Ryobi Cut-Off Tool Offers Excellent Control in a Compact Design
Joining the HP Compact lineup, the Ryobi 18V One+ Cut-Off Tool fills a gap for compact multi-material cutting. It’s a versatile saw that has a lot of uses for DIYers and general handyman work.
Pros
- Lighter and easier to manage than a grinder
- Adjustable cutting depth
- Super-fast electric brake stops the wheel in less than a second
- Dual LEDs light both sides of the wheel
Cons
- Small depth of cut limits its use
Ryobi Cordless Cut Off Tool
As cut-off tools make a deeper run into the market, it’s natural to wonder what in the world you’re supposed to do with one. After all, it’s basically a circular saw-style grinder, so why not just use a grinder, right?
The short answer is that the tool is more compact and much easier to manage. Yes, it only has a 3-inch wheel capacity and doesn’t cut very deep. But it doesn’t need to.
Using diamond or abrasive wheels, it’s a metal-cutting specialist that can handle plastics, vinyl, cement board, tile, and others as well. While making long or serial cuts is a job for a different tool, this gets into tighter areas and gives you better control than other handheld cutting tools.
Performance
This Ryobi cordless cut-off tool takes advantage of a brushless motor to spin the wheel up to 19,500 RPM. Unlike most grinders, it has a forward/reverse switch to help you direct sparks in the most convenient direction.
There’s also a wire base that helps you stabilize the tool against the material you’re cutting and control the depth of your cut.
Once you take your finger off of the trigger, the wheel comes to a stop in less than a second. That’s pretty impressive!
We tested it out on a boat trailer that we were converting to a swing tongue. To make sure the 3-inch square tube lined up properly, we needed an accurate cut and we weren’t interested in completely removing the tube first. We also wanted to cut the corners off of the aluminum frame to reduce some injury risk.
So we marked out our cutlines and started cutting. Thanks to the handle and wheel orientation, it was easy to keep an eye on the line as we cut. While a reciprocating saw or grinder would have been faster, we got the accuracy we wanted with no problem. Getting it right the first time meant no wasted time on rework.
As we’ve moved beyond our initial trailer project, we find that there are times we instinctively reach for this cut-off tool. Its lighter weight and control make for a more comfortable cutting experience, so we use it on a lot of our smaller or thinner cuts when it makes sense.
Additional Features
- Dual LEDs light up both sides of the wheel in dark areas
- 8.5 inches long
- Weighs 2.8 pounds with a 1.5Ah battery
- Max cutting depth of 0.62 inches
Price
The Ryobi 18V One+ HP Compact Cut-Off Tool runs $119 as a bare tool at Home Depot. As a tool that’s supplements others within the 18V One+ family, we don’t expect there to be a kit option.
The Bottom Line
The Ryobi cordless cut-off tool is a great tool to supplement your angle grinder in tighter areas or when you simply want more control. It’s excellent for cutting thin to medium metal, and also a good choice when you’re cutting tile, vinyl, cement board, or drywall to exact fits.
Ryobi Compact Brushless Cut-Off Tool Specifications
- Model: Ryobi PSBCS02B
- Motor: Brushless
- RPM: 0-19,500
- Wheel Size: 3 in.
- Arbor Adapters: 7/16 in. and 3/8 in.
- Arbor Size: 3/8 in.
- Warranty: 3 years
- Price: $119 (bare tool)
For more information about the Ryobi One+ 18V Compact Cut-Off Tool, click here.
