Thank you for the video. Very informative. Helping me make up my mind. I would really like to replace our aging 17 year old commercial Husqvarna 61" zero turn with a battery powered mower. Would prefer not buy a new gas powered one. But the technology doesn't seem to be there yet for a battery powered mower to cut my 2 acres plus my neighbors 2 acres dependably. Our grass, no offense, is much, much thicker and lusher than your yard seems to be. Can't see that mower or the Ego being able to handle it. Especially when the grass grows like crazy in the spring. Plus it doesn't seem as though the long term durability is there. Don't want a mower that needs to be tossed after 5 years. After watching this and other videos I'll likely try to get ours through a couple more tests and hope the technology improves and matures. Thank you again.
Yea I have the same one he’s got in the video and I use it for my lawn care business and it’s a beast. Plus if you have spare 40V batteries you can extend that run time by a long time. I love this mower.
Nice. Yes, beautiful machine. I think they need a firmware update to address the "high speed" that it is on for a couple seconds during the powerup, haha. If you just start going before screen is loaded you notice it's that instant power until it realizes what speed you were on.
Just found your videos and you are so informative. Exactly what you said at the end of this video is what has kept me from buying Ryobi and sticking with Ego, especially because now Ryobi is almost 2 grand more expensive than ego for pretty much the same mower. Egos batteries are amazing. My little push mower I got back in 2015/16 is still going strong on the original battery almost 10 years later. Ryobis batteries not being great has been a consistent theme in most reviews which is such a shame. I think I will just stick to my awesome Ego products for now. Its always nice for companies to have healthy competition in the market, but unfortunately Ryobi still isn't at the level of Ego as far as batteries go. Then again Ego started as a battery company first before branching out so they seemed to perfect the technology first.
Guess its hit or miss because I have Ryobi and Ego and one of my ego batteries crapped out and would not hold a charge only a year of owning it. They were awesome enough to send me a brand new one though as a replacement. My Ryobi mower one year in and its great.
Is there a Joystick Ego? No. And I know I wouldn't like having the dual stick paddle mowers, like rowing a boat. Because I like having my smokes and beers while mowing. Also, from what I've seen, the Ego doesn't have the build quality of the Ryobi. Maybe for the same reasons that you gave for the batteries. A simple upgrade would fix it. With that said... I have a bad right foot. It kills me to press down on the go pedal. So the joystick is everything to me. I just want to love mowing my grass again!
Love the honesty, too many channels hyping this up & although the design/features & concept of this mower is amazing, it's good to know how it ACTUALLY runs. How did you convince Home Depot to replace your batteries?
On my Z54Li, I run on the lowest speed for both wheels and blades, and the battery power is at 35% when I complete the mow of 3 acres. Those speeds are just fine, and I've never needed the higher speed.
Love hearing your settings and acreage completed. As mentioned in video I was at SLOW for wheels. MEDIUM for blades with these results. So if we assume I could have mowed for an additional 5-10min (on a pure 100%, no running around day before without blades engaged) we still would have barely finished the yard. Today I Was actually planning to do another tracked test and I was going to be using High on the speed (best settings recommended by Ryobi Engineer on phone...High on Both Settings) BUT. After hearing your results I'm going to drag this mow out an extra 20min or so and go full slow on both. Will keep everyone posted
I've got the 30" version and found that my blade speed setting is the largest contributor to how far my battery will last. The first time I mowed my yard I didn't finish and had to recharge. Now that I've changed the settings and gotten more efficient in my mowing pattern I use about 49-52% of the battery. Hopefully future results will improve for you.
I just got off the phone with Ryobi rep. Brand new mower 80V 54 inch, not more than 4 hours. Batteries won't charge up all the way. Best is 66 percent. One of the large batteries shows code B5. Had to email info to Ryobi, waiting on their next move. Rep easygoing, said probably just exchange batteries. All was good until it wasn't. Shows a 5 yrs warranty on batteries. But I really don't want to keep having this problem. Should mention, I cut about 2 acres. Joy stick a little touchy. All riding mowers have lousy seats.i had Cub Cadet 24 hp, 54 deck, zero turn. Great mower. Will see how this Ryobi holds up. So far a little iffy. I'm 6'2" ,,250 ibs seat could be better.
Very similar to what happened to me although I never got a battery code. Happy with the customer service though and only problems since has been the crossblade bracket ive broken a few times.
I have the exact same mower as you; however, our experiences are different. I mowed my 1.5 acres and ended up at 52% battery. I ran it in slow drive speed and medium blade speed. My only concern is the day I attached my mulching kit, the app the night before indicated the batteries were fully charged at 100%. But when I started the mower, in LCD panel showed it was at only 76%. Where did that 24% go?! Now the strange thing is after I used the mower on the same yard only to mulch the leaves, I still ended up at 52%. I can’t explain why that is but I love the mower but cautious on slants of hills as it is not as predictable as my gas lawn tractor. Enjoy!
Makes sense. I just wouldnt expect my thin Florida/sandy yard to have munch impact on that. The drainfield area in my yard is the thickest and its a noticeable battery drop/consumption in that area.
Hi, Question : if my yard is 850m2 and every time I use the ride on Ryobi mower (48V 50ah lead acid battery) and I get nowhere near 50% battery life, say 60-70% remaining. Wouldn’t that mean I’m up for a long shelf life of use, due to no battery degradation? I was running the numbers of say an outlay of $800 on batteries every 2-4yrs ($1600 to reach 8-10yrs) VS a lithium ride on costing $8000, with an unknown shelf life on batteries. Ride on $3999 plus $1600 Ride on Lithium $8000 $2400 better off after 8-10yrs. Any advice or recommendations welcome pls. Australian weather with a no mow maximum of 8 weeks due to winter. What life do you think I’ll get from lead acid batteries if I’m guaranteed of never seeing 50% or less remaining? TIA.
At $5k, i think this mower makes sense. At $7k, i'd stick with gas. They also need to be more accurate with ratings. Even in ideal conditions with no obstacles this thing is not coming anywhere near 5 acres.
To be honest I think the Joystick on the Ryobi makes it very difficult to compare these 2 mowers. Really it would come down to run time/power consumption. But the main reason I held out for the Ryobi model was specifically for the joystick operation. Makes me a feel like a casual/fun operator vs standard zero turn style where I'm running a lawncare business :) Not sure how you hold a beverage while using 2 hands without a long straw.
I'm consistently between 15-25% battery when I finish my 2acres. Still not happy with those results but I'm in Florida and average 90degree temps when I mow. I'm sure that's partially an issue but it's a good baseline to notice battery degradation in the years to comes. At 2years with same results
The speed you mow at has everything to do with how much you can mow just look at it as you have 1hr of run time and the faster you mow the more acres you can mow its like a race against the clock (not saying it only has 1hr of run time)
Okay... I cannot talk too much [poopoo] yet, because as of 06/03/24, I have yet to get my Z42Li [06/05/24 I should have it]. But I will say this; When I first got my 2010 Toyota Prius last year, it had been sitting for months. When I first started driving it I was only getting 40mpg. But that soon changed. A few months later I started seeing 45mpg, and now I'm getting 55mpg. I'm just saying... These batteries need to be used. They hate sitting. So I ask? How long did your Z52Li set before your "maiden voyage"? Also, I am sure that your run time will increase. From @2:55 to @4:20 I watched the Fast Forward run, twice. I saw in many cases that you were overlapping by 50% or more. And sometimes running over the same places that were already cut many times. So, how can you blame the run time on your bad choice of a cutting path? Can you see what I saw? I did like your video a lot! It explained a lot in a no-nonsense video. And, I too wonder why the 40V died first... what if you needed to use the 40V for a blower or grass whip? But it was your "Maiden Voyage" and batteries are weird. This too may change as the batteries get broken in and the PC learns.
Hey CaptnCobb. Great observations and feedback. The overlap i'm sure was happening being my first time using a mower this size and getting used to the joystick. I should do a followup video of 2yrs later. Because your comment about using the batteries seems accurate. I've also improved my ability to navigate the yard smarter and with less overlap. At this point I'm able to have about 25% battery remaining after my 2.2 acres. I have added some raised garden beds that take away some sqft but at the same time I'm still having to navigate them a little more and it's probably a tradeoff. Still love this thing!
@@LifeAsDane I have had my Z42Li now for a little over 2 weeks. It came to me in the factory shipping crate, so I had to put it together. I'm 67 years old and handicapped. I have a bad right foot from a motocross wipeout, in July of 17, in a federal courtroom, I was declared permanently handicapped. Being it's my right foot, my love for mowing grass turned to hate. Now I can enjoy it again, due to the joystick. Due to my handicap, I use my Z42Li for a lot more than just mowing grass! I use it when walking the dog, visiting neighbors, and going to the store/bar. Because I'm federally legally handicapped I can, and did, put a one-foot by one-foot aluminum wheelchair sign on the back making it legally my wheelchair. LOL
I have the rated for one acre and my half acre only brings it down to 45% so I dont know if yours is defective or not also depends on thickness and height of grass.
I think it's part of being first to market with products. I never looked at their electric rider because of the Lead Acid Batteries and their perma install.
No. The previous day was probably less than 15min of runtime early evening (without blades). The Next day I started mowing in the morning and battery was still at 100%. I understand you get a good amount of usage before ever losing that first 100% but still not enough to have a difference of finishing my 1.6acres.
Wait and see what you have to pay to replace those "briefcase" batts if they go bad outside of the warranty period, which is either 4 or 5 years on that mower. Currently those batts cost $800 each so 3 of them to replace what came with the mower will set you back $2400. I'd assume that's more than enough to do an entire engine replacement, including labor, on any gas lawn tractor.
I'm on the hunt for the 30" or 42" for next season since we are sitting on only .75 acres and I'd imagine it could easily cut that with 2 80v packs. But this is very alarming that your 54 can't do 2 acres. Advertised for 4-5 but barely can cut 2? I'm still going to get the ryobi idrive, but you have every right to be upset. Would love an update if you reach out to Ryobi. From my experience they have great customer support.
For the price I really recommend going with the Ego zero turn. Its almost 2 grand cheaper than Ryobi and the batteries are incredible. My little push mower from back in 2015 has been put through its paces and the almost 10 year old battery is still going strong. I mow weeds, tall heavy Texas grass and I can almost get an acre out of my tiny push mower on one battery and one charge.
This is great. So I returned my ryobi 54 deck acid based mower..the model before this one. The batteries went to pot after one yr and stopped charging. Home depot returned all my cash so I am sitting on what 2 get next. I am on 1.7 acres and really don't wanna go gas bc I like the electric aspect. I could careless about green but it's more of I am not a engine guy. My cutting season is done where I live but I do need to get one soon bc by late Feb or March I need to start again. If u could please update on how the batteries go. Do u see improvement? Really appreciate it
Johnny, hopefully you saw some other replies, but the battery got replaced by ryobi. Since then it's been running/charging great. I average about 25% battery after mowing about 1.8acres
Here's how to cut 4 acres with this mower. Set blade speed to low. Run at top speed of 7 mph in a straight line on even turf. Cut no more than 1-2" so as not to slow down. Don't make any turns, no overlapping cuts which lose efficiency. Batteries will supply power for a little over an hour and you'll cut about 4 acres theoretically. Real world, you get under 2 acres. Ryobi, I call bullshit!
That's pitiful. I usually cut at 2" with my Cub Cadet and it takes about 7 gallons to cut 4.3 acres. I could have cut your yard with 2.5 gallons easily..even at 2 inches. My tank holds 3.5 gallons. Basically I'd be on the phone with somebody if I couldn't finish 1.6 acres at 3 inches on low settings. It should survive 3 acres on high settings. Probably a bad battery somewhere in your machine..
Nice catch. That was just the wrong b-roll footage shot I used. All the batteries were used although you'll see in future video (if you haven't seen already) that I was diagnosing the battery for the shot you saw.
Of course Rick! Had x3 80v's & x4 12ah 40v's. I'm saving the problem for the next video but I did have an 80v that ended up being a dud. It wasn't properly charging. So we have been able to increase the runtime but still not nearly to 4acres! I'm really hoping they come up with another product that takes advantage of these 80v's. Was hoping for a generator of some sort that would be a perfect fit.
@@LifeAsDane they did just debute a 30 inch mower that runs off the 80v briefcase but that's about it plus NO ONE is paying eight grand for the ryobi name
Came down to the Joystick control and ability to use the 40v's on my other tools like weedeater, power inverter, chainsaw. Also I originally got one of the ryobi blowers but didnt like at the time they didnt have a "cruise control" setting and the EGO had such good reviews.
Haha, I actually got a review on that awesome blower on another channel of mine. BUT, decision came down to 1 primary feature. The iDrive. Hands down the joystick was intriguing and after owning it's PERFECT for my multi-use of towing/mowing. Regarding the eSteer, I'm not a fan of the steering wheel and I don't believe it has a fabricated steel deck unless they just don't advertise. Their 52" does and is advertised so the assumption is that it's not and it's also a 42" rated at 2.5acres so I know for certain I'm not going to get that ful 2.5. 1 other factor was owning many Ryobi tools and having better use for the 40v batteries.
Any update on this with trying out different settings? I am looking into possibly getting on for a 3 acre lot. Have read some people say if you put the wheels on medium and blades on low it will work.
Im getting my best results so far actually on high/high. Managing to have around 25% battery left. Ill try the medium/low here in a couple days and report back. Its time for another mow!
Yes, hands down for me. High/High is preferred and getting the job done best. I tried the Medium Drive with Low Blades and just seemed to have more uneven cuts of missed blades and truthfully feels slow after you get used to the high speed. I got things to do haha :)
To much energy spending for back and forward . I do just around to the center . I got 42inches , 42 inches has 1 battery les than 54 does . Its Almost enough for my 2 acres , but never enough for back and forward .
Not too concerned one of the main reasons I went with the 54" was for the 10-Gauge Heavy-Duty Steel Deck on this version. But man oh man I've been considering trying to grow some zoysia in the barren spots. I've heard it's quite a process but once established it's very resilient. Any suggestions? We are now entering the time of year when 1/2 this yard will probably turn to sand for the next 4 months.
@Dane Peterson I have zoysia grass and I live in NJ. We have sandy soil here and that grass makes a nice thick carpet. Doesn't need too much water either.
