It comes with two 3.0Ah lithium Ion batteries and 45min charger. The charger is a nice slim design with a host of status LEDs to tell you about your battery while it is being charged. You can keep your kit in the included soft bag that has plenty of room for all 5 tools. The batteries have fuel gauges right on the packs, so you know how much juice you have before you head out.
R8611501K – 18V Lithium-Ion X4 1/2″ Hammer Drill: I have been excited about this drill since I first saw it in a press release. It is a great looking, stout, modern looking piece of machinery. Something about the name X4 sounds so X-men-ish! The hammer drill throws out a hefty 565 in .lbs of torque, has 2 speed settings 0-450 / -1600 rpm and 0-7200 / 0-25,600 BPM. One thing I liked about this drill was it laid down the power smoothly due to the die cast gear box and metal carbide chuck. The ratcheting chuck worked great and the bit stayed tight. The Dual LED light is in the base and is controlled by a switch below the trigger (Grip Light). It worked quite well. The drill is well balanced and is comfortable to grip with or without gloves. A separate drill, hammer and drive switch allow you to retain your clutch settings. It charges in 45min with the included 3.0Ah batteries. Overall the X4 R8611501K is one of my favorite hammer drills
R86034K – 18V Lithium-Ion X4 Impact Driver Kit: Like the drill, the Impact delivered its 1,400 in-lbs of power smoothly. It has plenty of power for any job you throw at it. It produces 2400 rpm @ 3100 IPM. A 1/4″ one handed bit holder works great. At the base is the 2 LED system that worked well and like the drill has a separate trigger switch to turn it on. The ergonomics are great and the balance of the tool made it easy to work with. I also like the Impact a lot.
R8651 – 18V Lithium-Ion X4 Circular saw: I was surprised at how much I liked the Circular saw. It comes with the 6.5″ blade and produces 5000 rpm. Another feature taken from the drill/drivers is the grip light. A circular saw with a light is a great thing! Another feature is the sight line blower. It blows air to remove debris so you can easily see your line. This helps for straighter cuts. For a kit saw it is one of the best I have seen.
R8641 – 18V Lithium-Ion X4 Reciprocating Saw: I like the ergonomic feel of this saw and the fact that it also has the grip light. But now I have to rain on the RIDGID parade, The electronics in this saw are way too sensitive. Any moderate pressure from the user and the saw cuts out. You have to really let the tool do the work with this one. This got a bit annoying when we were trying to cut though 2×4’s. Other than that, the saw was well balanced and blade change was a snap. I liked the adjustable shoe and orbital feature. The saw produces 0-3600 SPM with the included battery.
R8691 –18V Lithium-Ion X4 LED Work Light: Back to the brighter side of things. The LED light is innovative and has a few cool features. The unit has a dial on the side that allows you to rotate from a bright LED spot to a diffused area light which kind of looks like a florescent light. On the side is a hanger that extends out and fits perfectly on a 2×4. It cranks out 150 Lumens.
Overall with the exception of the reciprocating saw, RIDGID has really won me over with these tools. The X4 line is night and day over previous RIDGID products. These tools will give any major power tool manufacture’s line up a run for their money. They are a quality built, rugged tool that will provide a long life for the owner. The R8611501K – 18V Lithium-Ion X4 1/2″ Hammer Drill is one of my top favorite drills right now.
