The Problematic Ryobi Tool You Should Skip Buying, According To Reviews

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Multi-tools seem like a great idea, as they can perform more than one function for you while reducing the hassle of carrying more than one item. However, most tools that try to do more than one thing end up sacrificing performance in some capacity, whether they are less functional or have poorer quality results. One such tool that attempts to do more than one thing, which may leave it unable to deliver the highest level of performance in any single area, is the Ryobi Cordless Craft 4-in-1 Stapler/Nailer Kit. It's available for $79 at Home Depot, which includes the cost of the battery. This tool claims to drive four different kinds of fasteners, including brad nails, light-duty staples, heavy-duty staples, and round crown staples.

Considering Ryobi ranks highly as one of the best power tool brands, it sounds tempting to save some money and buy this 4-in-1 tool instead of buying separate tools to cover all the things it can do. However, customer reviewers at Home Depot aren't overly enthusiastic about the performance of this 4-in-1 Ryobi tool, as it only has a 4.1-star rating on the website. More than 10% of reviewers give it the lowest 1-star rating, with these bad reviews complaining about its lack of power, unreliability, and poor performance. Learn more about why reviewers are skeptical about this power tool as well as some alternatives you could consider.

One of the most common complaints with this Ryobi tool is a lack of power. More than one customer reviewer at Home Depot says it didn't have enough power to place staples in any kind of wood, including plywood or standard 2-by-4s, resulting in wasted, bent staples. Another reviewer tried to use it to secure fabric for a project, but it failed. "It doesn't work well for stapling fabric with batting," says one Home Depot customer, who was excited about the possibilities for simplifying tasks with a 4-in-1 stapler and nailer. "It doesn't like to staple through plush material or through foam board."

It didn't perform much better as a brad nailer, according to one customer reviewer: "This item, as a nailer, is a really bad tool. It won't drive the nails all the way through." Additionally, the design of the tool made it extremely difficult to see where the machine would insert the nails, which is important when doing precise work with brad nails in trim wood. 

Another common issue that multiple Home Depot customer reviewers mentioned was a lack of reliability. "I bought it, charged the battery, [and] put in staples," one customer reviewer says. "Tested once, and then it died." Multiple reviewers say they simply returned it because it wouldn't work at all.

To be fair, not all customer reviewers at Home Depot disliked this 4-in-1 stapler and nailer. Some say it works nicely for small projects. "The batteries last longer than expected," one Home Depot customer says. However, it's important to note that this tool uses a small 4V lithium battery that charges with an included USB cable instead of the more common ONE+ 18V battery system used with Ryobi power tools. If you already own several Ryobi 18V power tools, the battery with the 4-in-1 product will not work with your other Ryobi tools. If the voltages don't match, you can't share the batteries among your Ryobi tools.

If you already own 18V Ryobi power tools, you may want to consider stand-alone nailers and staplers that also use the 18V batteries. The Ryobi Cordless 3/8-Inch Crown Stapler is one of the best lesser-known Ryobi products to help you tackle your next home improvement project. It costs $79 at Home Depot for the tool only. It's a popular product among Home Depot customer reviewers, who give it a 4.8-star rating. It has "safe, effortless, [and] precise stapling, and great adjustment on how deep the staples go," one customer reviewer says.

When you want to select the right type of nail gun for your next home improvement project, the Ryobi 18V AirStrike Brad Nailer has a 4.5-star rating on Home Depot, where it's available for $139 for the tool only. "The precision nose and tool-free depth adjustment allow for exact nail placement, enduring a professional finish every time," one customer reviewer says.