Air compressors can be cumbersome to use for brief tasks such as inflating a tire or a basketball. This is where the compact and user-friendly Ryobi One+ Battery Operated Tire Inflator comes into play.
If you reside in a region like mine in Minnesota, you’ll experience the annual occurrence of the tire pressure sensor light illuminating on the dashboard. This necessitates either retrieving the air compressor and its fittings or quickly heading to the nearby gas station for a tire top-up.
During the holiday season, my father-in-law and reliable golf partner, Bob, gifted me the Ryobi One+ Battery-Operated Tire Inflator. I was excited to explore its capabilities and features.
The Ryobi One+ Tire Inflator is a handheld, battery-operated device that is compact and lightweight, slightly larger than a standard handheld drill. It is equipped with a 20-inch long air hose and a clear digital readout screen, allowing for precise adjustment of pounds per square inch (PSI).
This portable inflator is versatile enough to accompany you on road trips, mountain bike excursions, or to the poolside for inflating various toys. It includes fittings for Presta valves found on bicycle tires, a needle for inflating athletic equipment, and a cone-shaped adapter for pool floaties and small camping sleeping pads. The fittings conveniently snap into the handle for secure storage when not in use.
Testing Procedure
As a child, I vividly recall the excitement of receiving my first store-bought slingshot. I spent hours in my backyard aiming at soda cans, fence posts, branches, and tree trunks, with varying levels of success.
A similar sense of enthusiasm came over me as I unboxed the Ryobi tire inflator in my garage. There were so many items waiting to be inflated! I proceeded to test it on the tires of my snowblower, wheelbarrow, and motorcycle, as well as on our vehicles. Furthermore, I examined the performance of the attachments by inflating a basketball and a football, inflating Presta valve tires on two bicycles, and finally inflating a kid’s pool floatie.
Performance
The Ryobi One+ inflator performed admirably for most tasks. It effortlessly inflated the small floatie, sports balls, and the smaller tires of the snowblower, wheelbarrow, motorcycle, and mountain bike. However, I was taken aback by the loud and somewhat bothersome noise produced by the firing internal piston. Despite this, it handled these tasks with ease. Nonetheless, when it came to inflating high-pressure road bike tires and my truck tire, the tool faced some challenges.
My road bike features narrow tires, measuring 32 mm in width, with Presta valves that require inflation to a range of 110 to 135 PSI. The plastic Presta valve attachment smoothly threaded onto the valve stem. However, in these high PSI applications, maintaining a tight and secure seal without forcefully pressing the nozzle onto the valve stem while activating the trigger became difficult.
The issue primarily lies with the attachment rather than the inflator itself. Fortunately, I resolved the problem by purchasing a $2 aluminum Presta valve attachment from my local bike shop.
Inflating the automotive tire proved to be an adventure in itself. Since I had a compressor on hand as a backup option, I decided to completely deflate my knobby 31-inch midsized truck tire to test the Ryobi inflator’s capabilities. It managed to inflate the tire, but it took nearly 11 minutes, with occasional breaks and a battery change halfway through.
I repeated the same test on my wife’s smaller Subaru tires. While the performance was better, the inflator still struggled when inflating completely flat tires. I acknowledge that inflating my truck tire was a demanding task. However, the whole purpose of owning an inflator is to be able to inflate automobile tires, and this tool faced difficulties when dealing with severely deflated tires.
Value
As is the case with all battery-operated tools, the value is subjective, with the battery and charger often being the most expensive components.
Priced at under $40, I believe the Ryobi One+ inflator offers exceptional value. However, if you need to purchase the battery and charger separately, adding at least another $60 to the total cost, there might be better options available in the market.
Reliability and Durability
Throughout the past decade, I have owned several battery-operated tools from Ryobi, and not a single one has let me down. The Ryobi One+ Inflator appears to be well-built, although I would advise against tossing it unprotected into a toolbox due to the presence of the digital readout screen.
Ease of Use
Using the Ryobi One+ Inflator couldn’t be easier. The nozzle at the end of the 20-inch hose securely attaches to a standard valve or one of the provided attachments, much like a manual bike pump. Simply pull the trigger and monitor the digital readout until you reach your desired PSI.
The most challenging aspect of operating this Ryobi One+ Inflator is ensuring that the battery is fully charged.
Why You Should Consider Purchasing This
If you are someone who frequently inflates car tires as a gearhead, this tool may not be suitable for your needs. However, if you require a device for inflating smaller tires and sports equipment, with occasional use for topping off your car tires, this tool is a perfect fit.
It is compact, portable, and straightforward enough for even a child to use. Furthermore, if you have already invested in other One+ tools and own a battery and charger, the modest price tag makes the Ryobi Tire Inflator a delightful addition to any garage shelf or basement workshop.
Pros
- Compact size
- Ease of use
- Cost-effective if you already own other Ryobi One+ tools
- Attachments with onboard storage
- Clear digital readout
