There are a lot of situations where a quality water pump might come in handy. These devices can be useful for basic maintenance tasks such as removing the dirty fluid from your fish tank or your water heater, as well as emptying out a pool or hot tub without an accessible drain to prep it for winter storage. They’re also good to have around in the event of emergency flooding, be it from the weather or a busted pipe.
Buying a dedicated tool like the Ryobi pole pump or submersible pump for this might seem like a bit of an extravagance if you don’t have a regular use for it, though. That’s why it’s so surprising that more people haven’t heard about Ryobi’s ⅛-inch Hex Shank Drill Pump. This simple, yet effective attachment can transform nearly any Ryobi drill into a compact, portable water pump that you can use to transport water against gravity’s stubborn pull. Such a useful and versatile device seems like an easy win for Ryobi. Yet it seems that this elegant solution has spent most of the time since its launch unnoticed, as it appears to have been quietly lost amid the brand’s massive catalog of tools and accessories.
Those who are interested in learning more about this overlooked device might be interested in seeing how it works, what kind of specs it offers, and what reviewers who have had a chance to use it think about its performance.
How does the Ryobi drill pump work?
As you might have guessed from the name, the Ryobi ⅛-inch Hex Shank Drill Pump mounts to your drill or impact driver via an ⅛-inch hex shank at the rear of the device. This piece spins independently of the housing, turning the internal pump and causing it to move water. According to Ryobi, this pump can move up to 8.5 GPM (gallons per minute) with a 2,000 RPM drill and up to 10 GPM with a 2,800 RPM drill.
The company also states that it has a 10-foot lift height and a 35-foot head height, meaning that it should be able to work for draining fluid from most basements and other areas that are a single level below ground level. This also makes it a good find for those who want Ryobi tools to help make landscaping jobs easier, as it could be useful for draining low-ground ponds and water features.
@ryobitoolsusa The 1/4″ Hex Shank Drill Pump 👀 #ryobi #ryobitools #homedepot
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Both the intake and outtake inlets are ¾-inch in diameter and designed to fit most standard garden hose connections, but the tool also comes with a short length intake hose. These fittings and the housing itself are made of metal for durability. Metal fittings also tend to be better than plastic when it comes to preventing leakage, which is particularly handy for indoor jobs such as fish tanks, bathtubs, and washing machines, where you want to avoid making any more of a mess than you need to on your floors.
What do reviewers think of the Ryobi drill pump?
As mentioned previously, this product doesn’t seem to have garnered a ton of popularity yet, and there don’t appear to have been any reviews from professional publications, but it’s still always worth taking a look at what those who have already purchased the attachment have had to say about it.
Eleven users have reviewed the tool on the Ryobi product page, giving the tool an average of 4.5 out of 5 stars. “I just bought a home and it had an old water feature that did not work,” said one reviewer, “I [needed] something to pump out the old standing water. I bought this product and some hoses, and was amazed at how well this pump worked. I highly recommend this product.”
It also gets a 4.5 out of 5 stars on the Home Depot product page, with 72 reviews and 95% of buyers saying that they would recommend it to others. Other Home Depot reviewers enjoyed the attachment at first, but commented that they had issues with the pump’s impeller breaking, and complained that the company does not currently sell a replacement part. This seems to be the biggest design flaw that people have encountered across both platforms. However, this little tool offers a big advantage by not having to purchase a separate item for occasional projects. Like with other tools, following some tips to maintain your Ryobi power tools can help with longevity.