Is the Ryobi RM480 the right mower for you? Reasons why it may or not be the best choice for you.
Who the Ryobi RM480 mower is for.
- Anyone who wants to “Go Green.” No pollutants when running.
- Anyone who appreciates that batteries are cost-effective and environmentally friendly over gas-powered riding mowers. With an electric riding mower you pay for your “fuel” costs up front so the initial cost with the batteries is more than a gas-powered machine. But the batteries will last 5+ years and the initial cost is easily less than maintaining and fueling a gas-powered lawn tractor. Most states have required battery recycling programs when they do have to be replaced approximately every 5-6 years which makes them environmentally friendly.
- Anyone who does not want to spend $150-$400 every year on the maintenance and service costs a gas engine riding mower requires. No oil changes, no fuel to buy, no replacement filters, no belts to wear out. No, loading it up and hauling it to a repair shop every year.
- No worrying about what fuel to buy and if the fuel will hurt your engine.
- If you have a lot of landscaping features and tight areas to mow around.
- Is a good choice for a city/suburban yard. Ultimately, I recommend this mower for anyone with a 1/3 to one acre city/suburban lawn that has slopes less than 15 degrees. At 4 mph this mower will mow a little over one acre in an hour’s time.
- The Ryobi RM480 is a lot heavier in the rear than a conventional lawn tractor. (The batteries are over the rear axle) Combined with the smaller tires this mower will have excellent traction. If you have areas in your lawn where you have to shift your weight around to get traction this mower will have better traction to go through those areas better.
- If you use your lawn tractor for more than just mowing. My wife uses a riding mower just about everyday but she has not mowed the lawn in over five years. She has many landscape beds and is constantly cleaning, planting, and trimming. She pulls a Cub Cadet Hauler 10 cu. ft. Tow-Behind Dump Cart with couple of bags of dirt, potting soil, fertilizer and a RubberMaid Tote full of her gardening tools. She is constantly moving from one bed to another and down to the compost pile. She loves using an electric rider because she does not have to stop and start a gas engine all the time. Plus they are so quiet to use.
Who the Ryobi RM480 is not for.
- If you have hills steeper than 15 degrees.
- If you have more than 2 acres to mow at one time.
- This is a riding lawn mower designed to mow your lawn regularly. If you let your grass get 12 inches high, if you want to mow your horse pasture, if you want to mow over 4 inches, or if you have areas around your farm that you only mow down the weeds once or twice a year this is not the mower for you.
- If you want to mow as quickly as possible. The 38 inch deck will take about 15-20% longer to mow an acre than the Craftsman 27042 46 inch yard tractor.
- If your lawn is rough or you have rocks, tree roots and debris that you occasionally/accidentally hit with your mower.
- It has smaller wheels than a lawn tractor so it will be very bouncy and jarring ride on a rough lawn. (I just slow down in the rough areas)
- Ryobi recommends that this mower be plugged into the charger when not in use. So you will want a place to store it that has 110v electric or you can get 110v electric to the charger with a 50 ft, 12/14 ga extension cord.
- If you have physical issues with using both feet. The right foot pedal controls the speed. There is cruise for flat ground. You must use your left foot for the brake when going downhill.
- If the initial price is more important than being environmentally friendly. While long-term cost of ownership will be less than a gas-powered rider the initial cost is about $1200 more than mowers of similar size.
The biggest issues you need to be aware of:
I normally don’t discuss the negatives of using a product up front in an article but I want you to be completely aware of what to expect with an electric riding mower. Even though they are fun to drive, environmentally friendly and really quiet, using an electric rider is a slightly different experience than using a gas-powered one – particularly using it on rough ground and going downhill. Personally, I have learned to use them well even though they are slightly different to use.
These issues are not “don’t buy” issues. They are just items you need to be aware of when deciding if this mower is the best for you.
- Controlling Speed using your foot. Driving the Ryobi RM480 is just like driving your car. Put the rider in Forward and then use the accelerator pedal on the right floor board to control your speed and the left pedal to brake. That is fine in a smooth riding car but it’s takes some practice when using an electric rider. At first when you hit a bump in the lawn your right foot will move on the accelerator pedal causing the mower to jerk. This takes practice to operate it smoothly.
- Going Downhill – engine braking. The Ryobi RM480 will pick up speed going down any slope. (freewheel) It can be quite a surprise the first time you go into a ditch with it! It does not have natural engine/transmission braking like your gas-powered riding mower and the regenerative braking is not enough to hold the mower going downhill. What than means is when you go downhill you will have to keep your left foot on the brake. It does have a good rear drum braking system so you can feather the brake as needed. ( I feel the industry will have to rethink electric drives and develop a gearbox that will hold these mowers going downhill with the cruise on)
- Mowing in Reverse. The Ryobi RM480 is capable of mowing in reverse but the procedure to do so is different from your lawn tractor. When you decide to back up with the mower deck running you will push the RMO button on the dash BEFORE you move the F-N-R switch to the reverse (R) position. You have to do this each time you back up. With a little practice this becomes easy to do and you can do it all with your right hand. Just so you know – all the electric riders that have mow in reverse operate this way.
- Small tires and a rough lawn. I have a rough lawn and I’ve been using a Husqvarna rider for years. It has the smaller tires like the Ryobi RM480. I’ve learned where the roughest spots are and slow down when mowing those areas. If you are the type of person who has to mow and get done as quickly as possible you will complain about how rough it rides on an older lawn.
- Built for mowing lawns – not fields and high weeds/grass. This is a fun to use, agile riding mower designed to mow your average in-town or suburban lawn. It is not designed to go out in the field next door and mow weeds and grass 12 inches to 3 feet tall! Tall, thick grasses that have been growing for half the summer will over task the electric motors on the deck and either blow fuses or circuit breakers. In addition the blades are just standard lawn cutting blades and will bend if you hit rocks, tree roots and other debris typically found in those areas that are not mowed often.
Still interested? I want to list the features and specs quickly before I continue.
Basic Features and Specifications:
- Deck size (in.) 38 inch 2-blade deck. Dispersed clippings smoothly and evenly in side-discharge mode.
- Engine power (hp) 48 Volts. (Four 12 volt 75 AH or 100AH deep discharge batteries)
- Engine manufacturer: NA
- Number of cylinders: NA
- Drive type: Electric: A large variable speed electric motor drives a gear reduction inside an aluminum transmission housing. The axles and axle housings are steel.
- Forward speeds: Variable speed electronic
- Cuts in reverse: Yes
- Cruise control: Yes
- Easy mode change: Yes, just remove the mulch cover to side discharge
- Blade change to mulch: No, Mulches well, producing fine clippings with minimal or no clumps.
- Blade change to bag: Yes, The bagger comes with a set of high lift blades
- Washout port: No, Ryobi suggests not using a pressure washer or garden hose to clean the mower.
- Power steering: No, Easy rack & pinion steering
- Warranty: 3 years on mower. One year on batteries. Note: This is the industry standard warranty for batteries.
Note:
- If you feel pressure washing your lawn equipment is the only way to keep it clean this is not the riding mower for you. In fact this mower does not have a deck wash system. Why? High pressure water and electrics don’t mix.
- No Deck Wash. The water pressure generated by the spinning blades may be too much for the seals on the electric motors and will ruin them. In fact to be safe, Ryobi does not recommend using water from a garden hose or pressure washer to clean this mower.
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.
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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.
Aaron
Would the rm480 pull a lawn roller? Does it have the power a hydrostatic has?
Paul
Hi Aaron, It’s not designed to pull anything except a small yard cart. Lawn rollers are too heavy for most lawn tractors and the Ryobi is just a small riding mower. That said, if the load you are trying to pull is too heavy the electronic circuits may automatically shut off the current to the motor’s transmission or you may blow a fuse in the drive circuit.
John Stadel
Hi Paul–In Common Questions #37 you answer “I strongly suggest that you switch to the bagging blades when you’re bagging. If you use the mulching blades for bagging they will not have the throw required to get the grass into the bagger and fill the bagger with grass clippings.” Can you use the bagging blades effectively when NOT using the bagging system or would you suggest switching to the mulching blades?
Paul
Hi John, Bagging blades will give you more lift than the mulching blades. I use them all the time because my lawn is generally poor and the bagging blades lift the thin grass and cut it. Mulching blades don’t have enough lift for me and I get a very uneven cut with them.
If you are using the mulching plug you may get some clumping and the grass clippings won’t be as fine when using the bagging blade. I side discharge all the time so the bagging blades work for me.
Brad
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Some comments:
I have adapted to cleaning the mower by dropping the dec