deals and they are often available on sale.
One Battery for All Your Tools
But what I love most about Ryobi is their interchangeable 18 volt ONE+ battery system. This versatility allows me and my husband to use the same set of batteries to blow off the walkway, drill holes, inflate a tractor tire, and tidy up grass along garden beds.
With no cords to manage, it's completely hassle-free – I can just pop in the battery and go. Even the original batteries from my husband's first drill kit still work perfectly with the brand’s newer tools.
My favorite upgrade to this tool line has been the investment in a few high-performance batteries. These Ryobi ONE+ 18V Lithium-Ion 4.0 Ah batteries from Home Depot provide up to three times the runtime compared to the 1.5 Ah battery. Plus, this extended-life battery is still compatible with over 300 Ryobi 18V tools and accessories.
My Go-To Tools
Here are the Ryobi tools I use most in my own garden. And conveniently, all of them are available at the Home Depot:
- Ryobi Cordless Battery Compact Pruning Mini Chainsaw: This miniature yet still powerful chainsaw is perfect for pruning old, woody panicle hydrangeas and overgrown tree branches. It's powerful but not overwhelming, and its compact size makes it ideal for tight spaces.
- Ryobi Cordless Battery String Trimmer: The cordless string trimmer helps me cut the grass under my arborvitae hedge and tidy up the edges of my landscaped beds. I also use it to trim the grass between my vegetable garden and pollinator garden, as the space is too tight to bring in the tractor. However, I don’t use the replacement line spools from Ryobi. Instead, we rely on these quick-load polycarbonate weed wacker blades from Amazon that are compatible with Ryobi 18V trimmers. I’ve had this same set for over two years and they still cut like new.
- Ryobi Cordless Battery Variable Speed Jet Fan Leaf Blower: From fall leaf cleanup to clearing walkways to blowing stray grass back into the lawn, I use this leaf blower several times per week. It also works well for returning stray mulch back into landscaped beds as the variable-speed trigger lets me use just a little air for precision jobs or go full blast to move lots of heavy, wet leaves.
- Ryobi Cordless High Pressure Inflator: When you have lawn mowing equipment like a tractor, it seems you always have tires that need air – and my riding lawn mower has a tire that’s almost flat every time I pull it out of the garage. Instead of plugging in the large, bulky, and very loud air compressor, I keep this power inflator nearby to add air to the tire in just a few seconds. This also comes in handy for my husband’s motorcycle and my son’s scooter.
What Beginners Should Buy
If you’re new to Ryobi tools, the best way to get started is by purchasing a starter kit or combo set. These sets typically include a few essential tools, at least one battery, and a charger. They not only save you money but provide a strong foundation to build from. Here are the sets I recommend starting with:
This string trimmer and blower combo kit comes with a battery and charger you can use on all your Ryobi tools, which is one of my favorite features of this brand.
This great starter kit includes Ryobi's compact pruning mini chainsaw and power pruners. It makes every pruning job a breeze!
This 6-piece toolkit has everything you need to get started with any home project. Whether you're working in the garden or fixing up your house, Ryobi has a tool for every DIY.
What I'm Buying Next
I guess if there’s one downside to this brand, it would be how addictive these little tools can become. I already have my eye on two more additions for my garage: a set of power hedge trimmers to help tame my unruly boxwoods, and this power backpack sprayer, both of which are available from the Home Depot, to help me spray weeds in my gravel driveway without constantly stopping to pump up a traditional 2-gallon sprayer.
While I continue to maintain my two-acre property, these Ryobi tools will have a permanent spot in my garage. Plus, they're affordable enough for everyday gardeners like me.
