Ryobi Snow Blowers, Model by Model

1. The Ryobi Snow Lineup at a Glance

Ryobi sells snow tools on two separate battery systems, and that split decides more about your purchase than any single specification. The 18V ONE+ system is the one most homeowners already own, because it powers the drills, impact drivers and trimmers Ryobi sells by the million. The 40V system is Ryobi's outdoor platform, built for mowers, blowers and chainsaws that need more power than an 18V pack can deliver. The two batteries are not interchangeable, so a ONE+ owner who buys a 40V snow blower is buying into a second platform.

On the 40V side, Ryobi lists a 21-inch single-stage snow blower and a 24-inch two-stage, self-propelled machine in its HP Brushless line, along with 12-inch power shovels. On the 18V side, Ryobi sells a 10-inch snow shovel and nothing larger. There is no 18V snow blower in the usual sense, and the physics explain why: moving a driveway of wet snow takes more sustained power than one 18V pack can supply for long.

Model numbers and kit configurations shift from season to season, and Ryobi's own pages, Home Depot listings and review sites do not always agree on which battery ships in which box. Where the sources conflict, we say so below and describe the machine by its class instead. Always check the exact model number and the battery count on the listing before you buy, because the same snow blower can be sold bare, with two packs or with four.

Read that table from the top down and stop at the first row that covers your worst storm, not your average one. A tool that handles a typical three-inch snowfall but stalls on the plow pile at the end of the driveway will leave you with a hand shovel on the one morning you most need help. If you are torn between battery and gas entirely, our electric vs gas snow blower comparison walks through that decision first.

2. 18V ONE+ vs 40V: Why the Platform Comes First

Ryobi's 18V ONE+ batteries hold roughly 18 volts times their amp-hour rating in energy, so a 4Ah pack stores about 72 watt-hours. A 40V 6Ah pack stores about 240 watt-hours, more than three times as much, and delivers it at a higher voltage that lets a motor draw more power without overheating the cells. That is the whole reason the snow blowers live on 40V. Throwing snow is continuous heavy work, and a small pack drains quickly under that kind of load.

Ryobi's own product copy for the 18V 10-inch shovel lists a runtime of up to about 20 minutes on a 4Ah battery. That is enough for steps, a stoop and a short front walk, and it is not enough for a driveway. If you own only ONE+ batteries, the shovel is a sensible add-on for the small jobs a snow blower handles awkwardly. It is not a substitute for one, and buying two or three extra 18V packs to stretch it further usually costs more than the job is worth.

If you already own 40V gear, the calculation flips. A 40V mower or leaf blower owner probably has at least one or two 5Ah or 6Ah packs, and the 21-inch single-stage can be bought as a bare tool for considerably less than a kit. That is the case where Ryobi is outstanding value, and it is exactly the case our best electric snow blower rankings call out when they name the Ryobi 21-inch the best choice for Ryobi owners.

If you own neither, treat the platform as a long-term decision. The 40V system covers most yard tools, and our Ryobi 18V vs 40V guide explains where each platform is strong. If your yard tools are already on another brand's battery, compare that brand's snow blower before buying into Ryobi; our guides to EGO, Toro and Greenworks snow blowers cover the main alternatives.

3. The 40V 21-Inch Single-Stage: The One Most Driveways Need

Ryobi's product page for its 40V 21-inch brushless snow blower lists a 21-inch clearing width, a 13-inch clearing depth and a throw of up to 35 feet. It uses a steel auger, a chute that rotates through 180 degrees, 8-inch wheels and push-button start. The listing puts the weight at 48.5 pounds and, in the kit version, includes two 40V 5Ah batteries and a charger. Ryobi lists a five-year limited tool warranty and a three-year battery warranty.

Those numbers describe a light-duty machine in the best sense. At under 50 pounds it is easy to push, easy to lift onto a deck or up a step, and easy to hang on a wall in summer. The 21-inch path is wide enough that a typical two-car driveway takes a reasonable number of passes. Like every single-stage blower, the auger touches the pavement and pulls the machine forward slightly as it bites, which helps on flat paved surfaces and makes it unsuitable for gravel, where it will throw stones.

The 13-inch figure is the height of the intake opening, not a promise that it will clear 13 inches of heavy snow in one pass. Single-stage machines of every brand handle light and medium snow well and slow down in wet, dense snow, where the auger has to both cut and throw. In those conditions you clear it in narrower bites and walk more slowly. The roundup we already publish notes that the Ryobi gives up torque to the higher-voltage EGO and Greenworks machines in heavy wet snow, which is the trade you accept at 40V.

The machine also struggles where all single-stage blowers do: the compacted, icy ridge a municipal plow leaves across the end of the driveway. That pile can be heavier and denser than anything that falls from the sky. Owners commonly report breaking it down in layers or shoveling the worst of it by hand. If your street gets a large plow berm every storm, weigh the two-stage seriously.

Some listings and review sites attach different model numbers and battery sizes to what appears to be the same 21-inch machine, including kits with two 7.5Ah packs. Rather than guess, confirm the model number and included batteries on the listing in front of you. Larger packs extend runtime, they do not change clearing ability, and they cost real money if you are buying the kit rather than the bare tool.

4. The 40V 24-Inch Two-Stage: When It Is Worth the Money

The two-stage machine sits in a different class. Ryobi lists its 40V HP brushless 24-inch two-stage snow blower with a 24-inch clearing width, a 21-inch intake depth and a throw of up to 55 feet through a metal chute that rotates through 180 degrees. It uses dual brushless motors, variable-speed self-propelled drive, push-button electric start, a headlight and heated grips. Ryobi claims it delivers more power than a 252cc gas snow blower, which is a manufacturer comparison rather than an independent measurement.

A two-stage design separates the jobs. A slow auger gathers snow and feeds it to a fast impeller that throws it, so the machine can chew through deep, wet snow and plow berms that stop a single-stage cold. The auger does not touch the ground, so it can be set up to work on gravel. Self-propulsion matters too, because a machine this size is heavy, and you want the wheels doing the work on a long driveway or an incline.

Battery configuration is where the sources disagree. Ryobi's current kit listing and Ryobi Canada's page show four 40V 6Ah batteries and quote up to 45 minutes of runtime, while a 2021 launch review lists four 4Ah packs. Prices quoted across launch coverage, Ryobi's own kit page and later reviews range from roughly $1,300 to about $1,800. Treat the current listing as authoritative and expect a premium price either way.

That price is the honest objection. A comparable gas two-stage costs less up front, and you can buy a lot of gasoline for the difference. The case for the Ryobi is everything gas makes you do: no fuel stabilizer, no carburetor cleaning, no oil changes and no pull cord on a cold morning. Our snow blower winter prep guide shows how much of that autumn routine simply disappears on a battery machine. If you would pay to never do that again and you already run 40V tools, the two-stage is the one Ryobi to buy for big driveways.

If you would not, and you have a large driveway with heavy snow, a gas two-stage remains the better value. Our main best snow blower guide ranks both gas and battery two-stage machines side by side so you can compare like for like.

5. The Power Shovels: 18V ONE+ and 40V

A power shovel is a small single-stage auger on a stick, and Ryobi sells them on both platforms. The 18V ONE+ 10-inch snow shovel is listed with a 10-inch clearing width and a 6-inch clearing depth. The original model is rated to throw up to 20 feet, and Ryobi's US site lists a newer version with a 25-foot throw, a chute that adjusts left and right through 60 degrees and an adjustable shaft. Ryobi lists the original at 12.3 pounds; Home Depot Canada lists about 13 pounds assembled.

On 40V, Ryobi lists an HP brushless 12-inch snow shovel that clears 12 inches wide and 6 inches deep, throws up to 25 feet according to review coverage, and weighs 17 pounds. It has a two-speed switch and works with Ryobi's Expand-It attachment system through a coupler, so the motor head can be reused. Ryobi has also sold a wheeled 40V 12-inch shovel, and at least one of these 40V shovels shows as discontinued on a Ryobi page, so check what is currently in stock.

All of these shovels share the limits of the category. They are excellent for steps, decks, patios and narrow walks, where a full-size blower is clumsy or too heavy to lift. They are slow on a driveway, because a 10- or 12-inch path means many passes, and they bog in anything deeper than about six inches. They work best used during a storm, clearing a few inches at a time, rather than after a foot has piled up.

For a ONE+ owner, the 18V shovel is the obvious buy for small areas. For a 40V owner who already has the 21-inch blower, the 40V shovel is a useful second tool for the deck and front steps. If you are choosing a cordless shovel on its own merits, our best cordless snow shovel guide compares Ryobi against the other battery brands.

6. Batteries, Cold and Runtime

Every lithium-ion battery delivers less in the cold, and snow work is cold by definition. The practical advice is simple: store the batteries indoors, carry them out at room temperature, and bring them back inside to charge. A pack that spent the night in a freezing garage starts the job with less usable capacity and may refuse to charge until it warms. Ryobi's chargers and battery manuals describe temperature limits for charging, so check the manual for yours.

Runtime figures are best read as best cases. Ryobi quotes up to 45 minutes for the two-stage on four 6Ah packs and up to about 20 minutes for the 18V shovel on a 4Ah pack. Real runtime falls with heavy, wet snow, deep snow and low temperatures, because the motor works harder and the cells deliver less. Plan around your worst storm: if one charge does not clear the driveway in heavy snow, you either need more packs or you clear in two sessions.

Spare batteries are the hidden cost of any cordless snow blower. A 40V 6Ah pack is not cheap, and the two-stage needs four of them. That is why the bare-tool argument matters so much. A household that already owns enough 40V packs for its mower and blower pays for the machine and nothing else. A household starting from zero pays for the machine and a full set of batteries, which narrows or erases the gap to a gas machine.

Battery care is the same as for the rest of the platform. Do not leave packs on the charger all summer, store them partly charged somewhere cool and dry, and expect their capacity to fade over several seasons. Our guide to how long Ryobi batteries last covers the details, and the Ryobi tools review explains how the platform holds up across tools.

7. Which Ryobi to Buy, by Driveway

Steps, a deck and a short front walk, with only 18V ONE+ batteries: buy the 18V 10-inch shovel as a bare tool and use the packs you already own. It clears small areas faster than a hand shovel and saves your back on the stairs. Do not ask it to clear a driveway.

A paved one- or two-car driveway with typical snowfall, and 40V batteries already in the garage: buy the 21-inch single-stage as a bare tool. This is the strongest case for Ryobi in the whole lineup. You get a light, capable machine for the price of the tool alone, and it matches what most suburban driveways actually need.

A long driveway, gravel, heavy lake-effect snow or a big plow berm every storm: the 24-inch two-stage is the Ryobi built for it, and it is worth considering if you already run 40V tools and want to leave gas behind for good. If cost matters more than convenience, compare it against a gas two-stage before deciding. And if you own batteries from another brand, look at that brand's snow blower first, because the battery savings are what make any cordless snow tool a good deal.

Whatever you choose, read the listing carefully. Ryobi sells the same machine bare, in two-battery kits and in four-battery kits, and model numbers change between seasons and between retailers. The tool that fits your driveway is only a good buy if the battery count fits your garage. For the wider field, our best electric snow blowers guide ranks Ryobi against every major battery brand.