Einhell vs Ryobi: Which Budget Battery Platform Wins?

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Einhell and Ryobi are the two names that come up whenever someone asks for a cheap cordless platform. Both sell an 18V battery system that runs a long list of tools, both are easy to find in the UK, and both cost far less than DeWalt, Makita or Milwaukee. The question is which one deserves your money.

This comparison is written for tradespeople, not weekend DIYers. If you want a cheap second kit for the van, a set of tools for an apprentice, or something to leave on a job where kit tends to walk, the platform you pick matters, because you will keep buying into it for years.

We compared the two on the tools most people buy first: a drill, an impact driver and the batteries that run them. Prices and review counts are from the live Amazon UK listings at the time of writing and will move, so check the current price before you buy.

Quick Verdict

Ryobi is the better platform for most people. The ONE+ range is bigger, the combi drill kit has thousands of reviews behind it, and the batteries and chargers are easy to find and cheap to add to. Einhell wins on out-and-out value in a ready-to-go kit: its brushless drill with two batteries and a charger costs less than the Ryobi equivalent and has a hammer function the Ryobi drill kit does not list.

If you want the widest choice of tools and the safest long-term bet, go Ryobi. If you want a brushless drill kit at the lowest price and you will mostly stay within drilling and driving, Einhell is hard to beat.

Einhell vs Ryobi at a Glance

	Einhell Power X-Change	Ryobi ONE+
Battery system	18V Power X-Change	18V ONE+
Drill we picked	TE-CD 18/50 Li-i BL, 50Nm, brushless, 2 x 2.0Ah and charger	Combi drill starter kit, 50Nm, 24 torque settings, 2 x 1.5Ah and charger
Drill price at time of writing	£75.00	£97.80
Drill review count	2,584 ratings, 4.5 stars	7,197 ratings, 4.7 stars
Impact driver we picked	TE-CI 18 Li Brushless kit, 180Nm, battery and charger included	Brushless impact driver, up to 300Nm, body only
Impact driver price at time of writing	£99.99	£114.00
Battery compatibility	Same battery across the Power X-Change range	Over 100 other ONE+ tools, according to Ryobi
Best for	Cheapest ready-to-go kit	Widest tool range and long-term value

The Drills

Einhell TE-CD 18/50 Li-i BL Drill Driver Kit

This is the strongest argument for Einhell. For £75.00 at the time of writing you get a brushless 3-in-1 combi drill, hammer drill and screwdriver rated at 50Nm, plus two 2.0Ah Power X-Change batteries and a charger. It has electronic speed control for matching speed to the material, and the hammer function lets it go into brick and block for light fixings.

On the job it is a good all-rounder for first fix and second fix work: pilot holes, driving screws, the odd masonry fixing. The 2.0Ah batteries are small, so if you are drilling and driving all day you will want a spare or a bigger battery. With over 2,500 ratings at 4.5 stars, plenty of people have tested it.

Pros: brushless motor, hammer function, two batteries and charger included, lowest price of the kits we looked at.

Cons: 2.0Ah batteries run out quickly on heavy days, and the tool range is narrower than Ryobi’s.

Best for: tradespeople who want a cheap, capable drill kit without spending £100.

Ryobi 18V ONE+ Combi Drill Starter Kit

The Ryobi combi drill kit costs £97.80 at the time of writing and comes with two 1.5Ah ONE+ batteries and a charger. It has a two-speed gearbox giving 500 to 1,800rpm and up to 50Nm of torque, a ratcheting chuck for a firm bit grip, and 24 torque settings so screws sit flush without snapping heads.

It is the best-reviewed drill in this comparison, with more than 7,000 ratings at 4.7 stars. That counts for something: it tells you the drill survives real use and that the kit is easy to live with. The trade-offs are smaller batteries than the Einhell kit and a higher price, but the batteries slot straight into the rest of the ONE+ range, which is where Ryobi pulls ahead.

Pros: huge review count, 24 torque settings, ratcheting chuck, batteries fit over 100 other ONE+ tools.

Cons: costs more than the Einhell kit, 1.5Ah batteries are small.

Best for: anyone planning to build up a larger kit over time.

The Impact Drivers

Einhell TE-CI 18 Li Brushless Impact Driver Kit

The Einhell impact driver kit is priced at £99.99 at the time of writing and includes a battery and charger. It uses a brushless motor, which means less wear and better efficiency, and it is rated at 180Nm. The electronic speed control can be adjusted to suit the fixing, which helps when you are driving small screws into softwood and don’t want to snap them.

180Nm is enough for decking screws, joist hangers and general carpentry. It is not a tool for heavy structural bolting, and if you are driving 100mm coach screws all day you will notice the gap to the bigger names. At around £100 with a battery included, it is a fair price for a brushless impact driver, though the review count is lower than the drill’s, at 151 ratings.

Pros: brushless, adjustable speed control, battery and charger included.

Cons: lower torque than the Ryobi, fewer reviews to go on, stock was down to a handful at the time we checked.

Best for: general carpentry and fixing work where you want a complete kit in one box.

Ryobi 18V ONE+ Brushless Impact Driver (Body Only)

The Ryobi brushless impact driver is sold body only, at £114.00 at the time of writing, so you need batteries and a charger from elsewhere. The numbers are strong: up to 300Nm of fastening torque and four power settings to match the job.

That is a lot more torque than the Einhell, and it makes the Ryobi the pick if you drive big screws and coach bolts. If you already own a ONE+ battery, it is the better tool; if you are starting from scratch, add roughly £80 for a starter kit and the cost climbs above the Einhell’s. It has just over 100 ratings at 4.3 stars, so the sample is smaller than the drill’s.

Pros: up to 300Nm, four power settings, brushless.

Cons: body only, so you need to buy batteries and a charger separately.

Best for: existing Ryobi owners and anyone who needs more driving power.

Batteries, Range and Long-Term Value

The tool you buy today is only half the decision. A battery platform is a long-term commitment, because each extra tool you add is cheaper if you already own the batteries.

Ryobi’s advantage is range. The ONE+ system covers drills, impact drivers, multi-tools, angle grinders, circular saws and a lot of garden tools, and Ryobi says the batteries work across more than 100 tools. Einhell’s Power X-Change range is also large and every tool shares one battery, so the principle is the same, but in our experience the Ryobi range is easier to shop around for on Amazon UK and has more tools worth owning.

Both brands sell body-only tools and starter kits, and both sell cheap spare batteries. Third-party replacement batteries exist for both platforms, but we would stick to the genuine ones on a work tool, because cheap cells are where the reliability problems usually start.

Which Is Better for Trade Use?

Neither platform is built for a full day of heavy use in the way a DeWalt, Makita or Milwaukee kit is. Both are budget platforms. For trade use they suit specific jobs: a second kit in the van, tools for a labourer or apprentice, or a platform for lighter work like fitting, flooring and general maintenance.

Ryobi has the edge for anyone who wants to grow a kit, because the choice of tools is wider and the reviews are stronger. Einhell has the edge on price per kit, especially the brushless drill with two batteries.

If you already own batteries from either brand, that settles it. Staying on the platform you own will almost always be cheaper than switching.

Buyer’s Guide

Start with the tools you use daily

Pick the platform that makes the drill and impact driver you use every day, then check it also covers the specialist tools you might want later.

Check what is in the box

Some listings include batteries and a charger and some are body only. A cheap body-only price looks good until you add £60 to £80 of batteries.

Think about battery size

1.5Ah and 2.0Ah batteries are fine for light work but run flat quickly on a busy day. Budget for a bigger battery or a spare.

Buy into the platform, not just the tool

The cheapest drill on the day is not always the cheapest option over five years.

FAQs

Is Einhell or Ryobi better?

For most people Ryobi, thanks to the bigger range and strong reviews. Einhell is better if you want the cheapest ready-to-go brushless drill kit.

Are Einhell and Ryobi batteries interchangeable?

No. Einhell uses Power X-Change and Ryobi uses ONE+. You cannot swap batteries between the two systems.

Is Ryobi good enough for trade use?

It suits light to medium trade work and second kits. For daily heavy use, most tradespeople step up to a professional platform.

Is Einhell good enough for trade use?

For occasional and lighter jobs it can do the work. Our separate guide looks at where it holds up and where it does not.

Which is cheaper, Einhell or Ryobi?

Einhell is cheaper for a complete drill kit. Ryobi tools are often sold body only, so the total depends on whether you already own batteries.

Final Verdict

Choose Ryobi if you want a platform to grow with, the strongest reviews and the most power in an impact driver. Choose Einhell if you want the lowest price for a ready-to-use brushless drill kit. Either way, stick to one battery system and add to it over time, because that is where the real saving is.