Cordless tools · Head to head
RYOBI ONE+ vs CRAFTSMAN V20: two homeowner battery platforms and their entry drill kits
Starting a cordless collection for home and garden jobs: RYOBI ONE+ or CRAFTSMAN V20, and does 18V vs 20V matter?
At a glance who each one fits
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RYOBI ONE+ 18V 3/8 in. drill/driver bundle with battery, charger and holster
ONE+ entry drill: battery, charger, holster
- Platform: ONE+
- Voltage: 18 V
- Drive or chuck size: 3/8"
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CRAFTSMAN V20 1/2 in. drill/driver kit (CMCD700C1)
1/2 in. chuck, two speeds up to 1,500 RPM*
- Platform: CRAFTSMAN V20*
- Voltage: 20 V
- Drive or chuck size: 1/2"*
Figures are as stated in each product's current Amazon listing; * from the maker's own spec page (see Sources). Yes or No: whether the listing or maker names the feature.
On this page
What we compared and why
- What the batteries fit. A first kit commits you to a battery system. We quote each maker's own compatibility statement rather than summarise forum advice.
- The voltage label. Makers label batteries by maximum or by nominal voltage. Read the wrong one and an 18V and a 20V battery look different when they are the same class.
- What the entry kit contains. The first kit is where your batteries and charger come from. We list what each maker or listing says is in the box.
- Chuck size and speed. A 1/2 in. chuck takes larger drill bits and hole saws than a 3/8 in. chuck. Top speed matters for small holes; the low gear matters for screws.
Side by side
| Model | Platform | Voltage | Drive or chuck size | Speed | Brushless motor | Batteries and charger | Amazon link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RYOBI ONE+ 18V 3/8 in. drill/driver bundle with battery, charger and holster | ONE+ | 18 V | 3/8" | Not stated in listing | Not stated in listing | Not stated in listing | See on Amazon |
| CRAFTSMAN V20 1/2 in. drill/driver kit (CMCD700C1) | CRAFTSMAN V20* | 20 V | 1/2"* | 350 or 1,500 (two speeds)* | No* | 1 V20 battery (page lists 1.3 Ah, title says 1.5 Ah), charger* | See on Amazon |
Read at this page's build and converted to one unit by us; sources as in the key above. "Not stated in listing": the listing does not give it. "Listing gives two values": it states two, so we show neither.
RYOBI ONE+ 18V 3/8 in. drill/driver bundle with battery, charger and holster
Who it fits: Homeowners who want one battery for household, garden and hobby tools and are fine with a 3/8 in. chuck for everyday holes and screws.
Skip it if: You want to run larger hole saws or 1/2 in. shank bits; this listing describes a 3/8 in. drill. Note also that the holster in this bundle is from another brand, per the listing.
CRAFTSMAN V20 1/2 in. drill/driver kit (CMCD700C1)
Who it fits: Homeowners who want a 1/2 in. keyless chuck and two speeds, up to 1,500 per CRAFTSMAN's page, on a platform whose batteries CRAFTSMAN says fit all V20 tools.
Skip it if: You want a brushless motor; CRAFTSMAN lists this drill as brushed.
The two platforms in one paragraph
RYOBI ONE+ and CRAFTSMAN V20 are both homeowner-oriented battery platforms with one battery family across drills, saws, lights, vacuums and garden tools. RYOBI's US system page describes the 18V ONE+ battery as compatible across products from the last three decades. CRAFTSMAN describes its V20 batteries as compatible with all CRAFTSMAN V20 tools and equipment. For a homeowner, the choice between them is less about the drill in the first kit and more about which maker sells the next three tools you want. This page is research-based, from the current listings and the makers' pages; we have not used these kits side by side.
18V and 20V: the same class of battery
The two labels do not mean one battery is stronger. CRAFTSMAN's V20 pages carry a footnote: "20V MAX" is the maximum initial voltage measured without a load, and the nominal voltage is 18. RYOBI labels ONE+ as 18V, which is the same figure as CRAFTSMAN's nominal one. So the 18 and the 20 on the two boxes do not show one battery to be stronger; they are two ways of writing the same class. Compare the two platforms by the tools each one offers and by battery capacity in Ah, not by the 18 or the 20.
| Label on the battery | Which measurement | Same class as |
|---|---|---|
| RYOBI 18V ONE+ | 18 V, the figure RYOBI uses in the platform name | CRAFTSMAN V20 (20V MAX, 18 nominal) |
| CRAFTSMAN V20, "20V MAX" | Maximum initial voltage, no load | RYOBI 18V ONE+ |
Neither battery fits the other maker's tools. A platform choice is a choice of tool range.
The two entry kits
RYOBI. The current listing is a bundle: an 18V ONE+ drill/driver with a 3/8 in. chuck, one battery, a charger and a holster from another brand, per the listing. We could not match this bundle to a single RYOBI model number, so the RYOBI row uses listing figures only.
CRAFTSMAN. The CMCD700C1 kit is CRAFTSMAN's own. Its page lists a 1/2 in. keyless chuck, a brushed motor and a 2-speed gearbox at 0-350 and 0-1,500. The page gives the battery two ways: the title says 1.5 Ah and the includes list says 1.3 Ah, so the table shows both.
Chuck size: what 3/8 in. and 1/2 in. change
The chuck is the part that grips the bit. A 3/8 in. chuck takes bits with shanks up to 3/8 in., which covers the drill bits and driver bits most household jobs use. A 1/2 in. chuck adds larger spade bits, hole saws on bigger arbors and mixing paddles with 1/2 in. shanks. If you plan to run a hole saw for a door lock or a dryer vent, the 1/2 in. chuck is the surer fit; if your list is pictures, shelves and furniture, either works.
A decision rule
- Write down the next three tools you expect to buy, garden tools included. Check that each exists on the maker's own site for that platform.
- If only one platform has all three, that decides it; the first drill matters less.
- If both do, pick on the entry kit: the CRAFTSMAN kit for its 1/2 in. chuck and maker-stated specs, the RYOBI bundle if a 3/8 in. chuck is enough and you prefer the ONE+ range.
- If you already own either battery, stay on it.
For DEWALT and Milwaukee alongside these two, see cordless tool platforms compared. For more drill kits side by side, see cordless drill/driver kits for homeowners.
Reading the table
A figure with a mark comes from CRAFTSMAN's page for the CMCD700C1, linked under Sources. The RYOBI row shows listing values only. The speed cell gives both gears of the two-speed gearbox.
What this page does not tell you
We have not used these kits, and we do not rank the platforms. We do not compare runtime, real driving speed or durability, and we do not list every tool on each platform; the makers' own sites are where to check the tools you need next.
Sources
- CRAFTSMAN V20 1/2 in. drill/driver kit CMCD700C1 product page (craftsman.com)
- CRAFTSMAN V20 9.0Ah battery page: compatibility statement (craftsman.com)
- CRAFTSMAN V20 BRUSHLESS RP drill/driver kit CMCD725D2 page, with the nominal-voltage footnote (craftsman.com)
- RYOBI: 18V ONE+ system page (ryobitools.com)