Ryobi Battery-Powered Rear Tine Tiller Packs Serious Power
More and more gas-powered equipment is effectively converting to battery power and it’s been fun for us to witness the evolution. We’ve had our hands on several tillers, but the Ryobi 40V HP Brushless battery-powered rear tine tiller is on a whole different level. We took it out to the ranch to see if it can keep up with our gas models.
Ryobi Battery-Powered Rear Tine Tiller Performance
Powerplant
Ryobi needed a strong foundation to make this strong of a tiller and it’s no surprise to find an impressive powerplant. There are two muscular brushless motors powered by a pair of 40V batteries.
The battery compartment has room for four batteries. While they are all active ports, you do need to switch the key around when your first set depletes.
Any Ryobi 40V batteries work, but there are a couple of things to keep in mind. First, this is a strong machine, so we highly recommend using 6.0Ah or higher batteries. Also, make sure each set matches and starts with a full charge. If you pair a 6.0Ah battery with a 2.0Ah, you’re only going to run until the smaller pack is done.
Tilling
There are four tines working to help you clear an 18-inch path up to 10 inches deep. They counter-rotate, so they do a better job of breaking up hard or untilled ground better.
We decided to go big or go home, so we started with a patch of overgrown, untilled pasture to see what we could accomplish. We started by using a brush cutter to get the grass and stalky growth back down to just a few inches tall.
When we engaged the tines, they immediately started digging in and ripping through the grass roots under the surface. After one pass, the soil was exposed, but not yet plantable. A second pass finished the job. Considering what we started with and what we expect from a gas tiller, we were very pleased with Ryobi’s performance.
Ryobi Battery-Powered Rear Tine Tiller Design Notes
Controls
Ryobi designed this as a self-propelled system. Considering it weighs 165 pounds, that’s a very good thing! The controls are pretty simple. Press the power button to activate the tiller, set the drive speed you want on the flipper dial, and pull the presence bar to the handle to get going.
There are a couple of interesting features, though. There’s a transport mode button that lets you drive without engaging the tines. It’s a soft acceleration, so you won’t jump out of the gate. However, the top speed is impressive and we found a speed in the middle was just fine.
Tires
Ryobi gave its battery-powered rear tine tiller a pair of beefy 14-inch pneumatic tires. The tread is tractor-style aggressive and helps keep you going, though they can slip in soft soil when you’re tilling deep.
Sand Ballast
On the front of the machine, there’s a removable plastic tub. While you might be tempted to use it to hold your cell phone, it’s actually a sand ballast for when you need some extra weight to help keep the front down.
Additional Highlights
- Adjustable side shields
- Adjustable 9-position depth stake
- Handle folds vertically to reduce storage footprint
- Front bull bar
- Compatible with all Ryobi 40V batteries
Ryobi Battery-Powered Rear Tine Tiller Price
You can grab the tiller for $1399 as a kit that includes four 6.0Ah batteries and a dual port rapid charger. Some Home Depot stores have them in stock, or you can order online and have it shipped to your home for free.
Ryobi backs the tiller with a 5-year warranty.
The Bottom Line
Whether you’re looking to kick gas to the curb by choice or by regulation, the Ryobi 40V HP Brushless battery-powered rear tine tiller is an excellent option with strong performance. While small battery-powered tillers are still reasonable for small sections of pre-tilled ground, Ryobi gives you a legitimate way to till larger sections for property owners and small farms.
Check out more Ryobi outdoor power equipment here!
Specifications
- Model: Ryobi RY40720VNM
- Power Source: 2 x Ryobi 40V battery (4 available ports)
- Tilling Capacity: 18 inches wide and up to 10 inches deep
- Tines: 4 counter-rotating
- Weight: 165 pounds
- Warranty: 5 years
