Ridgid 18V Subcompact Brushless Power Tools – They’re Tiny!

Ridgid has released 4 new 18V subcompact brushless power tools with a new 1/2″ drill, impact driver, 3/8″ impact wrench and multi-material saw!

Makita was the first to offer subcompact 18V power tools which were basically the size and performance of a 12V tool but using an 18 volt battery pack. Recently Dewalt came out with the 20V Atomic series which followed the trend of tools the size of 12V on their 20V platform however they appear to have performance similar to 18V (at least on paper as I haven’t tried them myself). Ridgid’s new 18V subcompact series also follow the trend of tools as small as 12 volt but on their 18 volt platform however they are incredibly small and appear to be smaller than even most 12V power tools! And while still offering very respectable 18V performance (at least on paper as I haven’t tried them myself). I’ll go over each one in more detail below.

A big thanks to Joshua B. for spotting!

Ridgid 18V Subcompact Brushless 1/2″ Drill R86009 R8701K

The drill is a very tiny 6.17″ length front to back which is smaller than almost all 12V drills except for the Makita FD07R1 12V drill which offers 280 in-lbs of torque however Ridgid’s 18V while only being a fraction longer is said to put out 400 in-lbs of torque (paper stats). I say paper stats because Ridgid’s torque stats sometimes don’t tell the whole picture. Their 12V drill which is said to also offer 400 in-lbs of torque does not offer better performance than sister company Milwaukee M12 brushed drill which offers 275 in-lbs of torque. However I’m a little bit more inclined to believe Ridgid’s 400 in-lbs torque claim on the 18V subcompact because it includes a 1/2″ chuck and because it’s running a brushless motor which can make tools not only smaller but stronger as well. It also has a gearbox the lets it go up to 1750 RPM on speed 2. If it was underpowered, they’d most likely have went with a smaller 3/8″ chuck which their 12V model uses and go with a slower RPM at speed 2 as higher RPM’s above 1500 require more torque to handle. The 1/2″ chuck is said to be a ratcheting chuck however it is plastic. Ridgid says the internals feature all metal gears for extended durability. The weight is said to be 30% lighter and they mention the tool weighs in at 2 lbs exactly but no mention if that’s baretool or with battery installed. The LED light has been placed on the base of the tool for less shadow and other than that it gets that same Ridgid build quality we’ve come to expect along with a two speed tranny and belt clip. You can get the drill in either a single kit for $149 or as a 2 tool combo kit with the impact driver for $199. Both kit’s come with a new smaller charger and two compact 2.0 batteries.

• 400 in-lbs torque
• 1,750 RPM speed 2
• 2-speed settings for matching power to the task
• This subcompact model is 30% less wieght
• LED light helps to illuminate the work space
• 24-position clutch ring allows adjustments to match torque to application
• All metal gears for extended tool durability
• Brushless Motor Technology delivers more runtime, power, and longer motor life
• Reversible belt hook and bit holder allow you to apply on either side for additonal custimization

Drill kit

2 Tool Combo kit with impact driver.

Ridgid 18V Subcompact Brushless Impact Driver R86039 8701K

The impact driver is a crazy tiny 4.67″ length front to back which is smaller than just about all 12V impact drivers at the time of writing and is said to put out 1,800 in-lbs of torque (paper stats). I say paper stats because Ridgid’s torque stats sometimes don’t tell the whole picture. Their original Gen5X brushed impact driver which is said to also offer 2,000 in-lbs of torque does not outperform sister company Milwaukee M18 Fuel impact driver Gen 1 which offers 1,600 in-lbs of torque. However I’m a little bit more inclined to believe Ridgid’s 1,800 in-lbs torque claim on the 18V subcompact because it’s running a brushless motor which can make tools not only smaller but stronger as well and not to mention sister company Milwaukee which is also made by TTI has made a super tiny M18 Fuel Gen3 impact driver with amazing performance, so I’m sure TTI could also shrink the motor a bit and still achieve strong performance on this Ridgid subcompact. Weight is also mentioned to be 30% less but no mention of weight stats at all. The LED light has been placed on the base of the tool for less shadow although I’d prefer a light ring on the tool head behind the chuck. You’ll also find 3 selectable speeds as can be found on other well featured impact drivers and other than that it gets that same Ridgid build quality we’ve come to expect along with a belt clip. You can only get the impact driver as a 2 tool combo kit with the drill for $199 at time of writing. Comes with a new smaller charger and two compact 2.0 batteries.

• Impact Driver: High torque output with 1,800 in. lbs. of torque
• 3 speed impact driver
• Impact Driver: Quick release hex collect ejection for easy loading and removal

2 Tool Combo kit with drill.

Ridgid 18V Subcompact Brushless 3/8″ Impact Wrench R87207B

The 3/8″ impact wrench is incredibly tiny and comes in at 4.31″ which is smaller than anything else on the market and while still offering strong 225 ft-lbs breakaway torque. It appears they might possibly be using a motor and gearbox similar to the one found on the Milwaukee M12 Fuel stubby impact wrenches but slightly smaller and less powered but close. Ridgid’s offering also offers 3 selectable speeds, friction ring anvil, all metal gears and LED at the base of the tool for less shadows. And it gets that same Ridgid build quality we’ve come to expect along with a belt clip. You can get it as a baretool for $139.

• Brushless Motor Technology delivers more runtime, power, and longer motor life
• 3-Speed plus auto-tightening mode provides adjustable speed and power
• Up to 2,800 RPM and up to 225 ft./lbs. of breakaway torque
• This Sub-Compact model is 20% less weight
• Friction ring for quick and easy socket changes
• All metal gears for extended durability
• LED light helps to illuminate the work space

Ridgid 18V Subcompact Brushless Multi-Material Saw R87547B

The multi-material saw is similar to Milwaukee’s M12 Fuel Cut off saw except with a smaller motor and still uses 3″ wheels for cutting things like aluminum, plaster, drywall, PVC, and tile thanks to it’s up to 19,000 RPM. So it’s basically a tiny grinder that’s used for cutting only as it wouldn’t have the guts to be able to grind properly. While it doesn’t come with an additional fancy blade guard for dust free cutting like the extra one you’ll find on the Milwaukee M12 Fuel cut off saw, I do like that Ridgid’s version has the option to attach the included attachment that gives it the functionality of a shoe base on a circular saw. You can adjust the height which affects cutting depth or remove it altogether. It also includes an LED at the base and also includes a hex key with built in storage to remove or install the “shoe” base attachment. And it gets that same Ridgid build quality we’ve come to expect. You can get it as a baretool for $99.

• Brushless Motor Technology delivers up to 50% more runtime, more power, and longer motor life
• Up to 19,000 RPM
• Cuts a variety of materials including aluminum, plaster, drywall, PVC, and tile
• Forward and reverse switch to change direction of cut for added convience
• Variable speed trigger for speed customization
• 1.55 lbs weight
• Adjustable wire depth guide included to increase stability and level cus
• Lifetime Service Agreement with registration within 90 days of purchase
• Includes: (1) R87547 18-Volt Sub-Compact 3 in. Multi-Material Saw, metal cut off wheel, diamond tile wheel, carbide abrasive wheel, adjustable wire guide, allen wrench, and operator’s manual
• Battery and charger sold separately

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