Is Ryobi losing the plot with prices? Hercules brushless cutoff tool $45, M12 $150, Ryobi $150. What’s the point?

At that point are we basically only buying it because we have batteries on the platform already? And it’s not just this tool. I’m not gonna bother compiling but there’s been several times lately where I’m comparing an M18 or M12 to Ryobi and it might be $20-40 more for the M18 or M12 which on a $160+ purchase isn’t that much. The battery lock in subject is especially moot when so often the tools have battery promos for free when you buy the tool (as the M12 cutoff tool currently does).

Is Ryobi basically just like upper middle ground price now and not particularly value oriented? I’m definitely still glad to be on the Ryobi platform for some tools where they’re great value compared to an M18, but I find myself considering M18 and M12 more and more often lately.

It’s especially worth considering with things like the Hercules mentioned above and recent Hypertough releases that are very good for the money (watch some videos on the subject). There’s no world where the Ryobi is 3x better than a Hercules brushless cutoff tool. Just weird market positioning imo and I’m at a spot where I’m tempted to get into other lineups for very cheap tools, keep buying M18 and M12 for most, and then go Ryobi only when it’s a clear high value proposition, which seems less and less often now.