Ryobi USB Lithium Clamp Fan Kit
Ryobi USB Lithium Clamp Fan Kit (FVF51K)
Living in New England means that each summer we have to endure high temperatures and unbearable humidity. While air conditioning is a great way to combat the heat, you can’t spend all day inside. For those times that you are working on a project or sitting outside with family and friends, I would highly recommend you bring the Ryobi USB Lithium Clamp Fan to help cool you down.
Specifications:
- Over 7 hours of runtime on low
- 2 speed settings—high and low
- Equipped with an adjustable head and clamp to direct airflow
- 1-1/4″ clamping capacity
- CFM 135 on high speed
- Includes a 21” USB-C cable
- Powered by the Ryobi USB 2Ah lithium battery
- 2-year limited warranty
- Available for $39.97 at The Home Depot
Sized Right
Ryobi sells several different cordless fans, but the USB Lithium Clamp Fan is their most compact fan at this time. The fan is just over 7.5 inches tall, 4.25 inches in width, and 5.25 inches in depth. The diameter of the blade area is 3.5 inches, which provides a lot of surface area for air flow. The Clamp Fan can easily be picked up with one hand, it’s small enough to pack in your backpack or travel bag, and it weighs practically nothing. This fan is the perfect size to bring with you just about anywhere.
Clamp It On
Like many of the Ryobi USB Lithium tools, the Ryobi Clamp Fan offers users a very handy 1.25″ clamping capability. I really like the functionality of the clamp that Ryobi integrated into this fan. The base of the clamp is flat, allowing it to stand effortlessly on any flat surface. When you want to attach the Clamp Fan to an object, a simple squeeze of the rear clamp opens the mouth. Any surface less than 1.25-1.5 inches in width easily accommodates the Clamp Fan. I have used it on multiple surfaces, including the arm of a sling chair, the corner of my desk, and even the pole of an overhead lamp. Both arms of the clamp have a large, durable rubber surface attached to the plastic arm to protect your fragile surfaces from damage.
In addition to using the clamp to mount the fan, there are also 6 integrated lanyard holes that can be used to hang the fan, whether on a string or on a nail. And since it’s so light-weight, you could hold the Clamp Fan in your hands for an extended period of time with little concern of developing fatigue.
Twist and Turn It
After placing it down or mounting the Ryobi Clamp Fan to another surface, the fan itself can be pivoted in multiple directions. The fan’s head can be spun around almost 360 degrees, while also pivoting up and down. With so much mobility, it didn’t really matter where I mounted the clamp since the fan’s head could be positioned in almost any direction. This level of flexibility really increases the effectiveness and enjoyment of the Clamp Fan.
Battery Powered Convenience
The Ryobi USB Lithium Clamp Fan is powered by a 2Ah Lithium battery. These batteries are roughly 3 inches long by 1 inch across. Each “round” battery has a flat surface where the USB-C port resides, which is something I have learned to appreciate since they don’t roll away when placed on a table. Since the batteries are so small, you can carry multiple batteries with you when you might need the fan for multiple hours. I found that recharging a battery with the included USB-C to USB-A cable took 95-100 minutes on average. You do need to remove the battery from the fan in order to charge it. Ryobi has also recently released 3Ah Lithium batteries that are the same size as the 2Ah battery, thus offering you 1.5 more times the power in the same size.
I have used the Clamp Fan multiple occasions this summer to help keep me cool. When run on high, I averaged 2.5 hours of runtime. When I wanted to use it for a longer period of time, I ran it on low and averaged more than 7 hours of runtime. Being able to carry a light-weight, battery-operated fan with me and run it for more than 2.5 hours on high speed made such a difference during humid weather. The breeze it creates really increases your comfort level when the temperature and dew point are insufferable.
Ryobi also included a nice feature on the back of the fan. Right above the slightly recessed power button—which helps ensure it is not turned on by accident if bumped—is a small LED. When you turn on the fan, the LED lights up either green or red. A green light indicates the battery is charged and a red light indicates the battery is low. Bravo to Ryobi for including this LED in such an easy place to access since it’s a nice way to check the battery’s status while using the fan.
How Does It Perform?
Ryobi advertises that their USB Lithium Clamp Fan can move up to 135 cubic feet of air per minute (CFM) when on the high-power mode. That amount of airflow is really significant when you are directly in front of it. I actually had to use it on low power when it was atop my desk since the high power would dry out my eyes. In a test of its power, the breeze created by the Clamp Fan on high-power could move a suspended single tissue when it was more than 16 feet away from the fan. That is a lot of air flow!
It is important to remember that the USB Lithium Clamp Fan was designed to be a personal fan. The fan does not oscillate and it’s not meant to move the air in a massive room on a hot summer day. This Ryobi Clamp Fan will excel when you are using it for 1 or 2 people.
This fan would be a lifesaver when hanging from the roof of a hot tent while camping. I could imagine plumbers using it when doing work under a hot sink or in a humid basement. My wife would often attach it to a cabinet door to cool herself down when she was cooking over a hot stovetop. Family and friends were often envious when I attached it to the arm of a chair while sitting outside on my patio. On a hot evening walk with a stroller, a parent would enjoy using the Clamp Fan to stay cool, while coupled with the Ryobi USB Clamp Light to help light the way.
I imagine those that exercise at home on a treadmill or a spin bike would really love to own this fan. Clamped onto your exercise device, it would definitely create the breeze you need to help you survive a grueling workout. The extended battery life would also allow you to use it multiple times each week before swapping out batteries.
Final Thoughts
The Ryobi USB Lithium Clamp Fan does an impressive job moving the air when it’s hot and humid. It can deliver multiple hours of power, it is small enough to carry with you, and it can clamp onto practically anything. The Clamp Fan will definitely help regulate your body’s temperature when you need a refreshing breeze to beat the heat.
