Ryobi 40V HP 21" Brushless Crosscut Self-Propelled Mower Review

[@albing1397]

After a full season, I love this mower. (2022). My gas mower had to be serviced so I made the jump. Now, I don't need that gas mower. I suggest that you winterize the mower with batteries charged and kept out of freezing weather. I do alternate batteries, 2 cuts then switch batteries. (0.22 Acre, 45 minutes, takes a little more than 1 battery). Due to the drive control, it is easy to stop, then re-engage the drive for tight places. I only use it in mulching mode, and it doesn't leave trails of clippings (a LOT better than my gas mulching mower). The max speed control is a little too sensitive - no click positions, but controllable. I wish I could shut off the juice wasting headlight. I like that you can engage the drive without running the blade. Makes moving to a new area so easy. Great job - hope the batteries are around for awhile. The batteries charge quickly - about 90 minutes. The charger is smart and shuts down when done. Only complaint is that it is a little tricky to pull the batteries from the mower with arthritic hands - I don't think most women could do it. (press latch, pull out with 2 hands). It would be nice if they had an option to charge the batteries in place also. I won't have to worry about changing oil now, either!

[@ericcomfort6228]

I’ve had mine for one full season. Love it. Perfect for my 1/3 acre lot. I’ve made it through my entire lawn on one battery several times.

[@davidlong3359]

The controls on the non-cross cut version are much better IMO. Uses a bail instead of the finicky squeeze buttons, and uses a trigger style squeeze for self propel. The trigger isn’t variable though, so only the thumb slider allows for speed control. I put the cross cut blades on the non cross cut mower and have best of both worlds.

[@djSmokeShow]

I just bought this mower and I'm blown away with how it rips through thick St. Augustine grass at full speed with no bogging. And the cross cut blades do an amazing job mulching. Note: I have my deck height set half way up at setting 3. I also bought the Ryobi 40v string trimmer with additional edger attachment and I'm also blown away with the power of that unit as well.

[@NoMoneyG]

Great review guy! Ryobi killing it with their new products for the home, imo!

[@cindykeselowski899]

I just purchased a brand new one and based on your review I expect good things. It will be my first electric mower. Thanks for a very informative review!

[@LCculater]

I like the simple switch slider one ! Love it

[@bryanlittle4647]

I’m a huge fan of Ryobi. I have 40v system; the trimmer/ edger quick connect. Brushless blower. Bush trimmer. Eyeing this mower. But my Jonesered 7.75 ft lb mower just will not die and is bad to the bone….waiting!

[@MissDewar]

Best presentation, yet. Appreciate your review.

[@karens1795]

I just got this today and I'm going to try it out on the front lawn. I have a guy that cuts my lawn but he only does it every two weeks and I want to cut my front yard at least a week after he does it because I prefer the grass being cut every week

[@aottaviano1]

The big question. How do you think it compares to the Ego that you tested recently? Thanks for the video!

[@DoresoomReviews]

There are things I like better about both mowers. They're pretty even on performance as far as I'm concerned. EGO: - True bail design is better and keeps the mower from stalling like I've had it do with the Ryobi. - The battery charge state is visible while you're mowing. With the Ryobi you have to stop and check. - EGO has one battery that you don't have to stop and switch over halfway through mowing. - Folds up a little more compactly. RYOBI: - I like the handle one-point folding lever better. The EGO is more of a hassle with its extending and folding handle. - Ryobi seems to have a better cut quality. After I reviewed the EGO I've noticed some strips of uncut grass while I'm mowing. That's with the mulching blade installed and thicker grass than at the start of the season. I'll have to reinstall the bagging blade soon and see if that fixes it. -Ryobi is about $50 cheaper and USA made. -Ryobi's side discharge is a much better design. - Ryobi comes with 14% more battery watt hours, and you can charge one while you keep mowing. Once the EGO battery is dead you have to stop completely and recharge.

[@aottaviano1]

@@DoresoomReviews thanks for the analysis. Sounds like the Ryobi is a real contender against the Ego and probably a better value. I do like how you can see battery charge with the Ego while mowing unlike the Ryobi.

[@jimmybutler6451]

Just got this mower and excited to use it. Thanks for the tutorial

[@N2Stooges]

Thanks for your comprehensive review of the RY401150US. I have been seeing mixed opinions on whether or not the self-propelled feature is variable speed or not depending on how hard you press the self-propel lever. Your video answered that question once and for all. Bravo! One question remains though. Does the self-proper lever offer some resistance when you press it or is it fairly light. My gas-powered Honda has a similar lever that I really like...the harder you press it, the faster you go. It works great and it takes a reasonable amount of pressure to get to full speed. I like having some resistance in that lever.

[@DoresoomReviews]

There's a tiny bit of resistance, but not like you describe with your Honda.

[@carocr913]

Got this mower, used it loved it, thank you so much for this review 👍🏼

[@wpny10606]

Very nice, to the point, no nonsense review!

[@sandyantor]

Helpful and accurate, thank you. Question: does the mower "require" you to hold left and right side green bars start handles down/in at the same time to keep self propelled action engaged? It seems that when i only held one down it would "shut off" after a minute...? Confused and thanks for your help.

[@sandyantor]

Mine does this when using one hand? Do I really need to have both handles pushed in to mow? If so that's not right nor is it listed in specs or safety manual???

[@DoresoomReviews]

Those switches are sensitive, and what I think is happening is when you're holding it with one hand and you ease up the tiniest bit on pressure, it registers as you've let go and cuts the mower power. When holding it with two hands, the chances of a "false positive" handle release from both switches at the same time is much lower. I prefer a traditional wire bail design that has a lot more forgiveness in it - I think those switches on the Ryobi were one of my least favorite features.

[@sandyantor]

@@DoresoomReviews think you nailed it. I'm guessing that is why Ryobi went with the "wire bail" on the higher cost mower. Thank you for getting back to me.

[@anam.tassino691]

Great review! Thanks. Can I use the bag and the side discharge at the same time?

[@DoresoomReviews]

I suppose you could use the bag and the discharge chute at the same time, but I'm not sure what the point would be. You'll probably get 50/50 clippings going into the bag or out the discharge chute. So you'll still have clippings on your yard, but will have to stop and empty the bag as well.

[@humminbirdhoopz8231]

I’ve got a large yard where the front/back come to about 1.5 acres of actual lawn. I’m seriously thinking of getting the Ryobi battery operated mower for all the reasons mentioned in the video. The self-propulsion should make my walk much easier with the bonus of getting some exercise!

[@DoresoomReviews]

That's a lot of yard to mow with a walk behind! Having multiple batteries that can charge while you use another will be key.

[@sherwintactay975]

Hi there. Great review. I recently got the mower and one thing that I’m having issue with is the speed control. Is it suppose to move easily from slow to fast? I noticed it only stays if it’s on either end. Having it in the middle will eventually move it left or right. Is that normal behavior?

[@DoresoomReviews]

I noticed it was a little loose, but I always kept it at full speed, so I can't say for sure mine would do the same.

[@travistodd3216]

Great video! Because this has two batteries, can you run the mower with one while charging the second? That would mean you would never be low on battery.

[@DoresoomReviews]

Yeah, being able to charge one while you run the other is a big advantage!

[@tudvalstone]

When you deplete a battery, it will be hot, so it won't charge until it cools down.

[@handyhands6773]

Thanks for reviewing sir. Do we need to register the product in order for the battery, deck, and equipment is covered?

[@DoresoomReviews]

No need to register, just make sure you keep your receipt, or at least a digital copy of it.

[@kerrylittle3900]

How does it come out of the box? Does it have to be assembled or just unfold the handle? Thanks.

[@DoresoomReviews]

I don't remember any assembly. It was very minimal, if any - but I think it just came straight out of the box just needing the handle unfolded.

[@rossburton4752]

I have some Ryobi stuff already with 40v batteries. Been looking at this but everything I’ve seen say ego is the better choice. At this price point I’d go for better over convenience. Saw you do a product review of ego too. I. Your opinion, which would you go with? Build quality? Run time? Which is quieter and stronger plastic?

[@DoresoomReviews]

There are things I like better about both mowers. They're pretty even on performance as far as I'm concerned. EGO: - True bail design is better and keeps the mower from stalling like I've had it do with the Ryobi. - The battery charge state is visible while you're mowing. With the Ryobi you have to stop and check. - EGO has one battery that you don't have to stop and switch over halfway through mowing. - Folds up a little more compactly. RYOBI: - I like the handle one-point folding lever better. The EGO is more of a hassle with its extending and folding handle. -Ryobi is about $50 cheaper and USA made. -Ryobi's side discharge is a much better design. - Ryobi comes with 14% more battery watt hours, and you can charge one while you keep mowing. Once the EGO battery is dead you have to stop completely and recharge. Ultimately I decided on the EGO myself. The high lift baghing blade picks up more leaves, and the true bail design were the deciding factors for me.

[@rossburton4752]

@@DoresoomReviews thank you so much! This is my first look into battery powered mower and I appreciate the feedback and reviews.

[@jamesabaldridgesr5769]

One of the main issues I am having is the mower is leaving single uncut St. Augustine blades of grass sporadically in the lawn after mowing. I have owned this Ryobi Model RY401015US since September 2021. I had the local hardware store sharpen the blades and am still having this issue. Any solutions??

[@therrienmichael08]

Those St. Augustine stolen are evasive. I have a hard time getting them with an edger and string trimmer all the time.

[@canonman223]

How easy is it to get used to keeping your thumbs on the lever to have it self-propel throughout the mowing?

[@DoresoomReviews]

Second nature after just a few mows with it.

[@mellowjammer]

Nate, I tried this mower as well and found the following: Speed control switch problem on first one I bought (instead of being linear, like 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9, it went more like 1,7,8,9). Also speed control switch slides too easily. Should have more resistance or some detents in the switch. Screws stripped that hold black metal plates to plastic deck on the second one I bought (on the back sides around where the handle attaches). Front end gets too light and bouncy when bagging and bag starts to fill up. Why the ribbed plastic cavities on the underside of the mowing deck? Shouldn't that be a smoother area for proper airflow? Not to mention a bunch of small cavities for grass to get plugged in. Other than that it seems ok and I agreed with everything you said. Ryobi customer service is second to none though, I have to give them accolades for that!

[@DoresoomReviews]

That speed control limit switch felt a little loose on mine too, but I kept it mostly on full speed and used the variable speed paddle instead. I had some reservations about the under deck contours - I think they're for added rigidity, but it seemed like they'd contribute to more turbulent airflow and clogging up with grass. But so far I haven't had any problems with getting grass caught on the underside. It's hard to catch/mention every little detail in one review. Thanks for the extra pair of eyes for input!

[@mellowjammer]

@@DoresoomReviews Yes, I totally agree with the fact that the machine shuts off multiple times during use from releasing some pressure on the hand grips. Happens often when making turns where you are releasing one hand or at least loosening up your grip. It can be a PITA, so I just take a velcro wrap and fasten it on one handgrip. It's easy & quick to undo it if necessary. (I'm sure the safety police are going to be knocking on my door shortly!) Another good thing I noticed is that the wheels (front, anyway) appear to be ball bearing wheels. I did not expect that on a "value" mower.

[@ehymander2062]

Contours and cavities are due to standred molding process for the plastic. It is for strength, less weight, and less plastic wasted. A solid brick of plastic is not necessarily stronger, and will always be more expensive and less efficient.👍

[@robertvincent562]

Since you have reviewed both... Which do you like better and why... This one or the EGO you reviewed? Thanks in Advance..!

[@DoresoomReviews]

I personally like the EGO better. But then again I do already have a garage full of EGO tools I've acquired over the last 7 years. There are things I like better about both mowers. They're pretty even on performance as far as I'm concerned. EGO: - True bail design is better and keeps the mower from stalling like I've had it do with the Ryobi. - The battery charge state is visible while you're mowing. With the Ryobi you have to stop and check. - EGO has one battery that you don't have to stop and switch over halfway through mowing. - Folds up a little more compactly. RYOBI: - I like the handle one-point folding lever better. The EGO is more of a hassle with its extending and folding handle. - Ryobi seems to have a better cut quality. After I reviewed the EGO I've noticed some strips of uncut grass while I'm mowing. That's with the mulching blade installed and thicker grass than at the start of the season. I reinstalled the bagging blade though, and that seemed to fix it. -Ryobi is about $50 cheaper and USA made. -Ryobi's side discharge is a much better design. - Ryobi comes with 14% more battery watt hours, and you can charge one while you keep mowing. Once the EGO battery is dead you have to stop completely and recharge.

[@brettreid4313]

I put both batteries in. I'm having an issue removing the batteries. I'm a small woman. Are there any tricks? I've removed them before, but usually just used one.

[@Jkapp15]

You have to really squeeze the grey release latch on the battery and pull up.

[@tonyanderson8497]

Any problems with blades hitting the deck . I hear lots of complaints. I have the older model never had that issue

[@DoresoomReviews]

Yes, after a season of mowing I found a small slit on the inside of the deck. Doesn't go all the way through, or seem to affect performance at all. The only reason I found it was due to reading about other people finding it.

[@trinabolls8423]

Do you think a 13in brushless mower will work for my .16 lot or should I go a little larger?

[@DoresoomReviews]

That's the same lot size I have. I'd stick with a 21" mower, which will take about half the time a 13" does.

[@trinabolls8423]

@@DoresoomReviews thanks for that because I was so confused.

[@onlygrants]

I have the similar one here in Australia only difference is the grey plastic bit on top with the usa sticker is not on my unit and there is no back lift bar and its 36v great product anyway

[@DoresoomReviews]

36V in Australia is the same as 40V max in the US. Same exact batteries, it's just marketing differences.

[@paulwitmer7138]

Okay you should have clarified when you push the paddle down does the ground speed increase or is it just the power to the blade if the ground speed increases I wouldn't want it because that is the worst part about a Honda we bought a couple years ago if you mow on an uneven lawn with that system your speed is constantly changing when your body moves over the uneven Terrain I think it sucks that it doesn't have a light switch and that the power setting doesn't have detent for positive setting position

[@DoresoomReviews]

The paddle controls the self propel speed - I thought it was pretty clear in the video. If you're going over rough terrain, just use the speed slider set to the right position and max out the paddle. That way it will maintain a constant speed.

[@JT-sl3ui]

I heard that the independent drive motor for the self propelled is a brushed motor that wears out after a season or two. Really the biggest negative point that I’ve encountered that concerns me.

[@DoresoomReviews]

I ended up keeping my EGO mower over this one, so I unfortunately don't know how the Ryobi does long term. The EGO Select Cut is going on year 4 and holding up great though.

[@JT-sl3ui]

@@DoresoomReviews thank you 👍🏻✌🏻

[@trialbyicecream]

Great review Nate!

[@DoresoomReviews]

Thanks!

[@Fatedfilms]

So I bought this mower, and the very first time using it the battery overheated after about 15 minutes of run time. I couldn't even get in the battery to cool down enough to charge for a couple of hours. granted, I am in North Carolina where it's been above 90° and really humid, but I have used three or four other Ryobi 40 volt mowers and have never had a battery overheat. also have the 40 volt string trimmer and two different 40 volt blowers and once again, I have never had a 40 volt Ryobi battery overheat. apparently this is a known problem with this mower, they didn't put any ventilation inside of the battery compartment. That, and The fact it is spinning two blades instead of one, with self-propelled running the entire time, and for some reason it mostly stayed ramped up, in terms of the RPMs, Even when I was not in thick grass. every other Ryobi mower I have used, it is really good at knowing when to ramp up and ramp back down, perhaps mine was faulty or something. but all of those things combined equaled a very quickly overheating battery and a pretty useless mower unfortunately. I also noticed that the self-propelled function on this model is much slower than every other 40 volt model I've tried. very noticeably slower. again, not sure if that was because I had a faulty unit or what the deal was, this was just my experience with this model Mower. It really bummed me out too, because I had really high hopes for it. I ended up purchasing the same 20 inch 40 volt mower that I had stolen from me, which is why I was trying to upgrade to the 21-in when I had all these issues. Glad to see that you did not have those issues though! on paper it seems like such a great mower.

[@DoresoomReviews]

Sorry to hear you had trouble with this mower. Did you try the same battery in other high-draw tools to rule out it wasn't just a bad battery?

[@mjbucar]

A good concise review.

[@05tech]

Great point at 3:14, it gets tricky meaning it cuts off specially on sharp turns.

[@andreyv1]

Have you had any issues with the blade turning off mid-mow? Mine is brand new and I was mowing yesterday and it happened a few times. Mower was still on, but blade shut off.

[@DoresoomReviews]

That sounds like the problem with the safety switches I talked about. If you don't keep at least one of them completely depressed, then the blade will stop but the self propel will still work.

[@tabcobra]

I’ve had mine for two weeks. When I first used it , it would cut off about every three minutes. I discovered that you must keep your hands or hand gripped on the outside of the levers and keep them tight. If you let the levers release even the slightest, the mower will stop.

[@PursuingTheBest]

Hi All. Just bought this less than a year ago. Now when it just shuts off in middle of cutting. This is eeven with handle engaged. Can start back up but shuts down again after about 4 feet of pushing it. Saw older models had the same thing. Would have thought newer model would have fixed this. How do I fix this??? as we do love the mower.

[@ryanartward]

We just got one of these, and not after a month of having it, the blade motor won't work. It still powers the throttle, but nothing.

[@DoresoomReviews]

If it's under a month, take it back to Home Depot. If it's slightly over a month, Ryobi warranty should cover it.

[@wilderjacob6]

This is awesome thank you I just got the same thing but the "new" model

[@Silvertinge291]

70 minutes per battery or 70 minutes combined ?

[@DoresoomReviews]

Combined

[@just_delightful]

Do the 40V 4mah batteries work?

[@DoresoomReviews]

Yes

[@coachnelson2988]

I just assembled mine and the self propel does not seem to work, am I missing something?

[@DoresoomReviews]

I cover self propel at 3:44. If you're doing it the same way and it still doesn't work, then something's wrong with the mower.

[@TC-tw5zk]

It's been 7 months what's your thoughts now?

[@DoresoomReviews]

Still a great mower!

[@joezaczyk2987]

Last Summer I bought both this exact RYOBI mower and the top of the line EGO. My wife and I cut our grass together so always have had 2 mowersI like the the way the RYOBI functions much better than the Consumer Reports recommended EGO. However, after a year my Ryobi stopped working. I thought, not to worry. There is a 5 year warranty. BUYER BEWARE: I live in Erie PA. There is no authorized dealer in Erie. I called RYOBI Customer Service. From previous calls I have made to them I have learned that you will be on hold for a half hour or more. So I arrange for a call back. When they called back I was told that the nearest RYOBI repair shop is 58 miles from me. I called them. There is about a 3 week turn around time. So I would have to drive 116 miles round trip to drop it off for repair, be without a mower fore 3 weeks. Then drive another 116 miles round trip to pick it up. Oh and they said they see a lot RYOBI's in their shop, although RYOBI is good about repair and replacement. All I am saying to anyone is check to see if you have access to an authorized RYOBI repair shop before you buy one of these. I am between a rock and a hard place. I really dislike the way the EGO functions: the way it cuts my grass, whining sound, ergonomic controls hurt my hands, bounces around my bumpy yard, but I have I have no confidence in RYOBI reliability. I am keeping our 2 TORO 6.0 HP Self propelled aluminum deck Super Recycler we bought in 1997. They are not as easy as pressing a button to start and I do need gas, but At least I know I can get those repaired within a 5 mile radius. Oh, and I have about 12,000 to 13,000 sq ft to cut, which is not 3/4 of an acre and the Ryobi will not cut all of that before it runs out of battery. And in the Spring we cut our grass every 3 days, so it is not too high. BUYER BEWARE!!

[@carocr913]

Great review thank you, I will definitely get it thanks

[@jeosmomm0611]

Whats the best way to clean the underside and the blade?

[@DoresoomReviews]

I just stand it upright and hit it with a leaf blower right after mowing.

[@jeosmomm0611]

@@DoresoomReviews ok thank you

[@thomasozemko5024]

I would not buy again because as other videos have pointed out this has a catastrophic point of failure with the drive function. A non brushless motor rated by Ryobi for 200 hours of use went on me and there is no service location nearby that can do the work even then when I called another farther location they said the wait for parts and repair is 6 to 8 weeks. I am sticking with my Husqvarna gas powered mower with Honda engine! Just needs a thorough carb cleaning which any small engine repair can do.

[@DoresoomReviews]

I ended up keeping my EGO 56V Select Cut mower and got rid of this one after a year. It still worked fine at that point, but I can't speak to its continued longevity. Thanks for providing insight to your own experience!

[@mrvang8077]

Is it powerful enough to cut through tall grass like a foot tall? Or am I better off just getting a gas power for tall grass. I just have a very small front yard less than 200 square feet.

[@DoresoomReviews]

Any push or walk behind mower is going to struggle with grass that tall. This actually seems to have more torque and stall less than my gas Toro Recycler though.

[@randycordes464]

Great video thanks

[@georger2972]

Great review!

[@DefMusic79]

I bought this one a few months ago. For the $$$$$$ it could be by far better! I didn't even get 10 minutes into mowing and lost 1 battery bar. I lmao when this dude picked it up and it about slammed him to the ground BUT... It's really not that "heavy...🤣" Do the batteries take awhile to show they are charging? Mine do. Why are the battery compartments so BIG? Do they make blades for this one that'll cut it all. Such as, sticks and stuff without blade damage?

[@DoresoomReviews]

It comes with two 6Ah batteries with 4 bars each. If you lost one bar after 10 minutes, the extrapolated runtime is 80 minutes, which is actually pretty good. The battery compartments are bigger because they make larger 8Ah batteries too. The charger takes a minute to verify the battery is cool enough and functioning properly prior to charging.

[@DefMusic79]

@@DoresoomReviews mine came with 3. I that plus 2 chargers PLUS a free weed whacker.

[@Christian-hk6rg]

Hey guys I am having an issue where my Mower randomly cuts off, I have this exact model, anyone had the same issue and found any fixes?

[@DoresoomReviews]

Does it start right back up afterwards? If so, it's probably because the two "bail" switches are too sensitive. When you're holding them depressed with both hands it's usually fine, but with only one hand holding them the slightest shift in pressure can cause it to cut out. Ryobi designed them with too short of a range of contact unfortunately. That's one of the big reasons I eventually ended up keeping the EGO Select Cut mower over this one.

[@Christian-hk6rg]

@@DoresoomReviews thanks for the heads up!

[@megamover]

After 13 months, the self-propelled option causes the mower to shut off. I have to take it to the closest service center. Who knows how long they're going to keep it. I wouldn't buy Roybi, at least not the self-propelled.

[@konamanstudio2447]

👍🏻🍻🍺🐶

[@MM-pv3yw]

THAT'S RIGHT BROTHER MAKE AMERICA GREAT 👌🏻👍🏻 AGAIN !? HOPEFULLY ALL IS WELL THEY HAVING A GOOD SAFE WEEK AHEAD KEEP FROSTY AND WATCH YOUR 6 TAKE CARE 🙋🏼‍♂️✝️Ⓜ️ JOB WELL DONE !? NICE VIDEO !?

[@huyto9494]

The mower is bigger than the dude

[@jmkeybass760]

This machine is garbage. The blades cut the deck no matter what you try to fix. The deck is plastic🤦🏽‍♂️

[@DoresoomReviews]

I have noticed a small slit in the deck from the blades after a whole season of mowing. It doesn't go all the way through though, and doesn't seem to affect performance. Almost all battery mowers have plastic decks though - that doesn't mean its garbage.

[@jmkeybass760]

@@DoresoomReviews dude I paid $700 for this machine and that issue is a major fault. I read a lot of this complaint on HD review. I contact Ryobi and they said the can send a new one but that dont fix the deck problem. The deck is plastic and if for any reason you bend it using the machine the blades will hit the deck. I changed it for a Honda with metal deck🤷🏻‍♂️.

[@DoresoomReviews]

Oh I agree that it is a design flaw that Ryobi should be on the hook to fix, especially with the lifetime warranty they offer for the deck. It sounds like they tried to make it right for you too. They could either add more reinforcement ribs to the mold for the deck (probably a pretty expensive change) or possibly just shorten the blade diameter by 1/4" to fix the problem. That way the replacements they send out wouldn't have the same issues. But I didn't even notice it had happened on my mower until I saw someone point it out online. It's not like I was having performance problems with the mower and went looking for the cause and found it. So I personally wouldn't categorize the 2" slit in the interior of the mower deck that doesn't affect performance as a MAJOR design flaw. I recognize it may be a deal breaker for some people though.