Are you looking to drive 3″ screws into some concrete, well this review is not for you. But if your looking for a cool little small 4 volt screwdriver for your hobbies or other small projects, you may want to take a look at the Ryobi Tek4.
Power Tool Review– Ryobi Tek4 Screwdriver
Power Tool Model – HP53LK
Pros: small size, inexpensive, great weight
Cons: Battery compartment cover can be lost easily making the tool useless
Specifications of the Ryobi
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4V Lithium ion
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1/4″ chuck
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Chuck Type – Hex
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24 position clutch
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Built in LED work light
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Forward and reverse
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Tool weight – 2.1 lbs.
Nuts & Bolts of the Ryobi
Specifications
When you think of a small 4V screwdriver, you might think of a kids toy. They usually don’t offer a lot of options or power. We thought this would be the same case with the Ryobi Tek4, but we were wrong. The kit comes with the screwdriver, a tool bag, one battery, a charger and 6 piece 1/4″ bit set. The small screwdriver has a lot of power, more than we thought. We like that the screwdriver has 24 positions for the clutch, which makes it perfect for most small projects. The variable speed trigger is great and allows the user to very easily control their speed. The forward/reverse is very easy to use and placed in a great location for easy access, one handed.
One item to note is the battery compartment, which we are not fond of. The battery is placed inside the bottom of the screwdriver handle, which is not bad. However, there is a small screw on/off cap that holds the battery in place. We are not big fans of items that can be lost and especially when it affects the operation of the power tool. The cap is a small plastic cap, so if you drop the cap, it may hold up. But if you accidentally step on it, you might break it. Also the cap is small, so it would be easy to loose if your like me and have my type of luck.
Review
There are a lot of application where a user would need a small compact screw driver. They are lighter and smaller which makes it very easy to get into tight spots, which seems to be where all the manufactures hide these small screws. We used this screwdriver on a couple small RC cars and a computer to remove the hard drive. Over all we liked the balance and were very impressed by the power for a 4V. The light actually came in handy also. The chuck was well designed and bit changes were a snap.
For the video, we took a 2″ screw and drove it through a 2×4 and a piece of plywood. Not that you would be doing this type of work with this screwdriver, but hey why not try. As you can see it did make it through the material and actually on the video that was our third screw we drove with that battery, so actually we were pretty impressed.
Conclusion
If your looking for a small compact screwdriver, the Ryobi is a great choice. This is a lightweight, and powerful screwdriver. We like the idea that it has 24 positions for the clutch, so the user can match the toque with the project. The LED was a big help when we where taking a hard drive out of a computer and there was low light. We do wish the battery compartment was a little different. We are just not a big fan of having a part that is detachable from the drill. If you loose the cap to the battery compartment, your stuck until you can find a new one. Overall, this makes a great addition to any one’s tool line up that will need a small compact screwdriver as it offers great power and great balance.
I got a Ryobi TEK4 Screwdriver – HP53LK as a gift. I used it off and on over a couple of months (total running time about 10 minutes). I was installing a few screws and it stopped working. This was very light work. I brought it back to Home Depot and got another new one.
The new one lasted about 5 minutes total running time before it died.
With the battery installed, pulling the trigger, nothing happens. When I put the battery in the charger, the charging light stays off.
I’m bringing this one back today & will look for another brand.
This is not my main tool (a bosch 12v drill is my main one and has been for about 3 years now, everyday use) but I’m impressed with the Ryobi 4V drill. I’m not impressed with the batteries. I have had several bad out of the box. But the tek4 line is a cool line of tools and gadgets you get a lot of bang for you buck with the screwdriver.
Thanks for letting us know. The line is very cool, but haven’t had much experience with the batteries over a long time.
Ryobi TEK4 Screwdriver – HP53LK as a gift for Christmas. Are there drill bits for this as well. Probably will not use it often but curious about other acssesories?
Thanks email if you can.
I don’t think it comes with any drill bits, but maybe a drill tip like a Philips or flat head
A few bits of corrections/additional info… just got mine new:
* It does NOT have variable speed trigger. Fixed but two different speeds available (200, 600 rpm) selectable via a big switch on the top.
* Comes with half a dozen screwdriver bits, three each flat and phillips of different sizes. (PH 1-3, Flat 4-10). Standard 1/4″ hex bits fit nicely. (If you want drill bits, just buy whatever you like with the standard 1/4″ hex shank.)
* Yes, learn the habit of screwing the battery cap back on after removing the batter to charge it. I suspect the cap is light to keep the weight down… (I wonder if some brand of water bottle cap might fit if I lose the original ?!?!?)
* I love that it has a very solid bit-grabbing chuck, and incredibly easy to use. Just push a bit in all the way and it click-locks in place. Pull out on the collet, and the bit pops out without falling out. VERY nice.
* I also love that replacement batteries are only $12. Not bad for a LiIon battery!
NOTE for people making long term use: like other LiIon (and NiMH) batteries, these are best stored about half-charged for longest life. Storing w/ a full charge isn’t horrible, but half-charged is even better.
Accurate summary. Know of any screw on/off caps for sale or will I be forced to spend another $ 24.99 for a whole new set?
Hmm try calling their customer service number they may be able to help.
just bought a reconditioned tech4 screwdriver – so far the tool has lived up to my expections.
I loved mine for years, but now a drill bit has stuck in the chuck. I did not abuse it or push too hard, but the chuck will no longer let go of the drill bit. So this is now only a drill with the smallest diameter bit unless I can find information on how to remove that chuck piece in order to get the bit out. That’s what got me here.
Wish i could help, but not sure how to take that apart and get the bit out. Try posting in our forum. There are a bunch of smart guys in there who i am sure will have an answer for you.
I did see a Company making Aluminum Battery Caps for these. I think they had a few of these Tek4’s and the plastic battery caps were breaking because of all the use. Wish I would have marked that website. I could use one. The plastic ones do break.