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DEWALT DCMWSP255Y2 20V MAX Self-Propelled Cordless Mower (substituted for Ryobi 40V HP Brushless 21-Inch Mower): What to Know
We're not recommending the Ryobi 40V HP Brushless 21-Inch Mower originally on our shortlist for this guide. In February 2025, TTI Outdoor Power Equipment (Ryobi's manufacturer) and the CPSC recalled roughly 217,500 RYOBI 40V HP Brushless 21-inch self-propelled and push mowers in the U.S. (plus about 28,400 more in Canada) after a push-on connector inside the powerhead was found to overheat, causing 97 reported overheating incidents, five fires, and two minor burn injuries. The recalled models — RY401014, RY401140US, RY401150US, RY401020, RY401200, and several related SKUs — are the same 40V HP Brushless self-propelled/push mower line the original candidate referred to, so rather than recommend that product line right after a fire recall, we substituted a different brand entirely.
In its place: the DEWALT DCMWSP255Y2, a 2x20V MAX (effectively 40V) rear-wheel-drive self-propelled mower with a 21.5-inch steel deck. It ships with two FLEXVOLT 12Ah batteries and a charger, and DEWALT rates it for up to roughly 70 minutes of runtime, which is enough for a meaningfully larger yard than most single-battery cordless mowers before you need to swap packs. The brushless motor uses auto-sensing torque, meaning it ramps up blade speed automatically when it detects thicker grass rather than running at one fixed RPM regardless of load.
We checked this specific model number against DEWALT's own 2024 recall of certain battery-powered walk-behind mowers (a laceration hazard from water intrusion into the handle support, affecting date codes from mid-2023 through March 2024) and confirmed the DCMWSP255Y2 is a different model number from every SKU named in that recall (DCMWP234U2, DCMWP600X2, DCMWSP256U2, and DCMWSP650Y2). If you already own a DCMWSP255Y2 manufactured in that window, it's still worth checking DEWALT's recall page directly, since recall coverage can be updated.
Key Listed Features
21.5-inch steel deck, rear-wheel-drive self-propelled
2x20V MAX FLEXVOLT 12Ah batteries and charger included
Auto-sensing brushless motor adjusts blade RPM to grass thickness
3-in-1 mulch, rear-bag, or side-discharge with 6 height settings (1.5"-4")
