5 USB Lithium Ryobi Tools Under $40 Worth Adding To Your Collection

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

The convenience afforded by cordless power tools is obvious — even if you are in range of a power outlet, not getting tangled up in wires makes them worth it alone. However, the batteries and chargers that come with most power tool aren’t typically cheap. They can also be bulky and heavy, which negates the portability aspect.

That’s what makes Ryobi’s USB Lithium line notable. Instead of using large lithium-ion battery packs, these tools are more compact and are charged directly via USB. If you’ve already got a spot reserved for charging your smartphone, you likely already have what you need to charge a Ryobi USB Lithium tool — though they also come with the required accessories in case you don’t.

Of course, they’re not as powerful as Ryobi’s 18V and 40V tools — you won’t find a cordless circular saw in this system. But for lighter-duty jobs, their ultra-compact size is an asset, not a detriment. Plus, many of them come fairly cheap, especially compared to larger cordless tools. In addition to existing products, there are several new Ryobi USB Lithium tools as well. Here are five USB Lithium Ryobi tools under $40 worth adding to your collection.

Cleaning intricate or tight spaces often requires significant manual effort, and if you’re sick of wearing out your arm scrubbing away with an old toothbrush, the USB Lithium Compact Detail Scrubber is worth considering. It spins at 6,300 oscillations per minute. In addition to a 2Ah battery and USB charging cable, the tool comes with three different heads you can swap out, depending on the task: medium, hard, and scour.

The USB Lithium Compact Detail Scrubber has a promising 4.3 out of 5 overall user rating from nearly 400 Home Depot customers, who note it’s useful for cleaning hard-to-reach areas and comes in handy in the bathroom dealing with tile and grout. Ryobi also says it can be used on fiberglass and other surfaces. 

It’s likely to get wet when cleaning in the bathroom or kitchen, so the tool is built to be IPX7 water-resistant. That means it can be submerged for a half hour in up to three feet of water. 

The Ryobi USB Lithium Compact Detail Scrubber Kit (model FVG52K) is available at Home Depot for $39.97.

You may think that $40 is pricey for a compact flashlight, but despite its small size, the Ryobi USB Lithium LED Flashlight is capable of delivering up to 600 lumens. After testing the device, Pro Tool Reviews found it to be worth the cost, especially since it can run continuously at that brightness level for over 130 minutes. After that, the light indicates that it is running out of juice while providing another few minutes of 100 lumens to give you a chance to find your charging cable.

The 100 lumens is the low setting the flashlight also comes with — in that setting, it can last a whopping 18 hours. There’s also a third mode — strobe — which is useful if you’re using it as a makeshift hazard flare while changing a tire on the side of the road or a makeshift disco ball if you decide to have an impromptu dance party. 

The Ryobi USB Lithium LED Flashlight also features a lanyard loop and belt clip to keep it attached to your person on the jobsite or while hiking. The tool is also suited for either of those situations since it’s rated IP54 for water and dust resistance. While it’s not as convenient as the Ryobi USB Lithium Magnetic LED Headlamp, which can be used as a hands-free work light in two different ways, those who prefer having an inline flashlight on hand have this as an option.

The Ryobi USB Lithium LED Flashlight (model FVL51K) is available from Home Depot for $39.97.

Last year, Jona Shone, a YouTuber reviewer of “quirky tools,” tested out every Ryobi USB Lithium tool they could get their hands on. After all that hands-on time with the platform, Shone named the Ryobi USB Lithium High-Volume Inflator one of the top two tools in the system. One reason the tool ranked so highly was its compact design, which makes it portable enough to take camping to inflator tents. 

Another reason cited is the device’s onboard storage, which allows the included attachments — a sweeper nozzle and narrow pinch valve nozzle — to be kept on the side. Perhaps most importantly, Shone says that the inflator produces good air volume, which is the whole point of such a tool, but it is not a blower, despite Ryobi describing it as such. It’s not the right choice if you’re looking for a rechargeable tool to clear dust or debris from a workbench or computer keyboard.

As for inflating and deflating though, it’s solid. It’s not as powerful or versatile as the highest-rated Ryobi air pumps and you won’t be filling your truck tires with it, but it’ll get the job done with air mattresses, pool toys, beach balls, and the like. It’s IPX4 water resistant, so it’s fine to take to beaches and pools. Other features include a low- and high-speed setting and a pistol grip, affording more handling and control.

The Ryobi USB Lithium High-Volume Inflator (model FVIF51B) is available from Home Depot for $30.

If you’re looking for one of the Ryobi products that can keep you cool in the heat that can also use the brand’s USB Lithium batteries, the USB Lithium Clamp Fan can be a convenient choice. Because it can clamp onto surfaces, it’s useful to use in a garage or workshop. Its integrated clamp base is a standard 1-¼ inches, so it can be attached to desks, strollers, or the rim of an open toolbox. There are also built-in lanyard loops to carry it around hands-free.

It can run for over 7 hours on a single charge, so it could even last all day if you take it with you on a picnic. Of course, that maximum runtime applies to its low setting. The Ryobi USB Lithium Clamp Fan’s other setting is more powerful and eats through battery quicker but delivers up to 165 cfm of airflow despite the compact size of the device. Ryobi describes the product as its most portable fan to date. 

On Ryobi’s website, over 1,000 users have rated the USB Lithium Clamp Fan a near-perfect 4.9 out of 5 average customer score. User sentiment is overwhelmingly positive and even enthusiastic, with owners praising the battery life and lightweight design, as well as how quietly it runs. Backing this up is the overall user score based on over 2,200 ratings from Home Depot customers — a 4.6 out of 5. One of the few complaints you can find about the tool is that it can’t be used while it’s recharging.

The Ryobi USB Lithium Clamp Fan (model FVF51K) is available from Home Depot for $39.97.

There are multiple lighting solutions in Ryobi’s USB Lithium line, but — there’s a decent chance there’s one Ryobi USB Lithium tool you didn’t know existed — the 200-Lumen Magnifying Light. It’s not the brightest of the bunch, but its magnifying glass gives it an advantage none of the others do, allowing you to easily read blueprints, diagrams, and instruction manuals.

With a maximum of 200 lumens, you’ll have plenty of light to read such things, even in dimly lit areas. Other use cases include trying to find a dirty screw deep in the engine well where natural light is scarce. This somewhat niche but obviously useful ability is probably why the device has an excellent 4.7 out of 5 overall user rating from over 300 Home Depot shoppers, with 94% of surveyed customers recommending it. Users find the light to be bright enough for what it does and also cite the portability and intuitive form — it’s designed like an old-school, Sherlock Holmes-style magnifying glass — as reasons the device is worth having.

For what it’s worth, some owners do note that a hands-free option would be appreciated, and others say the magnifying lens — which offers 3x magnification — can distort images. But users find the pros outweigh the cons overall. The light has two brightness settings and can run up to 16 hours on a single charge.

The Ryobi USB Lithium 200-Lumen Magnifying Light (model FVL55K) is available from Home Depot for $29.97.