Is Ryobi a Good Brand? An Honest Look at Ryobi Tools Complaints

The price point and availability of Ryobi tools tempt many people. The brand is prevalent in major home improvement stores, making the green tools appealing to those looking to build a collection of devices for home improvement or work purposes. 

But is Ryobi a good brand? Are the tools reliable? We dug into the Ryobi reviews and complaints on PissedConsumer.com to find out. 

Number of Ryobi reviews – 519

Ryobi rating* – 2.1 ⭐⭐

Claimed losses – $39K

Successful calls – 7%/2.4K

Resolved issues – 12

Key Insight

• Ryobi Outdoor Power Equipment was a finalist for the 2023 Innovation Award, recognized for its exceptional product innovation.
• According to the PissedConsumer platform, only 20% of Ryobi tool users would recommend the brand to a friend or colleague.
• Common issues with the brand include frequent breakages, repair challenges, quick battery wear, and design flaws, among others.

Is Ryobi a Good Brand?

So, is Ryobi a good brand? It is a popular brand, but popular doesn’t always mean high quality. We explored the many tool and lawn service complaints on PissedConsumer to determine what Ryobi customers thought about it. 

Currently, Ryobi reviews have created a rating of 2.1 stars out of a possible 5. Additionally, 68% of them are negative and only 15% are positive, pointing to the possibility of Ryobi issues. 

Many customers like the decent price and find that tools work well. However, Ryobi complaints highlight some challenges. Ryobi Tools issues include customer service troubles, tools breaking, and battery longevity issues. 

In fact, Ryobi customer support makes up most of the complaints about the company. 44% of Ryobi customers believe the company should improve customer service and another 53% say they won’t use Ryobi tools in the future due to their customer experiences. 

Who Owns Ryobi?

Are you wondering who owns Ryobi Tools? . "RYOBI" is a trademark of RYOBI Limited, licensed for use by TTI Consumer Power Tools, Inc. It is the same umbrella company that includes Milwaukee and Hart tools as well as Hoover Oreck, and Dirt Devil vacuum cleaners. 

TTI achieved record worldwide sales of $13.7 billion in 2023. According to the manufacturer, Ryobi is the “platform of choice for users from DIYers to professionals.”

Top Issues in Ryobi Tools Reviews

While the tools may be popular, Ryobi tool reviews tell us that issues do occur. Below are the most common Ryobi consumer issues. 

Frequent and easy breakage

Consumer insights indicate that Ryobi tools don’t always go the distance. They frequently break or stop working, particularly the electronic or battery components. Some customers have dramatic experiences when Ryobi tools break, such as this reviewer whose Ryobi lawnmower “caught fire and blew up.” The customer says

My Ryobi lawnmower blew up and all I’ve gotten is a run around...

Design Flaws

Sometimes, the issue is simply with how the tool is designed. An inconvenient button, switch, or latch can cause serious frustration, as one customer explained about a Ryobi stick vacuum. 

The customer found that the “hand placement shuts off the button” on the vacuum, turning it “off 6+ times” when you use it. They call for the company to recall the product:

This is the sorriest design we have ever seen and needs RECALLED. Appears the company skipped the step to test product themselves...

Repair challenges

If your Ryobi tools quit working, it can be hard to get them working again. Many of the Ryobi tools have electrical components that can’t be easily mended and must instead be replaced, often requiring the full tool to be replaced or the item to be mended by a professional. 

One customer discovered this when he tried to take his Ryobi pressure washer to be repaired, only to learn that there was a “backlog of broken Ryobi products” at the service center and that “fixing it would take 2-3 months.” The reviewer states:

Their products seem to be of such poor quality that they need more service centers…They do not seem to care. So buyer beware.

Parts availability

Many Ryobi tools have several moving parts, and when one piece goes missing or breaks, customers are having a hard time finding replacements. One customer lost part of a string trimmer. They “went online but [the Ryobi] website does not work to find parts.” They never did find the small part he needed through the company, unfortunately:

It [the website] is just dead ends after you start the process. I wanted to email a photo of my parts to someone but there are no email addresses and if you call them you just get put on hold forever…I did just order a whole new replacement head on eBay for $22.

Quick battery wear

Some customers complain about the batteries on the cordless Ryobi products wearing down very quickly or not fully charging. In Ryobi review #5207715, a customer explained that one of their Ryobi batteries does not get fully charged:

It just blinks two strip and does not work too it just stop working. I browsed my brother's battery and checked its work with the other battery.

Poor customer service

The chief complaint about Ryobi often circles back to Ryobi Tools customer service. Tools will always wear out and break, but customers are most frustrated when they need help and can’t find someone helpful in the company’s customer service department.

In Ryobi review #5470454, a reviewer called customer service to register a tool that was missing a serial number. They called at 9 am, and “4 hours later,” they had “no call back.” Then they called again and complained:

I am currently on hold for over 55 minutes at the 800 number provided. I also emailed the. Yesterday about this and still no contact!...OVER 24 hours just for a registration issue!

If you would like to reach Ryobi Tools customer service, you can call the company at 1-800-525-2579. You can also text the company at the same number or send a message through the Ryobi customer service website.

Source: ryobitools.com

Resolving Ryobi Consumer Issues

It can be frustrating when tools can’t be depended on. If you’ve experienced consumer issues with Ryobi, start by getting in touch with the company. Call the Ryobi contact number to help resolve your issue. You may also write a review about your experience on PissedConsumer to help other consumers who are facing the same thing or making their purchase decisions. 

*Disclaimer: Ranking and statistics are based on our users’ review texts and Pissed Consumer posters’ reviews. Also, a company’s rating is calculated using a mathematical algorithm that evaluates the information in the profile, including users’ rating, the number of resolved issues, the number of company’s responses, etc. The algorithm is subject to change in the future.