Stihl has quite a following in the OPE world, and for good reason. Their products tend to be well designed, lightweight, and perform extremely well. While you'll read the results further down the article, we're optimistic about the Stihl RMA 460 battery-powered walk-behind lawn mower. Stihl developed this home mower for use with the brand's Lightning battery system, making it the first mower on that specific battery platform.
what does steele have to say about it
“This mower is ideal for homeowners with small to medium residential yards. Users don’t have to worry about gas or fuel mixing. Combined with zero exhaust emissions, the RMA 460 offers a more An environmentally friendly lawn care solution."
Steele Corporation product manager Brian Manke.
STIHL RMA 460 Key Features
The Stihl RMA 460 has a brushless motor and works with Stihl AK 20 and AK 30 batteries. It has a 19" cutting board that breaks down into actual 18.1" cutting strips. Stihl claims its AK 20 battery can run for 29 minutes. Breaks down to approximately 2,475 square feet. On Ak 30 batteries, the Stihl RMA 460 is said to handle 44 minutes of runtime per charge, which equates to about 3,440 square feet. Our actual test run times varied widely, but not all were negative (see below).
Plus, when the RMA 460 senses resistance, it automatically adjusts to peak power. When mowing on lighter grass, the mower automatically reduces power consumption to preserve battery life.
Stihl bills the RMA 460 as a highly efficient, mobile mower for homeowners. It has 10-inch rear wheels and 8-inch front wheels for easy mobility over rough terrain. Users can adjust the cutting height to one of seven positions, ranging from 1-3/8" to 3 -3/4". The Stihl RMA 460 comes with a 15.85 gallon grass bag and the mower can bag, mulch or unload grass from the side.
Using a STIHL Walk-behind Lawn Mower
Our proving grounds are 3 acres of Florida Bahia grass. Bahia is known for its excellent tolerance to drought and heat, so it grows in Florida's high temperatures. Between sandy conditions and tough blades of grass, the Bahia provided an excellent setting for our testing.
To help ensure that our tests were performed on level ground, we first cut Bahia grass using our Exmark Radius X-Series Zero Turn. Our Zero Turn mows at 5 inches and is designed to set the Stihl RMA 460 to a 3 inch deck height.
Battery and Runtime
For our testing we used the Stihl AK30 which is a 4.8Ah battery with an output of 187Wh. AK series batteries include an easy-to-read 4-bar charge status. Stihl claims a test run of 44 minutes using this battery. The AK30 battery in the Stihl RMA 460 lasted a total of 16 minutes and 17 seconds (16:17) in our tests.
We did install mulch plugs, so the mower is picking up all the clippings. We're pretty confident using a side discharge will extend run time, but most homeowners will use the overlay option.
16 minutes and 17 seconds mowed just under 1/10 of an acre, or 3,800 square feet to be exact. That's 360 square feet more than Stihl's figure. wait! Our run times are much less than Stihl claims; however, we mow more acres in less time. I guess we are faster walkers!
ecological model
Run your Stihl cordless lawnmower in ECO mode for longer run time and energy savings. Under the hood is a simple rocker switch that turns ECO mode "on" or "off." When "on", it can sense heavy or light loads, so the brushless motor receives more or less power as needed. In light grass, it throttles back to conserve battery power.
In the tests we ran, we didn't really notice it throttling, but our grass was consistent, thick and high.
Two battery slots – double the runtime?
Lift the small acrylic cover on the Stihl RMA 460 push mower to access the battery compartment. We were initially happy to see two battery slots. Wow, that's awesome, and users can buy two batteries and double the runtime if they choose. not so fast. Yes, there are two slots, but one is just a dummy. It's just a placeholder for an extra battery. If the first battery dies, the user must physically swap the two batteries to continue using it.
We'd like to see two live battery slots with some sort of automatic switching.
push and handle
It's very easy to push the Stihl RMA 460, so it does a good job around any obstacles you might come across. The big 10-inch rear wheels and 8-inch fronts have a lot to do with that. Setting the deck height is done with just one lever, and adjustments are easy. Pull the two spring pins to fold the handle down for storage.
We did notice a small issue between the deck height adjustment handle and the fold handle pin. If the deck height is in one of the middle positions, the pin will collide with the deck height adjustment handle. Also, the handle is in the #2 slot and it holds down the wire harness. Not only will this fray the wiring, but it will also prevent the handle from fully engaging into the #2 slot.
STIHL RMA 460 Final Thoughts
We stated at the beginning of this article that our expectations are optimistic. In the end, this is still true. The Stihl RMA 460 Walk-Behind Mower is an impressive little battery-operated walk-behind mower. It's super easy to maneuver and powerful enough for typical yard growing. In the runtime department, the Steele suffers in the same area as most battery-operated lawn mowers. A full AK30 battery will only cut about 1/10 of an acre, 1/8 of an acre if you really stretch it.
This runtime issue has gotten some bad press, and frankly, it's just an easy target. However, the more we think and talk about this, the less it becomes a problem. Stihl isn't touting the RMA 460 as a commercial mower. They didn't even say they were cutting 1/2 acre. This is for the homeowner, and in the right homeowner's hands, this is a great lawn mower. This is perfect for someone who lives downtown with a small yard and may not have a shed or garage. Stihl allows them to store the mower upright without worrying about fluid leaks.
If you're a commercial lawn care professional looking to buy the latest Stihl products for professional use…this isn't that tool. Are you a hipster or millennial living in Austin, San Francisco or Hyde Park (Tampa) with a small yard? You, my friend, should go to your local Stihl dealership because the RMA 460 is in your wheelhouse. Not only is runtime not an issue for you, but you can also discuss with your friends how you can save the world with greener energy.
STIHL RMA 460 Specifications
- Weight without batteries: 57 lbs.
- Weight with AK 30: 60.2 lbs
- Mowing area with AK 20: Approx. 2,475 sq. ft.
- Mowing area with AK 30: Approx. 3,440 sq. ft.
- Cutting Height: 1-3/8″ – 3-3/4″
- Grass Catcher Capacity: 15.85 Gallons.
- Cutting Width: 18.1″
- Run time with AK 20: 29 minutes
- Run time with AK 30: 44 minutes
- Dimensions: 54.7″ x 20.5″ x 33.5″
- MSRP: $299.95
- With AK 20 battery and charger: $429.95
- With AK 30 battery and charger: $449.95