Ryobi Unveils Its Most Powerful Handheld Battery-Powered Leaf Blower
When it comes to battery-powered OPE, Ryobi continues to raise the bar with its 40V lineup. The Ryobi 40V 800 CFM Leaf Blower represents a major leap forward in both power and refinement, offering its most powerful handheld blower to date. In this review, we put the RY40HPLB01 to the test to see how it stacks up in real-world situations and how it compares to the competition.
Pros
- Impressive blowing force
- Well-balanced profile
- Quiet operation
- Easy to maneuver
Cons
- No significant drawbacks
Ryobi 40V 800 CFM Leaf Blower Performance
- Max Airflow: 800 CFM
- Max Airspeed: 180 MPH
- Blowing Force: 18.2N (low), 25.3N (high)
- Runtime: 11 min. 37 sec. (Max Power), 15 min. 13 sec. (Max Runtime)
- Noise Level: 71 dBA (Low), 75 dBA (high)
Blowing Force
Over the years, we’ve seen battery-powered leaf blower CFM numbers creep higher and higher thanks to improved electronics and designs. The Ryobi RY40HPLB01 sports a brushless motor that pushes up to 800 CFM with a top air speed of 180 MHP. This makes it Ryobi’s most powerful handheld blower by a margin of 70 CFM!
While these numbers are helpful, they don’t really help us compare this model to other blowers. However, Newton force gives us a number that shows us how much work a blower does
During our testing, this blower produced 18.2N of force on low and 25.3N on high. This is a massive improvement over the previous model, the RY404100, which peaked at 20N during the same test.
Runtime
Runtime can be a tricky number to nail down because of environmental factors that come into play, such as temperature and ambient humidity. Ryobi claims 85 minutes of continuous runtime when using the kitted battery, but we wanted to find out for ourselves.
For my runtime tests, I loaded up a freshly charged 8.0Ah battery and set the cruise control to max. On Max Power mode, this blower ran for 11 minutes and 37 seconds, while Max Runtime mode yielded 15 minutes and 13 seconds.
While these numbers are a far cry from Ryobi’s claim, they’re not entirely unimpressive given this blower’s power level.
Noise Level
For the last few years, Ryobi has made impressive strides in noise reduction on its Whisper Series OPE, and the RY40HPLB01 is an excellent example of this innovation. When measured from my ear, this blower clocked 71 dBA on low and 75 dBA on high.
A lot of engineering goes into making the design that quiet. While it’s only part of the picture, the most obvious sound-dampening comes from the foam you can see from the rear of the blower.
Ryobi 40V 800 CFM Leaf Blower Design Notes
- Model: Ryobi RY40HPLB01
- Power Source: Ryobi 40V battery
- Weight: 6.4 lbs (bare tool), 10.5 lbs (with kitted 8Ah battery)
- Length: 40 in.
Size and Weight
The Ryobi RY40HPLB01 weighs 6.4 pounds as a bare tool, and 10.5 pounds with the kitted 8.0Ah battery. This is only 3/4 of a pound heavier than its predecessor, which shares a very similar profile. It also measures 40 inches from tip to tail, not including the battery.
Ergonomics
Looking at the grip, you won’t find too many surprises. Ryobi equipped this blower with a rubber overmolded grip, a two-finger paddle trigger, and a cruise control lever. The one big difference is the mode selection button. Fortunately, it’s well within reach of your thumb, so switching between the Max Power and Max Runtime modes is a piece of cake.
One design element that I’m particularly fond of is that Ryobi moved the battery bay and grip a little further back on the tool body. This small change improves the overall balance and weighting of this leaf blower, and gives it a very natural forward lean as you’re working.
Ryobi 40V 800 CFM Leaf Blower Price
The Ryobi 40V RY40HPLB01 retails for $229 as a bare tool and $339 as a kit that includes an 8.0Ah battery and charger. Ryobi backs this blower with a 5-year limited tool warranty and a 3-year limited warranty on the battery.
The Bottom Line
The Ryobi 40V RY40HPLB01 marks a big step forward for the brand as their most powerful handheld blower ever. It has an impressive amount of blowing force for removing heavy debris and more than enough runtime to clear sidewalks and driveways after your weekly mow. We especially appreciate that they were able to increase the power level while still managing to decrease the overall decibel level.
With those factors in mind, there’s still the question of whether or not you should upgrade from Ryobi’s 730 CFM model. For me, I say that if you’re happy with the performance of the Ryobi RY404100, then I’d stick with it. It offers a decent CFM level with over 20 N of blowing force, which is impressive for a residential battery-powered blower. However, if you’re looking to buy into Ryobi’s 40V platform and want the best performance available, the RY40HPLB01 is the way to go!
