5 40V Ryobi Tools That Are Great For Small Yards

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Once you've settled on Ryobi as your tool manufacturer of choice, the next step is choosing what battery system to invest in. Depending on your lifestyle, you have the option of the USB Lithium, 18V ONE+, or the 40V battery systems. Each will have its own ecosystem of compatible tools, including those for outdoor maintenance and landscaping. If you are on the fence about buying your first set of 40V batteries or kits, there are plenty of reasons why it might be suitable for your yard. 

For example, the Ryobi 40V batteries are compatible with the brand's relatively quieter product line, its Whisper series. This can come in handy if your yard is only inches away from your neighbor's home. Some of its models are also compatible with its Expand-It attachments, so it gives you more ways to use the same tool. Lastly, it has enough power that you can even use it in larger spaces if you ever move to a bigger home in the future. All 40V tools are covered by Ryobi's five-year manufacturing warranty, while any included chargers and batteries are covered under its three-Year Limited Warranty.

All in all, you get more bang for your buck and save on storage space. Because of this, the 40V battery system makes for a great investment for homeowners who want flexibility. If you're curious about what tool options are out there, here are some Ryobi products that might make it easier to manage your small yard today.

While the Ryobi 40V HP Brushless Power Cleaner is not the most powerful model out there, it's enough for all kinds of light cleaning activities for small yards. With adjustable PSI, it ranges from 100 to 600 PSI, so you can adjust it to avoid damaging the things you need to clean. You can also adjust the gallons per minute (GPM) from 0.2 GPM to 0.7 GPM. With these specs, this power cleaner is strong enough to clean your patio furniture, like chairs or tables, as well as windows, small balconies, and gardening tools. Sure, it may fall short of the optimal PSI for car cleaning, but it can still be good for getting tire wheels sparkling again. Using a 40V 2Ah battery, you can run it for up to 16 minutes on its highest setting. Weighing 8 lbs, Ryobi's 40V HP Power Cleaner weighs about the same as an Xbox One. You also have the option to get it from the nearest body of water, outdoor faucets, or bottles.

Retailing for $129, the 40V HP Brushless 600 PSI Power Cleaner has generated an average rating of 4.2 stars from 133 reviewers on the Ryobi website. Out of the box, it includes the power cleaner unit itself, a 20-foot siphon hose, a bottle adapter, and a quick connect adapter. The hose works with all EZClean accessories, while the bottle adapter is compatible with both 1- and 2-liter bottles.

For people with small trees or hedges in their yards, the Ryobi 40V HP Brushless 10-inch Pole Saw can be a good enough balance of practicality and size. At 12 lbs, it weighs about what you would expect from a gallon of paint. According to Ryobi, you can expect up to 61 cuts per 2Ah battery, 134 cuts per 4Ah battery, and 202 cuts per 6Ah battery. When extended, it can reach up to 10 feet, so you can cut overhead branches. On the other hand, it collapses to only 6.5 feet. With an 8-inch cutting capacity, it can prune ornamental and fruit trees with no problem.

On the Ryobi website, its $229 kit that includes a 2Ah battery has been rated 4.8 stars by 25 people. On the other hand, more than 280 people have rated it 4.4 stars on The Home Depot. For its price, it ships with the pole saw unit, a 2Ah battery, charger, 10-inch bar and chain, scabbard, extension pole, shoulder harness, and combination wrench, so you can adjust the tension as you go. It comes with an automatic oiler, plus a clear oil reservoir so you don't have to guess when it's running out. There's also a built-in branch hook, onboard tool storage, and an ergonomic handle. And if you need a little more height, Ryobi lets you add more extensions to its pole saws.

Made by the same company as Milwaukee, Ryobi chainsaws are the more affordable options in their portfolio, as well as those that are better suited for home use. For example, Ryobi's 10-inch chainsaw is a great cordless, compact, and lightweight solution for small yards. Similar to the Pole Saw, the Ryobi 40V 10-inch Chainsaw has a bar length of 10 inches and a maximum cut diameter of eight inches. This means it's also ideal for light cutting, pruning, and limbing. However, one key way that it's different is that it has side access chain tensioning. Weighing 8.6 lbs, it is even lighter than a metal folding chair. It also has an automatic oiler.

For the tool only, you can snag it for $145. There's also a $209 kit version of the 40V 10-inch chainsaw, with an average rating of 4 stars from 49 people on the Ryobi website. But take note: it is rated a little bit lower on The Home Depot, where 390 reviewers have given it only 3.8 stars. The kit ships with a 2Ah battery and charger. That said, this model might not be immune to the most common problems with Ryobi chainsaws, like a loose chain. And if you can spare an extra $70, the 40V HP Brushless 12-inch Top Handle Chainsaw Kit has a 10-inch cutting capacity and more advanced features, like a mechanical chain brake, top handle, and faster cutting.

Perfect for cutting around tight spaces in your small yard, like flower beds and fences, the 40V 15-inch Attachment Capable String Trimmer Kit has a variable-speed trigger, a quick-change coupler, plus compatibility with Expand-It attachments. For its head, it has an adjustable swath that ranges from 13 inches to 15 inches. With its included 4Ah battery, you can expect about an hour of run time. Made for grass and weeds, Ryobi claims that it has more power than a 25 cc gas trimmer. With its Reel Easy+ Speed Winder, Ryobi says it takes just a minute to reload its 0.080-inch line. On the Ryobi website, the 40V 15-inch Attachment String Trimmer Kit has generated an average rating of 4.6 stars from 670 users. Retailing for $159, the kit includes the 40V power head, straight-shaft trimmer attachment, a 4.0 Ah battery, and a charger.

Alternatively, the 40V HP Brushless 16-inch attachment-capable string trimmer kit has a 0.095-inch line size and a maximum 16-inch cutting width. Although it does have a shorter battery life of 45 minutes, Ryobi says it has more punch than a 27 cc gas trimmer.  At $279.98, more than 560 reviewers have rated it around 4.6 stars. For longer runtime, there's the $359 40V HP Brushless 17-inch string trimmer kit, part of the brand's Whisper series. It comes with a 6Ah battery, can do more than a 30 cc gas trimmer, and has 65 minutes of runtime.

Even small yards have the same problems as big yards, especially when it comes to managing fallen leaves and other debris. Joining other 40V HP Brushless tools, like the 21-inch Self-Propelled AWD Multi-Blade Mower Kit and Whisper Series 730 CFM Backpack Blower Kit, the 40V HP Brushless 730 CFM Whisper Series Blower is one of the many Ryobi Whisper Series tools made for quieter work. With a 57 dB noise rating, it's barely as loud as a normal conversation, so it's ideal for working in yards that are close to other people's homes. Ryobi claims that it's not only 86% quieter than gas models but also more powerful than 27 cc models.

It promises two hours of run time and can blow 730 CFM at 190 MPH. Apart from this, it has a variable-speed trigger, a cruise control feature, a turbo button, and an adjustable speed tip. This means it can handle everything from compacted grass to heavier things, like wet leaves. The most popular option on this list, the kit has earned an impressive 4.8-star rating from over 1,000 Ryobi customers on the official Ryobi website. Priced at $329, it ships with the blower unit, a pair of 4Ah batteries, a 40V rapid charger, and two speed tips. You can also purchase additional tips, like flared nozzles and wide-spread nozzles, as well as a lawn and leaf bag.