Ryobi 1600 PSI Pressure Washer - Ryobi RY141612 1.2 Gpm Electric Pressure Washer

2.  How Often Do I Use This Product ?

I expect to use it quite often as my family likes to invite friends over for a barbecue on weekends.

3.  How Long Can The Product Last ?

Buying a pressure washer can be called “an investment” as it can cost from $100 to more than $1,000. I expect my machine to work well for several years and the manufacturer should have a good warranty program for customers.

Now, let’s understand how I chose the Ryobi 1600 PSI 1.2 GPM electric pressure washer based on my real demands:

Things to consider when choosing a pressure cleaner
 

Via: Amazon.com

1. Type: Gas or Electric?

The gas pressure cleaner is more powerful to work in large dirty areas such as cleaning decks, patios, sidewalks, and exterior siding, etc. but it requires more skill, maintenance, and budget.

An electric pressure cleaner is quieter and costs less but is effective only for lighter jobs such as cleaning patio furniture, grills, and vehicles. This is why I decided to go for an electric washer.

2.  PSI (Pounds per Square Inch) and GPM (Gallons per Minute) capacity

The 2 indicators are important when it comes to choosing the right pressure washer for your house.

PSI means Pounds per Square Inch and is used to indicate the “Pressure” of the machine.

GPM means Gallons per Minute and is known as the “Volume” of the machine.

When you consider buying any pressure cleaner, you need to look at both indicators. The combination of “Pressure” and “Volume” is the best way to know how powerful the cleaner is.

More specifically, you can refer to the information below:

- 2 GPM between 1300PSI and 1900 PSI – Light cleaning duty such as patio furniture, grills, vehicles, as well as small decks and patios.

- 3-4 GPM between 2000 PSI and 2800 PSI – Light to Medium duty such as exterior siding and fences to walkways and driveways.

- 4-5 GPM between 3500 PSI and 4000 PSI – Heavy-duty such as graffiti removal, paint stripping and washing a two-story home.

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3. Portability

How easy it is to wheel around and store the machine must be included in the buying guide of the pressure washer. Cleaning is very tiring and the task will be heavier when carrying a bulky machine. Personally speaking, my favorite machine must be lightweight and compact.

4. Durability and Warranty

What does the manufacturer offer to the customer as its warranty program? This question has to be taken into account when you purchase the pressure cleaner in specific as well as all products in general.

In my opinion, a good warranty program should cover both the engine and the motor.

Based on my demands, the Ryobi 1600 PSI pressure washer’s warranty is good enough for me.

Next, I would like to share my hands-on experience with the best pressure washer (for me!). This is not one of the best Ryobi 1600 PSI pressure washer reviews but I’m sure all information is practical for your purchase:

Ryobi 1600 PSI pressure washer review

First, I would like to provide some information about Ryobi. Ryobi focusing on three main sectors – outdoor products, landscaping machines and cleaning equipment. The Company offers wide choices for customers to pick the right tool or machine for their particular projects.

Their products are well-known for their versatility, safe design, and durability.

One more plus is that we can easily find spare parts for all Ryobi’s products as the Company insists on ensuring the availability.

Now, I will rate this Ryobi 1600PSI Electric Pressure Washer based on 3 criteria:

1. Power

The Ryobi 1600 PSI Pressure Washer uses a 13-amp electric motor that can create around 1600 PSI at 1.2 GPM. Thus, the total cleaning power score of this product is 1920. This pressure washer model is more than enough for cleaning around the house and vehicles.

Here are some most popular questions found on the internet regarding a 1600 PSI pressure cleaner:

》 Is a 1600 pressure washer powerful enough to wash a car or motorbikes?

Definitely yes! A 1600 PSI pressure washer can clean all types of cars and motorbikes but it is not powerful enough for trucks or trailers. In reality, you can use the machine for trucks but it will affect the lifespan of the product.

》 Which type of surfaces that is ideal for a 1600 PSI Pressure Washer to clean?

Most homeowners buy a 1600 PSI Pressure Cleaner to clean their fences and decks around their houses. Besides, it can handle mold, wooden decks, patios and concrete walls.

In a word, you should bear in mind that it is cost-inefficient to purchase a commercial-grade pressure washer for such cleaning tasks as listed above.

2. Cleaning

The Ryobi 1600 PSI Electric Pressure Washer is equipped with three nozzles: 15-degree, soap, and turbo, which allows us to do cleaning on various surfaces. The 15-degree nozzle is applicable for most surfaces while the Turbo is especially effective for stubborn stuff. This model has a detergent tank of ¼ gallon for use.

Tip: Cleaning capacity more or less depends on the quality of detergent you use. The cleaning result is much better when we combine a good pressure washer with good cleaning chemicals.

Apart from good cleaning detergent, you can consider buying one of these four accessories to make your cleaning duty faster and a lot easier:

》 Water broom

This accessory is “magical” for me, since it turns my pressure washer into a surface cleaner no matter what kind of surfaces I am cleaning, such as a deck, driveway, the poolside, etc. The cleaning is much more time-efficient thanks to this accessory.

》 Extension accessory

How can you perform home jobs that are higher than your shoulder height? You may need something to extend the pressure washer’s wand. The 9-foot model and 18-foot model are the two most popular sizes.

》 All-in-one nozzle

This accessory is a great tool to let us switch between applications without having to stop the pressure cleaner. Once this all-in-one nozzle is installed, you can switch between five different types of nozzles just by turning the adjustment collar.

》 Pressure control valve

The name of this accessory shows its utility to help you to adjust the pressure from low to high without having to turn off the machine. Low pressure is used for cleaning windows, vehicles, etc. and high pressure is for concrete, fences, etc. It is applicable for machines between 1600 PSI and 3300 PSI.

3. Customer Service and Warranty

The after-sales service of the Ryobi tools and equipment is rated as exceptional as it is always super active and efficient in supporting customers to fix issues while using Ryobi’s products.

In terms of spare parts replacement, the company establishes the Ryobi Nation social channel where customers can find all relevant information about tools, spare parts they are looking for. This channel is very useful when we are just beginners. Overall, the Ryobi’s online service is good, since customers are their first priority.

If you are a beginner, don’t worry because the Ryobi Company prepares and publishes many videos, buying guides, ideas and much more. These things will make us learn quicker and enjoy the learning experience. My friends also told me that they have learned some new skills and useful knowledge thanks to these videos, guide books and DIY ideas.

The Last thing about the excellent customer service of the Ryobi is its three-year warranty program on the pressure cleaner and a separate two-year warranty on engines and motors. As I found on the Internet, most people feel satisfied with the Ryobi’s warranty support.

Ryobi Power Washer Comparison Chart

Pros

≫ Powerful and durable motor: effective at cleaning and removing stains such as year-old oil stains, cleaning car engines, etc.
≫ Compact design that can fit anywhere in your house.
≫ Easy to assemble with clear instructions.
≫ Durable and good warranty program (three-year warranty).
≫ All accessories and parts are solid and fit well.

Cons

≫ No wheels to move the cleaner around while cleaning.
≫The initial investment is quite high (around $500).
 

Features and specifications

Via: Amazon.com

Features

- 1600 PSI 1.2 GPM and the electric motor of 13A
- Compact, lightweight design
- Onboard accessory storage
- Turbo Nozzle with 50% more cleaning power
- A 3-year limited warranty and 30 days risk-free guarantee
- 3 nozzles: turbo, soap and 15 degrees for cleaning different surfaces

Specifications

RYOBI 1600 PSI PRESSURE WASHER SPECS

How to pressure wash a house

The reason why I want to add this part to my review is because there are some potential risks caused by the pressure washer if we don’t strictly follow the instructions. Strong water pressure can lead to lacerations, bruises, eyes injuries and punctures. Remember to wear googles, long pants and to never wear flip-flops while using your pressure washer.

One more important precaution for our safety is that using nozzles less than 15 degrees are not recommended due to extreme risks of very narrow nozzles according to the website “Consumerreports.org”.

I advise you to never use the zero-nozzle even though it can help you remove stubborn dirt in order to prevent your house from damage and lacerations to yourself and anyone using it.

STEP 1: REMOVE STUFF AND BLOW OFF ALL THE DIRT

Normally, we jump directly into pressure washing and skip this task. However, please keep in mind that the pressure of water is so strong that stuff and dirt can blow back up into your face.

This step is required for your safety.

STEP 2: CHOOSE THE RIGHT CLEANING NOZZLE

If you don’t want to destroy your stuff, you should choose the right nozzle. Each nozzle is made especially for certain types of surfaces!

This experience is based on my bad experience when I first used the pressure cleaner. I nearly ruined the rubber floor mat of my car. I used the most powerful nozzle to clean it with the hope that it would clean my mat better. But no! It almost “eats” the mat surface! You should definitely be careful!

When you the right kind of nozzle to use, first test it in an open area.

STEP 3: START FROM HIGH AND WORK YOUR WAY DOWN

When you wash a vertical surface, remember to start from the top and work your way down to let the water wash the gunk. You should apply detergent first, then pressure clean the surface.

I’m sure that my cleaning tips here will not disappoint you!

➜ You Might Also Enjoy: DIY Tips for Power Washing House Siding

A Final Word

The Ryobi 1600 PSI electric pressure washer has turned boring cleaning tasks into a fun thing for me. Ryobi is a trusted brand that you can consider when you think of buying a pressure washer for home use. There are several things to consider before purchasing a product but I hope my review can help you to quickly know what to buy.