The Greenworks vs Ryobi lawnmowers question is a must for anyone looking to get a powerful, reliable lawnmower for their garden this summer. Although both brands have some serious influence in the gardening world, with many different products, we break down exactly which lawnmowers will be better for you to choose.
As summer hits its peak, there are plenty of lawn mowers on the market if you need a way to get your lawn tidy right away. Greenworks and Ryobi are titans when it comes to top rating electric lawn mowersincluding those designed to rival its ultimate cutting power and performance the best gas lawn mowers.
In our Greenworks vs Ryobi comparison, we look at both brands in terms of prices, the range of products on offer and any notable design innovations. Hopefully this will help you narrow down the best option for your yard.
Greenworks vs Ryobi Lawn Mowers: Prices and Range
Greenworks lawnmowers have a lot of variation in terms of product range, with a whole range of models to choose from. Whether you’re looking for an inexpensive corded trunk or a stylish battery-operated brushless bad boy, Greenworks has you covered.
Prices range from $849.99 to $229.99, so no matter how much you want to spend, Greenworks is sure to have something you’ll love. In terms of price, it’s also very helpful that Greenworks batteries are compatible with over 50 other products too, so you’re making an investment for your entire collection when buying a new model.
In addition, Greenworks also tends to benefit from much better sale prices, with their models often discounted Amazon.
(Image credit: Amazon)
On the other side of the Greenworks vs. Ryobi debate, Ryobi offers a less extensive range of products than its competitors, for a generally slightly higher price. There are walk-behind, push and cordless mowers to choose from, as well as a range of cutting voltages and paths.
Ryobi lawn mowers all come with a three-year warranty, which will allow you to feel secure in your purchase if you choose to. And as with Greenworks, all of the brand’s batteries are compatible with a number of other tools in its range, leaving you with less to buy in the long run.
Winner: For us, Greenworks wins in terms of price and products, thanks to the wide range of both, especially with the possibility of discounts.
It will be easier for you to find the exact type of mower you want if you choose Greenworks here, whether it’s something a little more affordable or a more specialized mower for your lawn.
Greenworks vs Ryobi Lawn Mowers: Design
(Image credit: Ryobi)
The first thing to note when it comes to a design distinction with Greenworks vs Ryobi mowers is the difference in power. Ryobi has a line of popular 40V lithium mowers that are designed to deliver gas-like power thanks to brushless motor engineering.
In addition, Ryobi mowers also tend to have an easy one-point adjustment system to conveniently select your cutting position. On models with 40V batteries, you can expect mowing time of up to half an acre, making these mowers a solid choice for small gardens.
Ryobi also emphasizes that the design of its motors means you’ll get full power to the end of a charge, rather than faltering performance. While there are 40V models available from Ryobi, there are also many models with single-battery systems, which are less efficient.
Greenworks mowers have a similar overall design, with the 48V lithium models for example, which promise to leave up to a third of the time mowing an acre. That’s a bit less than Ryobi batteries of the same type, however, with these Greenworks mowers capable of 45 minutes of run time, there should still be plenty of time to work. Greenworks batteries are also designed to provide “power without fading”, with the brand saying they have no memory loss after charging.
(Image: Greenworks)
Winner: Greenworks and Ryobi use extremely similar systems as part of their designs, with lithium batteries that essentially work the same. For this reason, it’s hard to pick a winner that stands out in terms of design.
Greenworks vs Ryobi Lawn Mowers: Features
When it comes to breaking down the features of these lawn mowers, one important thing is how easy they are to operate. Ryobi prioritizes push-button starts with many of its mowers, which will allow you to get through your gardening tasks more quickly, while Greenworks has the same system, sometimes accompanied by the pull of a safety key.
There are a range of Greenworks and Ryboi lawnmowers which also have features to make their packaging nice and easy. Greenworks models often have folding handles for compact storage, and Ryobi also has cutting bags that are convenient to remove so you can clean up faster after mowing.
Greenworks batteries can be used to charge more of your lawnmower, with a USB port so you can get some juice on your iPhone or iPad, like a portable charger. Many Ryobi models also have LED lights so you can mow at dawn or dusk and fit more hours into your gardening day.
(Image: Getty)
Winner: Greenworks takes the feature crown with its battery system and folding features, but Ryobi is right on its heels.
Greenworks vs Ryobi Lawn Mowers: User Reviews
Greenworks, thanks to the huge number of products it has, has many reviews that allow you to get an idea of the shopping experience from the brand. For example, Greenworks’ most popular model, the 40V 21-Inch Brushless Mower MO40L02, has a rating of 4.4 stars out of 5 on Amazon, compiled from 700 user reviews.
Overall, based on these reviews, Greenworks is a mixed bag when it comes to service. While some were ready to hold out for the manufacturer to come up with a solution: “be prepared to be on hold for ~60 minutes, but once we got customer service they were very helpful”, others were not impressed with their whole experience. One user commented “Good product – non-existent customer support”, explaining that his “mower was missing a bolt” and was “#60 in a row one day” when they called and “#44 the second day”.
On the other hand, despite the somewhat lackluster reviews about service, even those with complaints were quick to comment on their favorable opinion of Greenworks lawn mowers and their excellent performance. One reviewer commented that the MO40L02 was a “remarkable” mower, saying they had “nothing but praise for its ease of use, versatility, mulching efficiency and even cut.”
And of course, as with Ryobi, one of the crowning achievements of Greenworks lawn mowers is its sustainable advantage thanks to battery power. In addition to being a smart choice for the planet, many reviewers prefer these mowers for their lack of maintenance, with one reviewer commenting: “In short, this is so much better than a gas-powered mower – so quiet, smooth, virtually maintenance-free and no fumes to breathe.”
(Image credit: Home Depot)
Ryobi, like its product range, has less to break down when it comes to reviews. The 13-inch 11 Amp Electric Lawn Mower only has 49 reviews on Amazon, though it still has an impressive 4.2 out of five stars. However, at Home Depot, the same model has a rating of 4.2 stars out of five collected from 4,751 reviews.
Reviewers on the Home Depot website generally seemed to be quite satisfied with the customer service they received after purchasing their mowers from Ryobi. One simply commented “amazing service”, with another saying “I’m 89 and deaf. I received great service and couldn’t be happier. Mower got here earlier than I expected. It does a good job for me. I’m 100% satisfied.” Another pointed out that even when they weren’t impressed with the warranty service, Ryobi impressed in terms of customer service, saying, “Although I was disappointed that the mower needed service after a year, the customer support shown by Alex and Ryan confirmed my recommendation for this product.”
Another model, the Ryobi ONE+ 18V Cordless Battery Trimmer, also earned positive reviews from several customers on the Home Depot website for its excellent gardening performance. One user summed up the benefits of this mower, saying, “If you have a small lawn or want a mower that’s easy to use and lightweight, this mower is for you.” They also added that the mower was extremely quiet and easy to store,
Winner: While there are many more of these, Greenworks user reviews tend to be more mixed on customer service, more so on Amazon than Home Depot. This can be a difference in service provided from seller to seller, so be careful and maybe head to Home Depot if that’s really important to you. Ultimately, Ryobi takes the crown for its comprehensive performance with user reviews.
Greenworks vs Ryobi Lawn Mowers: Which Should You Buy?
If you’re looking for a great quality lawnmower deal this summer, then there’s no doubt that a Greenworks lawnmower will be your best bet, with a much better chance of finding a bargain for the money.
But if you’re looking for a garden investment and don’t mind stretching your budget, then Ryobi is just as good an option, with very similar models to its Greenworks counterpart, especially in factors such as design and features. Greenworks is the brand to look for if you need more options, but Ryobi mowers will still provide a great mowing experience if one of their models appeals more to you, with the benefit of excellent customer service according to reviews.
