The world of tool manufacturers and suppliers is very vast. One of the first things we think of when looking for the best manufacturers is to see if their tools fulfill our needs or not.
With this point in mind, we decided to try out Ridgid tools to check if they were up to the mark. We have several questions about the manufacturer, and we are sure you would too. Some of these were :
- Is Ridgid a good brand?
- Is Ridgid a reliable brand?
Here are our two cents in the world of Ridgid tool reviews.
Ridgid Then and Ridgid Now
Rigid Tool Company, which operates under the brand name Ridgid was founded in 1923 in North Ridgeville, Ohio. It changed its location to Elyria, Ohio, in 1943.
As of 1966, it works under an American multinational corporation Emerson Electric, which has a combined network of about 86,700 employees, over 170 manufacturing locations, and about $18 billion yearly revenue1.
Today the company is almost a hundred years old. It is one of the best tool manufacturers in the market. It is known for the best quality of its products, training centres, and year-round customer support.
Its training centres are located around the United States, where people can learn and train under the supervision of expert instructors. These centres help people learn the art of tool handling and use it to get the maximum results and usage out of them.
At this time, the company is generating a massive yearly income of between $25-$100 million2, which will only increase in the upcoming years.
What is Ridgid famous for?
Ridgid is best known for its concrete and construction tools. The company also specializes in the plumbing, pipe fitting, and HVAC trades.
It is known for its distinctive red-coloured pipe wrenches, marking the company’s starting point in 1923.
Since then, the company has diversified its manufacturing and makes tools for cleaning, pressing, pipe fabrication, electrical applications, and many other categories.
The power tools and some other accessories are sold under its parent company Emerson Electric. It would be safe to say that they are helping build the innovations which change the world.
Ridgid Quality Review
Keeping in view our most important motto to provide our readers with the best quality products they are looking for, we gave the Ridgid tools in the hands of our tool professionals, which after a year of rigorous testing, gave their honest opinions concerning the quality, design, compatibility, and the longevity of the tools.
Here are the points that the results of our testing bring forward :
Quality
We were delighted with the overall quality of the Ridgid products. They were easy to operate and came with a complete instructions manual and a manual about troubleshooting various parts of the more complex tools.
Rain, dust, dirt, and humidity are sure to affect the tools, especially the electric ones, but Ridgid tools withstood their harmful effects for a significant period and passed our pressure tests with flying colours. We also found the electrical devices to be immune to static electrical charges.
Design
Ridgid tools are the most modern-looking tools today. No doubt the classic wrenches stand out with their all-red design, but we found the more complicated products, like their vacuums and electric drills, very good in terms of the design. Their comfortable and ergonomic design made them very easy to handle over long periods of time.
Compatibility
One of the significant attractive features of the most carefully made products is their compatibility with parts other than the original ones.
This was precisely the case with Ridgid tools. Whenever we encountered a problem with a small part of the tool, be it a wrench, vacuum, or cordless drill, we had the option to swap out the part for another one available in the market. This made our work much more manageable.
The batteries of the cordless drills, the springs, and the knurls of the wrenches were easy to replace with alternatives available in the market.
Longevity
We found the Ridgid tools to be excellent in terms of their longevity. Constant use is sure to wear out the tools and decline their performance. This was not the case with these. We can safely say that they can last a long time without compromising their quality or effectiveness.
Ridgid Product line
Two of the major product lines Ridgid produces are :
Cordless tools
Ridgid has a pretty good collection of cordless tools. However, they are not dynamic because some parts, most notably the batteries, can not be used across the cordless product line. Nevertheless, we found these cordless tools to be very efficient and performance-delivering.
Some of the most common cordless tools made by Ridgid include :
- Cordless drill kits
- Cordless combo kits
- Cordless lights
Corded Tools
The corded product line has a slightly better collection than the cordless products made by Ridgid. These include :
- Corded drills
- Angle grinder
- Reciprocating saws
- Circular saws
- Collated screwdrivers
- Jig saws
Ridgid Famous Tools
Some of the most favorite tools are:
Ridgid Impact Drivers
Ridgid makes one of the best impact drivers out there. All of these impact drivers were subjected to our rigorous standardized tests based on their performance, which determined their qualities.
All the impact drivers passed these tests without any significant breakage or problem. There were several options to adjust the speeds and torques. Compatibility with different voltage batteries was also seen.
Ridgid Multi-Material Saw
Regarding multi-material saws, Ridgid hits the nail at the right spot. There saw line never ceases to amaze us, mainly because of the compact size and full-on features which get all types of jobs expected from a multi-material saw done.
Professionals love this saw for their day-to-day work, but even if you are a DIYer, you are sure to find this saw line the best among all saw lines. They are lightweight, dust-resistant, and compatible with other Ridgid products.
Rigid Cordless Impact Wrench
Ridgid makes some of the well-known cordless impact wrenches from low-torque to high-torque models.
Some of the models do tend to be more on the heavier side, but with their ergonomic design and careful placement of the drill components, they do not feel heavy and harsh on the hands one way or the other.
Ridgid always carries its products to the max potential, and they delivered when we tested them to their max limits.
Ridgid Portable Dry Vacuum Cleaner
Ridgid dry vacs are sure to clean any mess that is left behind. With their high suction power, easy handling, and ability to clean various surfaces, including rubber, carpets, and floor mats, they are sure to clean out the dirt and debris and make your office or any other living space dust-free and shiny.
Ridgid Warranty
One of the first things we check before buying anything is the warranty it comes with. Ridgid also delivers in this regard. It provides warranties on all of its products, the exact time duration of each warranty varying from product to product.
Some products come with lifetime warranties, while others have a lifetime service agreement. The exact conditions of the warranties also vary with the products, so it is better to check the product before buying it to ensure we are given the right services for our expenses.
Why Ridgid Tools Are Expensive
Now, one of the questions in your mind will be about the price of the products, and you must be wondering, “Is Ridgid a good brand for the price?”. Well, the answer to this question is pretty self-explanatory.
Ridgid makes some of the best power tools available in the market. Most of these, at least in the Home-Depot category, are not that expensive. And when you compare the services those tools provide for the price they come for, it becomes evident that there isn’t a very high price factor for them.
Sure, some of the high-end machinery is a little budget-heavy. But when we consider the competition and the thought process behind their manufacturing, we see that the price justifies itself.
Still, some people may find them too expensive. But as far as we are concerned, we think that Ridgid tools are the best ones out there, and it doesn’t hurt to spend a little extra to get the peace of mind that the satisfactory job done by them gives.
Is Ridgid A Good Brand? My Take!
I think Ridgid to be the best brand in their niche. This company has been around for almost a hundred years, and they have kept on delivering, so it would be safe to say that they know what they are doing in the tools game.
Although they are still short of products in several categories, like cordless and outdoor tools, their power tools outperform many other competitors. By the by, I think we are sure to use some Ridgid products for our personal use, and we hope you will not be disappointed by doing the same.
If you are still looking for more information about Ridgid, then this piece Ridgid vs Ryobi would definitely answer your questions.
Conclusion
From the impact drivers to the dry vacs, from the cordless drills to the corded circular saws, this brand has penetrated our daily lives and has developed its legacy, and it has still a long road ahead.
Now to answer the two questions, we were asked in the beginning, one being:
Is Ridgid a good brand?
and the other being:
Is Ridgid a reliable brand? We believe the answer to both these questions is a hard YES!!
Resources:
1 – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emerson_Electric
2- https://www.owler.com/company/ridgid
