Is Ryobi's Zero Turn Mower Worth It? Here's What The Reviews Say

If you consider yourself a lawn care aficionado, chances are that you've heard of Ryobi. The Japanese manufacturer isn't a newcomer to the industry, but its popularity has skyrocketed in recent years thanks to an impressive lineup of electric tools that help make yard work a breeze.

One such product is a Ryobi lawn mower, specifically one of the company's zero turn mowers. When it comes to the rideable electric grass-cutting machines, Ryobi has two options. The 80V HP Brushless Zero Turn Riding Mower features the company's patented iDrive Intelligent One-Handed Drive System, a Hyper Charger, and an LCD screen for system information. It comes in three sizes, 30-, 42-, and 54-inch frames, all powered by their high performance batteries that can deliver the equivalent of 28, 31, and 42 horsepower, respectively. The prices range from $4,999 to $6,999, barring any deal that marks them down.

The second option is the 100 Ah Zero Turn Electric Riding Lawn Mower. It uses Ryobi's 48V batteries, delivering quick and quiet performance and cuts up to three acres on one charge, with lap bar steering. Unfortunately, there's only one zero turn 48V option: a 42-inch frame that costs $4,999. Both sets of grass-cutting tools are far from what most people would deem affordable, so what do the reviews have to say about Ryobi's zero turn mowers?

Naturally, there is plenty you need to know about Ryobi's riding lawn mowers before you buy one. Needless to say, they don't come cheap, and the last thing you want is to invest in a product that may not live up to expectations. Thankfully, based on professional reviews, it seems like you can't go wrong with any of the 80V options.

In a review, Pro Tools Review admitted that it took some time to get used to Ryobi's iDrive joystick that steers every 80V zero turn mower. However, once they were comfortable with it, the mowers delivered an impressive performance. They highlighted the ability to pack the mowers full with Ryobi's batteries, with the 42 and 54-inch models holding three 80V and four 40V power supplies, while the 30-inch mower can store two 80V and two 40V batteries. Essentially, there's no way you run out of charge, no matter the yard size. They also enjoyed the included supercharger, the easy-to-use LCD screen, and the zero-turn drive that allow it to fit where other mowers can't. And with three different size options, you can't really go wrong with the 80V, even if there isn't much competition on the market.

Similarly, Tool Box Buzz was impressed with the comfortability and the ease of use of Ryobi's 42-inch 80V Zero Turn Mower. A highlight for them was the quality of the cut and the mulching attachment for the blades, which cut shavings multiple times to make large piles of clippings a problem of the past.

Although the 80V Zero Turn is Ryobi's go-to electric lawn mower, it looks to have some competition from the past in the form of the 100 Ah Zero Turn Electric Riding Lawn Mower. Despite it running on a weaker 48V battery, Pro Tool Reviews was pleasantly surprised by the efficiency of the 100 Ah Zero Turn Mower. In the review, they highlighted the lawn mower's runtime, confirming that it can cut around three acres of grass on a single charge. The low-speed settings perfectly make up for where most electric mowers struggle, ramping up the torque to help chew through those pesky thicker patches of grass. 

They say the deck couldn't be easier to adjust with plenty of heights, and the lap bar was easy to maneuver, continuing the excellence of the traditional zero-turn steering technology but without the usual jerkiness. They described the 100 Ah Zero Turn Mower as, "well-suited for the homeowner that has a decent sized lot to keep up with," giving Ryobi's product an overall score of 8.3 out of 10.

However, it wasn't all sunshine and rainbows in their review. They mention that, without the low-speed settings, the zero turn mower tends to slow down, and it's incredibly obvious when the mower is struggling because of the loud noise that comes from the blades. It also likely won't satisfy as a commercial mower, an area where the larger Ryobi 80V mowers would thrive.