All the popular power tool brands make a ton of excellent tools and accessories, giving us more choices than ever. Big names like Ryobi and Milwaukee are often compared because of their offerings, not to mention they’re owned by the same company, but make no mistake: they’re very different. And what gives Ryobi an advantage isn’t what you think.

Both Milwaukee and Ryobi make all the common items DIYers, homeowners, and professionals use. I’m talking about drills, drivers, lights, impacts, angled ratchets, saws, etc., but what truly sets Ryobi apart isn’t power or performance, but all its oddball tools and accessories.

As many of you might know, Ryobi makes some very obscure power tools, like this LED tripod light that looks like a railgun from the game Halo, misting fans, bucket-top vacuums, patio sweepers, mechanic creepers, and more. The 18V ONE+ battery platform is compatible with over 350 tools and accessories, so you’re bound to find something fun or weird.

The next time you need a truly weird or niche power tool, head to the Ryobi section at Home Depot. Here are a few of my favorites.

Ryobi 18V Dual Function Lighted Creeper Seat

A mechanic creeper, seat, lighting, and storage

For those who don’t know, those low-profile rolling platforms mechanics use to get under a vehicle are called a Creeper. And, as you’d probably guess from the title, Ryobi makes one. But in typical Ryobi fashion, it isn’t your usual creeper, but a do-it-all chair and tool you’ll love to have in your garage.

The Ryobi 18V Dual Function Lighted Creeper/Seat is a multi-position chair and a lay-flat creeper, only with built-in lighting that runs off any existing 18V ONE+ battery. Everything is adjustable, with built-in tool slots, storage bins, and more, and it all sits on adjustable caster wheels.

This chair and creeper can handle around 400lb, delivers 800 lumens of adjustable light, and will be your new best friend whether you’re relaxing in the garage, working on a DIY build, or rolling under that project car. It’s a pretty weird and versatile tool for under $200.

Ryobi 18V 5-Gallon Bucket Top Wet/Dry Vac

Turn any bucket into a shop vac

Credit: Ryobi

Most cordless tool brands make some sort of vacuum, but this thing is different. Ryobi’s 18V ONE+ bucket-top vacuum is exactly what it sounds like. I stumbled on it on sale for only $40 last year, thought it was silly, then went back and bought one, and it’s oddly great.

Here’s how it works, and why you might want one. Instead of spending $100+ on a big, heavy, corded shop vac, this thing snaps to the top of any 5-gallon bucket. And if you don’t have one, they’re only a couple of bucks at any hardware or home improvement store.

While a shop vac can often cost a few hundred dollars, Ryobi’s bucket-top vacuum is only $64. It comes with a long swiveling hose that fits most standard attachments, four replaceable filters, and more. All you need is a battery and a bucket. And yes, it’s compatible with any 18V ONE+ battery you already own.

Like any other shop vac, you can easily clean up anything, whether it’s wet or dry, pop off the vacuum, and dump it out. The difference here is that you have a lightweight, highly portable cordless vacuum. You can turn the vacuum into a blower port, too, for added versatility, like blowing out the garage or dusting off the house’s blinds. Honestly, it’s a pretty nifty little gadget. Imagine a handheld dust buster vacuum, one that can also clean up wet messes and double as a blower.

What’s Included

Crevice tool, Filter, Hose

Tool Type

Vacuum

Toss Ryobi’s wet/dry vacuum on top of any 5-gallon bucket, and you have a capable shop vac in seconds. 

Ryobi Hybrid TriPower Tripod Light

Versatile lighting that works with any Ryobi battery

Ryobi’s Hybrid tools can run on an 18V ONE+ battery or an extension cord, and I’m a big fan. But the Hybrid TriPower Tripod light takes things to a completely new level. This versatile yet wild-looking light works with an 18V or 40V battery, or that orange extension cord in the corner of your garage.

Yes, the name is a mouthful, but the Ryobi Hybrid TriPower Tripod light is one of those oddball tools you’ll absolutely love. This light is basically a giant Ryobi tripod with folding legs and can extend to over 7 feet tall. There’s a bright 3800-lumen light with adjustable panels at the top, which are also removable for camping or portability.

At the base, you can plug in an 18V ONE+ battery (or a 40V battery) to power your lighting, and it’ll also accept a regular 120V extension cord. I use this thing weekly in my garage, take it camping, and even use it in the house without the tripod during a power outage. See what I’m getting at? It’s pretty great.

More importantly, you can add several other Ryobi tools to the top, not just the light that comes with it. Add a fan, a Bluetooth speaker, or whatever else you want.

Ryobi 40V 300W Power Source and Charger

Charge battery packs, phones, and more

Credit: Ryobi

Ryobi makes more than just tools, and it has an expansive lineup of accessories you’ll probably want too. A prime example is the 40V battery charger that doubles as a 300W power source.

Released in 2026, the 40V power source and charger is basically a charging station for your entire garage. It’ll charge your 40V battery, features a 12V AC outlet, two USB-C ports, a USB-A port, built-in lighting, and more. You probably have your Ryobi battery charger on top of a work station or tool chest, and now you can plug in your phone, tablet, fans, and anything else you can imagine. It’s a nifty little accessory that I’m surprised other brands haven’t thought of yet.

Oh, and when you don’t need your tools, you can take it (and a 40V battery) camping and use it as a power bank to power lights or charge phones.

Special features

Low Battery Shutdown, Mountable, On Indicator Light, On/Off Switch, Overload Protection, Replaceable Battery, USB Port

Tool Type

Battery

Turn your Ryobi 40V charger into a portable power and charging station with this 300W accessory. 

Ryobi makes something for everyone

While I highlighted four oddball items from Ryobi above, those are only the beginning. The company has a hybrid battery-powered cooler/fridge for camping, string lights, oscillating fans with misting functions, snowblowers for winter, 18V fertilizer spreaders for your yard, glue guns, motorized scissors, a customizable DIY workbench, drain augers, soldering irons, propane heaters, and the list goes on.

Ryobi has hand tools, gloves, glasses, speakers, outdoor products that aren’t yard tools, and so much more. At one point, they offered an RC truck and a garage door opener, but those were both discontinued.

Basically, it’s Ryobi’s continued efforts to make anything and everything at an affordable price point that set them apart from Milwaukee and the rest.