4 tool brands that rival Ryobi on budget and power

Credit: Hercules Published Nov 1, 2026, 8:30 AM EST Cory Gunther is a senior author and Newsletter Editor at Valnet, covering cutting-edge tech, Android, and more for How-To Geek. He's covered Android, cars, and technology for over a decade. When he's not reviewing the latest gadget, you can find him off-roading in his Toyota truck, fixing said truck, or doing something outdoors with friends and family. He's covered CES, SEMA, and MWC and reviewed countless phones, TVs, speakers, EVs, e-bikes, and more. Before Valnet, Cory worked for GottaBeMobile. His writing has also appeared on SlashGear, InputMag, and AndroidCentral. He's written over 9,000 articles. Sign in to your How-To Geek account Ryobi has long been the go-to for weekend DIYers or hardcore hobbyists, but they're hardly the only option in town. I love my Ryobi tools, but you can get similar performance at a wallet-friendly price from several other brands these days. Here are the affordable tools giving Ryobi a run for its money. Blue 24V tools that punch above their price Credit: Kobalt Wander into any Home Depot, and you'll find green Ryobi tools all over the place. However, if your neighborhood hardware store is Lowe's, you'll find blue Kobalt tools scattered throughout the store. Lowe's offers a wide range of brands, but its closest Ryobi alternative is the Kobalt 24V lineup. Kobalt offers smaller 12V tools, though many are older, and its main lineup these days is the Kobalt 24V Brushless series, which is quite comparable to Ryobi in quality and options. That said, many consider the Kobalt 24V line better because it offers a bit more power and a longer warranty. You can get all sorts of capable yet affordable Kobalt 24V tools, with more arriving all the time. Then, similar to Ryobi, Kobalt offers a wide range of 40V outdoor power equipment, like chainsaws, string trimmers, and other homeowner and lawn care items. While Lowe's has thousands of products with the Kobalt name, only around 100+ of them are "power tools" in the regular sense. Kobalt offers all your usual drills, drivers, impact wrenches, circular saws, reciprocating saws, fans, lighting, leaf blowers, battery-powered caulk guns, rotary tools, and other niche items. The lineup isn't nearly as expansive overall, but then again, no one can really compete with the Ryobi ecosystem on a DIY and homeowner level. You won't see many Kobalt tools on a jobsite, but for regular folks and casual DIYers, they're more than enough. Kobalt 24V 4-Tool Combo Set Get four popular tools, a 24V battery, charger, and a soft carry case all for only $299. Getting better and bigger by the day Harbor Freight is pretty famous for selling budget-friendly tools and equipment at prices significantly lower than name-brand competitors, but that doesn't necessarily mean the quality is lower. A prime example is the small but rapidly expanding and extremely capable lineup of Hercules cordless power tools. They're honestly far better than you'd ever expect, and they punch way above their price. The Hercules brand was first announced as a professional line in 2017, but it's been around for years. However, in 2022, Harbor Freight completely revamped the Hercules tool line into its highest-tier offering and now considers them "pro-grade" tools. You can buy cheap Bauer tools at HF, or step up to powerful Hercules 20V tools with advanced brushless motors, larger battery packs, and a decent 5-year warranty. Credit: Milwaukee / Hercules We don't know who actually manufactures Hercules tools, as it's a "white label" house brand for Harbor Freight. That said, many of the recent items look very similar to those you'll find from Ryobi or Milwaukee. Now, I'm not saying TTI is making Hercules tools, but it wouldn't surprise me if they were. The Hercules 20V line includes 70+ of the most common tools, from drills and drivers, angled impact drivers, circular saws, lights, and more. It's not the biggest collection, but it's growing fast, more affordable than Ryobi, and will be plenty for a weekend warrior. Don't get me wrong, there are certain things at Harbor Freight I'll never buy again, like any Pittsburgh socket, bit, or hand tool, but these Hercules power tools are quite capable. Hercules 20V 1/2-inch Brushless Drill/Driver Combo Color Blue What's Included 20V 2 Ah lithium-ion battery, multi-volt fast charger, belt clip, side handle, bit holder Where power meets affordability. The Hercules 20V brushless drill/driver combo from Harbor Freight comes with a handle, battery, and charger, all for only $98. Affordable options for DIYers Walmart has roughly 5,000 retail stores in the United States, compared to around 2,000 for Home Depot. There's a good chance that if you don't have a Home Depot or Lowe's anywhere nearby, you'll have a Walmart. If you're looking for affordable yet capable tools for home repairs and DIY projects but don't have easy access to Ryobi or Kobalt, don't overlook Walmart's house brand, Hyper Tough. The Hyper Tough line offers all the usual essentials and around 100 products in total. You can choose from compact 12V tools or regular-size 20V cordless power tools. They even offer a hydraulic (oil impulse) impact driver that won't cost you $200. It's powerful, small, and quiet. Most of the line might not compete spec-for-spec with Milwaukee or Ryobi, but they're usually half the cost. Additionally, Walmart used to carry a brand called HART Tools, which was essentially Ryobi in a different coat of paint for the big-box retail chain. The same conglomerate that makes Milwaukee and Ryobi also owns HART. You can still find them in select stores, but Walmart started phasing them out in late 2025. Craftsman or RIDGID Readily available In closing, I wanted to mention two other brands that are a pretty decent alternative to Ryobi. First up is Craftsman, which is readily available at Lowe's, Ace Hardware, Acme tools, select Walmart locations, and more. Craftsman currently offers nearly 150 cordless power tools and tons of corded tools, all at decent prices that are somewhat comparable to Ryobi's. Craftsman is owned by Stanley Black & Decker, which also owns DeWalt, and the brand doesn't get quite as much attention as it should. Still, it's a widely recognized name with decent options you'll enjoy. Speaking of tool brands that own a bunch of others, Techtronic Industries (also known as TTI) owns Milwaukee, Ryobi, HART, and RIDGID tools, which makes RIDGID another excellent Ryobi alternative. In fact, Home Depot just launched a new and improved subcompact RIDGID Nuke tool line to better compete with Ryobi and Milwaukee, and so far, it's looking very promising. The RIDGID Nuke line at Home Depot is compact, powerful, and priced to give Ryobi some trouble. Buying your first power tool is a big decision Whether you just hate the awful green color of Ryobi tools or there isn't a Home Depot anywhere nearby, these are decent alternatives that'll handle most jobs around the house. Just keep in mind that when you buy a cordless power tool, you're not just buying a tool; you're buying into a battery ecosystem, and that's precisely where Ryobi beats everyone above. Ryobi's 18V ONE+ battery powers over 350 tools, tons of accessories, camping gear, coolers, fans, lawn equipment, and so much more. It's wild how big the ecosystem is, and that's honestly one of its biggest strengths. If you're purely on a budget or aren't too worried about the ecosystem, the brands above are pretty close in power and performance and likely easier on your wallet.