Ryobi HP Impact Driver Works Overtime So You Don’t Have To
Ryobi has two more impact drivers joining the HP lineup of 18V brushless tools. The Ryobi HP 1/4″ Impact Driver, one of these new additions, delivers more power and 25% faster speeds to drive long fasteners through tough material. It provides the maximum power Ryobi has to offer in a tool like this, but with the simplicity of a single mode.
10-Second Summary
- Model: Ryobi PBLID01B
- Brushless motor 25% faster than P235 impact driver
- 2,200 in-lbs of torque
- Delivers up to 4,000 IPM
- Variable speed trigger provides up to 2,900 rpm
- Die cast gear case
- Onboard LED work light
- One-handed bit release
- 3-year warranty
- Price: $89
Key Features
The Ryobi HP Impact Driver features a brushless motor that claims to deliver more power and fastening speed over earlier Ryobi 18V impact drivers. It will be interesting to see how it does against the 3-mode P238 that shows a higher top speed and similar torque numbers.
The Ryobi PBLID01B delivers 2,200 in-lbs. of torque at up to 2,900 RPM. With a max impact rate of 4,000 IPM, you can certainly drive fasteners down quickly and securely. The only things lacking from the Ryobi 4-mode impact driver are the 3 different speed modes and the Assist mode. That means you need to do all of your speed control with the variable-speed trigger.
The Ryobi HP Impact Driver has a 1/4″ collet that lets you eject bits with one-hand. An onboard LED work light above the battery lets you see your work even in dimly-lit conditions. We’d love to see this tool use the same tri-LED lights found in the Ryobi HP 1/2″ impact wrench.
For durability, Ryobi designed this driver with a die-cast gearcase. This ought to keep this tool in the game for the long haul. For a product costing around $89, that’s an excellent feature.
Our Thoughts
Clearly, the Ryobi PBLID01B delivers no-frills power for those looking for a solid impact driver. The only challenge is not springing for the PBLID02B which adds 3-speeds and an Assist function. While the Ryobi PBLID01B gives you the same maximum speed and torque, you don’t get the same finesse. We’d probably recommend spending the additional money to gain that flexibility.
Pricing and Availability
We don’t know exactly when this Ryobi 18V HP Impact Driver will hit the shelves of your local Home Depot, but we expect it any day now. It will be available as a bare tool as a bare tool for $89. You’ll aslo be able to pick it up as part of a 2-tool combo set. Like all of the Ryobi 18V One+ tools, it comes with a 3-year warranty.
Ryobi HP Impact Driver Side-By-Side Comparisons
| PBLID01B 18V HP Impact Driver | PBLID02B 18V HP 4-Mode Impact Driver | P238 18V 3-Speed Impact Driver | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Motor | Brushless | Brushless | Brushless |
| Collet | 1/4″ Hex | 1/4″ Hex | 1/4″ Hex |
| Torque (in-lbs) | Up to 2,200 | Up to 2,200 | Up to 2,200 |
| RPM/Modes | 0–2,900 | 0–850 0–2,000 0–2,900 0–2,900 + Assist | 0–1,050 0–2,200 0–3,200 |
| IPM | 0–4,000 | 0–4,000 | 0–4,000 |
| Warranty | 3 years | 3 years | 3 years |
| Bare Tool Price | $89 | $99 | $79 |
