Wow! This is the 3rd review of yours that I've watched. Lots of info! I'm on a steep learning curve and these videos really help. I like that it's 'all business' as opposed to many reviewers who fool around too much. Yours is very helpful. Thanks!
Thank you for this video! I just purchased this item and couldn’t figure out how to use the blades or fixed line. The instructions weren’t terrible, they were non existent.
Great informative video. Well done my friend and thank you for your time. Ryobi should be paying you for breaking this down for many. This is something Ryobi was not able to do in the user manual.
I just happen to run across your video I bought this string trimmer a day ago I am very impressed with the amount of power that it Has I upgraded to the Ryobi I had Briggs & Stratton 80 V and went to Ryobi thinking that I was going to have less power but I'm actually impressed I use it for my yard I don't got a big yard so this is sufficient coming from a person who used to be a professional Lawn Service guy I've used a lot of commercial lawn equipment this string trimmer has sufficient amount of power for my lawn I have 1/3 of a quarter acre long very small this string trimmer will do lightweight very good for my back cannot do commercial cutting anymore due to my back this string trimmer is worth the purchase
Interesting tip on soaking the plastic line in water, will try that! Great video, love how you went into extreme detail regarding the 3 available head attachments. Also I didn't realize this brushless carbon fiber version ($250 today) is different than just the brushless ($199) which is different than the 'flat' battery version from a few years back that is not brushless ($169).
Very good video. I liked the assembly demos and the idea of trying one plastic blade + one string pair, both at the same time. I like these trimmers a lot. My favorite features are: 1) The two alternate heads - one for string trimming and one for string or plastic blades. The blades are much more robust than I expected. 1/4 in brush cut easily. 2) The heavy "string". It's 0.095 diameter and appears to have a metal core with nylon or plastic coating. Very tough. Cuts well. Holds up very well. 3) Allows attachments. I originally planned to get a brush cutter attachment but the plastic blades did most all of what I needed. 4) Good battery life. My 4 AH battery lasted longer for me than it did for the WorkshopAddict. Maybe he was cutting heavier plants. The one I have has a metal shaft, not carbon fiber. I think it was not much heavier but was plenty strong and cost less. I'm short, thin, and old. I found that a harness (just a rope over the shoulder in my case) reduced the load on my arms for longer use. Do wear eye protection and maybe gloves and long pants and sleeves as well.
I've had a fairly full set of Expand-It attachments for about 8-10 years. For a homeowner, this is a great set of efficient tools. Constantly unscrewing & swapping the attachments for a commercial yard maintenance operator would not be that efficient. I'd question if they're heavy enough for that kind of use. For my property, they are a really useful solution.
The Expand-It attachment system isn't just cordless and plug-in electric. The gas power heads are interchangeable as well. I've even used a Stihl Kombi power head with the tools in this system.
I have this trimmer and love it. Been through a lot with it. Never failed. I even used it with a John Deere roto-tiller attachment which is very heavy duty and unforgiving. It still worked just fine, and the battery never gave out while using it.
The extra power that this Ryobi 40v String trimmer has makes the work go a lot faster than my old 20v Black and Decker. Did my 1/4 acre yard and still had half the 4.0 battery charge remaining. Very impressive!
I have the 40v brushless version right below this. Things Ive figured out over 3 seasons. Trash that trimmer head and go with a fixed head. That trimmer head is heavy and decreases battery life. Once you switch to the fixed head, it throttles up much faster. I have 1.5 acres with about 3500’ to trim. One of the 6AH HP batteries takes care of all of it where my old stihl fs90 went through a tank and a half. No problems at all running any of the attachments. Trimmer, brush cutter head, edger, pole pruner. Also make sure to calculate how much fuel you would use during a season. I used about $50 two cycle per season. I get my 6AH HP batteries for $100 each so about two seasons to “pay them off. Almost like buying fuel up front.
Picked this up today. My Ryobi 4 cycle has been giving me problems lately. And I’m getting older, rather spend time with my family than rebuilding a carburetor. Just tired of gas equipment. We live in north Florida with about a 1/2 acre of actual yard with lots of trees, shrubs, and fence. I’ve watched quite a few reviews on various cordless trimmers. This video had me interested. I went to HD thinking I was probably going to get one of the 18v trimmers since I already have batteries and a charger. There were 2 Ryobi reps there. They were assisting me explaining the features on the 18v models. But I wasn’t really happy with the features and no expand it model available for 18v anymore. So it really came down to which 40v model. The CF model is $30 more than the other brushless model. But it is HP and comes with the rapid charger. On it’s own, the rapid charger is $50 more than the regular charger. Plus they had some hooked up to demo. Simple enough to put together. Wasn’t sure if I’d like the angled handle. But I realize that was great, much more comfortable. I had mowed earlier and trimmed the rest of the yard after I got home and fully charged the battery. I got more done than I did with my gas trimmer. I always end up with some sort of issue like flooding. The power was awesome, I never needed the high setting. I had a lot to trim today, with some very overgrown areas. After I was done I still had half a charger. If you’re a homeowner, I highly recommend the investment.
Thank you for sharing. It is sad they don't have the expand it power head in 18-volt. It would give so many people a reason to buy larger Amp hour batteries for their 18 volt tools. Glad you like this.
I tried both the brushless without and with the carbon shaft. Both you have to pull the trigger further than you'd like to get it started but once it's started the variable control works better and you can then release it to slow it down just fine. But from a dead stop directly to slow it just doesn't work or feel controllable. That's because of the brushless motor. Just pull it further to get it going then you're good to go.
Recently bought this Ryobi, still glad I found your video as soon as I did.. Just wanted to add, I opted for the carbon fiber shaft after being able to try this version, and the identical twin (other than carbon fiber shaft) and trust me, this one was much lighter. Previously, I rarely did the trimming at the house due to shoulder issues- After trying this one out, I feel confident I'll be able to help out, at least a little more often again.. This is the second time I heard the tip about soaking line in water, I'll have to give it a try .. The Ryobi instructions were all over the place about .095, so glad to have your input on that... Most importantly, came here for instructions on how to use the fixed blade/line attachment- so homerun there! 👍
the reason the higher capacity pack tend to last longer than you would expect is because of the number of cells in parallel. more cells in parallel means less current draw per cell. which means less stress on the cells while in use each cell will have whats called a C rating which how much current they can produce continuously more cells in parallel mean less demand on each cell meaning less voltage sag and longer run time
For $29 more than the lesser model, you also get not only carbon fiber but a MUCH BETTER BATTERY CHARGER. I bought mine yesterday. Well worth the extra $29!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Starts (6:17) 🙏You’re Right. As an expert Lego builder. Soon as I opened up the instructions I almost had a panic attack 😂 def went straight to RUclips & glad I chose this really informative video! Preciate it man
Seems like a nice trimmer. I debated between this one and the DeWalt for quite some time. Ultimately, I chose the DeWalt, primarily because I already had some 20V DeWalt tools, and being able to use the FlexVolt battery on them was a desirable feature. Going battery powered was definitely the right choice for me. It’s a pleasure to have less noise, less maintenance, and no hassle start ups.
Just bought the model right below yours (Regular steel shaft and 50 dollars less) a few hours ago. By the way, I had a whole back yard of monster, 4 to 5 foot tall, pulpy weeds (more brush than weeds) most one half inch thick, some one inch so I got the brush attachment for about 70 dollars more because I knew string was not going to touch it. Tried it out till it got too dark. Worked like a charm though it took a bit longer on the thickest stems. Worth every penny for that type of situation. I'll try the string head tomorrow.
Great video. I picked one up and the instructions were useless but your video got me through it. I torture tested it against an encroaching prairie and it delivered! Those plastic wings destroyed the prairie grass with ease.
I just picked this up and my biggest complaint is the angled pitch of the handle. It looks great and very ergo..... For a right handed person. For a left handed person like myself it isn't that comfortable. I actually swapped the straight handle from my gas Troy-Bilt to this trimmer and it feels much better. I'm sad to hear the battery will probably only last 23min. I thought/assumed it would be much longer. Makes me wonder how long it will or won't last with the sweeper and snow blower.
I just bought this product . It works very well however i think i would need an engineer to read these instructions . Thank you for this simpler no nonsense video . I have subscribed to view other videos you will produce .
Great info & review. I just tried one of these that my mom got, and was looking for videos about it so I can show her how to add new line & stuff. I am 5' tall, and for me this trimmer felt really long and heavy, and I had a harder time than I expected controlling the speed with the trigger. My own now-dead trimmer has an auto-feed line system, so I was still getting used to the bump feed when the battery died, but for a short person the size and weight of this trimmer made bumping it awkward. I am sure my (much taller,) mom will find it more comrotable once she gets used to it, and it seems like a good trimmer, but not my favorite so far.
I just bought this model and I do agree the trigger quickly becomes uncomfortable. That and the tool itself is not ergonomic. I have ordered a universal shoulder strap and I am confident it will help significantly with user comfort.
I have the previous version of the brushless 40v trimmer with a different trigger. It had worked perfectly for 2 years but all the sudden, white smoke is coming out of it after about 1-2 minute of use. I took it to a ryobi service center, hope they warranty it under the 5 year warranty. Service rep said it might be a month before I get it back. I was wanting to get another one and was debating between this one and $199 one. Thanks for the review.
Thank You for this video.. I bought this trimmer last year.. and you're right the instructions is stupid!.. I just figured out how to remove the head on the trimmer, I had to bring it inside my shop for that..once you figure it out it's not difficult.. Thanks again this video has been a tremendous help!!
I have one of these, and I found that, when cutting thick heavy weeds and grass (12+ inches) the motor bogs down and actually stops. Thinking my trimmer was defective, I exchanged it for a replacement after only one year. I brought the new one home, and have the same issue. Now I'm not so certain that the original trimmer was defective. MAYBE, it has some kind of overload protection built into the motor. Have you experienced this?? I also found aftermarket batteries for this, and many other tools, on Amazon and eBay. For example, I picked up a 6 Ah battery for this trimmer for about half of what a new Ryobi battery would cost, and have never had any issues with them.
From my experiencing in road bikes (bicycles), the weight benefit of carbon fiber is secondary, it is the vibration dampening that is really its main benefit and it sounds like it is no different with trimmers. Thanks for the good review.
You are dealing with a much, much, much higher grade of CF in road bikes. IMHO, this is the lowest grade out there and equal to stuff you would buy on ebay. Lol.
I'm not positive but I think that the carbon fiber construction is more for the vibration aspect that you mention toward the end of the video than the weight aspect. Great video! I am researching this 40V Ryobi because I nave the gas powered pieces, edger, blower etc. have the Dewalt 20V and like but want a little more power/runtime. I am considering the 60V Dewalt because I have the Dewalt 60V table saw and Miter saw. I see you have reviewed both. How do you compare the two?
This trimmer cuts as well as the fs91r stihl i used to have. No vibration either. of course its not going to run all day. i have the hp 18" 40v chainsaw which is awesome. Going to grab a 6AH battery so that will give me a 4, a 5, and an 6AH batter. two quick chargers. Plenty of work to do inbetween chargers. trim in the morning and evening. Which isn't an issue, being fire aware. Didn't really need the high setting or full throttle.
Excellent video! Just bought this model today. Instructions are terrible, as you pointed out. Thanks for making things clear. I’m now a subscriber. Look forward to more instructional videos Thanks
I am so appreciative that you took the time to make this video! Thank you so much. I had no idea what the other attachments were or how to use them or rethread it.
Bought one of these recently, great trimmer. The complete lack of legible instructions is a real pita. I cannot find anywhere to buy those replacement cutter blades, there's none on their site and there's none on Amazon. Their site is awful trying to find anything, it's also awful trying to register the product, I actually gave up when I saw the list of serial numbers they want me to enter.
Carbon fiber shaft Vs regular shaft ,how much weight difference,not much-- what's the advantage- it's like adding a cordless flashlight to a drill kit combo
So you must have MONSTER GRIP AND STRENGTH. I've had the string continually break off inside and when I have to take the head apart, it comes apart pretty easy. However, I can not get it to lock again. I noticed it was very easy for you to twist it into the locked position, but for me... I'm ready to throw this thing through the window at home depot.
Thanks for the helpful review regarding how to use the head and accessories. I used mine today for the first time for about 30 minutes. The section at the metal collar and joint connecting the motor shaft to the trimmer got much too hot to touch, making me wonder if it is defective and/or needing lubrication?
Appreciate your trigger discussion. That sort of thing bugs me. It sounds like its something you could get accustomed to and maybe almost forget about it. What do you think?
You can get used to it. Forgive me if you're u are not a gun guy... This is a Glock trigger. It is utilitarian. The pull is hard and it has a ton of creep. Once you are used to a good trigger, it's hard to go back. Bit if all you have ever had was a Glock trigger, then it will be something you get used to.
@@WorkshopAddict It also breaks in a bit over time, and becomes a bit smoother (a bit like the aforementioned Glock trigger). I've pretty much forgotten my initial dislike of the trigger after using it for a while. Mine isn't the carbon fiber model, but the identical brushless "standard" model.
I'm so torn between getting Ryobi or the Milwaukee. Some might call me a milwaukee Fanboy and honestly, me having so many milwaukee batteries makes it tempting
Go Milwaukee. Better batteries and you don't have to worry about a dull apprentice having at it. IIRC, Kite Army did reviews on the Mil and a slightly older (but not much different) Ryobi, comparing them against the Ego power load, his conclusions were that the head on the Ryobi was hot garbage to work with (own the gas model, I concur the Ryobi trimmer head sucks) but the Milwaukee's performance and head was definitely worth looking at.
I've seen some folks complaining about the attachment connection joint where the metal sleeve is coming loose on the carbon fiber tube. A couple of people have had some heat build-up in that area which ended up melting the carbon fiber tube at that connection point. The metal sleeve appears to be either riveted/screwed to the tube and once that is loose it seems like there's not much you can do about it. Do you see this as a potential weak point? Am I better off going with an all metal tube version? Is the motor much more powerful on the carbon fiber models?
I would love to see Ryobi make a 17-in cut electric string trimmer. Both are 18 volt and 40 volt models have the power to do it. The only thing they would have to change is the grass guard and or the cutter placement.
At 1:57 you were talking about the strength when it made a crack noise. Was that the button detent snapping into place or the carbon shafting cracking lol
Hey brother I think your handle is on backwards. Just bought one yesterday & used it today. Not the power of gas but just enough for what I need it to do I think. Beats pulling the rope & cussing at my old FS38 Stihl. Nowadays I spray more & weed eat less. And yes the manual is not great so thanks for your video 👍
Workshop Addict! Awesome! Very Well done - Best, if not ONLY decent Instructions on blades - from anyone! Others are a joke - one guy's even feeding his woodpeckers while filming!;)) Kudos!! Thx!! cc: Ryobi Best Trimmer on the market - then fail to provide basic, simple instructions - where's their quality control!?
Took mine off for the first time last week, I couldn't put it back either. Thought I jammed something. But he mentions this in the video and says you have to really grip it and twist hard the first time or two. Just put mine back on today after five minutes and two cramped hands. You really need some strength!
This video was great, thank you for it. One comment below mention how huge the weight difference is and how much lighter the carbon fiber is. I have them both and actually I like the metal cheap one better then the HP. The metal one is 9.3lb compare to the carbon fiber which is 11.5lb and this is out of Ryobi specs. BTW the Ryobi customer service way exceeded anything in excellence. I had a problem with both units, just to figure out it was the 4 Ah battery that caused the problem in both units. I have to ad the metal one is the one with brush motor, not brush-less and the other HP brush-less. Also a big difference, almost no parts in the cheap one RY40006vnm where as the HP is loaded with electronics in the unit itself.
I wonder if you have blackberry bushes in your area or something similar and will the blade attachments deal with such a thing??? Viewing in western Canada
I just dropped almost 400 canadian on this unit. Love it. An thanks for this video very very helpful. Thank you. Can get fatiguing but..hey...no gas right. Recommend
Aside from eliminating the noise and all the crap with fuel/oil mix, the quick spool head is worth buying it just on its own. I've only had a few weeks so no longer term experience yet...
Say you leave it in back fo truck get a good rain storm is it going to still Function. And would like to see you review the EGO Trimmer and Blower would be great and get them wet and see what happens still sold on my Echo Gas blower and Trimmer run great. and looking at Electric but not very optimistic at the moment.
@Dark Shadow , it should. The expand-it system is pretty universal. I just got the aluminum-shaft version of the tool in this video (RY40270), and I tried it with an older Troy-Bilt brush cutter attachment, as well as an older Ryobi pruning chainsaw attachment. Both originally used with a Ryobi gas power head. They both fit perfectly and worked great. This power head is WAY more powerful than the 40V trimmer power head they came out with several years ago.
@madpogue Thanks, that's the exact thought that crossed my mind. I have an older TroyBilt gas trimmer that frustrates me just about every time I use it, and when I'm done using it, each time, I talk about getting a battery-powered one. I have a few of the attachments for it, and as far as I know, all of the MTD (Trimmer Plus) attachments are cross compatible, but I wasn't sure about the Ryobi Expand-It ones. Another thing I don't know the answer to is why on the warnings for the hedgetrimmer attachment does it say not for use with electric trimmers. Is that only for the brushed motors/older ones?
Awesome review I almost went the ryobi route but I am 2hrs away from a home depot I wanted to ask how this would stack up against a echo 56volt DPAS2100 chances are you have used alot of lawm equipment
Nice vid, thanks for the review! Still, and again, my dedicated EGO trimmer is just like a gas throttle. I, also, have the changeable EGO power head with an edger and a hedger and the pole saw attachments - as well as an extender for the pole saw and hedger. Not sure why you don't like the EGO system, I'm five years in and it all works great!
I am not saying I do not like EGO, I am just saying that I do not feel that trigger is like a high end gas model. Your EGO trigger is just like this model. Most people would probably love it. I am a trigger snob on all of my tools.
How long does the line head last? I picked up one along street as throw away. I am thinking of putting one the more durable versions on it. I have great Toro power head I am having a hard time finding fuel line for it. I
Please help me understand what makes it HP. I thought HP has the 2 extra contacts on the battery for extra amp draw. But this looks like standard OP40401 battery.
Anymore, HP does not mean anything more than it is Ryobi's best current offering. That is it and it is coming down to marketing and how they can sell more in The Home Depot.
Is the RY40290 really worth the money over the RY40270? I am looking for a string trimmer and am having difficulty choosing between them as the 270 sells for $250 and the 290 sells for $300 here in Canada. only have a 50x120 lot but I hate buying junk I have to replace
Curious if anyone's unit makes a rattle sound near the motor area. Its not a gear grinding noise but sounds like a component inside is rattling. It was not there for about a year but recently been getting louder. Other than that issue it is a great tool!
Anyone else find there's a big jump in the trigger? It jumps from low power to full throttle , I can't seem to hold it at 80%. Or is there a fault with mine?
How does it compare with Milwaukee M18 fuel quik lock system vs 60v greenworks pro attachment capable string trimmer system vs Ego attachment capable system? Power, quality, weight, run time, etc? Thanks!
great video, thanks. I was going to purchase this model, but when in the store I was comparing this one with the RY40270 and couldn't see the difference other then the HP and price. Even the HD associate had no clue. Could you touch on any difference there may be?
You ever find out? I was deciding between the RY40270 and this one in the video too, carbon fiber is useless, but on the chance that it actually puts out more power with the HP, I picked it up, but I can't seem to find where one can actually purchase 40V HP batteries. The 18V One+ HP line has actual special batteries that take advantage of the 18V HP units, or so they say. There are 2 additional contact points and only the HP units will take advantage of that, but I can't seem to find batteries like this with the 40V HP, so what's the point of the "HP" if it doesn't do the same thing as what the 18V HP line does? I'm going to reach out to Ryobi and get some clarity. I already returned the 18V one+ HP trimmer, it worked really well, I just have acres to trim and figured the jump to 40V and a larger cutting length makes sense. I'll talk to Ryobi before I use this new unit though just to make sure. The guy at Home Depot was confused too - though he seemed to think that the "high capacity" was the same as HP. Will hopefully know more tomorrow, unless you were able to solve this great mystery - would be great if you could share. Cheers
@@docmadhattan I ended up calling Ryobi and ask then the difference. They Sid the HP is a bit more powerful but when I explained my needs they admitted the 40270 would more then suit my needs. I was disappointed. Solid machine. I even posted a video of my first.time using it. ruclips.net/video/3mtCqiyN2UM/видео.html
@@iamknadn No, no, I appreciate you posted this comment because I'm having the same dilemma. Did you actually get a chance to compare the 40V brushless vs the 40V HP Brushless? The "regular" 40V brushless has an overwhelming amount of positive reviews, so I'm sure it's fine, and I may just end up returning this HP version because there aren't batteries for it.
![RYOBI 40V HP 16-inch String Trimmer Review [RY40HPST01]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/WJ5jalo6yUI/mqdefault.jpg)
Wow! This is the 3rd review of yours that I've watched. Lots of info! I'm on a steep learning curve and these videos really help. I like that it's 'all business' as opposed to many reviewers who fool around too much. Yours is very helpful. Thanks!
Glad it was helpful!
I wasn't sure about this thing, but I tried it, and for a average yard, it works nicely, and it's nice not dealing with the hassle of a gas power one.
Thank you for this video! I just purchased this item and couldn’t figure out how to use the blades or fixed line. The instructions weren’t terrible, they were non existent.
Great informative video. Well done my friend and thank you for your time. Ryobi should be paying you for breaking this down for many. This is something Ryobi was not able to do in the user manual.
I just happen to run across your video I bought this string trimmer a day ago I am very impressed with the amount of power that it Has I upgraded to the Ryobi I had Briggs & Stratton 80 V and went to Ryobi thinking that I was going to have less power but I'm actually impressed I use it for my yard I don't got a big yard so this is sufficient coming from a person who used to be a professional Lawn Service guy I've used a lot of commercial lawn equipment this string trimmer has sufficient amount of power for my lawn I have 1/3 of a quarter acre long very small this string trimmer will do lightweight very good for my back cannot do commercial cutting anymore due to my back this string trimmer is worth the purchase
Interesting tip on soaking the plastic line in water, will try that! Great video, love how you went into extreme detail regarding the 3 available head attachments. Also I didn't realize this brushless carbon fiber version ($250 today) is different than just the brushless ($199) which is different than the 'flat' battery version from a few years back that is not brushless ($169).
Very good video. I liked the assembly demos and the idea of trying one plastic blade + one string pair, both at the same time.
I like these trimmers a lot. My favorite features are:
1) The two alternate heads - one for string trimming and one for string or plastic blades. The blades are much more robust than I expected. 1/4 in brush cut easily.
2) The heavy "string". It's 0.095 diameter and appears to have a metal core with nylon or plastic coating. Very tough. Cuts well. Holds up very well.
3) Allows attachments. I originally planned to get a brush cutter attachment but the plastic blades did most all of what I needed.
4) Good battery life. My 4 AH battery lasted longer for me than it did for the WorkshopAddict. Maybe he was cutting heavier plants.
The one I have has a metal shaft, not carbon fiber. I think it was not much heavier but was plenty strong and cost less.
I'm short, thin, and old. I found that a harness (just a rope over the shoulder in my case) reduced the load on my arms for longer use.
Do wear eye protection and maybe gloves and long pants and sleeves as well.
I've had a fairly full set of Expand-It attachments for about 8-10 years. For a homeowner, this is a great set of efficient tools. Constantly unscrewing & swapping the attachments for a commercial yard maintenance operator would not be that efficient. I'd question if they're heavy enough for that kind of use. For my property, they are a really useful solution.
The Expand-It attachment system isn't just cordless and plug-in electric. The gas power heads are interchangeable as well. I've even used a Stihl Kombi power head with the tools in this system.
I have this trimmer and love it. Been through a lot with it. Never failed. I even used it with a John Deere roto-tiller attachment which is very heavy duty and unforgiving. It still worked just fine, and the battery never gave out while using it.
The extra power that this Ryobi 40v String trimmer has makes the work go a lot faster than my old 20v Black and Decker. Did my 1/4 acre yard and still had half the 4.0 battery charge remaining. Very impressive!
I have the 40v brushless version right below this. Things Ive figured out over 3 seasons. Trash that trimmer head and go with a fixed head. That trimmer head is heavy and decreases battery life. Once you switch to the fixed head, it throttles up much faster. I have 1.5 acres with about 3500’ to trim. One of the 6AH HP batteries takes care of all of it where my old stihl fs90 went through a tank and a half. No problems at all running any of the attachments. Trimmer, brush cutter head, edger, pole pruner. Also make sure to calculate how much fuel you would use during a season. I used about $50 two cycle per season. I get my 6AH HP batteries for $100 each so about two seasons to “pay them off. Almost like buying fuel up front.
Picked this up today. My Ryobi 4 cycle has been giving me problems lately. And I’m getting older, rather spend time with my family than rebuilding a carburetor. Just tired of gas equipment. We live in north Florida with about a 1/2 acre of actual yard with lots of trees, shrubs, and fence. I’ve watched quite a few reviews on various cordless trimmers. This video had me interested. I went to HD thinking I was probably going to get one of the 18v trimmers since I already have batteries and a charger. There were 2 Ryobi reps there. They were assisting me explaining the features on the 18v models. But I wasn’t really happy with the features and no expand it model available for 18v anymore. So it really came down to which 40v model. The CF model is $30 more than the other brushless model. But it is HP and comes with the rapid charger. On it’s own, the rapid charger is $50 more than the regular charger. Plus they had some hooked up to demo. Simple enough to put together. Wasn’t sure if I’d like the angled handle. But I realize that was great, much more comfortable. I had mowed earlier and trimmed the rest of the yard after I got home and fully charged the battery. I got more done than I did with my gas trimmer. I always end up with some sort of issue like flooding. The power was awesome, I never needed the high setting. I had a lot to trim today, with some very overgrown areas. After I was done I still had half a charger. If you’re a homeowner, I highly recommend the investment.
Thank you for sharing. It is sad they don't have the expand it power head in 18-volt. It would give so many people a reason to buy larger Amp hour batteries for their 18 volt tools. Glad you like this.
I tried both the brushless without and with the carbon shaft. Both you have to pull the trigger further than you'd like to get it started but once it's started the variable control works better and you can then release it to slow it down just fine. But from a dead stop directly to slow it just doesn't work or feel controllable. That's because of the brushless motor. Just pull it further to get it going then you're good to go.
Recently bought this Ryobi, still glad I found your video as soon as I did.. Just wanted to add, I opted for the carbon fiber shaft after being able to try this version, and the identical twin (other than carbon fiber shaft) and trust me, this one was much lighter. Previously, I rarely did the trimming at the house due to shoulder issues- After trying this one out, I feel confident I'll be able to help out, at least a little more often again..
This is the second time I heard the tip about soaking line in water, I'll have to give it a try ..
The Ryobi instructions were all over the place about .095, so glad to have your input on that...
Most importantly, came here for instructions on how to use the fixed blade/line attachment- so homerun there! 👍
the reason the higher capacity pack tend to last longer than you would expect is because of the number of cells in parallel. more cells in parallel means less current draw per cell. which means less stress on the cells while in use each cell will have whats called a C rating which how much current they can produce continuously more cells in parallel mean less demand on each cell meaning less voltage sag and longer run time
For $29 more than the lesser model, you also get not only carbon fiber but a MUCH BETTER BATTERY CHARGER. I bought mine yesterday. Well worth the extra $29!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What is the model number? I can't make sense of all these different ones. Do you have a link?
The phone size battery charger lol
Starts
(6:17)
🙏You’re Right. As an expert Lego builder. Soon as I opened up the instructions I almost had a panic attack 😂 def went straight to RUclips & glad I chose this really informative video! Preciate it man
Seems like a nice trimmer. I debated between this one and the DeWalt for quite some time. Ultimately, I chose the DeWalt, primarily because I already had some 20V DeWalt tools, and being able to use the FlexVolt battery on them was a desirable feature. Going battery powered was definitely the right choice for me. It’s a pleasure to have less noise, less maintenance, and no hassle start ups.
Just bought the model right below yours (Regular steel shaft and 50 dollars less) a few hours ago. By the way, I had a whole back yard of monster, 4 to 5 foot tall, pulpy weeds (more brush than weeds) most one half inch thick, some one inch so I got the brush attachment for about 70 dollars more because I knew string was not going to touch it. Tried it out till it got too dark. Worked like a charm though it took a bit longer on the thickest stems. Worth every penny for that type of situation. I'll try the string head tomorrow.
Great video. I picked one up and the instructions were useless but your video got me through it. I torture tested it against an encroaching prairie and it delivered! Those plastic wings destroyed the prairie grass with ease.
Instructions are terrible. Thank you for this video. My first trimmer. This helped a lot!!!
I just picked this up and my biggest complaint is the angled pitch of the handle. It looks great and very ergo..... For a right handed person. For a left handed person like myself it isn't that comfortable. I actually swapped the straight handle from my gas Troy-Bilt to this trimmer and it feels much better.
I'm sad to hear the battery will probably only last 23min. I thought/assumed it would be much longer. Makes me wonder how long it will or won't last with the sweeper and snow blower.
Just got mine today! Can't wait to rip through the overgrown weeds in the backyard.
Thanks!
I just bought this product . It works very well however i think i would need an engineer to read these instructions . Thank you for this simpler no nonsense video . I have subscribed to view other videos you will produce .
Great video, as you mentioned the instructions with this unit is useless, this answered all my questions!
Same here!!!!!
Great video
Great info & review. I just tried one of these that my mom got, and was looking for videos about it so I can show her how to add new line & stuff. I am 5' tall, and for me this trimmer felt really long and heavy, and I had a harder time than I expected controlling the speed with the trigger. My own now-dead trimmer has an auto-feed line system, so I was still getting used to the bump feed when the battery died, but for a short person the size and weight of this trimmer made bumping it awkward. I am sure my (much taller,) mom will find it more comrotable once she gets used to it, and it seems like a good trimmer, but not my favorite so far.
I just bought this model and I do agree the trigger quickly becomes uncomfortable. That and the tool itself is not ergonomic.
I have ordered a universal shoulder strap and I am confident it will help significantly with user comfort.
I have the previous version of the brushless 40v trimmer with a different trigger. It had worked perfectly for 2 years but all the sudden, white smoke is coming out of it after about 1-2 minute of use. I took it to a ryobi service center, hope they warranty it under the 5 year warranty. Service rep said it might be a month before I get it back. I was wanting to get another one and was debating between this one and $199 one. Thanks for the review.
You get a fast charger with this model and that is nice. The carbon fiber is just a gimmic.
How'd it go with the warranty/replacement?
@@docmadhattan Took them 3 months but they fixed it under warranty and has worked great since.
@@jluu6r Awesome, glad it worked out, even if it did take a while
Thank You for this video.. I bought this trimmer last year.. and you're right the instructions is stupid!.. I just figured out how to remove the head on the trimmer, I had to bring it inside my shop for that..once you figure it out it's not difficult.. Thanks again this video has been a tremendous help!!
Thanks. Just received this product yesterday and I'm taking it to the yard today. Very helpful.
I have one of these, and I found that, when cutting thick heavy weeds and grass (12+ inches) the motor bogs down and actually stops. Thinking my trimmer was defective, I exchanged it for a replacement after only one year. I brought the new one home, and have the same issue. Now I'm not so certain that the original trimmer was defective. MAYBE, it has some kind of overload protection built into the motor. Have you experienced this?? I also found aftermarket batteries for this, and many other tools, on Amazon and eBay. For example, I picked up a 6 Ah battery for this trimmer for about half of what a new Ryobi battery would cost, and have never had any issues with them.
From my experiencing in road bikes (bicycles), the weight benefit of carbon fiber is secondary, it is the vibration dampening that is really its main benefit and it sounds like it is no different with trimmers. Thanks for the good review.
You are dealing with a much, much, much higher grade of CF in road bikes. IMHO, this is the lowest grade out there and equal to stuff you would buy on ebay. Lol.
@@WorkshopAddict eBay parts carbon fiber?! No thanks.. 😂
If it can't be measured it doesn't exist.
I'm not positive but I think that the carbon fiber construction is more for the vibration aspect that you mention toward the end of the video than the weight aspect. Great video! I am researching this 40V Ryobi because I nave the gas powered pieces, edger, blower etc. have the Dewalt 20V and like but want a little more power/runtime. I am considering the 60V Dewalt because I have the Dewalt 60V table saw and Miter saw. I see you have reviewed both. How do you compare the two?
Used my trimmer today and love it! The review helped me set it up
This trimmer cuts as well as the fs91r stihl i used to have. No vibration either. of course its not going to run all day. i have the hp 18" 40v chainsaw which is awesome. Going to grab a 6AH battery so that will give me a 4, a 5, and an 6AH batter. two quick chargers. Plenty of work to do inbetween chargers. trim in the morning and evening. Which isn't an issue, being fire aware. Didn't really need the high setting or full throttle.
Excellent video! Just bought this model today. Instructions are terrible, as you pointed out. Thanks for making things clear. I’m now a subscriber. Look forward to more instructional videos Thanks
Well worth the extra money. A better trigger, great charger. this is the best of trimers. I love it.
I am so appreciative that you took the time to make this video! Thank you so much. I had no idea what the other attachments were or how to use them or rethread it.
So appreciated. Nice to know the plastic blades do a good job for you. Will definitely try them now.
I have this trimmer and love it. Been using the heck out of it.
Bought one of these recently, great trimmer. The complete lack of legible instructions is a real pita. I cannot find anywhere to buy those replacement cutter blades, there's none on their site and there's none on Amazon. Their site is awful trying to find anything, it's also awful trying to register the product, I actually gave up when I saw the list of serial numbers they want me to enter.
This is a great review. You made my life easier than reading the included manual/instruction from the box.
Excellent and detailed Review. Thanks. I have purchased the Ryobi 40 V HP Brushless Whisper Trimmer.
Carbon fiber shaft Vs regular shaft ,how much weight difference,not much-- what's the advantage- it's like adding a cordless flashlight to a drill kit combo
Just bought the 40V Ryobi this afternoon. I don't think mine has the dual speed transmission.
Speaking off the trigger it would be nice if they incorporated an adjustable trigger stop or a dial speed controller.
If you were to pick up a battery trimmer with a really nice trigger, you would never need or want that.
The Makita has a 3 speed and an auto mode. The blower has an adjustable trigger hold.
So you must have MONSTER GRIP AND STRENGTH. I've had the string continually break off inside and when I have to take the head apart, it comes apart pretty easy. However, I can not get it to lock again. I noticed it was very easy for you to twist it into the locked position, but for me... I'm ready to throw this thing through the window at home depot.
Thanks for the helpful review regarding how to use the head and accessories. I used mine today for the first time for about 30 minutes. The section at the metal collar and joint connecting the motor shaft to the trimmer got much too hot to touch, making me wonder if it is defective and/or needing lubrication?
Appreciate your trigger discussion. That sort of thing bugs me. It sounds like its something you could get accustomed to and maybe almost forget about it. What do you think?
You can get used to it. Forgive me if you're u are not a gun guy... This is a Glock trigger. It is utilitarian. The pull is hard and it has a ton of creep. Once you are used to a good trigger, it's hard to go back. Bit if all you have ever had was a Glock trigger, then it will be something you get used to.
@@WorkshopAddict It also breaks in a bit over time, and becomes a bit smoother (a bit like the aforementioned Glock trigger). I've pretty much forgotten my initial dislike of the trigger after using it for a while. Mine isn't the carbon fiber model, but the identical brushless "standard" model.
I'm so torn between getting Ryobi or the Milwaukee. Some might call me a milwaukee Fanboy and honestly, me having so many milwaukee batteries makes it tempting
i have the milwaukee quick lock also. I weed eat nearly an hr at a time so the 12.0 is what battery i use.
Go Milwaukee. Better batteries and you don't have to worry about a dull apprentice having at it. IIRC, Kite Army did reviews on the Mil and a slightly older (but not much different) Ryobi, comparing them against the Ego power load, his conclusions were that the head on the Ryobi was hot garbage to work with (own the gas model, I concur the Ryobi trimmer head sucks) but the Milwaukee's performance and head was definitely worth looking at.
@@reaperreaper5098 i second that. Much better battery platform. Milwaukee comes with a speed feed style head.
Thank you so much for this video! Your instructions were absolutely 100% better and to the point!
I've seen some folks complaining about the attachment connection joint where the metal sleeve is coming loose on the carbon fiber tube. A couple of people have had some heat build-up in that area which ended up melting the carbon fiber tube at that connection point. The metal sleeve appears to be either riveted/screwed to the tube and once that is loose it seems like there's not much you can do about it. Do you see this as a potential weak point? Am I better off going with an all metal tube version? Is the motor much more powerful on the carbon fiber models?
Really in depth review with lots of detail.
I would love to see Ryobi make a 17-in cut electric string trimmer. Both are 18 volt and 40 volt models have the power to do it.
The only thing they would have to change is the grass guard and or the cutter placement.
they do now $300 whisper series
At 1:57 you were talking about the strength when it made a crack noise. Was that the button detent snapping into place or the carbon shafting cracking lol
I'd be curious about that as well
@@screwball69 I laughed when editing. That was the clamping area moving under the pressure.
@@WorkshopAddict Ah gotcha
I burst out laughing thinking the same, I looked through the comments and thought maybe I was the only one who noticed! 😂😂😂 great reveiw
Hey brother I think your handle is on backwards. Just bought one yesterday & used it today. Not the power of gas but just enough for what I need it to do I think. Beats pulling the rope & cussing at my old FS38 Stihl. Nowadays I spray more & weed eat less. And yes the manual is not great so thanks for your video 👍
Workshop Addict!
Awesome!
Very Well done - Best, if not ONLY decent Instructions on blades - from anyone! Others are a joke - one guy's even feeding his woodpeckers while filming!;))
Kudos!!
Thx!!
cc: Ryobi Best Trimmer on the market - then fail to provide basic, simple instructions - where's their quality control!?
I cannot get the head back on. You make it look so simple. I match the arrows and try to turn and it doesn’t turn to lock it in place.
Had the same problem I found a little bit of petroleum grease helped out
Took mine off for the first time last week, I couldn't put it back either. Thought I jammed something. But he mentions this in the video and says you have to really grip it and twist hard the first time or two. Just put mine back on today after five minutes and two cramped hands. You really need some strength!
I can't even take the piece of shit apart.
OMG, you just saved me. The product instructions are useless. Excellent video. 👍🏻👍🏻
This video was great, thank you for it. One comment below mention how huge the weight difference is and how much lighter the carbon fiber is. I have them both and actually I like the metal cheap one better then the HP. The metal one is 9.3lb compare to the carbon fiber which is 11.5lb and this is out of Ryobi specs.
BTW the Ryobi customer service way exceeded anything in excellence. I had a problem with both units, just to figure out it was the 4 Ah battery that caused the problem in both units.
I have to ad the metal one is the one with brush motor, not brush-less and the other HP brush-less. Also a big difference, almost no parts in the cheap one RY40006vnm where as the HP is loaded with electronics in the unit itself.
The blades on mine are hitting the plastic that attaches to the line cutoff blade. I’m not sure why.
Great review. Adding to my Ryobi collection each month.
I wonder if you have blackberry bushes in your area or something similar and will the blade attachments deal with such a thing??? Viewing in western Canada
It would easily take out my Raspberry bushes... But I like them and don't want to kill them. Did you see the blades working around my old Super C?
I just dropped almost 400 canadian on this unit. Love it. An thanks for this video very very helpful. Thank you. Can get fatiguing but..hey...no gas right. Recommend
Good morning family. 👍🏼👍🏼 Thank you very much for the valuable information and for your time 🙏
Aside from eliminating the noise and all the crap with fuel/oil mix, the quick spool head is worth buying it just on its own.
I've only had a few weeks so no longer term experience yet...
Thanks for the footage 🦶, and keep up the great work! 👍
my ryobi Extended motor stopped working. It starts very briefly and then shuts off. it's pretty new. where can I get it fixed.
Does Ryobi even make an Expand-It unit that uses 18V instead of 40V?
Great video…thanks for the info…I just wish ryobi would add a pole branch cutter attachment to this tool…
how much for the old farmall
No joke. I'd buy it today!
What’s the best line you recommend for this model?
Say you leave it in back fo truck get a good rain storm is it going to still Function. And would like to see you review the EGO Trimmer and Blower would be great and get them wet and see what happens still sold on my Echo Gas blower and Trimmer run great. and looking at Electric but not very optimistic at the moment.
Great video! Really helpful as the instructions, as you mentioned, are lacking. Much appreciated.
Great review... Do you know if the "expand-it" attachments from an older Ryobi gas power trimmer will work with this battery head?
@Dark Shadow , it should. The expand-it system is pretty universal. I just got the aluminum-shaft version of the tool in this video (RY40270), and I tried it with an older Troy-Bilt brush cutter attachment, as well as an older Ryobi pruning chainsaw attachment. Both originally used with a Ryobi gas power head. They both fit perfectly and worked great. This power head is WAY more powerful than the 40V trimmer power head they came out with several years ago.
@madpogue Thanks, that's the exact thought that crossed my mind. I have an older TroyBilt gas trimmer that frustrates me just about every time I use it, and when I'm done using it, each time, I talk about getting a battery-powered one.
I have a few of the attachments for it, and as far as I know, all of the MTD (Trimmer Plus) attachments are cross compatible, but I wasn't sure about the Ryobi Expand-It ones.
Another thing I don't know the answer to is why on the warnings for the hedgetrimmer attachment does it say not for use with electric trimmers. Is that only for the brushed motors/older ones?
Awesome review I almost went the ryobi route but I am 2hrs away from a home depot I wanted to ask how this would stack up against a echo 56volt DPAS2100 chances are you have used alot of lawm equipment
Thanks for the vid. Can you change the handle to lefthander ? Thanks
This is the best video I’ve found so far on how to assemble this thing. You’re right, instructions given are TERRIBLE!
Picked one up yesterday.... Today the cut-off blade on the guard snapped off........
Nice vid, thanks for the review!
Still, and again, my dedicated EGO trimmer is just like a gas throttle.
I, also, have the changeable EGO power head with an edger and a hedger and the pole saw attachments - as well as an extender for the pole saw and hedger.
Not sure why you don't like the EGO system, I'm five years in and it all works great!
I am not saying I do not like EGO, I am just saying that I do not feel that trigger is like a high end gas model. Your EGO trigger is just like this model. Most people would probably love it. I am a trigger snob on all of my tools.
Can it drive the tiller attachment better than the brushed version? Does it have the low end? Does it shut off as quickly when over-torqued?
Great video! The instructions were garbage, this was perfect, thank you for going into all of the details!.
So the current model sold without the carbon fiber shaft has a better trigger or the carbon fiber shaft model has the best trigger? Thanks
I can only tell you about the one in this video. 😐 Sorry
@@WorkshopAddict oh, ok. Is the trigger on this carbon shaft one variable enough to do delicate work close to a mobile home underpinning etc?
How long does the line head last? I picked up one along street as throw away. I am thinking of putting one the more durable versions on it. I have great Toro power head I am having a hard time finding fuel line for it. I
How do you change from string to blades?
Thank you!! Amazing video u answered every question I had!!
Qqawawwwwe.
Please help me understand what makes it HP. I thought HP has the 2 extra contacts on the battery for extra amp draw. But this looks like standard OP40401 battery.
Anymore, HP does not mean anything more than it is Ryobi's best current offering. That is it and it is coming down to marketing and how they can sell more in The Home Depot.
Is the RY40290 really worth the money over the RY40270? I am looking for a string trimmer and am having difficulty choosing between them as the 270 sells for $250 and the 290 sells for $300 here in Canada. only have a 50x120 lot but I hate buying junk I have to replace
I would put an echo speed feed 450 trimmer head on it, and use echo black diamond trimmer line.
Curious if anyone's unit makes a rattle sound near the motor area. Its not a gear grinding noise but sounds like a component inside is rattling. It was not there for about a year but recently been getting louder. Other than that issue it is a great tool!
If it is still under warranty, turn it in to get a new one.
HOW LONG DOES BATTERY LAST?
Anyone else find there's a big jump in the trigger? It jumps from low power to full throttle , I can't seem to hold it at 80%. Or is there a fault with mine?
Thanks for the great video and awesome tip about soaking the line.
The head on these are difficult to put back on
How does it compare with Milwaukee M18 fuel quik lock system vs 60v greenworks pro attachment capable string trimmer system vs Ego attachment capable system? Power, quality, weight, run time, etc? Thanks!
Are you still using the trimmer? How’s it working out for you?
Will this have the same power as my Troy built 27cc?
great video, thanks. I was going to purchase this model, but when in the store I was comparing this one with the RY40270 and couldn't see the difference other then the HP and price. Even the HD associate had no clue. Could you touch on any difference there may be?
You ever find out? I was deciding between the RY40270 and this one in the video too, carbon fiber is useless, but on the chance that it actually puts out more power with the HP, I picked it up, but I can't seem to find where one can actually purchase 40V HP batteries. The 18V One+ HP line has actual special batteries that take advantage of the 18V HP units, or so they say. There are 2 additional contact points and only the HP units will take advantage of that, but I can't seem to find batteries like this with the 40V HP, so what's the point of the "HP" if it doesn't do the same thing as what the 18V HP line does?
I'm going to reach out to Ryobi and get some clarity. I already returned the 18V one+ HP trimmer, it worked really well, I just have acres to trim and figured the jump to 40V and a larger cutting length makes sense. I'll talk to Ryobi before I use this new unit though just to make sure. The guy at Home Depot was confused too - though he seemed to think that the "high capacity" was the same as HP.
Will hopefully know more tomorrow, unless you were able to solve this great mystery - would be great if you could share. Cheers
@@docmadhattan I ended up calling Ryobi and ask then the difference. They Sid the HP is a bit more powerful but when I explained my needs they admitted the 40270 would more then suit my needs. I was disappointed. Solid machine. I even posted a video of my first.time using it.
ruclips.net/video/3mtCqiyN2UM/видео.html
I was NOT disappointed....sorry. I really should review my posts before hitting send
@@iamknadn No, no, I appreciate you posted this comment because I'm having the same dilemma. Did you actually get a chance to compare the 40V brushless vs the 40V HP Brushless? The "regular" 40V brushless has an overwhelming amount of positive reviews, so I'm sure it's fine, and I may just end up returning this HP version because there aren't batteries for it.
@@docmadhattan I did. Pt try the hp version. So I can't comment. I love the 40270
Can you install a Speed Feed 400 head on it?