Cordless power tools come in a wide variety of types and colors, and you’ve likely heard that many of your favorite brands are made or owned by the same large company. Yes, one company owns both Ryobi and Milwaukee, but that doesn’t mean they’re the same.
Two of the most popular power tool brands in the United States are Ryobi and Milwaukee, along with DeWALT and a few others. Milwaukee is obviously one of the biggest names around, and Ryobi is extremely popular with casual users and the DIY crowd due to its affordability.
Are these tool brands made in the same factory? Is Milwaukee simply Ryobi with red paint? Just because the same parent company (TTI) owns both doesn’t mean much. They’re actually vastly different, and here’s what you need to know.
Techtronic Industries operates everywhere
A little backstory: Ryobi and Milwaukee are both owned and or licensed by TTI (Techtronic Industries), a large conglomerate based in Hong Kong, China.
TTI acquired Ryobi in 2000, and the company now owns and manufactures all of its products, mainly catering to the DIY crowd and homeowners. The company licenses the name and has a widespread distribution agreement with Home Depot.
While looking to expand, TTI acquired Milwaukee Tools in 2005 and remains the primary parent company of those popular red tools you’ll see in mechanic shops, on garage shelves, and used by electricians across the United States.
However, one extremely important aspect of these tools is how they handle everything. For one, TTI operates globally, with around 50% of its manufacturing in Hong Kong, while the rest is scattered across several continents. For example, TTI operates in China, the United States, Vietnam, Mexico, and Europe.
More importantly, Milwaukee Tool continues to operate as an independent subsidiary and still runs its main headquarters in Brookfield, Wisconsin. Additionally, some Milwaukee tools are still assembled in the United States, while Ryobi tools are primarily made in China.
While they share some manufacturing locations, they are not usually produced in the same facility. R&D is different, the budget is different, and even the target audience is different. Even if some parts come from the same location, they’re on distinct production lines, each tailored to build heavy-duty tools for professionals or more affordable options for everyday folks.
So, just because TTI owns them both, and you’ll spot very similar tools and lineups at Home Depot, doesn’t mean they’re the same. Don’t assume it’s just a color difference and buy a Ryobi right away because it’s more affordable. I’m not saying Ryobi tools are bad, because I love mine, but there’s more to the situation than the color and who owns the company.
Ryobi and Milwaukee are for different users
Milwaukee and those affordable lime green Ryobi tools operate at completely different ends of the cordless power tool market. One is for professionals and offers several specialty tools, while the other releases everything under the sun at affordable price points, hoping to earn a customer or convince a casual homeowner at Home Depot to buy one.
Don’t get me wrong, there’s certainly some overlap, but that still doesn’t mean they’re the same. Milwaukee builds tough, rugged, extremely durable, and powerful tools for professionals.
Milwaukee also offers a wide array of specialty tools you won’t find from Ryobi, DeWALT, or others, because it knows its target audience. For example, the Milwaukee SURGE hydraulic impact driver is an exceptional tool, and it has been for years on end. Ryobi offers nothing close to it in terms of size or performance.
Sure, Ryobi and Milwaukee likely share a few components or electronics here and there, but they’re few and far between. Aside from the color and product offering, these tools are very different on the inside. For example, Milwaukee has offered tabless battery cells in some of its premium REDLITHIUM Forge battery packs since 2024, which deliver better performance, faster charging, lower heat output, and several other benefits.
Eventually, Ryobi started adopting a slightly different tabless cell design, which again improved performance and such. Milwaukee also switched to more advanced, powerful brushless motors in its FUEL line long before Ryobi did. These types of improvements didn’t arrive at the same time, or for the same battery packs or tools, as they’re manufactured, designed, and released in a completely different fashion.
Better yet, watch a few YouTube videos of tool enthusiasts tightening a nut with a Milwaukee impact, then try to remove it with a similar tool from another brand. Or speed tests driving fasteners. I’ve never seen one of those tests where a Ryobi beats out Milwaukee. I’ve done those tests myself, and I actually went through an entire Ryobi battery trying to remove a few things installed with a Milwaukee product.
Obviously, we’ll never know for sure, as we’re not on the inside of those production facilities. That said, TTI shared many stats during recent investor meetings and noted that Ryobi and Milwaukee each have their own offices and distribution facilities in the U.S.
Combine that with the fact that Milwaukee, while owned by TTI, continues to operate as an independent subsidiary, and that should tell you all you need to know. Surely there’s a lot of internal sharing, but these are two different tool lines with distinct technologies, internal teams, R&D, manufacturing, and customer bases.
I love my Ryobi power tools, and they’re more than enough for my needs, but they’re not the same as a Milwaukee. There’s also a reason I own a few Milwaukee tools that I’ll always reach for over anything else.
