Tools in Action is hitting Home and garden hard since summer is here. This time we are talking about the Ryobi 4 Cycle Gas Blower. What is a 4 cycle? Well basically it means you don’t have to mix gas and oil in one can. With a 4 cycle, you have one tank for gas and a separate tank for the oil. This means less cans sitting around, less mess and less aggravations. You can use the same gas in your 4 cycle as you use in your lawnmower (well double check with your owners manual before you take my word).
This Ryobi has a good blowing speed of 155 mph with 400 CFM. You will see other units with a higher mph, but with 155 you still have the capacity to blow wet leaves and heavier items. I have used this to blow grass and leaves off the sidewalk. I have also used this to blow large amounts of sand off the patio when I first laid it down. All in all it has plenty of power for the homeowner to tackle almost any task at hand.
There is also a cruise control which is nice. You just pull the variable speed trigger and set the cruise control. This does work good and stays in place. However I do wish you could just pull the variable speed trigger again to reset the cruise control. Instead you have to move the cruise control level back to zero to reset the cruise control.
In regards to sound, Ryobi implemented a SoundGuard system which means the exhaust goes down the nozzle of the blower for quieter operation. Is this quieter than a 2 stroke or other blowers? I am not really sure. To me it just sounds like every other blower. It doesn’t stand out as being very loud or any quieter. But I am the last one to really count on for sound as my hearing has been going down hill for years.
The blower has a good balance and weighs 10.5 lbs. When using at full throttle, I didn’t feel like I was fighting the blower. It was very easy to control and point in any direction I wanted. Plus the vibration is very low on this blower. My hands or arms were not hurting or tingling when I was done.
I have probably used this blower about 25 times this year so far and it has run like a champ every time. However I am seeing a lot of people complain about problems they are having. We are seeing people complain that it won’t start or it dies after very little use. Again, we haven’t had any issues, but it does raise an eye when you see people complaining about the engine since that is the main part that makes this blower run. If it was just a small plastic piece that didn’t affect the operation, it would be no big deal. But since it’s the engine, we do have to put a larger emphasis on this blower. As a Ryobi fan I really hope this is a small minority of people who are having this problem.
All in all I really like the 4 cycle engine. I am tired of mixing gas and having multiple gas cans taking up space. The balance and vibrations of this blower are great. Also the cruise control is a nice added feature to this blower. The one question we do have is how the engine does hold up over long term use, so we will keep you updated on this blower.
Great writeup Eric, Ryobi seems to be stepping it up in the outdoor power tool market! My favorite feature like you stated is that its 4 cycle so no mixing!!!!! I wish everything was 4 cycle!
Great review Eric. I’m wondering if battery operated blowers will take hold. But they would probably never reach that 155 blowing speed.
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RYOBI has come long way in the update of their tools. I agree with Chase wish all tools were 4 cycle.
Got 1 gallon gas cans labeled 30 to 1 mixture…40 to 1, 50 to 1 and even have a no mixture can.
10 years later, here’s what i think about my RY09466.
4 stroke blower, sounds like a dumb idea, but Ryobi made it, so it might even be.
I got it for free from a place I worked at. Boss bought it, used it one time, next day we discovered something fell on it and cracked the plastic piece between the carb and the engine block. Boss liked to buy stuff so it was replaced (with an Echo thankfully) so for a 5 dollar part, i slapped it back together.
It’s kind of heavy. It’s really hard to start. And in 10 or 11 years, never once have I been able to open the throttle completely without almost stalling the engine. Probably needs the meter valve adjusted, I dont have one of those metal Walbro gauges to check it with. But it always has started up and worked good enough. Nothing has failed on it, or been replaced besides fuel line and a primer bulb. Pretty sure it’s still using the same tank of gas it came with too. The timing belt is almost hilarious, about as stout looking as a rubber band, but its still going. I think its appealing to me, just because its a tiny little 4 stroke. The tinniest. I have a few 2 hp Briggs flatheads that look gigantic in comparison. I dont see it lasting as long as a flathead (nothing does, besides maybe a Ford 4.9 straight six) and I might even have the last one on earth that is still running for now, cause there’s like NO parts to be found in terms of pistons or valves or anything I couldn’t half-assed make myself.
Would I buy it again? I didn’t buy it the first time, kinda followed me home like a cat.