Craftsman V20 vs Ryobi ONE+ 18V
The battery platform outlasts any single tool — chargers and packs lock you in for a decade. Here's how these two ecosystems actually compare.
Our verdict
Both live in the value tier, but they're not equals. Craftsman V20 (Lowe's) covers the basics competently and occasionally out-deals Ryobi on kit promos. Ryobi's ONE+ catalog is several times deeper, its HP brushless line reaches genuinely near-pro performance, and 30 years of battery compatibility means garage-sale tools still run on today's packs. Unless a specific Craftsman deal is irresistible or brand nostalgia matters, Ryobi is the better value platform almost every time.
| Spec | Craftsman V20 | Ryobi ONE+ 18V |
|---|---|---|
| Voltage | 20V Max (18V nominal) | 18V |
| Tier | DIY/Value | DIY/Value |
| Ecosystem Size | 100+ tools | 300+ tools |
| Battery Tech | Basic cylindrical-cell V20 packs (1.5-6Ah) with no pouch, tabless, or high-output tier; the brushless V20 RP line is the performance sub-brand | Lithium+ and High Performance (21700) packs, plus new tabless Edge batteries (4Ah shipping, 8Ah/12Ah rolling out); every pack fits every ONE+ tool back to 1996 |
| Warranty | 3 years tools & batteries | 3 years tools & batteries |
| Typical Flagship Price | V20 RP CMCD732 brushless hammer drill ~$99 | ONE+ HP PBLHM101 hammer drill ~$119 bare |
| Best For | Casual homeowners loyal to Lowe's who want a cheap, simple, everything-in-one-box starter platform and will never push tools hard enough to notice the dated battery tech. | Homeowners, hobbyists, and budget-first DIYers who want the widest possible range of tools for the least money and will trade jobsite durability for value and variety. |
Strengths & weaknesses
Craftsman V20
Strengths
- ✓The V20 RP brushless tools are quietly good — built by Stanley Black & Decker on DeWalt-adjacent architecture, and community comparisons frequently describe them as 'previous-generation DeWalt in red' at bargain prices.
- ✓Aggressive bundle pricing: recurring Lowe's promos like 8-tool kits for $149 or buy-one-get-two free tool deals deliver some of the lowest cost-per-tool numbers anywhere.
- ✓Simple, stable battery lineup — every V20 pack fits every V20 tool, with none of the tier-decoding rival platforms require.
- ✓Wide availability beyond one chain (Lowe's, Ace, Amazon, farm stores), unusual for a value brand.
- ✓The catalog covers the whole homeowner spectrum — drills, OPE, inflators, vacuums — at 100+ products.
Weaknesses
- ✗It's stuck in Ryobi's shadow: fewer tools (100+ vs 300+), no equivalent of Direct Tools outlet culture, and a far smaller community — r/Tools threads regularly conclude 'just get Ryobi' at the same price point.
- ✗The Craftsman name no longer means what older buyers think; SBD-era tools share DNA with Black+Decker at the entry level, and the base brushed tools draw 'feels like crap' comments in deal threads.
- ✗Battery tech is a full generation behind — no 21700 high-output, pouch, or tabless options while even Ryobi ships tabless Edge packs.
- ✗Craftsman's history of orphaning battery systems (19.2V, V60) left burned owners who publicly vowed never to re-marry the brand.
- ✗No professional upgrade path or halo tier — the platform tops out at 'good enough for the garage.'
Ryobi ONE+ 18V
Strengths
- ✓Unbeatable breadth of affordable and delightfully weird tools — 300+ products including glue guns, misters, foggers, soldering irons, inflators, and cup turners that exist on no other platform; 'there's a Ryobi for that' is a running r/ryobi joke.
- ✓Best backward compatibility in the entire industry: today's batteries fit ONE+ tools sold since 1996, a 30-year compatibility streak no other brand approaches.
- ✓The HP Brushless line delivers a large fraction of prosumer performance at roughly half the price — PTR measured the HP hammer drill hanging with tools costing twice as much.
- ✓Deal culture is a lifestyle: Ryobi Days at Home Depot, free-battery promos, and Direct Tools Factory Outlet blemished/reconditioned deals let patient buyers build a full shop absurdly cheap.
- ✓New tabless Edge batteries (25% cooler, 50% longer life claims) are bringing genuinely modern battery tech to the budget tier.
Weaknesses
- ✗Fit, finish, and QC are visibly a tier below the pro brands — plasticky housings, more unit-to-unit variance, and legacy brushed tools that reviewers and owners agree are mediocre.
- ✗Not built for daily jobsite abuse; the pro stigma is partly snobbery but partly earned, and heavy users report shorter service life under hard use.
- ✗Home Depot exclusivity means one retailer sets all pricing and stock, and warranty service through TTI/authorized centers is slow and hassle-prone compared to swapping at a store counter.
- ✗The legacy stem-pack form factor makes packs bulkier than competitors' slide packs, and the top-end Edge batteries (8Ah/12Ah) have been stuck in 'coming soon' status.
- ✗Almost no resale value — nobody cross-shops used Ryobi.