Because it's the cheapest electric pressure washer we tested, we originally had low expectations for our Greenworks GPW1501 review. That being said, we decided to investigate to see whether it was one of the best pressure washers you can buy right now because it had very positive customer reviews on Amazon.
The Greenworks 1500 PSI GPW1501 is a small yet powerful electric pressure washer. With its 13-amp motor, and a PSI of 1500, it is ideal for light-to-medium duty, residential cleaning jobs. It comes with 25 and 40-degree quick-connect nozzles for a variety of surfaces and has a high-pressure hose that can reach as far as 20 feet. Its versatility for both horizontal and vertical use makes it easily portable and user friendly.
After spending some time with the Greenworks GPW1501, we decided none of the usability or cleaning issues are bad enough to deter us from keeping it in the garage to use a few times a year. If you plan to use your pressure washer often, a more expensive option, such as the RYOBI RY14122 or AR Blue Clean AR383, will likely be better in the long run. Read on to find out what we thought of the Greenworks GPW1501.
John Carlsen has been writing for Top Ten Reviews since 2013. He's covered all sorts of devices across the years, including things like home security devices and ceiling fans to fitness aids, HVAC and a number of pressure washer units. John reviewed the Greenworks GPW1501 pressure washer to see how it measured up against the other machines in our buying guide.
Greenworks GPW1501 pressure washer: Features and accessories
13A electric motor
1500 PSI/1.2 GPM
Lightweight design
Easy to use and easy to maintain
35' electric cable with GFCI for safety
Quiet operation
PMWA certified
Compact design for easy storage
20' hose, adjustable wand, low pressure soap dispenser
The accessories the Greenworks GPW1501 comes with are limited to the essentials: a 20-foot pressure hose, a 25-degree spray nozzle and a 40-degree spray nozzle. These nozzles are good for most cleaning. There's also a detergent tank that snaps onto the handle and stores on the back of the machine when not in use.
This pressure washer doesn't have wheels, but it only weighs 19 pounds. As such, it’s easy enough to move around your project site. Without wheels in the way, it's also easy to connect hoses to the machine.
The washer is noted for being a flexible cleaning machine as you can use it both horizontally and vertically. It also has a removable soap tank that allows the user to fill it up with the specific detergent required for each job.
Another handy design feature is the flexibility of using the washer both vertically and horizontally, which is ideal for more stability in those tighter spots. The unit also has convenient accessory storage onboard and is compact enough to neatly store in a tiny shed or small cupboard.
Greenworks GPW1501: Assembly
Assembling the Greenworks GPW1501 is easy, and the instructions aren't complicated. You only need to pull it out of the box and connect the hoses, handle, and wand before it's ready for your first cleaning project.
Although there's a holster to store the wand on the back of the machine, you need to separate the wand into its two halves for it to fit in place. Also, although there's a place to store the hose, there's no corresponding spot to store the power cord on the machine itself. The manual implies you're supposed to store the hose and cord in the same spot, but it's a tight fit.
Equipped with a 30 ft power cord and 20ft pressure hose, both are more than long enough. Cleaning time for a few domestic jobs was under two hours and the unit has the bonus of being quieter than most washers.
The only downside is the machine does not have a water tank, meaning you will have to hook it to a household water supply hose if you want to use it for long periods.
If you have decades of tough grime to remove, this may not be powerful enough. But for its size and adequate power, it has surpassed expectations for lighter domestic tasks.
Greenworks FPW1501 pressure washer: Performance
Our tests showed that this Greenworks machine is powerful enough to wash the mud off a car, and by extension, other outdoor surfaces such as patio furniture and wooden decks. We think it'd be a good option for cleaning grime off cars, trucks, and alloys without the worry of damaging paintwork.
However, when we set it to work on a driveway oil stain, it took longer than other pressure washers we tested to have an effect; only the WORX Hydroshot WG629 performed worse in this test.
The GPW1501 has a maximum pressure of 1,500 PSI, which is a lot of power, though still below average in our test group. If you have decades of tough grime to remove, this may not be powerful enough. But for its size and adequate power, it surpassed expectations for lighter domestic tasks.
Greenworks GPW1501: User experience
This is a loud pressure washer. It measured at 91 dB on a decibel meter during tests, a result shared by the Portland 63254, making both units louder than any others we tested.
Most of the usability problems we encountered are caused by the Greenworks GPW1501’s small size. Unlike most pressure washers we tested, including the RYOBI RY14122, the GPW1501 isn’t designed like a cart with wheels and a long handle.
Greenworks GPW1501: Price and warranty
The Greenworks GPW1501 is the only pressure washer we tested you could buy for under $80 when we tried it, meaning it costs about half as much as the RYOBI RY14122, the top performer we pitted it against. It's also one of the best-value electric pressure washers for one reason: It's sufficiently easy to use and powerful enough for occasional light cleaning projects like washing cars and sidewalks.
Greenworks provides a one-year warranty, which is shorter than average for the pressure washers we tested. However, it’s still longer than the 90-day warranty on the Portland 63254, the next cheapest pressure washer. Since it is so inexpensive, the Greenworks GPW1501 frees up your budget to buy additional accessories.
Greenworks GPW1501: User reviews
On Lowes.com, 86% of customers recommend this product and it comes in high at 85% on the Home Depot. Customers on Amazon have rated it with an overall 4.1 out of 5, and it’s currently ‘Amazon’s Choice’.
The majority of users have rated the washer based on its adequate power, good design and affordability. Users have successfully cleaned decking, patio and driveways, with one customer saying they had removed green mould from siding and patio furniture in a short time.
Many have been impressed by its ability to clean cars and other vehicles, making them look ‘brand new’ again. One user said they had pressure washed a truck that had been sitting under a tree for a year and couldn't believe the results!.
A downside mentioned has been that the washer can lose power after a short period of usage. However, with the warranty provided, this should be easily fixable.
Should you buy the Greenworks GPW1501?
Yes, if you’re looking for big power at a small price. This is a very affordable cleaning machine that provides enough pressure to clean virtually anything around the home. Significantly cheaper than most washers (under $100!), the Greenworks GPW1501 is an excellent choice as a starter washer to tackle smaller cleaning tasks.
Extremely light to carry around and store afterwards, the Greenworks GPW1501 is very convenient to use. Overall, we think the Greenworks GPW1501 is a good budget pressure washer.
