Ryobi is banking on their lineup of consumer focused TEK4 tools and the batteries that power them. They’ve diverged from the typical uses of power tool batteries and have branched out to create a convenient mobile phone/device charger that uses the same TEK4 battery that will power your cordless driver.
We show it above with the included USB attachment and this unit actually saved us during the Builders Show this year when at the end of the day our iPhone was on it’s last legs. This backup battery charger got our unit from about 5% to almost 80% in about half an hour. It certainly saved us from being tethered to a wall outlet when we wanted to remain on the go at the show.
The TEK4 Battery
Starting with the battery itself it’s a 4-volt lithium-ion rechargeable battery. The main drawback is obviously power. The tools these power could be considered very-light duty but capable, especially for tools that are more electronic in nature and don’t have a motor.
If you need a bit more than you’ll need to step-up to a 12-volt system.
The main advantage to the TEK4 system is it’s size and weight. This system basically eliminates the need for what would typically take 4 AA batteries. Within this system there are flashlights, infrared heat sensors, device chargers, motion-sensor alarms, digital lockboxes, cameras, headphones, multi-meters and laser distance measuring devices.
TEK4 Battery Chargers
If you invest in this system you’ll need proper chargers. Ryobi offers a standard plug into the wall charger that charges one battery at a time and has no cords and takes up little room around your outlet. It also has a handy meter to let you know how much the battery has charged. There is also a quick-charge system that will not only charge your batteries faster but it does two at a time and can use a variety of power sources to charge your battery, not just a wall outlet.
We’ll soon share more tool reviews from the TEK4 lineup.
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