A tyre inflator (or an air pump) is a fairly simple device that lives to do just one thing – inflate stuff. Sports balls, tyres and so on. Nevertheless, that’s not to say a tyre inflator or an air pump can’t showcase something genuinely impressive every now and then. Here, we’ve reviewed plenty of air pumps and tyre inflators in the past, including those from Ryobi and many other brands, but thus far, this is definitely my new favourite one and daily driver, Ryobi’s high-pressure RPI18-0 tyre inflator.
Just like some of the other Ryobi tools that we’ve looked at recently, the Ryobi RPI18-0 tyre inflator is a part of the brand’s ONE+ ecosystem of tools, which all use the same, interchangeable 18V battery pack design. That’ll make it way easier to swap around the battery amongst your other Ryobi ONE+ power tools, offering a whole lot of convenience, and simplicity, and ensuring you don’t have to keep a bunch of random, incompatible batteries around the house. Currently, more than 200 individual Ryobi tools use the ONE+ battery.
Although Ryobi’s ONE+ ecosystem ensures seamless compatibility with swapping out batteries from one tool to another, there are varying 18V battery capacities to choose from, which would impact how much stuff you can inflate. With the tiniest 2.0Ah battery, Ryobi claims that you could inflate 19 car tyres before the battery died, while the middle-of-the-road 5.0Ah battery will die after 47 car tyre inflations. And, if you’re looking for greater endurance, the biggest 9.0Ah battery will last for an estimated 84 car tyre inflation. So will be fine for normal once a week use or similar for sure.
One Battery To Rule Them All
On the Ryobi RPI18-0, the 18V ONE+ battery slots in neatly at the bottom of the tyre inflator. Now, one crucial thing to consider is that the RPI18-0 tyre inflator here is normally sold as a bare tool. Therefore, you’ll have to purchase the battery and charger separately (unless you already have a bunch of ONE+ batteries around your house). But, even with the heavy battery, the Ryobi RPI18-0 is a relatively tiny device. It’s more than compact enough that you could chuck it inside your glovebox to carry around for roadside emergencies.
Additionally, it’s pretty great to have with you if you’re prepping for a track day. Yet, the RPI18-0 comes with a rather lengthy 600mm (60cm) high-pressure hose, and I’ve had no issues reaching around to plug it in. Even if I place the RPI18-0 on the ground, and have my tyre’s air valves up, it still has no trouble reaching it, which is something you can take for granted with these tiny, pocketable tyre inflators. Meanwhile, at the very top of the Ryobi RPI18-0, there’s a small backlit display where you can monitor the air pressure.
It’s really important for me (and I’m sure for you, too) to get the air pressure in my car’s tyre precisely where it needs to be, so it’s nice to see the inclusion of a digital gauge. Trying to accurately inflate a tyre can otherwise be quite challenging when you’re trying to read an analogue dial. Using that small screen on the RPI18-0, you can then set the air pressure you’re targeting with those chunky plus and minus buttons below it. Once that’s done, all you need to do is press another button (Looks like a play/pause symbol) to get the RPI18-0 running and inflating your tyres.
The Best Tyre Inflator Yet
For added ease of use, the Ryobi RPI18-0 tyre inflator features an automatic shut-off system that’ll shut off the air pump when it reaches the air pressure you’ve set. It’s unbelievably easy to use, and with that display being backlit, you’ll have no trouble checking your tyre pressures at night, either. I also like the attention to detail with the packaging on the Ryobi RPI18-0. For example, there’s a small tray at the top of the device where you could safely store your valve caps, and the hose neatly wraps around for easier stowage.
Aside from that, just above where you slot the 18V ONE+ battery in, there’s a tiny compartment where you can store additional adapters for inflating a sports ball needle and a high-pressure tapered nozzle. Everything you’ll need, therefore, is stored onboard the device. Speaking of, the very best thing that I love about the Ryobi RPI18-0 high-pressure tyre inflator is just how speedy it is when it’s inflating even a larger set of car tyres. I’ve yet to test out any other compact tyre inflator works this fast.
Ryobi claims that just 42 seconds is needed to inflate a car tyre up to 32 PSI. And, the claimed output of Ryobi’s RPI18-0 tyre inflator is 16 litres of air per minute, and it could inflate up to 160 PSI (or 11 bar) of pressure. From experience, it’s no doubt one of the most powerful tyre inflators that we’ve ever used here, which is impressive given how diminutive it is, and the fact that it’s purely battery-operated. As such, there’s no need to deal with your car’s 12V cigarette lighter, hooking up any cables, or needing to power it externally at all.
Super High Pressure & Rapid Airflow
As its name suggests, the Ryobi RPI18-0 tyre inflator uses a high-pressure pump, not a high airflow one, but for quickly inflating your car tyre, bicycle tyre (which basically takes no time to complete), or sports balls, there are few equals. Time is one of the compromises that I’ve become used to with a lot of these smaller, on-the-go tyre inflators, which can often take a while to inflate just a single passenger car tyre, let alone all four of them. But, with the Ryobi RPI18-0, it barely takes any time.
For £59.99, the Ryobi RPI18-0 is one of the best tyre inflators and portable air pumps that I’ve sampled thus far. Given the combination of its compact sizing and super-powerful air pressure, if you’re looking for a reliable and speedy, not to mention easy to use, all-around tyre inflator or air pump, it gets an easy recommendation from me. While you can find stronger air inflators out there, or even way smaller ones, the Ryobi RPI18-0 is the only one I’ve tried out which handily nails both aspects, being both compact and highly capable.
