This review was first published on my other site: MyCountryAcre.com
This is going to be a very complete review of the Ryobi RM480e and RM480ex electric, cordless, brushless, riding lawn mower. This mower has been getting a lot of press this year and all the Youtubers are stating how fun it is to drive. The new owners are all stating that it’s the perfect mower for them. In fact on on HomeDepot.com it’s getting an unheard of 4.9 star rating. Even Consumer Reports likes the RM480e. But is it the perfect mower for you? Let’s find out if it is capable of replacing your current lawn tractor or small ZTR.
I am going to break this article down into three sections.
This review is over 8000 words so you may not want to tackle it all at once.
- Using pictures I’ll go through each area of the Ryobi RM480e and explain what you get.
- I’ll list all the reasons why this may be or not be the best mower for you and what to expect from it if you chose to buy one.
- Finally, I’ll also go through some common questions that have been asked on HomeDepot.com and explain the correct answers.
Why should you trust my opinion?
I have been writing about lawn tractors, zero-turn mowers and snow blowers at todaysmower.com and movingsnow.com for ten years now and over 20,000,000 people have read and trusted the information there*. I also have experience with electric riding mowers over the years all the way back to the GE Elec-Trak. I currently own the Raven MPV-7100 hybrid mower. As an experienced industrial electrician I’ve also had the training and experience to maintain and understand batteries, electric forklifts, golf carts, and wheelchairs. This combination of experience and training will help me help you to understand the Ryobi RM480 and help you decide if it’s the right riding mower for you.
*based on WordPress Stats.
Where to buy:
The RM480 is available exclusively at The Home Depot. Here are the links to read more and buy. I do make a commission from the sale when you use these links.
Ryobi RM480e, 38 inch, 75 AH Cordless Electric Riding Mower Model # RY48110 (about 2 hours run time)
Ryobi RM480ex, 38 inch, 100 AH Cordless Electric Riding Mower Model # RY48111 (about 2.5 hours run time)
Available Accessories:
Ryobi 38 inch 2 bin soft bagger for RM480e and RM480ex Cordless Electric Riding Mower Model # ACRM001 Note: Bagger comes with bagging blades
Ryobi 38 inch bagging/side discharge blades (2) for RM480e and RM480ex Cordless Electric Riding Mower Model # ACRM003 Note: The bagger comes with bagging blades
Ryobi 38 inch mulching/side discharge blades (2) for RM480e and RM480ex Cordless Electric Riding Mower Model # ACRM002 Note: Mower comes with these blades and a mulching cover.
Picture Review:
Overview from Ryobi
When you first look at the Ryobi RM480 you will see a lot of plastic. But the plastic is just covers – like the plastic or metal fenders on your car. Underneath is a fully welded, rigid, tube steel frame.
The Ryobi RM480 is about the same length and a little narrower than your typical lawn tractor. Most of the weight is in the rear which makes it very easy to steer and gives it more rear traction than a typical lawn tractor.
The rear tires on the Ryobi RM480 are smaller than the rear tires on a lawn tractor but sized well for the width of the mower.
Ryobi RM480 is just like driving your car. Brake on the left, accelerator on the right and a comfortable steering wheel in between.
The seat on the Ryobi RM480 is not bad. It has a backrest and is padded well. It’s easily adjustable with the lever in front of the seat for short and tall operators. The spring suspension makes it comfortable for the hour or two you will mow with it every week.
I was pleasantly surprised to see the Ryobi RM480’s rear hitch is robust and part of the frame. It will handle your yard cart, dethatcher and lawn sweeper well.
The Ryobi RM480 rear axle is a steel axle inside a steel tube. The gearbox and brushless electric motor use an aluminum housing.
The rear wheels on the Ryobi RM480 are attached to the steel axle using a cast iron hub with four lug bolts. No keyways to line up or steel keys to lose if you have to remove a tire to fix a flat. This wheel won’t rust onto the axle like most lawn tractor rims.
I like this picture from Ryobi better than the one I took. The operator’s console is well laid out and uses commercial grade switches for long life. Everything is right in one place. The console even has a USB port and slot for your phone! Charge your phone and listen to your favorite music using your wireless headphones while you mow!
The Ryobi RM480 has a 12 position mowing height. The lever is solid and lifts the deck easily. There is even a green marking tab you can set to remember the height you cut the lawn. I like to raise the deck when putting the mower inside my storage shed and the tab will help me remember what height I mow at.
The rear drum brakes on the Ryobi RM480 are variable like the brakes in your car so you can use them to keep a constant speed when going downhill . They are fully adjustable for wear using the nut you see in the picture. These brakes are true brakes unlike the tiny disc parking brake found on your lawn tractor.
When you get your new Ryobi RM480 the battery may be disconnected. Flip up the seat and remove the black plastic cover under the seat. Push the two gray pieces together to connect the battery.
When you get the Ryobi RM480 there will also be a cardboard box. Inside the box is the mulch cover and the battery charger. Please read the operator’s manual on where to put the charger.
To charge your Ryobi RM480 plug the black triangular plug into the rider – it only goes in one way. Then plug the charger into a 110 volt wall receptacle. You can use an extension cord but the charger can draw up to 15 amps so you need a 12 or 14 ga cord less than 50 feet long. When the light is green on the charger it is charging.
The front bumper is small but strong
The Ryobi RM480’s Steering is robust and uses heavy-duty connecting rods and links. It has a heavy-duty welded steel axle and a strong automotive type front yoke and axle components. The front axle and steering is much stronger than I expected and better than the other riding mowers on the market. I like this steering a lot and it will hold up to many years of use.
New owners are saying the Ryobi RM480 LED Headlights are quite bright!
The Ryobi RM480 Mowing Deck is a two blade steel cutting deck with metal blades and independent brushless electric motors that power each blade. It is aerodynamically designed to side discharge, mulch and bag well. Consumer Reports has tested the deck and they state it mows very well.
The anti-scalp wheels are adjustable so you can lower them if you have a lot of obstructions that you may catch the deck on. These are not gauge wheels that set the cut height so you don’t have to move them if you don’t want to. The cut height is controlled by the 12 position lever on the left side of the operator’s area. If you have tree roots to go over adjust these so you don’t hit the roots and bend your mower blades.
The Ryobi RM480 Mowing Deck safety discharge cover is zip tied out of the way for shipping. Just cut that zip tie and it’s ready to mow. When mulching you can tie this cover out of the way. I don’t recommend that you remove it!
The Ryobi RM480 Mowing Deck’s motors are covered to keep grass and debris from clogging the cooling fins. On the mowers, I have seen so far the baked on powder coat paint is very evenly and will last.
The mowing blades on the Ryobi RM480 Mowing Deck are standard combination blades. They are a little lighter than the blades you find on many other lawn tractors but their light weight is a factor in making the mower battery last long enough to mow your 2 acre lawn. The blades shown are side discharge/mulching blades. Bagging blades are included with the optional bagger.
Last picture. I like this mower a lot and it would be a great choice for my one acre yard. I know my wife would love it for hauling her landscaping supplies because it’s quiet and there are no fumes from running a gas engine. It’s the right mower for me but is it the best mower for you? Click on the next page button below and I’ll go through a detailed discussion of who the Ryobi RM480 is for.
Larry Cecil Singleton
I need to get a replacement charger for my Ryobi RM4803. Does anyone know where I can get one? It is out of stock on the Ryobi site.
max pizano
Hi Paul, Great review.
I just replaced all batteries on the 480e. Did this carefully and know they are in properly. They are not charging though. the Green light was on after i plugged it in. there was evidence of mice when i pulled old batteries out. (it’s a horse barn tractor). could mice have damaged charging wiring? If so, would the green light have come on when plugged in?
Cookie Yauger
I need help! The rm 480e we have is wonderful but when I cut the grass the blades stop working after 20 minutes. The blades shut off but I can still drive it. I put it back on the charger for 20 minutes then I have blades again for another 20 minutes. What do you think is wrong?
Paul
Hi Cookie, What does the battery indicator say? If the indicator says under 20% charge then you have one or more batteries that need to be replaced.
If the battery indicator is above 50% you may have a blade motor that’s overheating or going bad. With the mower turned off and the key removed clean the top of the deck and get all the debris from around the motors (the black circles on the deck) Then look under the deck and make sure there is nothing wrapped around the blades or the shaft above the blade. Wire, string, rope, long grass can all get wrapped around there and cause it to bind up – overheating the motors.
If that is not the problem call Ryobi and let them help you troubleshoot the problem and help you get it repaired. https://www.ryobitools.com/support/contact
Jacque
Hi Paul,
Do you happen to know what kind of plastic the Ryobi 32″ riding mower is made of around the PTO also known as the handle that raises the deck?
Paul
Hi Jacque, No I don’t. You won’t be able to find that out unless you talked to one of their design engineers.
Bob S
Have you compared the Ryobi RM480E to the Weibang WB76E E Rider (both from Home Depot)? Consumers Report likes the Ryobi but has not reviewed the Weibang for an overall score. I have downloaded both operator’s manuals, so I know spec differences, but I don’t know which may be considered the better choice for my 1/2 -acre, mostly 15-degree property.
Paul
Hi Bob, A few of my readers have purchased the Weibang and like it because it’s small and you can tip it up for storage. But, I’ve also read that the battery life is greatly reduced mowing slopes and they can’t get 1/2 acre mowed on one charge. It takes 10 hours to charge.
So, I’m going to recommend the Ryobi for you. It has plenty of battery for your lawn, the power to go up the slopes and a wider footprint so it will be more stable when turning on the slope. It also has a hitch if you want to pull a yard card, etc.
amf
Hello! I personally own the Weibang, have had it only 4 days and am looking to upgrade to the Ryobi. I am mowing about 1.5 acres in a back lot only; am using the EGO push mower from home depot for my front yard and love it! I am perfectly fine with the charge time, which was about 6 hours to be full, found it to be strong enough to mow through my grass and the speed was much better than me pushing as that is what I did before! My issue came in the stability or lack there of! I have a “flat” lot with no obstructions but 5 trees along a fence line, problem is I have a TON of natural ruts which of course are not visible under grass. In the 2 evenings I used the mower I nearly tipped it completely onto its side 3 times and rocked very badly countless times…all of which scared the shxt out of me! The wheelbase of the mower is very narrow in my opinion and simply can’t handle any surface other than something perfectly flat. If you have a pristine flat lot, it is a really good option. If however you don’t, then pass on the Weibang mower…I actually only bought it to save on a rider because I was holding out till EGO made a rider before I spent a ton…plan didn’t work clearly but I am also considering just continuing to push my 1.5 acres. If you can handle it physically, I highly recommend the EGO self propelled push mower, it is priced at $600 and I use it to mow my front yard which is 1 acre, doing so to get a cleaner cut and look that I don’t think a rider can provide in comparison; battery charges in 1 hour to full and the battery can be used for other EGO branded tools. Good luck!
Paul
Hi amf, I also have two old maple trees that I can’t mow around with a 30-inch rider. The crown is over 15 degrees. When I owned the smaller riders I had to cut that area with a walk-behind or string trimmer.
I went and read the Weibang operator’s manual and I was very surprised it did not include a rollover chart. ALL riding mowers under 36 inches should never be used on slopes greater than 10 degrees. Mowers 42 inches and over should never be used on slopes greater than 15 degrees.
Jay Lipovich
Paul,
I read and appreciated your review of the Ryobi RM480e. The information helped me decide to order one from Home Depot (using your link). I wanted you to be aware of problems Home Depot is having fulfilling orders. When I ordered, it stated delivery would be May 23. May 23 came and went. On May 24, I checked the status online and it said it would be delivered May23! I called Home Depot and was told they could not see the status and they would open a case to determine delivery status. On May 29, having heard nothing further, I called again, and was told they did not see a case opened, but they would open one. My credit card has been charged for the mower, I have no idea when it will be delivered, and Home Depot cannot seem to answer that question either. While the mower may be great, the sole source provider, Home Depot, is not doing well at servicing their customers. Since you are promoting the mower, and Home Depot, you might consider adding a note that deliveries appear to be inconsistent.
Regards,
Jay
Paul
Hi Jay, I will not make excuses for The Home Depot. It appears there is a disconnect between the ordering system, actual warehouse inventory and the customer support center. That said,
– Do you have a support ticket number? The next time you call make sure you get that number and use it each time you call. I’ll bet like everyone else, Home Depot uses multiple locations for Customer Support and sometimes the computer systems take a while to sync up. Having a ticket number helps them to find your status easier.
– Home Depot has multiples warehouses located around the country. The Ryobi mowers are in very hot demand so it’s easy for you to order your mower and have all the mowers at your nearest warehouse sell out before your transaction is approved – especially with the sale they had last week.
– Finally, large retail warehouses like Home Depot’s are very dependent on logistics. In fact, Your mower may be on a truck headed to a warehouse and for some reason, the truck is delayed. Until that truck makes it to its destination and the shipment is offloaded at the warehouse it’s kind of in “limbo” and the customer service operator will not be able to see where your order is at.
I know this because I drove Semi for a few years before I moved to Wisconsin. Even though these warehouses are huge, they only have the room to keep 2 days to 2 weeks of inventory on hand. Most are “flow-through” meaning the inventory is taken off a semi and moved right into another truck headed for your local store (or shipping company if the product is shipped to your home) Someday, over a beer, I’ll tell you about the time the GPS on the truck broke on a four-day delivery. The trucking company and the warehouse I was headed for was in panic mode by the time I arrived.
Jay Lipovich
Paul,
Agree with your assessment. The mower just arrived! – no advance call or notice. But I found out that Home Depot did ship it on May 24 to the carrier. Although May 24 was after the date Home Depot had listed for delivery, it appears the delay has mostly been the carrier. Given that it weighs over 800 pounds, delivery requires more than a hand dolly, so there are additional logistics involved. That said, Home Depot is the vendor, and could use some better integration of their order management and delivery system in order to better manage customer expectations. Once I get it unpacked and charged, I’ll let you know how it works. The grass is in need of cutting, again.
greg Dixon
Paul, where is this mower manufactured? I know Ryobi is a Japanese company but they make products in many places. Are the blades for this an aluminum alloy? It’s been a couple of years since this review, so any news on how well these blades hold up vs more conventional steel blades? Cub Cadet has their RZT electric on sale right now for a similar price ($2999) to the Ryobi 100 aH unit. Have you reviewed that mower or are you familiar with it? How does it stack up against this unit? Looks like Ryobi is also offering a ZTR version as well.
I had commented last year about Troy-Bilt’s lithium ion battery powered rider…looks like they discontinued it. Any idea why? It looked like a winner to me.
Paul
Hi Greg, The Troy-Bilt is now Craftsman, Stanley, Black&Decker at Lowes.
Ryobi blades are steel but lighter/thinner than what you are used to. Ryobi is owned by Techtronic Industries (Hong Kong) who also controls Milwaukee, Homelight, Empire, Hoover, Oreck, Dirt Devil, etc.
The Cub Cadet RZT S ZERO ELECTRIC ZERO-TURN RIDER is actually their LZT-S mower converted to electric. It is a lot more heavy duty than the Ryobi or Craftsman electrics. At $2999 the Cub Cadet is a great deal. I wouldn’t even consider the Ryobi at that price.