9 Ryobi Tools That Will Clean Up Your Yard In No Time, According To Reviews
Manual yard work is strenuous and tedious, but it can be made easier using specialized tools. Some automatic power tools cost hundreds to thousands of dollars, but can be well worth the price if you can fit them into your budget. They make yard work faster and more efficient, reducing the hours and back-breaking labor that goes into outdoor chores.
Not all power tools are created equal, though. The best options are from reputable brands with glowing reviews, such as the manufacturer, Ryobi. In fact, Ryobi has many tools that can help whip your yard into shape in no time. These products have an average rating of at least four stars and have been reviewed by at least 50 customers, with lots of them applauding how much faster they get yard chores done. We dive deeper into how we chose these top-performing Ryobi tools at the end of the list. So, learn how these tools are best used, how they optimize yard work, and how their average rating compares to the overall number of reviewers.
Best tree trimmer: Ryobi RY40560 Cordless Battery Pole Saw
There's a reason the pros charge up to $350 for trimming even a modestly-sized tree. Keeping them pruned and manicured is hard work, and reaching the highest branches takes more than just skill and effort. However, a specialized tool, like the Ryobi RY40560 Cordless Battery Pole Saw, can help make the task faster and safer. This pruning saw features extenders so it can reach up to 9.5 feet, allowing you to prune the tops and sides of decently-sized trees without needing to take time to move your ladder. The battery-powered chain is automatically oiled, allowing for continuous, smooth operation, tackling multiple branches at once. Plus, there are no cords to avoid getting tangled in and no gas tanks to refill, streamlining the tree-pruning process.
This Ryobi tool has an average 4.4-star rating from over 3,000 customers, with 89% saying they would recommend the tool. Customers are very fond of its battery-powered capabilities, stating, "Just bought this saw, to cut down some branches and was able to knock it out drastically faster than when I've used a manual pole saw." Another customer shared the same findings, saying, "I have always had a pole saw, but this is my first powered one. It doesn't telescope, but you can use one or two extensions to vary the length. It cuts fast and quietly for a chainsaw; it went through a two-inch-thick branch in a few seconds.
Best bush, hedge, and shrub trimmer: Ryobi P2609 Lithium-Ion Cordless Hedge Trimmer
Bushes, hedges, and shrubs also need to be maintained when cleaning up your yard. They tend to grow faster during the growing season, and a hedge trimmer is much more efficient at maintaining a thriving landscape than a hand trimmer. The Ryobi P2609 Lithium-Ion Cordless Hedge Trimmer runs for up to 21 minutes at a time, slicing through branches with a single pull of the trigger. The tool is also more consistent than manual trimming and covers a wide stretch of 22 inches, which is ideal for hedges of various sizes. There's also an additional Debris Collector tool that you can purchase to catch yard branches and leaves as you work, so you have less to clean up when the job is done.
Considering this tool has an average of 4.2 stars from over 1,100 reviewers and a 95% recommendation rating, it will likely be a good addition to your lawn care arsenal. One person reported, "The Ryobi cordless hedge trimmer is powerful and efficient. I can now cut the full spectrum of my hedges in one sweep. The added sweeper bar was a pleasant bonus, and it easily clears away residue. This tool is much more powerful than my old one."
Best weed and lawn edge trimmer: Ryobi RY41135 Electric String Trimmer
There's another large trimming tool that's necessary for cleaning up your yard in no time. Heavy-duty mowers can't reach every inch of most lawns, and they often leave patches and edges of high grass. The quickest approach for tackling these areas is to use a Ryobi RY41135 Electric String Trimmer with the right weed trimmer string for your yard. This lightweight trimmer is great for shaving the perimeter of a lawn where a mower can't reach, tackling straggling grass blades and weeds. It has an 18-inch cutting swath and two trim options instead of one. This enables you to easily swap between them to cut either horizontally or vertically. This device is a must-have if your lawn has tight spaces or your grass runs up against features that can't be mowed, such as decks, fences, and gardens.
About 90% of the 3,000 reviewers recommend the Ryobi electric string trimmer. Even with thousands of reviews, it maintains a commendable 4.5-star average. Reviewers are highly satisfied by how quickly this tool gets yard work done, saying, "Very powerful. Makes my job go much quicker. Although a bit heavy, the time I save more than makes up for it."
Best small hand pruner: Ryobi P2550 Brushless Cordless Pruner
It's no secret that high-tech Ryobi tools can make work in your home and garden a breeze. So, don't overlook the smaller, simpler tools. A hand pruner is only a fraction of the size of a pole saw or edge trimmer, but it plays a large part in cleaning a yard efficiently. Ryobi's P2550 Brushless Cordless Pruner is a lot more compact than the hedge trimmer and is easier to handle around smaller bushes, flowers, and fruiting plants. The size is better for light pruning jobs, making work more efficient but no less precise. It's an ideal tool for home gardeners with an assortment of ornamental plants that need occasional pruning during the growing season.
Ryobi's brushless pruner toggles on and off with a trigger, and over 800 people have purchased and reviewed this alternative to traditional pruners. Out of the hundreds of reviewers, 89% of people recommended the product, resulting in a 4.7 average rating. One happy customer stated, " [It] cuts super fast and easily cuts up to one inch branches. The 2.0 Ah battery lasts a really long time." Another person attests to this, leaving a similar review that said, "I should have purchased this sooner. Such a great tool for someone who works in their yard. Very easy to use. It's a powerful tool that makes pruning quick and easy."
Best mini chainsaw: Ryobi PCLCW01B Cordless Battery Compact Pruning Mini Chainsaw
Specialized trimmers and pruners rank among the most essential gardening tools, but you can also rely on more power to clean up a yard in a breeze. The Ryobi PCLCW01B Cordless Battery Compact Pruning Mini Chainsaw is a great asset for tidying up medium to large bushes and trees, as well as performing other yard work tasks. Invest in a mini chainsaw if you have a wide variety of plants that need pruning or trimming, and you need something small and maneuverable. This tool makes over 50 cuts with one battery charge and has a 6-inch bar that reaches low and hard-to-reach spaces that larger trimmers can't safely maneuver.
Over 90% of over 1,400 reviewers recommend Ryobi's mini chainsaw. They give it a 4.7-star average, appreciating its versatility for getting light to medium yard work done in a timely manner, with one reviewer saying, "One hand pruning, oil free, no tool chain adjustment. Made the pruning job easy and fast. I cut 4-inch bush trunks in minutes."
Best leaf blower: Ryobi RY40LB01 Cordless Battery Leaf Blower
Leaf blowers are essential for large leaf clean-ups. However, they can also be used to quickly remove grass clippings from sidewalks after mowing, blow off light layers of snow, or even to efficiently clean out your gutters. Out of all the leaf blower brands that will leave your yard spick and span, the Ryobi RY40LB01 Cordless Battery Leaf Blower ranks among the highest. It has controls for the air output and can be dialed up and down as needed. This keeps airflow strong when trying to blow away debris, but allows you to conserve the battery when you need less power.
The Ryobi leaf blower boasts a 4.7-star average from over 2,400 reviewers. Over 90% of these reviewers recommend the product, and many compared it to traditional rakes, explaining, "First time using a blower to consolidate the leaves in my yard. Love the ease in which to use my Ryobi to cut my raking time by nearly 75%." Other reviewers even compared the speed to former leaf blower models, saying, "This blower is a replacement for a previous Ryobi 40 V model. This new version is fantastic! Much more power and better and faster in blowing the leaves from my back yard and into the woods behind the fence."
Best walk-behind lawn mower: Ryobi RY40HPLM05 Cordless Battery Walk Behind Push Lawn Mower
When ranking products that make cleaning up a yard faster, it's impossible to leave out lawn mowers. These tools are an indisputable essential for any homeowner with a traditional grass lawn. The Ryobi RY40HPLM05 Cordless Battery Walk Behind Push Lawn Mower cuts up to a half-acre on a single charge and automatically adjusts its mowing conditions as needed, making yard work a piece of cake. Height adjustment is quick and easy, and the mower folds in half in seconds to be stored upright when you're done mowing. It even has a turbo mode when you want a little boost in speed and power. Overall, it's a great option for people with a half-acre or less of property.
If you have a small to medium-sized yard, consider this mower with its 5-star rating from over 70 reviewers. 97% of people recommend it, citing how well it works and how easy it is to use, clean up, and store, "Easy to use and push while mowing my yard. I do not have a very big yard so I was able to cut my whole yard with one battery. Cleanup was very minimal and storage is easy and quick". Some even compare it to other gasless mowers, saying, "I'm very satisfied with my new mower. I've used it twice now, and I wish I got it sooner. I've been using a corded mower for years. The new mower is so much easier and faster, and the battery charge hasn't even gone down to 50% yet."
Best riding lawn mower: RYOBI RYRM8021 Battery Electric Cordless Zero Turn Riding Mower
A walk-behind mower makes cleaning up small and medium-sized yards a breeze. However, if you have a large lot or would simply like to make mowing less physically demanding, a riding mower is a perfect option. The RYOBI RYRM8021 Battery Electric Cordless Zero Turn Riding Mower makes lawn mowing as easy as possible. The Ryobi version of this tool cleans up a yard efficiently, using a multi-blade system and zero-turn steering technology. It can tackle up to three acres on a charge, goes up to 8 miles per hour, and the headlight and quiet operation even allow you to cut after dusk.
Despite being an expensive investment, this Ryobi riding mower is a popular choice among DIY landscapers. Over 300 people have purchased and reviewed this machinery, and over 79% recommend the product. They give it an average of 4.2 stars, leaving comments about how efficient it is for cutting grass, sharing, "It cut my mowing time down from 2 to 3 hours to 30 minutes, depending on how high the grass is." Another person corroborated this claim, saying, "My backyard that took about 2 hours to mow with my push mower can now be mowed in about 15-20 minutes."
Best lawn and garden sprayer: Ryobi RY40310 Backpack Chemical Sprayer
Keeping grass and plants trimmed and well-kept is only step one of maintaining a clean and tidy property. Using a lawn and garden sprayer, like the Ryobi RY40310 Backpack Chemical Sprayer, allows you to treat your lawn with chemicals that keep pests away and plants healthy. This tool makes spraying fungicides, herbicides, insecticides, and other lawn chemicals far more efficient than a manual pump. It also allows you to take the guesswork out of proper application with adjustable spray settings and various nozzles. Plus, the tank's 4-gallon capacity cuts down on having to stop to refill chemicals. This is a go-to tool if you exhaust all other options for pest-proofing your lawn without nasty chemicals.
The Ryobi sprayer has over 400 reviews from past customers. Around 83% of those reviewers recommend the product and give it a 4.4-star average. They comment on how useful it is compared to a traditional pump sprayer, such as this review that explained, "Generally a great product – much better than the manual sprayer that I had because it is three times as fast." Another reviewer with a large property said, "So, I'm no stranger to a backpack sprayer because I spray the edge for weeds to keep the ticks down. And this new Ryobi backpack sprayer is the best thing since sliced bread, and it turned my four or five times yearly back-breaking chore into a quick, easy task."
Methodology: How we Chose the Best Ryobi Tools for Cleaning Up Yards
Choosing the best Ryobi products was easy enough, as this brand is reputable for its top-rated products. Each of the tools on this list has at least four stars out of five, and a minimum of fifty people have left ratings and reviews. At least 79% of verified customers recommend the products to other people, and these models are among the highest rated out of nearly identical or similar tools from the same brand. Each one is specifically designed for yard work and can be used to clean up properties of various sizes. Once we found our highest rated products, we narrowed down the top contenders by ensuring they had a customer testimonial that directly addressed how they speed up yard work compared to other power tools or manual equipment.