Milwaukee Impact Drivers Are Top Of The Line, But Smart Money DIYers Buy This Ryobi

By Samira Vishwas On Dec 7, 2025

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Milwaukee appeared near the top of our ranking of major impact driver brands in 2024, a list that omitted Ryobi. While it’s true that opinions of Ryobi power tools are mixed, the company continues to improve its offerings. Home Depot’s most popular Ryobi impact driver lists for $69.00, including a battery and charger. It has a 4.7-star rating with 525 reviews and a 94% user recommendation on Home Depot’s product page.

I’ve had a Ryobi impact driver in my tool kit for nearly 10 years and it works as expected every time for every task from repairing a deck to installing solar panels on my camper roof. While it may not be Ryobi’s most powerful impact driver, it came with a six-piece Ryobi power tool set I bought on impulse early one Black Friday morning at Home Depot.

I’ve also used a Milwaukee impact driver while working for a Recreation and Parks Department. The Milwaukee driver was more compact than my Ryobi, but didn’t offer any perceivable advantage in functionality on the job.

A comparison of Milwaukee and Ryobi 18-volt impact drivers

Comparisons between Milwaukee and Ryobi impact drivers are certainly valid since China’s Techtronic Industries (TTI) owns both brands. Milwaukee offers impact drivers that operate on two battery systems: the 12-volt M12 and 18-volt M18. Ryobi impact drivers only come as 18-volt models on the Ryobi One+ 18-volt battery system. While the One+ battery system has been around since 2004, Ryobi’s newest impact driver compares well with the most advanced Milwaukee M18 impact driver.

Milwaukee’s M18 Fuel Impact Driver$179.00 at Home Depot for the tool only, features brushless technology to deliver 2,000 inch-pounds of torque and up to 3,900 rpm. It weighs 2.55 pounds, offers four-mode versatility, and comes with Milwaukee’s five-year limited warranty.

The top-tier Ryobi One+ HP 18V Impact DriverHome Depot priced at $129.00, also has four modes, brushless technology, and weighs in at 2.5 pounds. While it has a slower maximum rpm at 3,400, it provides 2,300 inch pounds of torque. However, Ryobi’s warranty is only good for three years.