Ryobi Electric Lawn Tractor Review: How Much Can It Cut on One Charge?

If you are in the market for a new battery-powered lawn mower, the list of options continues to grow. In many instances, brands have simply taken an existing mower design and replaced the gas engine with electric motors and a rechargeable battery. Others have reimagined lawn care solutions altogether, as seen with robotic lawn mowers that, powered by relatively tiny batteries, autonomously maintain lawns up to an acre or larger. But, in the case of the Ryobi 80-volt (V) HP electric lawn tractor that I recently tested, this reimagining of conventional equipment has created a product that boasts improved functionality while still feeling familiar. 

Ryobi is well established as a value brand when it comes to consumer tools and outdoor power equipment. It has been in the lawn mower business for decades. With the recent explosion in cordless electric lawn mowers, Ryobi has been rolling out new designs and updates at regular intervals. Its 80V line of riding mowers began with the introduction of its 80V zero-turn mowers in 2022. The new Ryobi 80V tractor series includes the 42-inch model that I tested as well as its larger 46-inch counterpart. In this review, I will cover the basics of the design and share my observations from testing it for a month.

• Unseen obstructions may easily damage thin steel mower blades
• Can be difficult to calibrate the mower deck for exact height control

Get the Ryobi 80V HP electric lawn tractor at The Home Depot for $4,999.

What is the Ryobi 80V HP electric lawn tractor?

The new Ryobi 80V HP electric lawn tractor takes a fresh approach to battery-powered lawn care. It combines efficient brushless motors and a trio of 10 Ah lithium-ion batteries to deliver power equivalent to a 21-horsepower gas engine. With a maximum forward speed of 7 mph and a 42-inch mower deck, it is capable of mowing up to 2 acres per charge. After mowing, the included Hyper Charger enables rapid battery recharging, from 0 to 100 percent in just 2.5 hours. 

Creative design sets this unit apart from other battery-powered lawn tractors. It features a covered front storage compartment beneath the hood; covered side storage compartments with USB charging ports; and a mini “truck bed” behind the seat for hauling tools, supplies, plants, and debris around the yard. There are universal 2-inch square towing hitch receivers at both ends, each with up to 500 pounds of towing capacity, which adds a layer of functionality not found on other electric riding mowers.

The fabricated mowing deck is equipped with two blade motors that drive the Cross Cut multiblade system. Two blades are paired in an “X” pattern on each motor, enabling a cleaner cut. The 13-position (1.5 to 4.5 inches) deck height adjustment is manual. The base mowing configuration supports side discharge mowing, and a compatible bagging system and a mulching kit are available, but sold separately.

The tractor is also equipped with a full color backlit LCD monitor that displays the runtime, battery level, and charge status. The dashboard control center allows the operator to adjust blade speed, drive speed, and operate the LED headlights. When the Ryobi Riding Mower app is enabled, you can monitor the charge status from your mobile device. 

Ryobi has positioned itself as a value brand, offering tools and equipment that get the job done effectively without breaking the bank. Having tested quite a few battery-powered lawn tractors, I had certain expectations going into this test. My test yard included 1 acre of wide-open grass and another 0.5 acre of lawn space that was interrupted with structures and landscape beds. The 80V HP lawn tractor did not disappoint, and in some ways it exceeded my expectations.

Battery Life and Charging: 4.8/5

The Ryobi tractor came equipped with three 10V batteries and a Hyper Charger to keep them powered up. The batteries are removable and replaceable, but quite large, each measuring 16 inches long, 9 inches wide, and 4 inches thick. The Hyper Charger supports onboard charging, so I chalked up the removable batteries as a cost-saving convenience for the eventual time when the batteries need to be replaced. That should be 5 to 10 years from now.

The available 2,400 watt hours per charge is quite a bit lower than the 3,360 watt hours that came with the Craftsman 56V 42-inch lawn tractor I tested a year ago, so I expected either a shorter runtime or a noticeable difference in power. The Craftsman tested out at 3.5 acres of mowing per charge. The Ryobi didn’t suffer from a lack of power. It mowed just over 2 acres per charge in average lawn grass conditions. 

For the runtime test, I mowed the whole 1.5 acres of lawn, then lowered the deck two notches for a second cut of the 0.5-acre area plus a few strips of the larger area before it needed to be charged. I started with a full charge and depleted it to 2 percent after an hour and 15 minutes of mowing.

I plugged the Hyper Charger into a 15-amp 120V ground-fault circuit interrupter receptacle and connected it to the mower’s charging port. In the time it took to prep, cook, and eat dinner, plus wash the dishes, the mower was fully recharged. 

Quality of Cut: 4/5

The Ryobi lawn tractor did a nice job as a regular maintenance mower. Under normal lawn mowing conditions, I was able to mow consistently at half-speed, or approximately 3.5 mph. With turning time factored in, it allowed me to cut 2 acres of grass in a little more than an hour. The cut was quite clean, with no long grass blades or weeds left uncut. The only reason I didn’t give the top score in this category was because the deck-height adjustment system had a few rough spots. 

As noted above, there are 13 height-adjustment lever positions that are supposed to position the deck for mowing the grass between 1.5 inches and 4.5 inches high. But the deck attachment system had not been calibrated prior to delivery. 

Only half of the adjustment settings were usable, giving it an actual height range of approximately 1.5 to 3 inches, which was fine for regular mowing. The deck bottomed out in the lower height settings. There is probably a simple fix for this, but it was not indicated in the owner’s manual. Removing the deck only takes about 2 minutes, but instructions for calibrating the mounting hardware would have required a call to customer support.

Mobility and Operator Comfort: 4.5/5

Mobility is one of the most important facets of a good lawn tractor. The Ryobi 80V electric lawn tractor easily handled varying terrain, both while mowing and towing. In my tests, it exhibited enough torque to confidently pull a loaded dump cart up a slope, and was well balanced enough to avoid losing traction.

An unexpected benefit of the unique towing hitch configuration was the ease with which it maneuvered while backing the dump cart. I normally avoid doing this with my own lawn tractor because one wrong steering move leads to a jackknifed rig, but the extended tow hitch made it easy to control the cart while backing up. The only disadvantage to the additional overall length was that it made it harder to navigate in cramped conditions. Good mobility, along with the “truck bed” space and the under-the-hood storage area, add a level of functionality like that of a utility vehicle.

It was also comfortable. The deeply padded high-back seat and spring suspension cushioned the ride nicely, even on bumpy ground. I did experience some light jarring when starting out from a standstill and then again when stopping. This is fairly consistent with other electric riding mowers, so it’s not really a criticism, just a note that perfectly smooth acceleration is still a work in progress.

Ease of Operation: 5/5

The Ryobi 80V HP electric lawn tractor was intuitively easy to use. I had no trouble locating the controls and getting started. Anyone who is accustomed to operating a gas-powered lawn tractor with a hydrostatic drive system will feel at home using it. The power switch was located in the same place you would find an ignition switch and operates very similarly, as does the electric blade engagement switch. Forward and reverse travel are controlled by a pair of foot pedals on the right foot rest. The manual deck height adjustment is identical to the type used on many gas mowers.

The electronics were just as easy to navigate. The large LCD screen laid out all the information I needed with regard to remaining battery life and had clear controls for blade speed, travel speed, and headlight operation.

Is the Ryobi 80V HP electric lawn tractor worth the money? 

The Home Depot sells the Ryobi HP 42-inch electric lawn tractor for about $4,500, which is a little less than similar offerings from some of the other popular battery mower brands. This model, with three batteries and space to add a fourth for extended range, offers a mowing range of up to 2 acres per charge along with some unique features not found on other battery-powered lawn tractors. 

In addition to its clean cutting ability, the Ryobi 80V HP lets operators easily haul tools, supplies, and debris without adding a utility cart. But it also has towing hitches at both the front and rear that help to expand its overall usefulness. Although the potential runtime is somewhat behind the top competition in the category, the added functionality may be more than enough to make up the difference. If you need to mow 2 acres or less, this could be an excellent value.

Is the Ryobi 80V HP electric lawn tractor right for you?

Not everyone needs a combination riding mower and utility cart. Some simply need to mow lots of grass. If you routinely cut more than 2 acres nonstop, then this mower might not be right for you. Other battery-powered lawn tractors have a larger range per charge for about the same price, or a little bit more. The Craftsman mower I reviewed previously sells for a few hundred dollars more and comes with enough battery power to cut 3.5 acres per charge. It can tow a dump cart as well. 

But the Ryobi 80V HP electric lawn tractor shines as a utility vehicle that also mows well. It can carry plants, tools, and debris around the yard. It can move trailers and other wheeled equipment. And it offers covered storage onboard for small items that you might want to have available at all times. If that is what you’re looking for, then this could be the right lawn tractor for you.

Get the Ryobi 80V HP electric lawn tractor at: The Home Depot for $4,999.

Meet the Tester

Mark Wolfe is a writer and product tester with an extensive background in the nursery and landscaping industries. For more than 20 years he mowed, edged, planted, pruned, cultivated, irrigated, and renovated beautiful landscapes. Now he tests and writes reviews about the latest outdoor power equipment, hand tools, lawn care products, and other outdoor living goods.