Our Choices For The Best Ryobi Weed Eater Of 2024

Ryobi Weed Eaters

You know you want a Ryobi weed eater. And why not?

Ryobi is a brand with over 75 years of history in providing quality products to consumers.  Known all over the world for quality performance yard tools at a reasonable price, there’s no reason not to have Ryobi string trimmers on your short list.

You can feel the confidence Ryobi has in their products by looking at the warranty. While even cheap Chinese brands will claim to have a 90-day or 1-year warranty, higher-reputation companies will put their name on the line and provide more comprehensive warranty protection.

Ryobi’s warranty matches their tradition of expertise.  All of their 40V weed eaters (along with their other Lithium-ion battery power tools) are backed by up to a 5 year warranty – just make sure to register your purchase within 30 days to get the extra 2 years of coverage.  This warranty is among the best in the industry.

While most of their products are well-built, some string trimmers are better for certain situations than others. We’ve selected our top picks for Ryobi weed eaters.

Jump To Recommendations
Our selection criteria and expanded reviews are below (click on the product title to jump down). We also know you might be in a hurry to get on with your day. If so, here’s our recommendations for a Ryobi weed wacker by use case:

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Our Picks For The Best Ryobi String Trimmers

Our Top Pick:
best Ryobi Model# 40230 – 40-Volt X Expand-it String Trimmer
Ryobi Model# 40230 – 40-Volt X Expand-it String Trimmer
  • Variable Speed Trigger built in for power control
  • Works with all Ryobi 40V lithium-ion tools and batteries
  • Additional attachments available to extend this trimmer’s capabilities

The Expand It line of power tools is designed to be compatible with each other. This means you can switch from string trimmer, to edger, to other power tool without the need to purchase multiple tools.

Power

One of the most powerful battery powered, cordless string trimmers, this uses a 3.0Ah 40v Lithium ion battery that has the performance of a gas powered weed eater. It’s also interchangeable with other 40v Ryobi batteries so you can build upon your tool collection.  You’ll see many Ryobi 18V models for sale online.  While those have their place, the market has moved to 40V/60V/80V batteries the past few years.

It’s not that 18V batteries won’t work.  It’s just that physics are working against them compared to the power that higher voltage battery-powered motors can deliver.  Unless you are really strapped for cash, do yourself a favor and buy a 40V (or above) powertool.

Ease of Use

Even though it has the power of a gas powered string trimmer, it comes without the hassles of dealing with smelly gas, oils and maintenance. The Ryobi RY40230 is easy to use, maintain and very reliable.   Other than an occasional cleaning, your only maintenance task is to keep your batteries charged and ready for use.  Just make sure you follow our tips for maintaining Lithium Ion batteries, and you should be set for many years of use.

REEL-EASY Automatic Spool Feed

The trimmer head has a 13-15” adjustable cutting diameter for complete control of the job. It swaps to an edger for even more control of your yard. The added REEL-EASY automatic spool feed is yet another feature that makes this trimmer so great.

Ideal for most jobs, you should never have to buy another string trimmer if you decide to buy this one. It gets rave reviews and is one of the more popular models.

[amazon box=”B00DSSHW2K” title=”Don’t Care About The Attachments?”]
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The RY40210 is very similar to the RY40230 which won our Top Pick.  The main difference is the lack of attachments available for the 40210.  If the attachments don’t matter to you, still check out the pricing on the Top Pick.  There are times where it’s priced lower than the 40230.  If that’s the case, it’s a no-brainer to pick up the model with more versatility.

Power and Performance

If you want power and performance without the bells and whistles, this is the weed eater for you. The battery powered RY40210 uses a 40v battery pack that has tons of power for getting almost any tough job complete. It has a life of about 1-2 hours to get the job done without having to stop and recharge (or swap out) the battery.

Auto Feed Spool

The head on this beast has an auto feed spool for constant trimmer line to the trimmer head. Eaters come in either bump or auto feed configuartions.  With a bump model, the user must be alert to when the line has broken off from the spool.  At that point,  a “bump” on the spool lets out more line.

Not with this model, however.  There’s no bumping required!

Straight Shaft

The straight shaft is ideal for reaching under trees and getting to those tough spots.

Versatility

It wouldn’t be a Ryobi if it wasn’t versatile. This trimmer turns into an edger using the foot pedal in seconds. And to top it off, the battery pack works with other 40v Ryobi power tools.  They generally won’t work with 40V tools from other brands and manufacturers.

best Ryobi 18 Inch Corded Electric - Great For Cutting Wide Swathes
Ryobi 18 Inch Corded Electric - Great For Cutting Wide Swathes
  • Powerful 10 Amp Motor For Heavy Duty Work
  • Compatable with most of the Expand-It line of attachments
  • No fueling, no charging – plug it in and go!

The Power of a Corded String Trimmer

This Ryobi weed wacker is a great choice if you aren’t sold on using battery power.  The 10 Amp motor rewards you with plenty of power for handling jobs near the house.  With the right extension cord, you’ll be able to reach upwards of 100 feet.

Attachment Compatibility

Much like out favorite cordless Ryobi-branded choice, this product will work with a variety of attachments.  These include cultivators, a pole saw, and a hedge trimmer among others.  If you are looking for the ability to take on additional tasks around the yard without having to spend quite as much as you would on a new tool, the RY41135 will fit your bill.

Large Cutting Radius

The trimmer head has a 18” cutting diameter for large cut paths.  Many of the battery-operated units only cover 12″ or 14″.  There’s nothing wrong with that for the right person, but if you have a need to crush weeds with the larger width this product will not disappoint.


[amazon box=”B01M4G4YMK” title=”A Great Combo Value: String Trimmer and Leaf Blower”]
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If you don’t already have a quality leaf blower, this combo package might be just what you are looking for.  You’ll need to pay attention to price.  Generally, these bundles are sold by third=parties and the pricing can move quite a bit depending on supply and demand.  You don’t want to be lazy and end up paying more for the combo than if you went ahead and order the tools seperately on your own.

In addition, you need to make sure you know what model numbers come in the package.  Some sellers are better than others at providing that information freely. If it’s not readily available, make sure you ask the seller.  There’s no reason to run into trouble that could have been avoided ahead of time with some communication.

Conclusion

Ryobi is a great brand you can trust when it comes to yard and lawn care. Their line of powerful and robust tools will suit the needs of any job you need to get done. Whether you have a small yard that just needs a simple trimmer, or you want the power and performance of a professional grade weed eater, Ryobi has a model to fit your specific needs.

 

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14 Comments

  1. Maury Cheskes says:

    Those are some fine weed eaters. I like the telescoping shaft on the 18-volt model. Must add a lot of precision to the job. Not sure a battery charged weed eater would be that great for the environment because wherever you dump that battery a lot of toxins will be released into the air.

  2. I guess I am going to need a new one. Mine only last like a few minutes and I just got it. Well these look like great weed eaters and I am going to look around and see what I can find.

  3. Yes, I like that it is battery powered considering it is much faster to use. For me using gas is so messy and smelly.

  4. Ashmita Chatterjee says:

    These are some really cool options. It is good to see that they have options that fit specific needs.

  5. I’ve been waiting for the weather to change so that I could get gardening again! This list of weed-eaters is a great help. The 40 volt battery powered one looks like a good option. Can’t wait to try it out on the my jungle of weeds!

  6. I have been looking for a thorough article that provides comparison between different models. The individual websites were not cutting it for me as I needed some comparisons broken down. This article did that for me and allowed to make a choice in regards to the best fit for me. Thank you for linking the product as well, a real time price point allowed me to price match at the store!

  7. So the search for the right weed eater has begun for me. Searching the internet has brought me a lot of information on various products. Thanks for the information!

  8. I love the options that have been displayed here. I mostly like how they are all battery. I am thankful that there was good pictures to view so I could choose the options that are best for me.

  9. Our campus is quite big and I often see the gardener with his weed eater. I’m inclined to chat him up about his current brand and model. I might get a chance to recommend Ryobi to him.

  10. Daphne April says:

    My husband needs a new trimmer and I am thinking of getting him one from this line. I like the look of #2 but I will need his opinion about the specifications since he’s the one who knows the best match for his needs.

  11. Charlie Ditterline says:

    Do not buy the 24 volt cordless trimmer. It sucks, no I mean it really sucks. Call me stupid but I have two. I thought the first one was a fluke and I thought I would buy another and have two batteries and two chargers. BIG MISTAKE. The problem is it is not self feeding the string as advertised so once your string gets low you have to turn it over and pull the string out yourself. Not fun.

    1. Mike Evans says:

      Thanks for your honest review! You may consider to buy the Black and Decker LST136W 40V Max Lithium String Trimmer instead, I have not received any complaint about this.

  12. I have a Ryobi 40 volt weed eater and it’s great. Only complain I have is it feeds the line too quick. I constantly have to stop and rewind it to save line and not waste. Does anyone have a fix for this?

  13. Linda Combs says:

    Has anybody had a problem with the switch on 40 voltage weed eater? If so, what is the fix?