Ryobi Updates Hybrid Portable Fan To Keep You Cool With Quiet Operation
Whether you’re out on the job or enjoying a nice evening in your backyard, it’s nice to have some airflow to stay refreshed. Ryobi is making your life a little cooler and quieter with its 18V hybrid portable fan (PCL811B). We got our hands on this fan to get some first-hand experience to share with you.
Ryobi 18V One+ Hybrid 7.5-Inch Portable Fan Performance
Noise Testing
The latest hybrid fan joins Ryobi’s Whisper series, which is the brand’s quietest range of products. It has a sound rating of just 47 dBA, which Ryobi tells us is 44% quieter than previous fan models. Even with this noise reduction, it still achieves up to 24% greater air velocity than Ryobi’s last fan iterations. Here’s what our sound meter registered from 3 feet away in each mode:
- Low: < 50 dBA (undetected by our meter)
- Medium: 52 dBA
- High: 54 dBA
Noise testing was a pain, actually. Birds chirping or a gentle breeze rustling in the trees changed our measurements. Essentially, while you can hear the fan running, it’s ridiculously quiet.
Airflow Testing
Ryobi says the fan is capable of producing up to 680 CFM. To see what exactly that means in terms of the air you feel, we took two kinds of air velocity measurements. Here’s what each mode measured from 3 feet away:
- Low: 4.4 MPH
- Medium: 7.3 MPH
- High: 8.2 MPH
To determine the fan’s maximum effective range, we measured how far away you can still get 2.5 MPH blowing across you.
- Low: 7 feet
- Medium: 14 feet
- High: 19 feet
Runtime Testing
To see what kind of runtime you can expect, we slapped a 4.0Ah battery on and ran for 5 hours and 9 minutes of total runtime on high. At low speed, that time goes up to more than 21 hours according to Ryobi’s data.
There’s also the option to power this fan with an extension cord if you don’t mind being tethered to an outlet.
Ryobi 18V One+ Hybrid 7.5-Inch Portable Fan Design Notes
Size and Weight
The fan’s blade diameter is 7.5 inches and it’s noticeably smaller than some of Ryobi’s first cordless fans. It’s just 15.5 inches tall and 11.5 inches wide.
With a battery, it weighs 3.9 pounds, making it light enough to carry for work or play. Take it to the jobsite, campsite, or just keep yourself cool while you’re reading our website.
Putting Air Where You Need It
You have a few mounting options if you need to hang your PCL811B fan. There are two sets of keyholes on the base, where you can use #8 pan head screws to fasten the base to a stud. There are also mounting hooks at the base of the fan to mount it on a chain link fence.
The head pivots 160° so you can direct airflow wherever you need it.
Transport is also easy with the carrying handle located on top of the fan.
Additional Features
- Compatible with all Ryobi 18V One+ batteries
Ryobi 18V One+ Hybrid 7.5-Inch Portable Fan
The Ryobi PCL811B retails for $59 bare. You also have a kit option that sells for $129, including a 4.0Ah battery and charger. Ryobi backs your purchase with a 3-year limited warranty. As with all Ryobi products, this fan is exclusive to The Home Depot.
The Bottom Line
With summer in full swing at the time of writing, we’ve certainly enjoyed testing Ryobi’s PCL811B hybrid fan. It delivers a good amount of airflow to keep an individual cool and we appreciate its quiet operation. If you’re on Ryobi’s 18V One+ system and need a fan that can travel wherever the job or recreational adventures take you, get on over to your local Home Depot and pick this one up.
Specifications
- Model: Ryobi PCL811B
- Fan diameter: 7.5 in
- Height: 15.5 in
- Width: 11.5 in
- Weight: 3.9 lbs
- Blade material: ABS plastic
- Battery type required: 18V
- Number of speeds: 3
- Sound rating: 47 dBA
- High setting speed: 1,850 RPM
- Medium setting speed: 1,500 RPM
- Low setting speed: 930 RPM
