Why You Should NOT Buy the Ryobi Paint Sprayers

Anyone who has painted the old-fashioned way — with a brush or roller in hand — needs to know that these traditional methods cannot compete with the ultra-smooth finish delivered by a paint sprayer.
They’re serious time-savers, equally suited to addressing mammoth areas — such as property exteriors and border fencing — while also excellent for small touch-up work, like fixing car fenders or repairing furniture.
However, not all paint sprayers are created equal.
Unfortunately, while there are a plethora of creditable power painters on the market, there’s also a fair share of trash — a fact that’s exemplified by the absolute garbage that is, or was, the 2018 Ryobi paint sprayers range.
As our Ryobi paint sprayer reviews indicate, there is a multitude of reasons you shouldn’t waste your hard-earned dollars on these awful units.
Although the below Ryobi sprayers have now been discontinued, many online retailers — including some of the big-boy home-improvement outlets — continue to sell these models, perhaps in the vain hope of clearing old stock and breaking even on what have proven to be flawed products and wasted investments.
Ryobi Pro Tip Corded Sprayer
Our Rating: 1.0
Basic isn’t a sufficiently derogatory term to describe this sprayer. Barebones? Skeleton? Carcass? It arrives on your doorstep including, get this…a sprayer. That’s it. Not even a nozzle or paint cup.
So, you can’t use it straight-outta-the box, you need to make additional purchases. That said, it could be an evil birthday present for someone you hate — as they unwrap the machine they’re initially overwhelmed by your generosity, which rapidly causes them disgust as they discover they need to spend a small fortune to make the darn thing work.
And, it gets worse.
As the unit has been discontinued — it’s virtually impossible to locate the parts required for its use. So, you have a pointless, unusable tool.
Perhaps most concerningly, is that the sprayer fails to meet the claims made by the manufacturer, namely:
- Reversible spray tip clears clogs quickly.
- GripZone for optimum grip and user comfort.
- Tungsten-carbide tip sprays out latex paint and stain.
- Quick-Lock container seamlessly locks into place to prevent spills.
- The unique filter is designed for picking paint up at its lowest point for continuous spray.

Ryobi P630 One+ 18v Cordless Power Paint Sprayer
Our Rating: 2.5
Then Ryobi created the P630 One+ — the biggest mistake since Mia Farrow introduced Woody Allen to her daughter.
Again, Ryobi lauds its products’ features and benefits:
- Cordless convenience means paint projects have no limits.
- Quick-Lock container prevents spills.
- Three spray patterns — round, horizontal, and vertical.
- Flexible tube design and ergonomic handle.
- 5.5 gallons per hour.

Even when some lucky owners were able to locate a power cell — they discovered the operational time was no more than 10-15 minutes — hardly sufficient to cover a standard 36 by 80-inch door.
As with the corded version, the P630 suffers from leakage at the paint container thread, leading to both mess and wastage. And, while the nozzle doesn’t seem to block as frequently as its mains-driven counterpart — it struggles to create an even fan, with one owner stating it provides ‘more splatter than spray.’
Ryobi P635 One+ 18v Cordless Backpack Power Paint Sprayer
Our Rating: 1.2
And, giving credit where it’s due — they achieved this lofty goal.
The P635 One+ initially appears to be a solid concept — a lightweight gun with no weight elevating paint cup. Instead, the coating medium is stored in a massive backpack-mounted container. Thus, cutting back on refilling and taking the strain off your hands.
If this model had been created by another manufacturer — perhaps one where its designers had more than a box of crayons and a coloring book — it may have had a chance to succeed. Unfortunately, it was made by Ryobi.
So, here are its claims:
- Cordless.
- Round, horizontal, and vertical spray patterns.
- High-capacity ergonomic backpack.
- Innovative delivery system — eliminates the need for dilution.
- Roller attachment.
Yes, it’s cordless. No, it doesn’t include the battery.
Furthermore, this unit runs off the same 18-volt battery as the Ryobi P630 One+ — so, even if you find one of these cells in a flea market or somewhere, you’ll still only have around 10 minutes of operational time. Which begs the question — why have a backpack container the size of a house?
You won’t even use a quarter of the paint before your battery dies.
At least, it won’t be on your walls. Since this machine leaks from every available screw fitting, gasket, and hose coupling — you probably need all those gallons of coating medium to ensure you finish your relatively small projects.
Additional reported issues with this machine include:
- Paint sprays from the gun without the trigger being depressed.
- Splatters and coughs constantly.
- Quick-connect couplings leak and have thread shearing issues.
- Turning the head doesn’t change the spray pattern.

It doesn’t roll. So, you basically smear your walls with paint. That is if you’re lucky enough to enjoy paint penetrating the flock head. Many owners indicate that the paint reaches the attachment, then drips down hands and arms.
Find the Best Handheld Paint Sprayers Here
So, to ensure your paint sprayer actually saves you time and effort — instead of creating more — here are my top picks to choose from instead of the Ryobi brand.
Alternatives to Ryobi Paint Sprayers
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