It seems like Ryobi is doing everything they can to expand their “One+” line of tools, taking them into realms that most other tool manufacturers wouldn’t tread. A prime example of this desire to expand their product line into something new is definitely shown off in the 18v Inflator / Deflator. it just so happened that this tool came to me in the midst of doing bicycle reviews, so I had plenty of opportunities to test it and see just how well the little thing worked. Many consider them to be the best tool brand since they focus more on producing high-quality tools at pocket friendly prices.
The Ryobi One+ line is a really amazing thing – no other tool manufacturer makes one battery to power basically everything they put out; there is always this battery and charger for a few things, and another battery and charger for others. It is quite annoying, and can lead to a veritable mess in your workshop or garage trying to store all those little chargers (and trust me, with all the tools I end up reviewing I’m grateful for any help in cleaning up chargers), for that reason I have always been a proponent of the One+ system. The batteries also charge at a good speed – about 45 minutes to an hour from fully dead to fully charged – ensuring that you aren’t without power for long.
Related: You may also read our Ridgid X4 5 Piece Combo Kit review
With the Inflator / Deflator though, your battery will last a heck of a long time without recharging. I was able to inflate the tires on five bicycles, two basketballs, a volleyball, two inner tubes, and one queen sized air mattress; then I deflated the air mattress and the inner tubes, and only used one bar on the battery indicator. I also topped op the front two tires on my Jeep which were about 3 PSI under – not a lot, but enough to see how the Inflator handles full sized vehicle tires, and handle them it did. It ended up working so good that I decided to just keep it in our Jeep in case of an emergency situation.
Related: Take a look at the Ryobi 24V Trimmer review
One of the biggest features that I like about the 18v Inflator / Deflator is the fact that you can program in a PSI value, and it will automatically shut off when it hits that. By using that “set it and forget it” feature, you become free to do other things and no longer have to babysit the tires to make sure they are not over inflated. Something else that I am sure you picked up from my list of things I used this on is that you can switch from high pressure applications (tires, balls, etc) to high volume applications (air mattresses and the like) with the flip of a switch. Deflating is also a breeze as there is a special deflation port you hook the hose into that then switch it on. The queen sized air mattress I deflated was ready for storage in about two and a half minutes. The 18v Inflator / Deflator comes with a few adapters for the most common fill ports on things, meaning that unless you have something with an off the wall port, you are good to go right out of the box.
There is only one real negative here, and that is that no battery or charger is included with the Inflator / Deflator. If you already own a slew of Ryoby One+ tools, then you are obviously good to go on that – but if you are new to the line then you have to factor in the cost of a new battery and charger. It may just be better to buy a drill with this, which sounds somewhat silly to me. I understand not wanting to make a consumer pay for more than they need, but there should be a package deal for someone that needs a battery and charger, but only wants this Inflator / Deflator. Since it is such a good tool to have around, I am sure they would sell enough to justify having two separate packages for it. The other small issue is with the fill hose on the high volume side. While everything else I have seen from Ryobi has been of the highest quality, the plastic on the hose seems too thin for me. I know it is just because I have such high expectations from the brand – it works fine the way it is, but I can see it getting an accidental puncture.
Editor’s Rating:
[rating:4.5/5]
Excellent
The Bottom Line: Easily one of the best Inflator / Deflator models on the market today, however if you do not already have products in the Ryobi One+ line you are going to need to purchase a battery and charger on your own.
Pros:
- Utilizes the One+ battery meaning as long as you have a battery from another One+ tool you are good to go
- Can handle both high pressure and high volume items with sublime ease
- The 18v Inflator / Deflator is incredibly light and compact making it easy to store in a vehicle
Cons:
- There is no package deal, so if you don’t have a battery and charger you have to pay full price for them
- The high volume fill hose is a bit flimsy, and would have benefited from a thicker plastic
You can get the Ryobi 18v Dual Function Inflator / Deflator (like all Ryobi tools) from the Home Depot for only $39.98 – a super cheap price for such a useful piece of hardware that no one should be without.
Related Articles:
