Moze sent over a heads-up about Ryobi’s new 18V 18″ cordless fan, called the “Air Cannon,” P3340.
Haven’t seen a bit of mention of these anywhere. Just came across them at my local Home Depot. Not sure how you release the largest, most powerful cordless fan on the market this quietly, but here it is.
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They also sent over a photo of the new Ryobi cordless fan next to Dewalt’s, and the size difference is substantial.
The new Ryobi hybrid-powered Air Cannon drum fan features 220° head rotation range, and can provide up to 2400 CFM of airflow.
It can be powered by Ryobi 18V One+ Li-ion battery, and it also comes with an AC cord for plugging it into a wall outlet.
Ryobi says that it has “quiet air movement technology,” but doesn’t clarify about what this means. I’d guess that it means the fan speed is limited to prevent excessive noise. Larger fans can be slower than smaller ones and still move a lot more air.
The fan can be placed on the floor, and there is also a keyhole-style screw mounting hole in the base for securing it to a wall.
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Additional features include a 3-setting speed dial, and adjustment knobs that lock the fan head at the desired angle.
Ryobi advertises that the fan will help to provide comfortable temperatures during power outages.
Price: $139 for the bare tool
Buy Now(via Home Depot)
Compare(Dewalt cordless fan via Amazon)
Discussion
There’s nothing too surprising about the new Ryobi cordless/corded fan, aside for its size. It’s a 3-speed hybrid-powered drum fan with plastic and metal construction and a logical design.
Ryobi doesn’t mention runtime, but early user reviews claim to get 25 mins with a 1.5Ah battery, and 2-1/2 hours on a 6Ah battery, both at the high speed setting.
It does come with a power cord, and you should be able to source a longer one if needed.
Overall, the Ryobi Air Cannon fan looks to be a decent new release, adding to their vast line of DIY-centered cordless power tools.
Thank you to Moze for the heads-up and for the photo!
Wayne R.
I’m probably going to ignore this until the day I’d kill to have one…
David Zeller
Just go get it. See my review in another comment. I didn’t mention it there, but it is very well built, too. Heavy, but sturdy-heavy. About 15 lbs with battery.
David
Kyle Hughes
Dude almost everything really makes is pretty good. I’ve been a professional in the oil and gas industry for probably 12 years and I always used Dewalt well probably six months ago I was walking through Home Depot and I saw a kit for five DeWalt tools plus a bag and some batteries for well over $500.00 then on the very next isle I saw a Ryobi tool kit with 7 tools for 250$. Plus if you look at Ryobi specs they’re always comparable to deWalt . And honestly if you’re using any cordless tool at the very edge of its limits you’re probably using the wrong tool. Anyway I say all that to say I am a Ryobi man from now on I can’t believe I ever spent that much money for the yellow and black.
David Zeller
I got one a week ago. Home Depot couldn’t find it ANYWHERE. Turns out, they are associated with the home and bath department. That department didn’t know they had them. They were not on display, and after 45 minutes with hardware and home and bath, *I* found them over the shower heads.
The fan is very quiet for its size and moves a good amount of air. We’ve used it as a test in the family room (quiet, moved enough air even on low), to dry just washed floors (lickety split), and on our deck in 90 degree weather at a Memorial Day gathering (people closest to it said they got cold!).
$139 is expensive, but I feel it was worth it. All my usage has been on battery – yay, no cords across wet floors or a deck during a party! I haven’t done any battery life tests (and have no new batteries, so wouldn’t be fair).
David
Bertil
If the Makita DCF300Z is as life saving as the DCF102Z, then I’d highly recommend that over the Ryobi offering, the oscillating function makes a world of difference.
Moze
Best I could find, the Makita DCF300Z puts out 245cfm.
The Ryobi puts out 2400cfm plus is going to cover a wider area.
I’ll take 2000 more rpm over oscillating.
Moze
ha…2000 more cfm, not rpm….
Moze
My runtime, on high, with a 4ah battery was 1 hour 42 minutes.
Adam
Same here. Well I knew it ended between 1:37 & 1:45. Wasn’t going to re-run to probably just miss the end again. Fan ran just as well with my Milwaukee battery & Milwaukee -> Ryobi adapter.
I posted the run-time for low in my original comment on this fan, but it may have been on a HD page, more to alert Stuart of it’s availability at the time.
Very well built in my opinion. Hoping Milwaukee announces their version next month. While I don’t mind multiple battery platforms on the farm, I wouldn’t mind it all in red, and I can’t see them charging that much more, otherwise the price would be too outrageous. I can also see the Ryobi dropping to $100 after the tariffs get settled down.
Nate
I’m only getting 1 hour of runtime on my 4ah batteries.
avh
As far as battery adapters just mentioning that they rarely include protection circuits- over current and over discharge. For example the Milwaukee and Dewalt slide on batteries have no built-in protection. It’s instead in the tools. Ryobi batteries have protection built-in because their ‘post’ design was originally for non-lithium. Then they came out with lithium still using the post design so that meant they had to add protection boards to the batteries. The only adapter I’m aware of that includes protection is the DeWalt that allows their lithium slide ons to be used in tools that had ‘post’ batteries. And this is reflected in the cost of the adapter- it has to have mosfets to disconnect the battery from the tool. If you use adapters without protection it’s advisable to watch the discharge so it doesn’t go to zero, but there’s nothing really to compensate for over current if that came up.
XRH07
Overcurrent protection isn’t necessary for a tool like this. Fans don’t tend to draw much more than 5A. I’d be worried once you start using tools that need 20A+, but if you’re buying Ryobi drills and saws just to use Dewalt or Milwaukee batteries on them then your priorities are kind of out of whack.
And the low voltage cutoff is tool-side with Ryobi AFAIK. I made my own Makita to Ryobi adapter for the hot glue gun and the gun always turns off once it hits 16.5V. It also works just fine with my Ryobi wet/dry vacuum. Dewalt and Milwaukee batteries will behave the exact same way too.
avh
The only batteries with a built-in battery management system (BMS) that can disconnect itself from the tool are Ryobi (C3 version too) and Ridgid. If you open up the slide-ons you will see big wires going directly from the pack to the +,- contacts- no intervening triac’s.
I didn’t know some Ryobi’s disconnect themselves on low voltage. A reddit poster mentions that at least for the older Ryobi’s that originally ran on NiCD’s there is no disconnect in the tool- they will run a non-BMS battery to zero. Would be nice to know which Ryobi’s disconnect and if all newer Ryobi’s (esp. brushless) do this.
Perry
Makita batteries cut off on their own. If you open one up , they have circuit boards that manage cutoff for low voltage or temperature/ amp draw (or just read the literature for the batteries)
avh
All batteries have circuit boards inside. So it may be splitting hairs here but the Ryobi/C3 types (and DeWalt’s lithium adapter) also have semiconductor switches or perhaps even relays that will electrically disconnect the battery from the tool. These are large- they don’t fit in slide-ons. The circuit boards in the slide-ons communicate with the tool on the smaller pins. They will tell the tool to shut down to protect themselves but they don’t disconnect themselves electrically from the tool (except if the fusible link is blown). So I was incorrect in saying slide-ons don’t have built-in BMS. The question is what BMS functions are in the battery and what are in the tool.
Kyle Hughes
I don’t think he was talking about protecting the tool right he was talking about ruining your battery
Rob
At $139 this fan better be brushless. A brushed motor in a potentially continuous-duty tool like a fan would almost certainly have a disappointing life.
Moze
It’s not brushless. run time is still pretty good.
Rob
I actually bought one and am waiting for someone to confirm the motor design (people taking things apart on YouTube or Ryobi, etc.). Meanwhile, it is in my family room continuously running on “low” to gently circulate the air like a ceiling fan would. It does this task very well and is acceptably quiet. I figure I have 90-days to return this beast if the fan is confirmed to contain a cheap $2 brushed motor. Unfortunately, switching from “low” to “high” produces an altogether different impression of this fan. It’s much less of an “air cannon” and more of an “air fogger.” It’s like the moving vortex of air can’t get out of the way of itself and just spins around inside the metal shroud. The fan’s noise increases dramatically as well. Not impressed. For approximately the same price, I can buy a ball-bearing, brushless 16″ Geekaire fan from Amazon that throws air like a fire hose shoots water and will last as long as the ball-bearings hold up. It’s quiet on full speed too. The design of the fan blades appears to be the key. Ryobi’s Air Cannon looks cool as it is, but appears to need the “elephant ear” shaped blade wings to really perform.
Koko The Talking Ape
I’m not finding a 16″ fan from Geekaire. I see 4″, 5″, 10″ and 12″ models. Can you tell me more?
Rob
I guess it was out-of-stock yesterday? Here today though: https://www.amazon.com/GeekAire-Rechargeable-Velocity-Portable-Industrial/dp/B07MXCDTB9/
Peter Fox
I would agree that if it is not brushless, that’s a deal breaker for me. Especially considering that it can be plugged in to AC for continuous use.
I have AC powered fans that have 10+ years of continuous use and they still run just like new, there is no way a brushed DC motor will have acceptable life in this sort of application if it it run on AC for extended duration.
I love the idea but the execution leaves a bit to be desired.
avh
Another site that reviewed it pointed out the battery socket has only two contacts. They said Ryobi brushless tool’s battery sockets have four contacts. So they assume it’s not brushless.
Stuart
Also keep in mind that if it had a brushless motor, they would very likely describe it as such.
Doresoom
Not all of the Ryobi brushless tools have the 4 contacts. Their brushless OPE I own only have two contacts, including the chainsaw and the string trimmer. I’m not saying that the missing contacts are conclusive proof that this is brushed, it’s just not a good indicator either way. The best indication that it’s a brushed motor is that Ryobi didn’t slap “Brushless” all over the tool, box, and marketing materials.
avh
Hours of use per day on AC mains would seem to be a bad fit for a brushed motor. The assumption for an AC fan is that it will run forever.
I wonder if it were originally just a battery fan designed with brushes and then later marketing said make it AC too?
Mike
$139!? Without a battery?! I was into the idea for a while as my Milwaukee fan is kind of small and loud, but for that price, I’ll just buy 2 more Milwaukee fans. That should be $99 max or include a decent battery. Sure we’ll see it on sale for less soon.
Adam
2 Milwaukee fans will still not do what this does, though I wish it were the case. And while it doesn’t come with a battery, it also doesn’t need one to operate.
Moze
I thought the price was kind of steep as well and at first glance thought it surely came with a battery…but nope.
That being said, your dollar to cfm ratio is still way better with the Ryobi.
The Milwaukee, DeWalt and Makita fans are good for the immediate area they’re being used. The Ryobi is good for a large room, garage, shop, etc.
Roger
At first it was a big surprise, as I was looking around for new fans. However, $139 tool-only is a bit steep for brushed. The run time use is questionable for the cost. If the excuse that it can be plugged in is being used, then it’s cheaper to get a similar sized regular fan ($49 or lower) and the power source inverter ($79 or better with 2 batteries and charger) totaling $128. At least you’d have USB support, a light, dynamic use for other items, and maybe metal blades, and metal front grill.
My vote for: Most Over-Hyped Tool of 2019.
Altan
I don’t get attracted by this brand at all.
FixItChuck
So if one is mainly interested in plug in only, how is it significantly different than say a $20 box fan? Both are ~2500 cfm. Noise level?
Might as well grab the ryobi days $100 batteries + free inverter combo of you want similar battery only functions.
My two cents.
Ryan J Baiad
Not a good idea to run a motor an on AC motor on an inverter that produces a modified sine wave. Could burn the motor up.
FRANK
I like this. Great idea I’ll most likely get two. One for the garage and one for the shop. Have many Ryobi tools. Quality is not the best but I don’t need a pro model.
Nathan
Typical of ryobi cordless tools – I like the initial idea but would rather a more refined version come from somewhere else.
I will look closer at it but I suspect I won’t buy one.
Tim D.
Nailed it
Frank D
That seems rather steep for tool only.
How about a $10 box fan and their $79 110v power inverter?
Art
Some experts say running an AC induction motor from a modified sine-wave inverter is not ideal- less efficient, runs hotter, buzzing.
Frank D
Thank you!
Jim Peterson
I will buy one on sale in November!
ktash
Ha! When I see this I think of times when the power went out in the middle of summer and no AC. Then, I would have paid the price for this in a minute. But since things are going along ok now, I’ll wait to see if it comes down in price. Maybe look at the inverter option, too.
Jimmie
It would be tempting to mount one of these to my lawn mower.
Carlos
Now if the DEWALT DCE511B 11″ Corded/Cordless Jobsite Fan was released as a 20″ battery operating Jobsite Fan, I would upgrade to it!
Doc John
Anyone aware of a quality outdoor battery op fan with misting option- that’s really the next step.
Frank D
There was an off brand compact misting fan last summer, sold at HD, compatible with ryobi batteries, … it was a bit pricey … glanced at it, did not feel confident pulling the trigger with some of the reviews I read at the time … do a search for arctic cove misting fan.
Processwrench
I bought the artic cove fan couple years ago for my heat sensitive mrs. And it’s dynamite, the fan is good and the misting function does provide good localized cooling, it’s kept her cool on some long hot humid days at the races. One 4 ahr battery lasts the 4-5 hrs were are there, mostly running the fan on high and misting as necessary. we just use regular 12oz water bottles as a source for misting option, usually a half or full water bottle at a time. Provides a nice cool off. Kinda funny watching the fan get passed around it gets a lot of love. It’s pretty handy around the house for drying up wet floors etc.
Michael L
If you haven’t looked yet, this is what the other guys were talking about. Currently stocked, at least at my HD.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Arctic-Cove-18-Volt-2-Speed-Misting-Bucket-Top-Fan-MBF0181/205744083
Scott
Mine vibrates. The bigger the battery the more it vibrates.