Ryobi has become one of the most well-rounded battery operated tool lines on the market today. They cover not only the basics like drilling and cutting, but they have a huge offering of specialty tools as well like lighting, inflators, glue guns, fans, drain augers, transfer pumps and as of recently, a drywall screw gun. Let’s check out this addition to Ryobi’s cordless lineup in the Ryobi Drywall Screw Gun Review.
Ryobi Drywall Screw Gun Review Overview
Traditionally, the only time you would see a drywall screw gun is if a professional contractor is hanging drywall. Most homeowners who take on drywall projects tend to use their drill driver or impact driver to hang drywall. These items will accomplish the task and I have used them myself for drywall jobs, but they’re not the best option.
So, why would anyone need or want a drywall screw gun over a drill? Simple, they are designed to do the job faster and with better results. You will see what I mean when you get to the features section of this review.
You may be asking, who was this drywall screw gun designed for and does it have any real value. Ryobi does a great job building and pricing tools for the homeowner, but I think this tool can extend past the homeowner market pretty easily.
Ryobi Drywall Screw Gun Review Features
The Ryobi 18-Volt Brushless Drywall Screw Gun’s removable and adjustable nose cone is designed for increased accuracy over regular drills. This feature allows an operator to control the depth at which they drive the screws. By setting the correct depth, screws can be set at a depth that prevents a user from driving too deep which tears the drywall paper. If a screw is not set correctly, it can significantly increase the time needed to mud. To me, this is the biggest reason to use a drywall screw gun.
Ryobi has designed this drywall screw gun with a brushless motor which yields more battery runtime, more torque and longer tool life over a typical brushed motor.
The Ryobi 18-Volt Brushless Drywall Screw Gun has a variable speed trigger that has a lock on feature.
Ryobi’s QuietDrive technology eliminates noise in between driving and it prolongs battery charge. When QuietDrive is turned on, the drywall screw gun will start to drive whenever the tip of the drill bit is pushed in. Basically, whenever you engage the drywall driver bit to the screw and push, it will start driving. It will stop when you quit pushing.
The Ryobi 18-Volt Brushless Drywall Screw Gun has a built-in magnetic holder for extra screws and bits.
The Grip Zone over mold makes using the drywall screw gun comfortable to hold in an optimal way. This is another area where a drywall screw gun differs from a drill driver. Instead of holding the screw gun from the handle, you position your hand directly in line with the screw to make sure each screw goes in straight. The web between your thumb and index finger should be positioned up top behind the motor. This is important because if you drive a screw crooked, you may end up with the screw head sticking up a bit on one end which will need to be addressed before mudding.
The screw gun comes with a LED light that is located down at the base and shines on the work surface.
The Ryobi 18-Volt Brushless Drywall Screw Gun has an included PR2 Phillips bit. The PR2 bit is essentially a #2 bit with a narrow diameter and is designed specifically for use with drywall screws. PR2 bits help reduce paper tear from screwing in the drywall, which helps maintain the drywall’s strength and protection. PR2 bits are also made of harder metals to withstand the torque and increases driving power when using drywall screws.
With a fastener-free belt clip, you can flip the clip to either side of the screw gun quickly and easily.
Ryobi Drywall Screw Gun Review Performance
The Ryobi 18-Volt Brushless Drywall Screw Gun’s variable trigger operates between 0 and 4,700 RPM and when used with a Ryobi P108 battery (4.0 Ah) you can expect to drive about 3,000 screws before recharging. Being able to drive 3,000 screws on one battery is impressive, but I think this tool is better served with a lighter weight compact battery. Even though this reduces the number of screws you can run by about 1/2, your arm will be a lot less tired.
The QuietDrive feature is nice and once you get the hang of it, you can really drive screws quickly. The nose cone is easy to adjust and is removable allowing convenient access to the PR2 bit. Overall the design on this screw gun is well thought out and easy to use.
The Ryobi 18-Volt Brushless Drywall Screw Gun has just about every feature the more expensive brands have and it performs at a surprisingly high level. The only optional feature this screw gun does not have is a collated screw gun attachment. This is a feature you would only expect to find on a professional drywall crew’s equipment.
Ryobi Drywall Screw Gun Review Value
When looking into a new tool, most people will ask themselves if they can justify the cost. Most homeowners don’t have a huge need for a drywall screw gun. They can get by with the drill driver that they use for about everything. The results might not be as nice and it will probably take longer to hang and mud, but it can get done.
The Home Depot offers this tool for $99.00 (bare tool) the Ryobi 18-Volt Brushless Drywall Screw Gun is a great timesaver and value to a homeowner who is only going to use it a few times. I think it would be even more of a value to a contractor who does the occasional drywall job.
Ryobi Drywall Screw Gun Review Final Thoughts
With the $99.00 price tag Ryobi has on their 18-Volt Brushless Drywall Screw Gun, a person that is in, or looking to get into the Ryobi battery line should give this tool serious consideration. It is a high performer at a very reasonable price.
