Why You Should NOT Buy the Ryobi Paint Sprayers

Anyone who has ever painted the old-fashioned way, with a brush, bucket and maybe roller in hand, knows that nothing gets a smooth professional finish quite like a handheld paint sprayer.

Paint sprayers are huge time-savers, and they are excellent for covering both large surface areas and touching up small parts (like refinished furniture) with smooth, even coats of paint or stain. But before buying just any handheld paint sprayer, it’s best to do some research, especially if you don’t get to charge a company expense account for the cost of the paint sprayer and paint.

Our handheld paint sprayer reviews are provided to help you buy the best handheld paint sprayer.

Unfortunately, for as many excellent paint sprayers as there are on the market, there are a dozen more flawed and unreliable products that make for a nightmare, as has been the case with Ryobi paint sprayers.

As each Ryobi paint sprayer review on our site shows, there are many reasons you should not buy Ryobi paint sprayers and the fact that Ryobi has discontinued three of its sprayers should be a huge warning sign.

Despite these Ryobi sprayers having been discontinued, many online retailers and even some big-name home improvement stores continue to sell these sprayers, probably in the hopes of breaking even on what has proven to be a flawed product and wasted investment.

The reviews below are provided in the hopes of preventing others from making the same mistake as countless unaware buyers did when they purchased one of the Ryobi sprayers. 

Ryobi Pro Tip Corded Sprayer

Our Rating: 1.0

The Pro Tip Corded Sprayer is the most basic, bottom-line sprayer from Ryobi.

Sadly, basic is just the term to describe this sprayer, which comes with only the sprayer and nothing else. No nozzle, no paint container, this is not a sprayer that can be used immediately out of the box.

The lack of nozzle and paint container wouldn’t be too much of an issue, except for the fact that this sprayer has been discontinued, which makes it difficult to even find and purchase the parts that are necessary to use it in the first place.

Despite the reversible tip design, which Ryobi boasts clears up clogs, multiple user reviews have complained that the Ryobi Pro Tip Corded sprayer clogs repeatedly, no matter how much the paint has been thinned.

In addition, the quick-lock container does not securely lock onto the sprayer, so it is necessary to hold the canister in place while spraying. So much as for a grip zone that optimizes comfort—having to hold the paint canister while spraying is very uncomfortable no matter how cushy the grip may be.

Lastly, but most importantly, this basic sprayer does not exert enough pressure to produce an even spray. Nothing ruins a paint job faster than blotches and paint dribbles.

Ryobi P630 One+ 18v Cordless Power Paint Sprayer

Our Rating: 2.5

A cordless power paint sprayer—the convenience of going cordless is enough to tempt many painters, DIY or professional. Regrettably, the appeal of going cordless duped many buyers, who discovered that the Ryobi P630 One+ 18V cordless power paint sprayer was not all that it claimed to be.

As many users found out, the battery life on the Ryobi P630 is abysmal, to say the least, with the average time for the battery functioning being a mere 15 minutes.

Most users reported buying several backup batteries, so they could switch out and recharge the dead batteries throughout the project. Also, the battery and charger are NOT INCLUDED, which Ryobi at least lets buyers know in the specs:

The quick-lock container with the Ryobi Pro Tip sprayer already proved to be a cheap canister with massive leaking problems, and it’s no different for the Ryobi P630.

The canister is also undersized, so for any project that requires painting more than one wall, this sprayer is definitely not recommended, since it would require the painter stopping to refill the canister in the middle of a spray.

The leaking issue has not been improved with the Ryobi P630, which although it packs more pressure than the Pro Tip, still produces an uneven spray that sometimes becomes more splatter than spray.

Ryobi P635 One+ 18v Cordless Backpack Power Paint Sprayer

Our Rating: 1.2

Despite its appearance as the most professional paint sprayer for home use, the Ryobi P635 One+ 18V cordless backpack power paint sprayer is the most dysfunctional.

Although the container size has been drastically improved compared to the Ryobi Pro Tip and P630, there continue to be issues with battery usage, uneven spray, and leaking. The specs for the Ryobi P635 are:

In addition to draining the batteries, (which Ryobi presumes buyers already have multiple in stock), the P635 also drains paint, which leaks out of the very mechanism that is supposed to prevent spillover and leakage.

The P635 is designed with a dual-purpose trigger system that simultaneously activates the sprayer head and clamps/unclamps the tubing connected to the sprayer head. The clamp connected to the tubing is meant to prevent paint delivery when the sprayer is not in use, but the design of the trigger mechanism is cheap and does not prevent the pressure build-up from the initial spray.

The effect is pressurized paint with nowhere to go and that ultimately leaks out of the sprayer head, wasting loads of paint in the process.

Find the Best Handheld Paint Sprayers Here

To help you avoid painting mishaps like the ones people faced when they bought their Ryobi paint sprayers, we have reviews to help you buy handheld paint sprayers or whatever else you need for your next paint project. At Tool Nerds, we seek to provide unbiased and honest reviews for DIY folks, homeowners, and professional contractors, providing you with the ultimate spot for educating yourself and purchasing paint products on the net.