Cordless 18V
Ryobi P737D 18V ONE+ Cordless Inflator Review: No Cord, No Excuses
Cordless convenience, tested: four tires per 4.0Ah battery and a digital gauge accurate to 0.5 PSI. Read our 4.5/5 Ryobi P737D inflator review.
At a glance
Ryobi P737D 18V ONE+ Cordless Inflator — If you already own Ryobi ONE+ batteries, this is the most convenient inflator you can buy: digital preset, no cables, and enough runtime for a full set of tires on one 4.0Ah pack.
- Our score: 4.5 / 5
- Typical price: $49.00 (bare tool)
- Best for: Cordless 18V
Scorecard
Inflation speed
4.0
Gauge accuracy
4.8
Build quality
4.5
Portability
4.9
Value
4.5
What we like
- No cord at all — inflate anywhere the car is parked
- Digital gauge with preset auto shut-off, accurate to within 0.5 PSI
- Four tires from 28 to 36 PSI on a single 4.0Ah battery with charge to spare
- Cold-weather runtime held up far better than the 12V corded units we tested
What we don’t like
- Sold as a bare tool — battery and charger cost extra if you are not already in the ONE+ system
- Slower than a battery-clamp 12V compressor on a completely flat tire
- Bulkier than a 12V inflator and heavier in the hand at 3.6 lb with a 4.0Ah pack
- The 1/4 in hose has no standard quick-release, so aftermarket accessories need an adapter
Key specifications
| Maximum pressure | 150 PSI |
|---|---|
| Air flow | 0.57 CFM at 0 PSI |
| Power source | Ryobi 18V ONE+ battery (bare tool, no battery included) |
| Hose length | 20 in high-pressure hose |
| Duty cycle | Continuous use, thermally protected |
| Weight | 3.6 lb (1.63 kg) with a 4.0Ah battery |
| Included adapters | Presta adapter, sports needle, high-flow nozzle |
Cordless inflators used to be a compromise: convenient, but slow and unreliable in the cold. The Ryobi P737D is the first one we have tested that does not feel like a compromise. If you are already invested in Ryobi's 18V ONE+ batteries, this tool turns tire pressure maintenance into a thirty-second chore.
Why cordless changes the calculation
Every 12V corded inflator asks for something: a socket that is live with the ignition off, a hood to open, or a fuse that can handle the current. The P737D asks for nothing. You pick it up, screw the chuck onto the valve, dial in 36 PSI and press start.
That matters more than the spec sheet suggests. In our testing, the time from walking to the car to finishing all four tires was 11 minutes with the Ryobi, against 19 minutes with a 12V socket inflator and 24 minutes with a battery-clamp compressor, mostly because the corded units spend so long being positioned, unplugged and re-plugged.
Measured performance
Figures below follow the same procedure as every review on this site — see how we test.
| Test | Result |
|---|---|
| 28 to 36 PSI, 225/65R17 | 2 min 20 s |
| 20 to 35 PSI, 265/70R17 all-terrain | 4 min 45 s |
| Flat to 35 PSI, 225/65R17 | 6 min 15 s |
| Gauge reading at a true 30 PSI | 30.5 PSI indicated |
| Noise at 1 metre | 82 dB |
| Tires per 4.0Ah charge | 4 full tires, charge remaining |
The digital gauge is the best we have used on a portable inflator. You set a target with the up and down buttons, and the unit shuts off within half a pound every time. The backlit display is readable in direct sunlight, which is more than we can say for the LCD on some competitors.
Battery behaviour in cold weather was the surprise. At 28°F the P737D filled three tires from 28 to 36 PSI on a 4.0Ah pack, against four tires at 68°F. The 12V corded compressors we tested lost proportionally more performance in the same conditions, because their motors are working against a cold, stiff hose and higher current draw.
Build quality and ownership
The P737D is built like the rest of the ONE+ line: glass-filled nylon housing, a rubber overmould that survives being thrown in a truck bed, and a 20-inch high-pressure hose with a screw-on chuck. After five months of use, including a winter of weekly checks, ours shows scuffs but no functional wear.
Two ownership notes. First, the chuck is a screw-on type, so you lose a fraction of a PSI on removal — set your target half a pound high and it lands exactly. Second, the 1/4-inch hose fitting is proprietary enough that standard quick-release accessories need an adapter, though the included Presta adapter and needle cover most household needs.
The duty cycle is effectively unlimited thanks to thermal protection; the tool slows or pauses rather than cooking itself. We deliberately ran it through six consecutive tires and it completed the job, though the housing got warm.
Where it falls short
Cost of entry, if you are not already in the ONE+ ecosystem. The bare tool is around $49, but a battery and charger can double that. Compare it against a $40 corded inflator and the maths only works if you own the batteries already.
It is also not the fastest option for a completely flat tire. With 0.57 CFM, a fully deflated 225/65R17 took over six minutes. The VIAIR 88P beats it by two minutes on that specific job because it can push more air into a tire at low pressure.
For a cheaper corded backup to keep in the trunk, the AstroAI 12V inflator costs a third of the price. If you want cordless convenience with a smaller, lighter tool, the Milwaukee M12 inflator is the premium alternative — faster to top up, but far slower on big tires and tied to a different battery platform.
Should you buy the Ryobi P737D?
If you own ONE+ batteries: yes, without hesitation. It is the inflator we reach for first because it removes every excuse not to check tire pressures.
Check the Ryobi P737D priceIf you do not own the batteries, a 12V inflator remains the smarter first purchase. Buy the Ryobi when you are ready to commit to the platform.
Frequently asked questions
Does the Ryobi P737D come with a battery?
No. The P737D is sold as a bare tool. If you already own Ryobi ONE+ 18V batteries it is excellent value; if you do not, budget for a starter kit, which usually costs more than the inflator itself.
How many tires can the P737D inflate on one battery charge?
On a 4.0Ah pack we inflated four 225/65R17 tires from 28 to 36 PSI and still had two of four charge bars remaining. A 2.0Ah compact pack managed three tires before the last bar started flashing.
Is the Ryobi inflator accurate enough to skip a tire gauge?
Almost. Our unit shut off within 0.5 PSI of the target at every pressure we tested from 20 to 50 PSI, which is better than most standalone digital gauges. We still verify with a separate gauge for track or towing use.
Can it handle truck tires or repeated air-downs?
It is thermally protected for continuous use, so it will not shut down mid-job, but 0.57 CFM means big all-terrain tires take a while. Filling a 33-inch truck tire from 20 to 40 PSI took just over 6 minutes, and we drained a 4.0Ah pack doing two of them.