40V HP Brushless Whisper Series 22″ 2-Stage Cordless Electric Self-Propelled Snow Blower (model RY408150)
More manufacturers are replacing traditional gas-powered tools with cordless options and snowblowers. And Ryobi is fully committed, with a ton of 40V cordless tools. Since the Tool Box Buzz crew has previously reviewed Ryobi cordless snowblowers, we were excited at the opportunity to test out their newest offering; the Ryobi 40V 22-inch Snowblower. This snowblower boasts a 2-stage design and brushless motor. Living in New England gave us ample opportunity to test it out this winter. So keep reading for all the details and final thoughts on Ryobi’s newest snow blower.
Specifications & Features | Ryobi 40V 22-inch Snowblower
Specifications
- Clearing width: 22 in
- Stage Type: 2 stage
- Motor Power: 40 Volts
- Auger diameter: 10 in
- Auger Material: Steel
- Chute material: Plastic
- Run Time (2x *Ah batteries): Avg. 30 min
- Discharge chute turn radius: 180 degrees
- Plowing capacity: 1900lbs/min
- Max throw distance: 45 ft.
- Ideal surfaces: Paved or gravel, even or uneven
- Total Weight: 136 lbs
- Self Propelled: Yes; variable forward and reverse
- Light: Single LED, Auger top-mounted
Features
- Brushless motor, advanced electronics, and lithium batteries to provide more power, runtime, and durability
- Whisper series snow blower is engineered to be 44% quieter than gas snowblowers
- Variable speed, self-propelled drive system
- Variable speed all steel auger for heavy-duty clearing
- Dense & Deep (up to 18 in) snow capable and panel-based, lever-controlled, 180° directional chute
- High-intensity LED headlights allow you to blow snow at dawn or dusk
Overall Power & Performance
The true test of a snowblower is wet snow and luckily (or unluckily) we get plenty of that in Cape Cod where we tested out the Ryobi RY408150 snow blower. We used this to clear 6″-8″ of heavy wet snow and it easily threw the white stuff 35+ feet when needed. This Ryobi 40V 22-inch Snowblower sports a high-torque, brushless motor that self regulates voltage to maintain consistent power throughout the battery run-time. We varied the auger power/speed and the chute top angle to max out around 35-40 ft of max distance. Why does this matter? This allowed us to throw snow across our driveway and/or far enough straight ahead to not double clear the snow. It gives you more options when clearing snow.
Run-time
One of the positive surprises of this snowblower was the run-time. On the above-mentioned snow, we found the included 2x 8 Ah batteries actually allowed us to clear snow for about 35 mins total before running out. This slightly exceeded the stated 30 mins and represents a 17% performance increase over what we expected. More importantly, we had enough run-time to finish clearing our main (gravel) driveway that is approximately 12 ft wide x 30 ft long. This Ryobi 40V 22-inch Snowblower has 4 battery spaces; 2 for active batteries and 2 storage spaces (the 2x 6Ah batteries were ones I already had).
Shear Pin Replacement
Fortunately (at least for review purposes) we did shear a shear bolt while testing out this snowblower. It gave us a chance to test out the shear pin replacement factor and it was not more complicated than required. We appreciated that Ryobi supplied an extra set (4 bolts) or replacement shear pins. And we really appreciated that there was an integrated and easily accessible storage spot between the chute and control panel. We sheared the pin when a few pieces of larger crushed rock got caught between the auger and housing which is not a knock on this snowblower as it comes with the territory of having a crushed rock driveway vs. paved.
LED Light
The placement and brightness of the LED were both effective and appreciated. We did a second clearing just after dusk to specifically test the night operation of the snowblower and it worked great. The LED light is not a full light bar. It is just a centrally mounted LED assembly, but still proved adequate for homeowner/residential use. There is no option to turn off the light.
Control Panel Design & Overall Ergonomics
The overall design of the Ryobi 40V 22-inch Snowblower is pretty standard. It has bottom mounted skid shoes to allow for depth settings on pavements or hard ground surfaces. These are made of heavy-duty plastic as opposed to steel so, while less expensive to replace, have the potential of becoming brittle and breaking in the extreme cold. There is a lever-style control for the chute top angle (controls throw distance) on the top control panel. It was easy to operate with gloves and preferred over a manual adjustment design. There is also a crank-style lever underneath the handle assembly used to adjust the chute throwing direction. This was preferred to other crank handle-style chute controls we’ve tested on other snowblowers.
While the auger and self-propelled drive levers are a standard, handle integrated design, we did run into issues with them during use. In particular, we had to clean out frozen/packed snow accumulation approximately 10 mins into our first run on 6″ heavy snow. The snow build up prevented the plastic handle from fully depressing the activation switch on the bottom of the control assembly, pictured below, preventing the auger from engaging. This was an easy fix but unnecessarily frustrating issue.
We appreciated the self-propelled power but found the lower end speed setting to still be slightly faster than desired. Of note, with a plastic body composition and total weight of 136 lbs, there was a learning curve on gravel surfaces to keeping the auger intake from getting stuck and the tires from spinning. The all-steel auger and intake housing design meant that the high wear components (minus the skid shoes) are rugged and able to clear packed snow and intermittent ice chunks as expected.
Snowblower Safety Features
This Ryobi 40V 22-inch Snowblower has the standard style cleaning tool integrated into the tool body housing. This is a standard yet essential feature as every year there are multiple instances of snow blower operators losing fingers from cleaning out clogged chutes using their hands. It stayed securely in place and was easy to remove and store again.
One of the major benefits of switching to a cordless snowblower is the decrease in noise and fumes. The Ryobi RY408150 snowblower exemplifies these traits. We used it without hearing protection as the only real source of noise is the auger churning through snow. And even then, we were able to have a conversation without yelling. The lack of fumes and post-use ear ringing are real benefits and fall into the long-term safety category.
Final Thoughts | Ryobi 40V 22-inch Snowblower
The Ryobi 40V 22-inch Snowblower (model RY408150) is a mid-sized yet powerful option with basic features and overall solid performance. It is ideally designed for small-mid sized paved driveways and sidewalks. It provides straightforward adjustability with a solidly performing motor. The run-time with the provided 8Ah batteries was on par with the manufacturers advertised performance and sufficient for most of the snow blowing we used it for. At $1200, which is an average-range price, we’d like to see a more robust design in the lever-based auger and self-propelled controls though. The decreased noise and fumes are huge benefits to a cordless snowblower. If you regularly snow blow, and already have Ryobi 40V tools, then this is a no brainer.
Ben Fecteau
Benjamin is a former project manager, CNC-designer, and AWS-certified welder with experience running a commercial and industrial steel design and fabrication company. Before making the jump to commercial construction, he spent years renovating houses and building furniture where he became skilled in the art of home wiring, flooring, siding, and custom tool modifications. Benjamin has a Masters Degree in Education and is passionate about sharing his love of design with his sons and through community-based outreach. He resides in Cape Cod, Massachusetts and enjoys spending time with his family, in his workshop, and serving as an Air Force Officer.
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