Ridgid Octane Lineup – Octane Brushless 4″ Grinder Review
While not a full card-carrying member of #teamridgid, I do enjoy tools of the orange variety from time to time. I would like to think I am still objective. With that said, the Ridgid Octane lineup is a useful addition to my arsenal.
This post is part of a paid partnership with The Home Depot and contains affilaite links.
Ridgid has been rolling out tools from their new Octane lineup of “smart tools.” The Octane lineup includes a computer in each tool that provides a handshake to let the battery know exactly how much power the tools require for optimal performance. This also avoids wasteful and destructive overdraw. Further, this feature also gives the Octane tools the ultimate power from each respective battery (up to 65% more power).
The Octane lineup also features Bluetooth connectivity to the batteries which give you features like charge and battery usage indicators on your phone and proximity gating (theft detection) allowing you to remotely lock disable or locate batteries via the app. A handy addition for those working on job sites where tools may disappear or for safety around the house.
Get a RIDGID OCTANE 18-Volt Starter Kit Free When You Purchase One of These 3 Tools at The Home Depot!
These features are awesome, but I work primarily in my workshop so the key feature I am interested in is the power and battery life. The Octane handshake (as I’ll continue calling it) adds up to 65% more power compared to similar brushless tools and this difference is obvious even to a wood butcher such as myself. On top of that, the control of needless current draw adds up to 4x the battery life of standard lithium-ion batteries…I’m listening.
For a steelworker, the power and battery life of the Octane grinder might actually make it viable for Jobsite work with a 9ah battery (although the balance of the tool gets a little squirrely with that much battery on it.) Personally, I mostly use a grinder with a flap disk for heavy material removal or a power carving disk for shaping. For me so sacrificing a little battery life is no biggy compared to cutting the cord. Functionality-wise, I am on board.
The Ridgid Octane 4 and a half inch grinder, lost a lot of weight and got a lot more comfortable in the ergo department. It now sports an actual handle rather than the traffic cone design of previous models. Compared to some “industrial” grinders from Makita or DeWalt, it is great as far as fit in the hand. The key feature missing in my eyes is a paddle or trigger switch although that is probably just personal preference. I would rather be able to spin it up as I need it and spin down between strokes, but that is just me.
The Ridgid Octane grinder is a professional level tool in my eyes for limited use applications (read not an all-day tool.) It is somewhat ergonomic in the hand for extensive usage, but the switch is a letdown. In terms of battery and power, you won’t run down the battery in 20 minutes or bog it down in any application I have run it through. But most importantly, it seems to add a cooling solution for the battery (which typically overheats in a high demand tool like this before it runs out). For power carving or hobbyist metalwork, this is a no brainer.
The Octane 4 and a half inch brushless grinder can be purchased at The Home Depot for $119 or in a 7” version (not reviewed) for $244.
I acknowledge that The Home Depot is partnering with me to participate in the promotional program described above (the “Program”). As a part of the Program, I am receiving compensation in the form of products and services, for the purpose of promoting The Home Depot. All expressed opinions and experiences are my own words. My post complies with the Word Of Mouth Marketing Association (WOMMA) Ethics Code and applicable Federal Trade Commission guidelines.
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Thanks for Reading
Wood.Work.LIFE
