The Ultimate Ryobi Cordless Power Tool Starter Kit

I tend to get a lot of questions about beginner cordless power tool starter kits, and the conversations usually start out the same.

“I need some cordless power tools, what should I buy?” Okay, what tools do you need? “I don’t know.”

This Ryobi 12-tool combo kit looks like it could be a good answer to that question.

This combo kit, PCL2200K3N, comes with a lot.

Here’s the full list of what you get:

• Drill/driver
• Impact driver
• Impact wrench (1/2″)
• 18 gauge brad nailer
• Jig saw
• Oscillating multi-tool
• Reciprocating saw
• Angle grinder (4-1/2″)
• Circular saw (5-1/2″)
• Sander
• Miter saw (7-1/4″)
• LED flashlight
• 1.5Ah battery
• 4.0Ah batteries (2)
• Charger
• Tool bags

I wouldn’t recommend all of these tools individually. For a circular saw, for example, I prefer 6-1/2″ or 7-1/4″ blade sizes, although Ryobi says their 5-1/2″ saw can still cut through 2x construction lumber in a single pass.

As a kit, I’d say this 12-tool combo offers much of what new homeowners, DIYers, or aspiring woodworkers might need or want.

Are there better tools? Absolutely. For the same money? Not that I can find.

Price: $599

An alternative is to buy a smaller combo kit with more premium tools.

This Milwaukee M18 7-tool cordless power tool combo kit, 2695-27S, is also a special buy right now for $499 at Home Depot.

It comes with a drill, impact driver, 6-1/2″ circular saw, compact reciprocating saw, oscillating multi-tool, angle grinder, flashlight, 2x 3.0Ah batteries, charger, and tool bag.

There’s also this M18 8-tool cordless combo kit for $599 at Home Depot, the same as for the Ryobi 12-tool kit.

It’s very similar to the 7-tool combo kit, but with 3x 4.0Ah batteries (instead of 2x 3.0Ah), an additional tool – a 1/2″ impact wrench – and second tool bag. $100 buys you quite a bit more.

I personally prefer the “buy what I can now and expand later” approach.

But what if a beginner also wants a cordless miter saw? Milwaukee’s least expensive model, an excellent 7-1/4″ slider, is $449 by itself.

The Ryobi combo kit offers a good assortment for “I’m not sure what I’ll need” types of users.

Personally, I’d lean more towards this Dewalt 20V Max cordless power tool combo kit, DCK700D1P1, which is $499 at Home Depot right now. It features all-brushless tools (except for the flashlight), a compact 2.0Ah battery, and a higher capacity 5.0Ah battery.

This combo comes with a drill/driver, impact driver, 6-1/2″ circular saw, compact reciprocating saw, oscillating multi-tool, sander, and LED flashlight.

It has a mix of 20V Max Atomic and XR cordless power tools, and should handle light to medium duty tasks with comfortable ease.

Amazon has a Dewalt 20V Max 6-tool combo kit for just under $650 right now (Lowe’s has it for $749). It has upgraded XR tools – the drill, impact driver, reciprocating saw, and oscillating multi-tool – but dials back the batteries to 2x 2.0Ah compact batteries. It also skips the sander that’s included with the 7-tool combo.

The two compact batteries might be a limitation here. Home Depot has a couple of Dewalt battery promos right now – a 2-pack of 5.0Ah batteries for $149, and a bundle of 2.0Ah, 4.0Ah, and 6.0Ah batteries for $149.

The XR has better tools, but the Atomic kit comes with decent tools and a better combination of batteries.

But again, what if a beginner needs a miter saw? Jig saw? Angle grinder? Brad nailer?

The Ryobi is a safer bet for beginners or DIYers who don’t know what they might need other than “a bunch of cordless tools for projects.”