What To Know About This Lightweight Ryobi Lawn Mower Before Buying It

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Ryobi is one of the leaders in cordless equipment for yard work, with a host of tools that can whip your lawn into shape. Its range of mowers is huge, starting with compact 18V One+ models, through more powerful 40V tools, to big 80V ride-on machines. So there's something for just about everyone, and since it's Ryobi, the prices are competitive.

The lightweight Ryobi 40V 18" 2-in-1 Push Mower is an example of a compact machine that, according to Ryobi, offers performance comparable to gas models. It has a runtime of 30 minutes, and the company says this is the ideal lawn mower for gardens of up to a ¼ acre. It offers mulching or side discharge, but there's no bag to collect clippings. A single lever makes height adjustment a breeze, and seven positions from 1.5 to 4 inches mean you can adjust your lawn mower blades for the healthiest grass. Given that this model is just $219 (or $299 with battery and charger), it seems an attractive proposition for smaller yards. However, along with the key features, it's useful to look at feedback from actual owners before you decide to buy, as the reviews are mixed, with quite a bit of negative ones.

Over at Home Depot, more than 1200 owners have provided their thoughts. The average rating is 4.1 stars, and 73% would recommend it. Those are good numbers, but not outstanding. In general, people enjoy the ease of use and the fact that a cordless lawn mower is quieter than a gas mower, with fewer maintenance requirements. If you're looking for the best lawn mower for a small garden, these are certainly positives. This was underlined by one buyer who said, "This mower's weight and size are perfect for suburban yards." Another owner thought, "This mower is so lightweight, the self propelled is not needed." However, a small but significant percentage thought it was underpowered. There were also a number of issues with the battery and a few breakages of plastic components.

When choosing cordless equipment, the battery and charger are important considerations. If you already own 40V tools from Ryobi, it makes a significant difference, and it's very convenient to have multiple devices that run off the same units. If you need to buy them, it's a good idea to check the rest of Ryobi's 40V range (around 85 tools) to see if you would be likely to add others eventually and maximize your value for money. If that's not the case, you might want to shop around before deciding to buy this particular lightweight lawn mower.