Ryobi Vs Bosch Cordless Drill [All FAQs Answered]

Are you looking for the best cordless drill brand out there at the moment? Then worry not because we’ve got you covered as we’ll be sharing with you two of the most prominent cordless drill brands out there in the power tool industry today.

Well, without beating around the bush, let’s dive in!

Why Do You Need a Drill

Ever needed to build a fence, hang a gate, put up solid shelves, or hang a picture correctly? What about building furniture quickly or starting a woodwork project? For any of the mentioned tasks, of course, you need a drill.

A drill can let you make holes to hang deep hooks and screws that are safe, reliable, and strong for suspending items.

And those pesky Ikea flat pack buys are a breeze to build with a convenient cordless drill.

How Much Should You Spend On a Drill

This matter actually depends on the drill type you’re going to pick. If you are going for a corded drill, then there is no dodgy battery to worry about at all.

For that very reason, you can simply go for a cheap option and still get a decent, reliable drill. Corded drills are usually cheaper compared to battery units.

Nonetheless, if you are going for a battery-powered drill that must work harder, it is worth shelling out a bit more for a good unit.

In terms of drills, it is usually the case that the more you spend, the better the drill you’ll get. This implies more lasting power, faster charging, and longer battery life.

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Brushed or not is another consideration. Brushless drills give a more compact motor which is made in a way to generate less heat which makes it sturdier. In the case of battery drills, it can also imply a longer battery life.

But obviously, you must pay a premium for that brushless benefit.

So you can spend anywhere on a new drill. You could also choose to spend less on a rotary drill and the rest of your budget on a hammer drill or an SDS.

Then you are covered for most projects without worrying about straining the rotary drill. You can also use the SDS drill for larger tasks like drilling into hard walls.

Ryobi vs. Bosch Cordless Drill Review

1. Ryobi P208 One+ 18V Lithium Ion Drill/Driver with 1/2 Inch Keyless Chuck

A motorized drill driver is the staple tool in anyone’s power tool arsenal. From professionals to the do-it-yourself enthusiast, drill drivers provide exceptional utility unrivaled by almost every other power tool on the market today.

Ryobi P208 is one of those drill drivers which are specialized for hardworking homeowners, that certainly packs a punch for its price range.

Aside from that, it is easy to handle and lightweight. This power tool is also compatible with any Ryobi 18V Ni-Cad or li-ion battery, so it can work right out of its box assuming that you have another Ryobi One plus tool already in use

It comes with a Phillips head drill bit attached to the base, providing you with all that you need to drive common fasteners.

Bit changes are also easy with the keyless chuck system also. You can work with a number of bits on various applications, both powerful and delicate.

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Furthermore, the P208’s diverse abilities come from its 24-position clutch and variable-speed gearbox.

With its bit holder or magnetic fastener attached to the base of the power tool, you can be sure to get into those hard-to-reach spots to drive fasteners without worrying about losing them while you’re concentrating on your task at hand.

If you didn’t know, Ryobi actually means reliable, and the P208 drill driver is no exception at all.

There are some consumers that might say that an impact driver is a little bit hardcore for many day-to-day do-it-yourself projects, but it’s actually not!

Have a go on this power tool from Ryobi and you will be impressed at the amount of control it can give without the fiddly torque settings or many gearing options that are found on rivals.

This power tool is not really engineered for drilling holes but rather makes mincemeat out of tough screwing jobs to both metals as well as wood surfaces, as well as being very convenient at loosening tough bolts.

Even though not completely novel, there is still something quite nice about it that just one battery pack suits the entire One plus range of do-it-yourself power tools, although be sure before purchasing that the package actually comes with a battery, if you don’t already have a One+ device at hand.

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PROS:

  • Comes with an LED lighting system
  • Rubberized over-grip
  • Comes with MAGTRAY to store extra bits or fasteners on the tool when you are high up on a ladder
  • Variable torque and speed for convenient access to a large variety of applications
  • No chuck keys are necessary to replace bits
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CONS:

    • When you try to register a new one on Ryobi’s site, they don’t recognize the model number
    • Its chuck doesn’t always make a tight grab, even though it feels tight

 2. Bosch 18V Compact 1/2″ Drill/Driver Kit with (2) 1.5 Ah Slim Pack Batteries GSR18V-190B22

This drill-driver kit features a drill with 480 inches per pound of torque, for the extra power to tackle the toughest projects around your workplace.

It comes with two-speed transmission – one for high-speed drilling and one optimized for high-torque driving. This drill driver gives 20+1 clutch settings for precise driving and less fastener damage.

In addition, this compact power tool is convenient for overhead applications, with its short head length and weight of only 2.75 pounds.

Moreover, it comes with a keyless ½ inch chuck, built-in LED, and an ergonomic soft-grip handle. The kit comes with a carrying bag, 18V charger, and two 1.5 Ah Slim pack batteries.

This kit of dual-grip friskiness is 10% lighter and 20% smaller compared to the average cordless mandrill.

In addition, it is ergonomically crafted in order to provide users with maximum power transfer and less strain on the hand.

Surely, its dual grip is very beneficial for those tricky jobs that need a bit of body weight as well as an extra hand on the drill.

Whereas in the past, you must trigger the drill with one hand and push from behind with the other, with this one you simply grip the arched front handle, then lean in and drill appropriately through to your neighbor’s sitting room.

Aside from that, if the drill’s integrated sensors detect abrupt jamming, for instance, you may hit a steel joist or whatever else is tucked behind the wallpaper – it turns off the motor precluding kick back of the drill and perhaps further chaos.

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The PSR 18 is also not lightweight in terms of tricky tasks. It comes with no less than twenty torque settings and can penetrate any material be it wood, metal, brick, or masonry.

It is also the first do-it-yourself drill to incorporate the latest in brushless electric motors that are not only lighter and smaller than current units but are also wear-free and more powerful.

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PROS:

      • Very convenient to use
      • Integrated with LED lighting system
      • Ergonomically designed and comes with a soft-grip handle
      • Provides two speed settings
      • Very accurate performance
      • Compact and lightweight design
      • Provides an improved torque rating

CONS:

      • The clutch ring is quite narrow and hard to adjust without loosening the chuck

What’s With Ryobi?

Pros: Extra high bang for the buck, a strong selection of core tools, problem-solvers, developments, and specialty tools.

Cons: Some power tools don’t really fit heavy-duty workplace conditions.

Takeaway: Ryobi brand is best known as the do-it-yourself-centric company that also appeals to less frequent power tool consumers including professionals and homeowners. 

What’s With Bosch?

Pros: Good reliability and performance, well-rounded 12 volts and 18 volts lineups, a very credible rand.

Cons: Bosch has not been as active as other brands, particularly in the USA where some power tools are either released later than in Europe or not at all.

Takeaway: Bosch continues to provide solid core tool offerings, and every particular time comes out with updates and upgrades.

At such times, they come out with innovations, some more popular compared to others, but they seem to have either lost some of their fire. It is almost as if they forgot about their competition or perhaps they don’t really care.

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In our opinion, Bosch makes some impressive power tools. Looking at the bigger picture, we find their 12 volts platform to be more appealing compared to their 18 volts platform.

Recommendation

With the Ryobi P208 One+ 18 volts li-ion drill-driver, power and build quality combine so that you can be sure that any task or project will be well within the cordless drill’s capabilities, and once you have acquired one, you will never need to purchase another cordless again.

On the other hand, using the Bosch 18V Compact ½” Drill-driver kit ensures a faster finish and good control for jobs that are hard to access and is good value for your hard-earned money with the inclusion of 2 batteries as well as a quick charger.

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