A home pressure washer can be one of the best power tools in your garage or shed.
The range of uses and the convenience of cleaning off any number of items with the power of water is something that almost every homeowner can appreciate.
With the right pressure washer, you can keep all your outdoor equipment, sidewalks, decks, siding, etc. clean without having to scrub with a brush.
Among the most convenient pressure washers for home use is the Ryobi Pressure Washer 1700 PSI.
With this lightweight, portable pressure washer you will be able to do any number of projects with ease. With our review of this electric pressure washer, we will cover all the information you need to decide if this is the right power tool for you.
What Are the Features of the Ryobi 1700 PSI Pressure Washer?
The Ryobi 1700-PSI 1.2-GPM electric pressure washer is a light-duty pressure washer with a powerful motor. This means that for pressure washers (including gasoline powered models) it is not as powerful as other, but as an electric pressure washer, it can really get the job done.
Electrical Components
This unit features a 13 amp brush motor to drive an aluminum water pump to create the pressure. This type of motor is highly reliable and fairly energy efficient. The electric motor should not require any special oiling general maintenance, so it is easy to maintain.
A nice feature offered by Ryobi on this model is a cord management system built into the body of the pressure washer on the back. The electrical cord can be wound and locked into place directly on the body. When you are ready to use the machine, the cord system can be released from the brackets much like the winding mechanism on a vacuum cleaner.
Many pressure washers require you to simple hand-wind the cord and set it on top of the body of the washer. This added feature by Ryobi is a great convenience that makes the unit highly portable and easy for storage.
The cord that comes with the washer is 35 feet (10.67 m) long, which should be plenty for most people to use the unit around the home. The double insulation design of the cord means that the plug has only two prongs instead of three. This makes it easier to find a standard 120-volt outlet to plug in the pressure washer without sacrificing any safety.
The plug is equipped with a GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) which protects the unit against any ground faults that might surge to the washer’s motor and damage it. This is another nice safety feature included by Ryobi to keep both you and the unit protected.
Water Power
The motor will drive the pump to deliver 1,700 PSI (pounds per square inch) of pressure with 1.2 gallons per minute of water flow. This should be powerful enough to clean dirt off sidewalks, decks, patio furniture, siding, etc. But it will not be so powerful that it will strip paint or do other high-pressure jobs.
Nozzle Features
This model comes with three different nozzles which allow you to customize how you use the pressure washer. First is the high-pressure Turbo Nozzle. This is best used only on concrete, masonry, and brick.
This will clean this application well and with little effort from you. It is not advised that you use the Turbo Nozzle on homes, decks, automobiles, or other outdoor equipment.
You run the risk of damaging these things because of the highly abrasive nature of power coming through the nozzle.
The second nozzle that comes with this unit is a 15° Nozzle. This widens the angle of spray and makes it somewhat less abrasive so it will not damage more sensitive application.
With some care, you can use this nozzle to wash house siding and gutters, decks and patios, and even outdoor equipment like boats and RVs. You should use some caution with this application though as you do not want to chip any paint or otherwise damage your property.
Finally, Ryobi supplies a Soap Nozzle with this pressure washer. The soap nozzle has two great uses. First, you can use it to automatically mix soap with your water in order to do some hands-free cleaning of any application.
If you can clean something with a garden hose, you can clean it with this nozzle without worrying about damaging anything.Second, you can use this nozzle as a low-pressure option for rinsing any number of applications after you have washed them.
This is a great way to gently rinse away any soap or dirt from even sensitive objects. Using the Soap Nozzle is a great way to take many minutes and much effort off of washing your automobiles or other outdoor equipment.
Other Features
The pressure washer comes with a 25 foot, flexible, high-pressure water hose.
This hose is of high quality so that it will not become pinched or twisted easily. The length makes it easy to maneuver a large area without having to reposition the pressure washer itself.
Combine that with the long outdoor extension cord, and you should have more than enough length for almost any home application.The hose can be wound and stored with the convenient strap located on the handle. This makes it super easy to keep the hose and the hose with the pressure washer at all times.
It also makes it easier to transport the washer wherever you need it.
The pressure washer is housed in a heavy-duty roll cage frame that has 7-inch wheels and a handle. This makes it easy for even someone with little strength to tilt and more the pressure washer into position or away for storage.
In order to use the soap nozzle feature, the pressure washer comes with a soap tank in which you can load washing soap to mix with water.
The tank is 1 gallon in size so it should easily hold enough soap to do even large jobs. This can be a convenient way to wash any number of applications including siding and automobiles.
What Kind of Maintenance Is Required on the Ryobi Pressure Washer 1700 PSI?
One of the great advantages of an electric pressure washer over a gasoline pressure washer is that there is very little maintenance needed whatsoever.
The pump comes fully lubricated with a high-grade oil that Ryobi has designed to last the life of the unit; so, no oil changes!The only maintenance that you will need to do with this unit is to make sure it is clean from all debris and dirt. You can simply wipe the unit down from time to time, to make sure it is clean.
This low maintenance requirement makes this model highly desirable for light-duty use.
Does the Ryobi 1700 Pressure Washer Require Any Assembly?
There is some slight assembly required when you receive the Ryobi 1700 pressure washer, but not much. The only tool you will need is a standard screwdriver which is not included.
To assemble the pressure washer you simply need to attach the wheels to body and the handle to the frame. From there it is as simple as hooking up the hoses and plugging in the unit.
A simple garden hose is all that is needed to connect water to the unit.It should take no more than 15 – 20 minutes to get the unit assembled and ready to use.
Are There Any Downsides to the 1700 PSI Pressure Washer?
There are no real design flaws when it comes to this model. Ryobi has made a solid pressure washer.
Some users might find having to pull the cord around a bit inconvenient, but this will be inherent in any electric pressure washer. These kinds of pressure washers are also not as powerful as gasoline powered models. This is not really a downside as it is not intended to be as powerful as those models.
However, if you need something that is going to strip the paint off a house, you should look for a model with a higher PSI.
Other than that, there are no real downsides to this model.
What Is the Warranty?
If you are using the pressure washer for your own personal, household use, Ryobi offers a 3-year limited liability warranty.
You may want to check out some more Ryobi tools, we have reviews of Ryobi cordless weed eaters here. They offer a great range of products at a very fair price.
This means that they guarantee the pressure washer to be free of all parts defects or manufacturer errors during this time period. They will not warranty the unit against user error or damage.
If you should happen to need your pressure washer repaired, Ryobi may require you to take the unit to an authorized dealer for service. If you should have to ship the unit for repair, this will not be covered by Ryobi.
The warranty is also non-transferable. So, it will become void should you sell or give the unit away.
Verdict
With its relatively lightweight body and sturdy frame, this pressure washer is highly portable and powerful enough for almost any application for common household use.
The pressure is high enough to clean up your deck, patio furniture, or almost anything else around the typical home.
For the price, you are not likely to find a model that is as reliable as the Ryobi name. For what it delivers, most people will find this an extremely useful power tool to have around even if it’s just for washing your cars. The hands-free cleaning applications make it easier than ever to shine up your automobile, boat, or RV.
With its on-board cord management system, it will store easily in any garage or work shed so that you can take it out whenever you need it.
Last update on 2024-04-04 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
