In this RYOBI 1700 PSI Electric Pressure Washer review, we'll explain exactly why we think it's one of the best pressure washers around.
We decided to test the RYOBI 1700 PSI Electric Pressure Washer and see whether it lived up to its overwhelmingly positive customer reviews on the RYOBI and Home Depot websites. Through our own tests and experiences, we found that this particular electric pressure washer excelled in several areas, particularly in terms of ease of use and cleaning performance. Whilst you'll pay a little more for the privilege of using it, we think the RYOBI 1700 PSI Electric Pressure Washer is worth its high price tag; here's why.
If you're after more gardening tools to clean up your yard, check out our guides to the best electric weed eaters, best lawn edgers and best hedge trimmers.
John Carlsen has been producing articles here at Top Ten Reviews for nearly a decade. Since 2013, he's covered everything from home security devices and ceiling fans to fitness aids, HVAC and a number of pressure washer units, and he reviewed the RYOBI RY14122 pressure washer to see how it measured up against the other units found in our buying guide.
RYOBI 1700 PSI Electric Pressure Washer: Design
The RYOBI 1700 PSI Electric Pressure Washer’s handle isn’t just for moving the machine around – it also provides a place to hang the 25-foot hose, which is useful for storage and as you work. The 35-foot power cord wraps on hooks on the back of the unit, but we found it can be difficult to fit the whole cord on if you don't wrap it just right.
The RYOBI 1700 PSI Electric Pressure Washer has a top-mounted 1-gallon tank for detergent. On top of the tank, there are storage slots for up to three nozzles, which we found helpful for keeping them organized during our tests.
The machine is also sturdier than the others we tested, and it has excellent wheels, which made it easy to move around our test area. Because it’s the second-heaviest power washer we tested, weighing 34 pounds, the wheels make all the difference.
Finally, even though it's a small detail, we liked the on-off switch’s convenient placement on the front of the machine.
RYOBI 1700 PSI Electric Pressure Washer: Assembly and accessories
The RYOBI RY14122 snaps together, only requiring a screwdriver for assembly, and it comes with three quick-connect nozzles.
The turbo nozzle uses a rotating 0-degree stream of water to clean hard surfaces such as concrete and brick. However, since this stream is highly concentrated, you should take extra care when using it to avoid hurting yourself or others.
Like the turbo nozzle, you can use the 15-degree nozzle on concrete, but it's also useful for cleaning most other surfaces if you take care to stand a few feet away from your target area.
Finally, the soap nozzle can be used on any surface and is the only one with low enough pressure to use with detergent. In our tests, we found the RYOBI-brand soap nozzle worked better than those that came with other units.
It seems RYOBI doesn't sell other quick-connect nozzles, so you need to buy third-party nozzles if you want other types. However, RYOBI does sell specialized attachments such as water brooms, surface cleaners, and foam blasters.
RYOBI 1700 PSI Electric Pressure Washer: Performance
In our cleaning tests, the RYOBI 1700 PSI Electric Pressure Washer powered through dried mud on a car and a driveway oil stain without issues. We gave it the top score in our cleaning test, and only the Craftsman CM1800 matched it.
This was surprising because the RYOBI 1700 PSI Electric Pressure Washer’s maximum pressure is 1,700 PSI, making it the third-least powerful model we reviewed in regard to manufacturer specifications. Similarly, the unit's 1.2 GPM flow rate is average among the models we reviewed.
RYOBI 1700 PSI Electric Pressure Washer: Ease of use
The RYOBI 1700 PSI Electric Pressure Washer was easier to use than any other machine during the testing process. This is in part because you don't need special add-ons to use the soap nozzle—you just swap the nozzles on the wand.
One thing we would note is that the turbo nozzle can damage concrete if it’s held too close to the surface. To prevent damage, the instruction manual suggests starting 1 to 2 feet away from the surface and moving closer if necessary.
Unlike some other electric pressure washers we tested, the RYOBI's hose connector didn't give us any trouble when we connected pressure and water hoses.
Using a decibel meter, we measured how much noise the RYOBI 1700 PSI Electric Pressure Washer makes. At 88 dB, it’s the third-loudest power washer we tested, so as with every other pressure washer we reviewed, you should use appropriate hearing protection while it runs
RYOBI 1700 PSI Electric Pressure Washer: Price and warranty
Pricing is honestly the RYOBI 1700 PSI Electric Pressure Washer's biggest problem area, and that isn't saying much. At $150, it was somewhat more expensive than comparable units; for example, you could pick up the Greenworks GPW1501 for under $80 at the time we reviewed both pressure washers.
The higher-priced RYOBI unit does come with a long three-year warranty, which is matched by only one other pressure washer we tested, the WORX Hydroshot WG629. On the whole, we'd say the higher price comes out feeling like a minor shortcoming.
