New Ryobi and Milwaukee Tool Announcements: Electric Riding Mowers, a 12-Ton Crimper, and a High Speed Chain Snake

Introduction

Ryobi and Milwaukee have been on a serious release streak, and this latest batch of announcements covers very different ends of the tool world. On one side, Ryobi expands its 80V battery platform with two electric riding lawn tractors that replace a gas engine entirely with brushless motor and battery technology. On the other, Milwaukee is pushing further into tradesman territory with a 12-ton linear crimper for linemen and an M18 Fuel drain cleaning machine built for residential and commercial drain lines.

Below is a breakdown of what each product offers, what the specs mean in practice, and who each one is actually built for.

How We Picked What to Cover

This is a pure new-release roundup: four tools, four very different jobs. The criteria are simple. Does the design solve a real problem for the intended user? Are the specs competitive at the stated price? And is there anything about the product that genuinely changes how a task gets done, rather than just refreshing an existing design?

The Ryobi mowers stand out for how completely they rethink the riding tractor layout, while the Milwaukee tools focus on speed, efficiency, and ergonomics for professionals. Both approaches are worth understanding before spending money.

Ryobi 80V HP Brushless 46” Riding Lawn Tractor

The larger of the two new Ryobi tractors pairs 80V HP brushless technology with a 46-inch, 10-gauge heavy-duty fabricated steel deck. Ryobi rates it at the power equivalent of a 23 horsepower gas engine, and it ships with three 80V 10Ah batteries. Recharge time is quoted at two and a half hours or less, with up to 2.5 acres of cutting per charge, though real-world runtime will vary with grass conditions.

One of the most interesting design choices is what happens where the gas engine used to be. Because there is no engine, Ryobi uses that space for storage compartments in the front, sides, and rear. Combined with a universal 2-inch front and rear tow hitch rated up to 500 pounds, the tractor is positioned as a genuine backyard utility vehicle for hauling mulch, firewood, or garden supplies without buying a separate trailer.

Cutting quality is handled by the patented multi-blade cross-cut system, which uses six steel blades arranged in three pairs to cut grass clippings finer for better mulching. A 13-point height adjustment covers cutting heights from 1.5 to 4.5 inches, and the quick-release deck comes off in 90 seconds for blade servicing. The fully digital cockpit includes a color backlit LCD screen, USB-C and USB-A charging, Bluetooth connection to the Ryobi riding mower app for charge monitoring, adjustable drive and blade speeds, and a top speed of 7 mph.

At $5,499, this is a substantial investment, and it arrives at Home Depot in Spring 2023 with the 46-inch model plus its bagging and mulching attachments available exclusively through homedepot.com.

Ryobi 80V HP Brushless 42” Riding Lawn Tractor

If your property tops out around one and a half to two acres, the 42-inch version covers the same ground with a smaller cut. It produces the power equivalent of a 21 horsepower gas engine, runs on the same three 80V 10Ah batteries, and delivers up to 2 acres of runtime per charge with the same industry-leading recharge time of two and a half hours or less.

Everything else carries over: the cross-cut multi-blade system, the 10-gauge fabricated steel deck, the front and rear storage, the 500-pound tow rating with a universal 2-inch hitch, the digital LCD screen, the app connectivity, and the same quick-release deck design. The pitch is identical across both models: no engine maintenance, no fuel, no oil, no gas station trips, no fumes, and far less noise, so you can cut early without disturbing neighbors.

At $4,999.99, it undercuts the 46-inch model by $500, which is real money for four inches of deck width. It will be available in select Home Depot stores and on homedepot.com in Spring 2023.

Milwaukee 12-Ton Linear Crimper

Milwaukee’s 12-ton linear crimper takes aim at lineman work, and the inline design is the headline. Because the body sits in line with the press direction, the tool can work horizontally or vertically in tight spaces, distributes weight in a way that makes one-handed use practical, and lets you make a crimp, slide the tool down the line, and make the next one without repositioning. Users report noticeably faster cycle times, quicker jaw closing, and faster performance under load.

The built-in indicator light is the other quality-of-life feature. It confirms a complete press has been made, removing the guesswork about whether a crimp is full or flashed. For a job where every connection has to be right the first time, that certainty is worth a lot.

The kit carries an MSRP around $4,239.99 and was slated for an April 2023 launch. This is squarely a professional tool for linemen and tradespeople who need high output force in a compact linear body.

Milwaukee M18 Fuel High Speed Chain Snake

The M18 Fuel High Speed Chain Snake is Milwaukee’s drain cleaning answer for 1.5 through 4-inch drains, and the company claims best-in-class performance for that range. The machine is built around a drum on wheels with a foot switch for control, chain and guide accessories included, and speed control with on and off settings accessible at the machine.

The standout here is portability. Because it rides on wheels rather than requiring heavy lifting, it is practical for a single technician to move between drain locations on a job site, which matters when you are servicing multiple fixtures in one visit.

At $2,499.99, it launched in May 2023. Like the crimper, this is a specialist tool: if you clean drains for a living, the high-speed performance and portable format are the reasons to look at it. If you are a homeowner with one stubborn drain, it is almost certainly more machine than you need.

Overall Buying Advice

These four tools serve almost entirely different buyers, so the decision tree is straightforward. If you are replacing a gas riding mower and your property is around two acres or less, the 42-inch Ryobi is the value pick at $4,999.99. Step up to the 46-inch at $5,499 only if you need the extra deck width, the 2.5-acre runtime ceiling, or the exclusive bagging and mulching attachments. In both cases, plan around wet or heavy grass cutting into that maximum runtime figure.

For the Milwaukee tools, the math is about trade income. The 12-ton linear crimper and the M18 Fuel High Speed Chain Snake are both priced for professionals, and both make sense only if the work they do is work you do regularly. The crimper rewards anyone pressing fittings in cramped horizontal or vertical runs, and the chain snake rewards drain service techs who value speed and portability.

Conclusion

The common thread across this release wave is efficiency. Ryobi removes the engine entirely and uses the reclaimed space for storage and utility, while Milwaukee tightens up the physical design of its tools so that crimps go faster and drain machines move easier. None of these are impulse purchases, but for the right property size or the right trade, each one earns a spot on the shortlist. Expect both brands to keep the announcements coming.