In this Ryobi blower review, we’re going to take a detailed look at four Ryobi battery blowers, discussing their pros and cons, specs, wind power, weight, and quality.
Additionally, we’ll let you know what we think about how well these machines work for real-life yard clean-up.
We’ll also tell you which of these Ryobi blowers we think is the winner in each of four product feature categories: airpower, battery power, weight, and ergonomics. Read on for all the details and our conclusions.
Contents
Ryobi Cordless Leaf Blower Comparison Chart
| Product | Top airspeed and CFM | Volts and Amp Hours | Weight | Battery and Charger Included |
|
|
100 MPH 280 CFM |
18-Volt
4 Ah |
6 pounds | Yes |
|
|
110 MPH 500 CFM |
40-Volt | 8.7 pounds | No |
|
|
90 MPH 200 CFM |
18 volt
2 Ah |
5.94 pounds | Yes |
| Ryobi RY40470VNM | 125 MPH
550 CFM |
40 volt 4 Ah |
12.62 pounds | Yes |
Ryobi Leaf Blower Review
These four Ryobi battery blowers are powered by a lithium-ion battery: two of them with 18-volt batteries and two with 40-volt batteries. In addition, Ryobi produces an extensive line of other tools that run on the same batteries, and the power packs are interchangeable between the devices within the same voltage class.
In addition, none of these blowers has a vacuum or mulching function. They are all blowers only. Let’s take a detailed look at each blower and learn what it has to offer. Then, we’ll compare them side by side and select the best one in each category.
1. The 18-Volt, 100 MPH Ryobi Yard Blower
The Ryobi 18-volt Lithium ONE+ blower delivers top airspeeds of 100 MPH and a maximum air volume of 280 cfm, making this a suitable blower for light residential clean-up.
– Other notable features include:
- 50 percent longer runtime than previous models
- Variable-speed trigger
- Debris scraper on the nozzle tip
- Built-in storage hanging hook
Blast grass clippings from lawns and leaves from walkways, sidewalks, driveways, and patios with this blower. It gets about one-half hour of runtime per battery charge, depending on the speed you are running the motor. A hook for hanging the blower and keeping it out of the way when it’s not in use is built-in to the back of the tool, making it easy to store anywhere in the house or garage.
If you’ve got debris stuck to the pavement, the nozzle tip on this blower has a durable, raised edge on the bottom side for scraping it away. The variable speed trigger lets you easily adjust the volume and speed of the airflow, so you can use the tool for big jobs like rounding up piles of leaves on the lawn or gentler jobs, like dusting debris from a garden bed without disturbing the compost underneath.
The more you pull the trigger, the faster the air goes, making the operation of this blower about as simple as it gets.
The tube comes in two main parts. The upper part is attached to the blower body and is made from transparent plastic. There is no functional reason for the see-through nozzle on this blower, but it does give it a futuristic appearance. A snap-on nozzle extension fits securely to the bottom end of the transparent part, ending with a 2 13/16-inch diameter opening at the nozzle end.
The box the blower arrives in measures 22 x 12 x 6-inches and weighs eight pounds, including battery, charger, and nozzle.
– Overview
This light and easy-to-use Ryobi lawn blower is optimum for tidying up small yards, garages, workshops, patios, walkways, and more. With the battery installed, this tool weighs about six pounds, making it light enough for one-handed use and easy to maneuver in all types of situations.
2. The 40-Volt Bare Tool Ryobi Battery-Powered Blower RY40460
Bare tools are battery-powered tools sold without the battery and charger. For example, this 40-volt Ryobi battery powered lawn blower is sold as a bare tool with only the blower body included.
Buying bare tools is quite practical when you own other power equipment in the same battery series because you already have the batteries to run the tool. The additional significant benefit of these tools is the lower cost and shipping rates due to the lower package weight.
– The essential features of this 40-volt Ryobi Bare Tool Blower are:
- 110 MPH top airspeed
- 500 cfm maximum air volume
- Powerful jet fan
- Variable speed trigger on the soft-grip handle
- Turbo button for an extra power boost
This blower has lots of wind volume but not high airspeeds, making it most suitable for light and medium-duty yard work. One of its most significant benefits is the low cost of the unit. However, since it does not come with a battery or a charger, you must already have Ryobi 40-volt tools with batteries on hand to power it.
The Ryobi 40460 can move sand on a solid, flat surface from approximately 12 feet away. Still, it lacks potency for moving heavier material unless you get up close. It does reasonably well moving dry leaves, pine needles, and other litter, but it shows less ability to dislodge piles of matted or wet leaves.
You can expect this blower to run for about 25 minutes on the high airspeed setting and about 16 minutes when it’s full-blast on Turbo. The standard charger takes almost three hours to fully recharge a battery, but it takes less than half that time if you have a fast charger.
At nine pounds with the battery installed, this is not the most lightweight battery blower available. However, the unit is well-balanced when you hold it, and the handle is comfortable. In addition, the trigger is relatively easy to pull for controlling the airflow. The Turbo feature is activated by pressing a button within easy reach of the handle.
On noise level, the Ryobi 40460 does not compare well to many other battery blowers. This unit is considerably louder at almost 84 dB on high and over 93 dB on Turbo mode. Ear protection is a must when using this tool, and the noise could make you unpopular with the neighbors if you fire it up on weekends.
– Overview
In our view, this device is about average in power for battery-powered blowers. However, it is below average in price because it is sold without the battery and charger. Therefore, this tool is of most significant benefit to people who already own Ryobi 40-volt batteries and a charger who need a moderately powerful battery blower for medium-duty yard clean-up.
3. The 18-Volt, 90 MPH Ryobi Rechargeable Blower
This blower is similar to the other 18-volt blower in this Ryobi blower review in that the bodies of both models look similar. However, this blower does not have a clear section at the top of the nozzle, and the handle folds around the front and attaches to the body at two points. Like the other 18-volt blower reviewed here, this one gets power from the same 18-volt Ryobi battery and shares battery compatibility with 175 other Ryobi One+ power tools.
– Notable features of this blower include:
- 90 MPH top airspeed
- 200 cfm maximum air volume
- Ultra-low weight
- Low noise level
- Best for hard surfaces
If you are looking for a light, easy-to-use, quiet leaf blower for light-duty clean-up of walkways, patios, decks, driveways, garage floors, and other solid surfaces, this blower could be the perfect solution.
Overall, this model’s air volume and speed are at the lowest end of the range for leaf blowers. However, this low and gentle airflow is precisely what you need for some types of clean-up. For example, when blowing out leaves and litter from a garage floor or shelves or getting water drops off a newly washed car. In these circumstances, steady but gentle wind power gets the job done without stirring up additional dust or moving things you want to be left in place.
The ultra-low weight of barely six pounds makes this blower ideal for anyone who does not want to do a lot of heavy lifting to get their yard or patio tidied up. The low weight also makes it easy to use this tool to blow cobwebs from the ceiling, leaves out of gutters, or get debris swept away from door and window frames. With battery power, you can take this blower anywhere without worrying about needing an extension cord and outlet.
As with other battery-powered leaf blowers, the battery runtime depends on the rate of the motor. Higher speeds gobble up battery power faster than slower speeds. On the lower settings, this blower can keep a charge for about 25 minutes. At high speeds, it gets approximately 15 to 18 minutes before needing a recharge.
An advantage of the lithium-ion battery that drives this and the other blowers in this Ryobi leaf blower review is that it keeps a charge for weeks once it’s complete and off the charger. Therefore, you can charge up several batteries and keep them handy to swap out while you work, extending the runtime of this blower to as long as you want.
One problem we noted with this blower is a tendency for the blower tube to pop off the machine if you bump it against something as you work. However, it’s easy to learn how to handle the tube to avoid this happening, and the piece easily snaps back in place if it does come off.
– Overview
Overall, while this blower does not have much power, it still provides a helpful aid for people with small yard clean-up needs on primarily hard surfaces. In addition, it is an excellent light-duty blower choice for those who already own Ryobi One+ 18-volt tools.
4. The 40-Volt Ryobi Battery-Powered Leaf Blower RY40470VNM
This leaf blower has a lot in common with the bare tool 40-volt Ryobi reviewed here. Like it, this blower has a combination of lower top airspeeds and high air volume, making it suitable for clearing and piling up dry leaves, grass clippings, and other common yard debris.
– Features of this blower include:
- Comes with one 40-volt 4 Ah battery and charger
- 125 mph top airspeed
- 550 cubic feet per minute maximum air volume
- Ultra-low noise level of 59 dB
- Variable-speed trigger
- Turbo button for extra power
Variable-speed power gives you fine control over precisely how much airflow comes out of the nozzle, and a Turbo power button lets you amp up the energy for hard-to-move material.
Unlike the other 40-volt blower reviewed here, this one is not a bare tool. Instead, it comes with one 40-volt battery and a charger. For this reason, this model costs considerably more than the other bare tool Ryobi model. However, if you do not already have other Ryobi 40-volt battery tools, buying the blower with one or more batteries and a charger makes sense.
A significant advantage of this blower is ultra-low noise levels of only 59 dB. For anyone in a noise-sensitive neighborhood, the sound coming from this blower is something you’ll be happy about, as it is one of the quietest blowers available.
What kind of work can you get done with this machine? The high air volume and modest top airspeed combine to deliver a full and potent blast of air for piling up leaves or clippings on a lawn, getting pine needles out of the way, or cleaning up under fruit trees and shrubs.
At low speeds, the 40-volt 4 aH battery in this machine runs for about 30 minutes. On the Turbo mode, the runtime is closer to 15 minutes. The recharge time for the battery is over two hours. So if you have two or more batteries and keep them charged up ahead of time, the short runtime on this blower is no obstacle to getting big clean-up projects done.
– Overview
At 12.6 pounds, this blower is relatively heavy and a bit tiring on the arm and right hand when using it for long periods. Nonetheless, many users find the weight manageable for their purpose.
Ryobi Yard Blower Product Comparison
Next, in this Ryobi blower review, we will select a winner in each of the four categories and compare these products side-by-side on each feature.
– Battery Power and Runtime
Winner: Ryobi RY40470VNM
From our research, the Ryobi RY40470VNM has the most extended runtime without Turbo mode, at 30 minutes, and the Ryobi bare tool and the Ryobi ONE+ 90/200 Jet Blower are close runners up at 25 minutes. The poorest runtime measured is for the Ryobi ONE+ 100/280 Jet Blower at under 10 minutes.
However, runtime depends on multiple factors such as motor speed, ambient temperature, and battery storage conditions. Your results may vary.
– Airspeed and Air Volume
Winner: Ryobi RY40470VNM
This Ryobi model wins hands down on the combined effect of air speed and volume with speeds up to 125 MPH and 550 cfm. Amongst these four blowers, this is the one most up to the challenging leaf blowing jobs. The Ryobi bare tool is a close second at 110 MPH and 500 cfm, which makes sense due to the large battery size in this device.
The Ryobi ONE+ 18-volt blower is in the middle at 100 MPH and 280 cfm, and the blower with the least power in this comparison is the Ryobi ONE+ 90/200 Jet Blower with a top speed of only 90 MPH and volume of 200 cfm, making it most suitable for clearing hard surfaces.
– Weight and Size
Winner: Ryobi ONE+ 90/200 18-volt
While this blower is technically a tad lighter than the other 18-volt Ryobi, it’s close to a tie with the RYOBI ONE+ 100/280 Jet Blower at six pounds. These two blowers are among the lightest in weight that you are likely to find.
The Ryobi RY40460 bare tool is in a comfortable middle ground on weight at 8.7 pounds, and at 12.62 pounds, the Ryobi RY40470VNM is on the heavy side for a handheld battery blower.
– Ease of Use and Ergonomics
Winner: Ryobi ONE+ 90/200 18-volt
This blower gets the top place for the lowest weight, and the D-shaped handle on top gives you the most secure grip on the device. All four Ryobi blowers have similar trigger mechanisms, overall operation, and padded handles, so there is not much difference on these points.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can the Ryobi blower be used for both wet and dry leaves?
Yes, the Ryobi blower is designed to handle both wet and dry leaves, making it a versatile tool for any yard cleanup job.
2. Is the Ryobi blower suitable for use on gravel or rocks?
Yes, the Ryobi blower is suitable for use on gravel or rocks due to its powerful air output and adjustable speed settings that allow for precise control.
3. Can the Ryobi blower be used to blow debris from gutters?
Yes, the Ryobi blower can be used to blow debris from gutters. Its powerful motor and nozzle attachments make it an effective tool for cleaning gutters quickly and efficiently.
Ryobi Blower Review Conclusion
The four Ryobi leaf blowers discussed here are of two types: 18-volt and 40-volt. Unsurprisingly, the larger 40-volt battery tools produce more wind power and longer runtimes and move larger debris piles more quickly and efficiently.
However, the smaller and less powerful 18-volt tools weigh considerably less and are easier to use in tight spaces and for smaller clean-up jobs. They are also better suited for clearing hard surfaces without blasting dust and debris all over the place.
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