# EGO vs Ryobi for basic trim/blow



## david_ (Aug 22, 2019)

Any experience with either of these combos? This would be a gift for my dad ~2500 sq ft suburban home. He's not bought into any battery ecosystem at this point. Seems like the larger battery of the Ryobi would be nice.

Standard Ryobi: https://www.homedepot.com/p/RYOBI-40-Volt-Cordless-Lithium-Ion-Attachment-Capable-String-Trimmer-and-Blower-Combo-Kit-2-Tools-4-0-Ah-Battery-and-Charger-RY40940VNM/314600299
Brushless version: https://www.homedepot.com/p/RYOBI-40V-Brushless-Cordless-Battery-String-Trimmer-and-Jet-Fan-Blower-Combo-Kit-2-Tool-4-0-Ah-Battery-Charger-Included-RY40950VNM/314600326

Ego: https://www.lowes.com/pd/EGO-2-TOOL-COMBO-BLWR-530CFM-15IN-TRM/1003130724?cm_mmc=shp-_-c-_-prd-_-sol-_-google-_-lia-_--_-elecstringtrimmers-_-1003130724-_-0&placeholder=null&ds_rl=1286981&gclid=CjwKCAjw-e2EBhAhEiwAJI5jg-plA8gzsAFj5vAAJoJmZ72Giv_brlkqXwMcvY42W6RQ3yWd-c8p4xoC9NkQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds


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## ADanto6840 (Apr 1, 2021)

I'm a big Ryobi fan -- perhaps more accurate would be to say I'm a Ryobi addict, hah. I have tons of 18V stuff, even my wife likes their 18V inverter/USB charger & she _loves_ their (full size) 18V glue-gun -- we actually have two of them now, it's shocking how useful a glue gun can be, and may be one of my most-used tools these days (great for framing something up real quick prior to putting screws in, etc).

As for their 40V line -- I have this blower, the one you linked, and I think it's fantastic (blows the 18V one away, though 18V one is handy for small jobs/cleaning garage/fanning fires/etc). I also have their 40V brushless chainsaw, have used it to take down ~12 relatively large pine-trees, absolutely love it. And I've got their 40V brushless, self-propelled mower -- love it, too, though the lowest HOC setting on it is 1.5" but it's a solid performer; I previously had their 18V non-self-propelled mower and I actually liked it as well, but it's mainly useful for a smaller yard or if you're already invested in their 18V stuff.

I don't have their 40V trimmer -- but I do have their 18V trimmer and it's plenty powerful for me, and I get fantastic battery life from it. Only downside is that it's "auto-feed" line, which is annoying because every time you pull the trigger it extends mroe line, but that's a relatively small gripe in the grand scheme.

I have no experience with Ego's stuff.

I do highly recommend DTO -- DirectToolsOutlet -- it's the manufacturer's "retail" site (same manufacturer as Milwaukee tools, Homelite, Hoover, etc) but on the site they only sell "refurbished" & "blemished" items but, my understanding is that it's just because they aren't allowed to direct-sell "new" stuff due to their exclusive contract with Home Depot. The reality is, the tools they sell are basically brand new & they come with warranty (1yr for refurb, full warranty for 'blemished') -- and you can save a fortune, especially if you keep an eye on it.

https://www.directtoolsoutlet.com/

FWIW, I've no association with DTO -- I just buy stuff on there a decent bit because there are good deals. I bought our 2 glue-guns for $9.99 each last Christmas, for instance. Note that their shipping can be slow sometimes, but beyond that the products are basically same as what you get at Home Depot and typically 15-50% cheaper -- though stock/inventory is hit-or-miss, for sure (especially newer model stuff). 

Sorry, I'm a Ryobi geek / addict!


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## BermudaBoy (Jun 27, 2019)

david_ said:


> Any experience with either of these combos? This would be a gift for my dad ~2500 sq ft suburban home. He's not bought into any battery ecosystem at this point. Seems like the larger battery of the Ryobi would be nice.
> 
> Standard Ryobi: https://www.homedepot.com/p/RYOBI-40-Volt-Cordless-Lithium-Ion-Attachment-Capable-String-Trimmer-and-Blower-Combo-Kit-2-Tools-4-0-Ah-Battery-and-Charger-RY40940VNM/314600299
> Brushless version: https://www.homedepot.com/p/RYOBI-40V-Brushless-Cordless-Battery-String-Trimmer-and-Jet-Fan-Blower-Combo-Kit-2-Tool-4-0-Ah-Battery-Charger-Included-RY40950VNM/314600326
> ...


I don't know your budget but if price is a factor you may want to go with the Ryobi set. I have Ryobi and Ego tools and the Ego are by far more powerful and a good battery powered rival to gas but the batteries are pricey. Even though pictured in the advert, the ego set doesn't include the 2.5 Ah battery or charger which will add another $230 to the price at minimum. You can add another $40 to that if you choose the fast charger which I highly recommend if you go the Ego route. Both sets will get the job done but I don't think the Ego set is worth the premium when you factor in the additional battery and charger cost for a 2500 square foot yard.


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## Brou (Jun 18, 2020)

david_ said:


> Any experience with either of these combos? This would be a gift for my dad ~2500 sq ft suburban home. He's not bought into any battery ecosystem at this point. Seems like the larger battery of the Ryobi would be nice.
> 
> Standard Ryobi: https://www.homedepot.com/p/RYOBI-40-Volt-Cordless-Lithium-Ion-Attachment-Capable-String-Trimmer-and-Blower-Combo-Kit-2-Tools-4-0-Ah-Battery-and-Charger-RY40940VNM/314600299
> Brushless version: https://www.homedepot.com/p/RYOBI-40V-Brushless-Cordless-Battery-String-Trimmer-and-Jet-Fan-Blower-Combo-Kit-2-Tool-4-0-Ah-Battery-Charger-Included-RY40950VNM/314600326
> ...


I have that Ego trimmer. I also have a 18v Ryobi trimmer/edger, blower, and standalone edger.

They all get the job done just fine.

I bought the Ego after already having the Ryobi tools. I was going to use it to replace the Ryobi trimmer. The Ego trimmer does it's assigned job just fine. It's quite a bit bigger/heavier than the Ryobi but the way it's designed I'm able to rest my forearm against the area where the battery goes so it isn't too bad. Edging with the Ego requires you to turn it upside down and it's quite awkward. Of course it isn't sold as a edger/trimmer so make of that what you will.

For about a year now, the Ryobi blower has decided to ALWAYS be on whenever there's a battery inserted (this is the 18v version but by the looks of them they probably share a lot of parts). I think there's something wrong with the trigger mechanism that's causing it to always have a slight amount of pressure on it, giving it a constant whine like I'm very lightly pressing the trigger. It still works just fine but it's a little annoying.

Comparing the two brands kind of reminds me of the Swardman vs Baroness reel mower thread. They'll both do the job just fine but the difference in build quality between the two is noticeable. I can imagine lending my Ego trimmer to one of my kids for their first house in 10 years. I doubt my Ryobi tools will still be around by then.


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## Retired292 (May 9, 2021)

Love my Ego trimmer and the edger is absolutely my best lawn rool


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## Retromower (Jan 28, 2021)

You cant beat Ryobi for value. Ego makes great stuff too but it aint cheap. All of my power tools and lawn equipment are Ryobi and Im a big fan of the brand.
Ive got a Ryobi One+ 36v 16" mower that runs on 2 18v batteries. Its not brushless or anything but it has plenty of power and Im able to get at least 30 minutes out of a charge. Ive also got Ryobi's cheapest and most basic string trimmer and blower and they work great for what I need. I use my trimmer just for light grass trimming where my mower cant get to and I use the blower for blowing grass clippings and dirt off of my driveway and walkways and they both work great for what I need.
I dont have any experience with Ryobi's 40v platform but everything Ive heard or read about it is good. If I werent already so heavily invested in the One+ battery platform, I would have bought a 40v mower over the 36v that I have but I already had the batteries and the Ryobi supercharger, so I really wanted to stay in the 18v line. I have heard really good things about Ryobi's 40v line though.


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## 1mowbeer (Mar 3, 2020)

FYI - I found out today that Ryobi has tweaked their 40V battery size just enough to be a hassle. I picked up a new brushless trimmer today and my older 40V batteries (1 is only a year old) are extremely tight in the new trimmer. It takes a lot of force to insert and remove. I think I'll be returning it and try an Ego since I'm not going to be able to share the older batteries with the new trimmer anyway.


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## david_ (Aug 22, 2019)

Thanks for the feedback everyone!


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## Retromower (Jan 28, 2021)

Another option to consider is Stihl. Stihl has a great lineup of electric outdoor products and you could buy a mower, trimmer and blower that all could run on the same battery or couple of batteries.
Honestly, if Ryobi werent in the outdoor power equipment game, most likely I would have all Stihl equipment.


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## MasterMech (Sep 24, 2017)

Retromower said:


> Another option to consider is Stihl. Stihl has a great lineup of electric outdoor products and you could buy a mower, trimmer and blower that all could run on the same battery or couple of batteries.
> Honestly, if Ryobi werent in the outdoor power equipment game, most likely I would have all Stihl equipment.


For homeowners though, Stihl can be VERY pricey to get started with. Especially on the AP platform. If the AI or AK platforms suit your needs just fine, then the equipment quality is certainly good, just not quite as good or capable as the AP line. If you are looking for power and capability competitive to EGo and similar, you're spending big to get going on the AP platform.

Stihl - $1,780

RMA510V w/ AP300S and Charger - $780
FSA135R - Bare tool only - $410 (est)
BGA86 - w/ AP300S and charger - $590 (est)

EGo $1,170 (-$610 or 65% of what you'd spend with Stihl)

LM2142SP w 2x 5.0 aH batteries and charger - $750
ST1520 Carbon Fiber PowerLoad Trimmer (bare tool only) - $170
LB6504 w/5.0aH battery and charger - $300

I knash my teeth over this constantly as I want to electrify some and there are multiple vectors to consider. I am a huge fan of the mainline OPE manufacturers like Husqvarna, Stihl, Echo, Deere, Toro, etc. But most of them are getting their asses handed to them by companies like EGo in the residential market for battery OPE. For me personally, the quality of Stihl's hedge trimmer blades, trimmer heads, and the availability of things like the bed redefiner attachment for the KM series are all things I appreciate and value but does the average homegamer? Enough that they'd be willing to put up with smaller battery capacities and less powerful blower options? I'm sorry but at least on paper, the BGA86 has NOTHING on the LB6500. Performance wise, it's not even close. To be fair - the BGA86 is more than enough to quickly do a post-mow/edging clean-up. But it's TWICE the price of the LB6504. :shock: The EGo unit doesn't look/feel cheap at all, plus I have not heard any major quality complaints about the blowers over the last few years.

Stihl is rating the RMA510V to cover a mere 3000 sq ft with the AP300S battery. EGo isn't giving a sq footage rating but the 70 minutes of self-propelled run-time is enough (barely) for me to cover my 20,000+ sq ft if I hustle. Even if you only made it 10,000 sqft in the real-world, that's more than 3x what Stihl claims. To get more range from the RMA510V, you'd be looking at buying additional battery packs @ $240 for every 3000 sq ft you want to extend.

For me, the advantage of going with Stihl is going to be in their support network (parts!), the quality and variety of attachments available in the KM series (they've got everything and it's all excellent), and quite possibly the quality of the battery packs themselves as the AP series is intended for commercial service. I'd be ok with the premium IF the tools were in the same ballpark for performance. At least on the mower, Stihl could add a 2nd/3rd battery slot to fit multiple relatively svelte AP300S packs.

I'm highly considering buying a gas powered redefiner (or renting a HomeDepot unit) and hanging my hat with EGo for my handheld equipment needs. I don't see myself needing or wanting a battery powered rotary mower in the near future.


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## Retromower (Jan 28, 2021)

MasterMech said:


> Retromower said:
> 
> 
> > Another option to consider is Stihl. Stihl has a great lineup of electric outdoor products and you could buy a mower, trimmer and blower that all could run on the same battery or couple of batteries.
> ...


Very true but you get what you pay for, IMO. Like you said, the big advantage of Stihl is the support after the sale and being able to go to just about any local Ace to get it worked on or to get parts for it. Stihl's dealer network is huge and its pretty much a guarentee that there is one close to where you live.
With Ego, theres really no support after the sale and you will have to ship the unit out for any warranty repairs. Its really the same gripe that I have with Ryobi. If it breaks and its under warranty, you cant just take it back to Home Depot for a repair or replacement. You have to contact Ryobi and most likely ship it back to them and wait for them to decide if they are going to repair or replace it.
With a Stihl, you can just take it back to a local dealer and most likely get it repaired or replaced right there on the spot.
I actually seriously looked at the Stihl AI line for a string trimmer and leaf blower earlier this year but wasnt a fan of the integrated battery and just didnt want to spend the money for one that had a replaceble battery. If I werent so deeply invested in the Ryobi One+ system, I probably would have went Stihl but as with any of these battery systems, once you get into one, it pays to just stick with it. Had I to do it all over again, I would have went Stihl though.


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## david_ (Aug 22, 2019)

Update.. Bought my dad the brushless ryobi and he's very happy with it. He's considering going electric on his mower now too.

Last week I picked up a Ryobi 40v blower, trimmer, battery and charger off craiglist for $100 and am really impressed myself. They're older models but get my yard done with battery to spare (3ah). They also accept universal attachments (unlike my echo system) which is nice.

They're so cheap I'm on the lookout for another power head so I can have dedicated trimmer, edger, and blower because no maintenance and battery swaps are 2 seconds.

I'll keep my PAS for now, but its days might be numbered. No maintenance, mix gas, or engine noise is really appealing.


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