Ridgid R86009K Review

The R86009K tied with the Porter-Cable PCCK607LB and ahead of the Ryobi P252. Both the Porter-Cable and the Ridgid are about the same in terms of battery performance and convenience features. The Ridgid did a little better than the PCCK607LB in our drilling tests, but the Porter-Cable slightly outperformed it when it came to driving. The Ridgid outperformed the Ryobi in all of our metrics with the exception of driving, in which they tied. However, the Ridgid is the most expensive of these three products, having a list price that is a bit higher than the Porter-Cable and significantly higher than the Ryobi.

To rate and compare cordless drills, we first had to decide which ones were worth including. We did this by reading tons and tons of other user review and comparing manufacturer specifications, then bought the most promising tools to test out for ourselves. We scored their performance to a wide array of different tests, grouped into four weighted testing metrics. Keep reading to see how the Ridgid R86009K stacked up against the rest of its peers when it came to drilling, driving, convenience, and battery life.

Drilling

The R86009K did quite well in our 5" hole saw test, drilling into a solid core door to the full depth of the saw in about 35 seconds. It accomplished this with relative ease, only struggling a small amount more than the top-tier drills.

However, it didn't fare quite as well with a 1" spade bit. We found that the Ridgid kept stalling and stopping in its higher gear, forcing us to shift to the lower one.

The R86009K's performance rebounded in our steel drilling tests, punching through metal sheet with hardly any difficulty at all. It drilled a ¼" hole quickly and easily in about 1.5 seconds, matching the performance of the top drills. However, we did hear a slight screech and sign of a struggle right as it punched through.

Driving

The R86009K did very well in our driving tests, though not quite as good as it did when it came to drilling. It got off to a good start with the 3" long, #9 wood screws, driving dozens of these screws into two stacked 2x12s exceptionally fast. It usually sets the countersunk screw heads flush with the surface of the wood without issue. However, it doesn't quite have the power to drive them in further in a controlled way if you stop and start again — like if you accidentally left the screw a tiny bit proud of the surface on the first attempt. It drives them further from a standstill, but it will usually end up overdriving, as you have to squeeze the trigger pretty far.

The R86009K definitely struggled a bit more with the 5" long, ½" diameter lag screw, which is a considerably harder test. However, it did eventually drive this screw to its full depth, connecting a 2x4 to a 4x4. We drilled an appropriate pilot hole for this screw, then did our best at driving it all the way in with the R86009K. It made it most of the way without any issue, but did stall out towards the end and required a bit of persuasion to fully drive it in.

Included Battery

The Ridgid was average in our battery life and recharge tests. Starting with a fully charged battery and alternating between driving in 16 screws (#9, 3" long) and drilling three holes with the 1" diameter paddle bit, the R86009K made it through just under 6.5 sets before dying. The top drills made it through over 10 sets of this routine.

Its 1.5 Ah battery did earn some points for charging on the faster side, taking around 53 minutes with the included battery charger. This drill also included two batteries, allowing you to keep an extra on the charger so you aren't ever caught with a dead battery.

Convenience

The R86009K has plenty of features and helpful functions that increase your productivity and make it easier and more convenient to use. It has two different operating gear ratios, but it is a bit on the heavier side, weighing in just shy of 4 pounds. The chuck on this drill can hold up to ½" shank, and it has a belt clip.

The R86009K's integrated work light is quite good, providing more than enough illuminations to see what you are doing when working in a dark place. The lights stay on for about 10 seconds after activation and the Ridgid even has a dedicated button just to turn the light on.

This drill also has a charge status indicator right on the battery and it is super easy to install or remove a battery. They slide in and out with hardly any resistance and the locking tabs are very easy to engage or disengage.

Value

Unfortunately, the R86009K isn't a great value, pairing a decent performance with a premium list price.

Conclusion

Overall, the Ridgid R86009K is a solid, all-around drill, but it isn't the best we have seen. Unfortunately, it is priced like it is one of the absolute best, so it isn't our first choice to recommend. However, it is a solid bet if you found it on sale and definitely shouldn't disappoint.