Milwaukee vs Ryobi:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Milwaukee had more branded searches than Ryobi among sander brands worldwide. Milwaukee had about 46,600 branded searches, while Ryobi had 37,000. Milwaukee made up 19.8% of all sander brand searches we track, and Ryobi accounted for 15.7%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about sander brands, Ryobi appeared in two of the five answers and Milwaukee in one. Milwaukee and Ryobi were each mentioned first in one of the two answers that named either.
Who do people search for more?
Milwaukee, about 26% more searches than Ryobi
Who does AI mention more?
Ryobi, mentioned in 2 of 5 answers, Milwaukee in 1
Who does AI recommend more?
Each is named first in 1 of 2 answers.
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Top sander brands in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, Ryobi was mentioned in two out of five: in one of the three ChatGPT answers and in one of the two Google AI Overviews. Milwaukee was mentioned in one out of five: not in any of the three ChatGPT answers, but in one of the two Google AI Overviews. Milwaukee and Ryobi were each listed first in one of the two answers that named either.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
DeWalt5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
Makita5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
Bosch4 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers- Ryobi2 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
Mirka2 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Festool2 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers- Milwaukee1 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about sander brands
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which sander brand should I buy?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best sander brands?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best sander brand for woodworking projects?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“orbital sander”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“random orbital sander”
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in the United States on October 21, 2026.
Is Milwaukee or Ryobi more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Milwaukee and Ryobi by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all seven sander brands we track, month by month, from English-language searches worldwide.
Share of searches by month for Milwaukee, Ryobi. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | DeWalt | Milwaukee | Ryobi | Makita | Mirka | Festool | Bosch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 23.5% | 18.4% | 15.7% | 11.6% | 8.1% | 14.7% | 8% |
| Nov 2025 | 26% | 17.6% | 16% | 11.7% | 7.5% | 13.3% | 7.9% |
| Dec 2025 | 25% | 18.9% | 14.5% | 11.3% | 7.8% | 13.2% | 9.3% |
| Jan 2026 | 26.9% | 18.5% | 14.9% | 11.3% | 7.9% | 12.5% | 8.1% |
| Feb 2026 | 30.3% | 18% | 13.1% | 11% | 8.4% | 11.3% | 7.9% |
| Mar 2026 | 32.8% | 17% | 14% | 10.1% | 7.2% | 11.2% | 7.6% |
| Apr 2026 | 30.8% | 17.8% | 14.3% | 11% | 7.8% | 10.6% | 7.8% |
| May 2026 | 31.1% | 18.3% | 15% | 10.6% | 8.4% | 9.1% | 7.4% |
| Jun 2026 | 27.2% | 18.5% | 16.4% | 11% | 9.2% | 10.2% | 7.5% |
| Jul 2026 | 24.5% | 19% | 17.8% | 11.3% | 9.6% | 10.2% | 7.7% |
| Aug 2026 | 24% | 19.7% | 16% | 11.6% | 10% | 10.7% | 7.9% |
| Sep 2026 | 26.9% | 19.8% | 15.7% | 11.7% | 10.1% | 9.1% | 6.7% |
Milwaukee and Ryobi sell other things too, so only their searches that name this product count here, like “milwaukee sander”.
How has the Milwaukee and Ryobi comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Milwaukee was ahead of Ryobi in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Milwaukee’s share of searches among sander brands worldwide moved from 18.4% to 19.8%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 36.5K to 46.6K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Ryobi’s share of searches among sander brands worldwide held steady at 15.7%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 31.2K to 37K.
How did search popularity change for sander brands worldwide in September 2026?
2 changes
Milwaukee’s share of searches among sander brands worldwide has gained ground for 3 months in a row, from 18.5% to 19.8% in September 2026.
Estimated monthly branded searches for Ryobi worldwide rose 18.6% over 12 measured months, from 31.2K to 37K in September 2026.
How are branded searches counted?
9 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Milwaukee’s and Ryobi’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
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