Ryobi 40V Battery Price Weirdness

[Ben]

So I have a Ryobi 40V string trimmer / leaf blower combo that I love. The string trimmer is in the "expand-it" line, so you can switch attachments.

Anyways... It's time for a battery replacement and I was looking at prices. Home Despot sells them for $190. Amazon sells them for $125. Looking at the Amazon reviews and sellers, I got super wary that it was counterfeiters or that something else was up with the supposedly Ryobi branded batteries and I was all set to just pay more at HD to know what I'm buying.

However, perusing the HD Ryobi page, they also have a string trimmer combo with included battery (same 4ah) AND charger for $150. What? That's twenty ducats cheaper than just the battery.

I'm thinking I'll drive to the despot and look at that combo and just get a "free" second trimmer with the new battery for cheaper than the stand alone battery.

[cordex]

Yeah, sometimes the kit deals are really good but sometimes they will screw you on the kit battery no matter what they claim the AH rating is, though.

I've had pretty good luck with aftermarket batteries in my DeWalts.  I've got probably 6 or so factory DeWalt 20V batteries and maybe another four aftermarkets.  The aftermarket cost 1/3 or 1/2 of the factory, but give 75% of the capacity.  I can make that trade.  You might try one of the well-rated 40V Ryobi aftermarkets.  Just read some of the reviews before buying.

[Ben]

I've had pretty good luck with aftermarket batteries in my DeWalts.  I've got probably 6 or so factory DeWalt 20V batteries and maybe another four aftermarkets.  The aftermarket cost 1/3 or 1/2 of the factory, but give 75% of the capacity.  I can make that trade.  You might try one of the well-rated 40V Ryobi aftermarkets.  Just read some of the reviews before buying.

I was looking at the aftermarkets on Amazon, but so far the one star reviews have not been encouraging. There's a ton there, so I haven't checked them all. And of course Amazon reviews, good or bad (though especially good), are just not reliable anymore.

[HankB]

Just looked at HD website - 40 v 5.0 Ah battery alone is $190, same as a 40v 4.0 Ah battery. The 40V $150 string trimmers come with either a 4.0 Ah battery or a 40v 2.0 Ah battery, both including chargers. Looks like you REALLY have to be careful about the EXACT model you're going to buy. (Bet the packaging is almost identical. Also bet the store you go to won't have every variation in stock.)

SOME Ryobi tools are OK - I have a Ryobi cordless drill I'm happy with, and so far a surface cleaner attachment for a pressure washer is OK, but I got a Ryobi router table in which the MDF top sagged over time. It took some effort, but I got Ryobi customer service to replace the top. I've used it for a while and it meets my needs (occasional use and portable) and I KNEW it wasn't in the same league as a professional grade  immovable table, but given a chance at a "do over" I still would NOT buy the Ryobi router table again.

[Nick1911]

I've been rather wary of counterfeits myself.  I had good luck with batteries I got from an online seller that bought kits on sale and sold off the individual pieces.  I did immediately take them apart to examine the board and cells to verify they were an OEM product.  But I consider that a real roll of the dice.

I'd be wary of amazon in that regard too - commingled inventory and return fraud means you have to be on guard.

[K Frame]

"However, perusing the HD Ryobi page, they also have a string trimmer combo with included battery (same 4ah) AND charger for $150. What? That's twenty ducats cheaper than just the battery. "

Not uncommon at all, unfortunately. I've seen that with many, many products over the years, from tools to kitchen wares.

You're telling me that the slide in baking pan that came with my stove, and which I'd like to replace, is nearly one quarter of the cost of a new stove (well over $100 at that time nearly 25 years ago).

Or, how a lot of times it's cheaper to replace the whole goddamned ink jet printer than just replace the ink cartridges?

Yeah, doesn't make sense, does it.

[Ben]

SOME Ryobi tools are OK -

The trimmer and blower are the only Ryobi things I have (I got a killer deal on the combo), but I've had them for ten years, they get a lot of use, and they work.

Otherwise I'm "standardized" on DeWalt for everything just to keep from having all kinds of batteries and chargers. Though I've been on DeWalt long enough that I've gone through every voltage - 12,14,18, and now 20. So I have bought a lot of new batteries and tools over the years. 

[K Frame]

Oh, and why not hit up one of the dedicated batter websites -- battery mart, battery junction, battery whatever -- and see what they have to offer?

[zahc]

I just threw away a Ryobi mower because it wasn't worth warranty it... I wanted a second battery anyway and it didn't make sense to return the mower+battery combo and then buy a second battery at full retail...so I just kept the battery and trimmer that came with the original combo kit and considered the mower was free in the first place.

[RocketMan]

You should check with Interstate Batteries or BatteriesPlus to see what they would charge to rebuild your existing batteries.  I've gone that route a few times and have been generally satisfied.  It worked out in terms of quality and cost of rebuilding versus buying new OEM batteries.

Edited to add, here lately I've been rebuilding my own batteries.  There have been some 18 volt NiCad packs that I converted to NiMH for Craftsman's version of the Sawzall, and some 20 volt LiIon packs for a cordless drill.  There was a pack or two for a Roomba vacuum, too.

[Boomhauer]

Check out Discount Tool, they are a Ryobi refurb, overstock, scratch and dent seller. We have several here including an excellent one right outside of TTI’s HQ