Ryobi products are generally really good. But when you look at their handheld paint sprayer called the 18 Volt One+ Protip, there are other great options out there that can easily get the job done and have many loyal followers.
Besides, the One+ Protip has been discontinued in most stores. If a newer version of the sprayer comes to market, I will update this review.
Ryobi Protip Handheld
The Ryobi Protip design was unique at the time. It included a tip that allowed you to rotate it 180 degrees. By rotating it, you could usually free up clogs in the sprayer gun, keeping you painting and not fussing with the nozzle to get it clear.
The detachable paint container held 1.5 quarts while locking easily into place. It was ideal for painting fences, closet and entry doors, furniture, etc.
What people liked about the Protip:
- When you thin the paint with a little water (10% should suffice), it helps keep things operated properly
- Cleaning up is simple, using a small brush makes getting that paint clear in the tight areas.
- Compared to rolling, uses less paint to complete projects such as doors
What people didn’t like about the Protip:
- Problems with the battery. It doesn’t keep the charge well enough to complete the painting projects adequately (probably need two for it to make sense).
- Easily leaks from the canister.
- Makes more noise than some of other options on the market.
- Vent location is not ideal, with the possibility of paint getting into there easily
While Ryobi makes some other good products like pressure washers and combination tool kits for very reasonable prices, their paint sprayers have areas needing improvement.
As far as some alternative sprayers in the same category, see these top notch handhelds below:
Each of the choices are good, however, Graco and Wagner have some of the top products out there today.
Why Choose a Handheld Sprayer
There are a couple of big reasons to choose a handheld sprayer over a more stationary version.
First, if you’re not painting that much area like a house or many interior doors, a handheld unit doesn’t hold much paint but it does the job for staining fences or covering outdoor furniture with a fresh coat.
They also are easier to clean. It’s a smaller area and using a small brush you can easily reach all the major components for cleaning. Handhelds are also portable and don’t need to be connected to a power source.
The lithium-ion batteries give it that portability, but often at a cost. The batteries can go down quite fast, while a traditional sprayer could last all day.
In the Middle
For an option that allows you portability and ease of use, go with the Graco X5. It’s light-weight, small, but powerful enough to get a variety of jobs done. To learn more about this sprayer see our review of the Graco X5.
