Ryobi's New USB Lithium Handheld Fan Fits In Your Pocket And Runs For 17 Hours Straight

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Among its product lineup, the Ryobi USB Lithium battery system addresses many everyday concerns, especially those that once required disposable batteries. With many compatible devices sold in kits, you may have a few extras you can use as a powerbank. Apart from being rechargeable, the batteries are compatible with dozens of cordless devices, with the brand adding more each year. These days, you can find everything from lighting and screwdrivers to scrubbers, shears, and even tools for oddly specific tasks, like a pumpkin-carving kit. However, there's one recently released product you might want to grab before the peak of summer sets in: the Ryobi USB Lithium Handheld Fan.

Over the years, Ryobi has released tons of products that can help you keep cool, including gadgets that work with its more powerful battery systems, like the 18V and 40V. Among its latest offerings, Ryobi's USB Lithium Handheld Fan (FVF53K) joins the lineup with a more compact design. Unlike previous fan models under the USB Lithium, which both have clamp-style designs, the handheld fan is designed for greater portability, as it's foldable and pocket-sized. Here's what you need to know about it, along with what people have to say about its performance so far. We also compare it to other Ryobi USB Lithium fans and similar products from other brands.

Priced at just under $30, the Ryobi USB Lithium Handheld Fan is the least expensive fan in the Lithium USB battery system. Depending on how you want to use it, it has three positions: fully extended and held with a handle, stand-alone for table-top, and folded in for pocket-sized storage. You can even attach it to a lanyard through its loop. Although it doesn't show exactly how much battery it has left, it also has an indicator light. And for added peace of mind, it has flexible blades and auto-stop technology, so it's less dangerous if you ever lend it to your small kids.

With its 2Ah battery, Ryobi claims you get up to 17 hours on low and up to 6 hours on high. In comparison, older models like the Clamp Fan and Misting Fan can only go up to 7 hours, even on their lowest setting. But take note, the handle-held model doesn't list an official CFM rating. Unlike handheld fans from other brands, which require you to charge the unit again when it runs out of power, you can simply swap out the USB Lithium battery for a new one and keep going. Out of the box, it includes the fan unit, a 2Ah rechargeable battery, and a 21-inch USB cable. It's also covered by the brand's 2-year manufacturer's warranty.

Since it's a new product, there aren't a lot of reviews for the Ryobi USB Lithium Handheld fan yet. Early customer feedback has been quite generous, with 20 people rating it 5 stars on the Ryobi Website. Several reviewers note that they found it powerful for its size and that it fits in small bags and purses. There was also praise for its impressive runtime. Although it's important to note that the majority of reviews were tagged as gifted, free products. In a Reddit thread, one user who received a unit at a BMW event said they would have returned it if they bought it. They claimed that its blade design wasn't ideal because it kept stopping whenever they accidentally touched it.

By comparison, Ryobi's offer is much more expensive than other highly rated USB fans on Amazon with similar features. Popular fan brands like JISULIFE, Gaiatop, and VersionTECH offer handheld fans at half price or less. Historically, similar USB Lithium-powered fan products in its lineup have performed well, such as the $49.97 Misting Fan Kit (FVF55K), which has an average rating of 4.9 stars from 190+ customers on the Ryobi Website and 4.5 stars from 420+ Home Depot customers. There's also the most popular option, the $39.97 Clamp Fan Kit (FVF51K), which also has a 4.9-star average rating from over a thousand reviewers on the Ryobi Website.