Ryobi ONE+ 18V Cordless Power Cleaner review

The Ryobi ONE+ 18V Cordless Power Cleaner is a cordless power washer for domestic use. We put it to the test to find out if it shifted dirt and also found out what the expert says.

Image shows the Ryobi ONE+ 18V Cordless Power Cleaner.
(Image: © Rachel Tompkins.)

Top Ten Reviews Verdict

The Ryobi ONE+ 18V Cordless Power Cleaner is ideal for light to moderate cleaning on the go. It works with any freshwater supply - from a hose, a bucket of water, a bottle of water for when you’re out and about or even a lake! The battery-life is long and it’s easy to assemble, use and store.

Pros

  • +

    Cordless so can be used anywhere

  • +

    Long battery life

  • +

    Compatible with multiple water supply options

  • +

    Stylish design

Cons

  • -

    Trigger gun heavy to hold for long periods

  • -

    Not as powerful as other pressure washers

  • -

    Device can't stand on its base

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The Ryobi ONE+ 18V Cordless Power Cleaner is an affordable and nifty cordless power washer. If you’re looking for a cordless power washer to tackle dirt when you’re away from an electric supply then this is ideal. Think camping trips, muddy bike rides, and dirty boots! Having this in the boot of your car with a bottle of water and the handy bottle attachment tube will mean that you’ll be able to do on-the-spot cleaning in minutes. 

Ryobi ONE+ 18V Cordless Power Cleaner: Key specs

Type: Electric cordless
Power: 18 V ONE+ battery
Detergent tank: No
Battery life: Approximately 30 minutes (according to the expert it’s 24 minutes to be exact!)
Dimensions (inches): Approximately 14inches by 9inches for the main unit, plus the 70-inch nozzle (which can be easily removed for storage).
Weight: 4.4 lbs
Max. pressure: 22 bar
Attachments: Extension wand, 19.7 feet siphon hose, siphon attachment and tube for use with 2L bottle
Warranty: 2 years

Ingeniously, this comes with three options when it comes to the water supply – a hose attachment to attach a conventional garden hose, a bucket siphon hose option with floater, as well as an attachment for a bottle of water. The fact it’s cordless means that you’re not restricted to staying close to a power supply or getting tripped over by power cables either!

In order to review and test the Ryobi ONE+ 18V Cordless Power Cleaner we unboxed and assembled it before putting it to work on a variety of cleaning tasks, surfaces and levels of dirt. We tried it out on dirty bikes and muddy boots, to sandy beach equipment, and car paintwork, as well as weathered garden patio slabs.

We observed its aesthetics, how easy and enjoyable it was to use, how effective it worked, and how practical it was for storage when it wasn’t in use. We then asked the experts for their thoughts too!

Ryobi ONE+ 18V Cordless Power Cleaner: Design

The bright lime green and black design of the Ryobi ONE+ 18V Cordless Power Cleaner means it won’t be missed and it’ll always be easy to spot when being stored in the garage or shed.  It feels solid, very good quality, and has a softer section where you grip which makes it nice to hold. The design features a clear plastic battery-storage section to keep it dry. The bucket siphon hose comes in a neat mesh drawstring bag which is perfect for easy storage too. 

Annoyingly, when you naturally go to stand it up on its base after or in between use, it won’t balance. It’s not a dealbreaker and must be because of the weight of the nozzle tipping the balance, but it was a bit annoying!

Image shows the Ryobi ONE+ 18V Cordless Power Cleaner.

(Image credit: Rachel Tompkins.)

Ryobi ONE+ 18V Cordless Power Cleaner: Features

The three-in-one nozzle makes it easy to select the different spray options depending on what you need – 15-degree fan spray, turbo, or shower function. The turbo is ideal for tougher cleaning, while the 15-degree works for general cleaning, and the shower function is perfect for rinsing such as removing sand from beach equipment. It also comes with the added extra accessories (not included) of a detergent bottle, brush or squeegee to use on windows. 

There’s also a safety switch on the gun part which prevents you from accidentally firing water when you don’t want to, which proves handy when getting it in and out of the car for example.

Image shows the Ryobi ONE+ 18V Cordless Power Cleaner.

(Image credit: Rachel Tompkins.)

The main standout feature of this power washer is it’s portability, making it ideal for cleaning sandy equipment after days out at the beach, or muddy bikes and shoes as well as camping gear. Not only does it come with an 18V rechargeable battery which easily clicks into place, it also includes a 17.9-feet siphon hose and float, enabling you to use a lake or bucket as a water supply. As well as an attachment and tube to us a 2-litre water bottle for on-the-go use.

Ryobi ONE+ 18V Cordless Power Cleaner: Setup and assembly

Unboxing this cordless power washer was a total dream. The pictorial instructions guided us through assembling it – which was essentially just clicking the battery and wand attachment into place. Some people may prefer the instructions to come with written directions too but they were so simple that it was easy to follow the picture diagrams. 

Image shows the Ryobi ONE+ 18V Cordless Power Cleaner.

(Image credit: Rachel Tompkins.)

If you’re using a hose as your water supply you need to make sure you’ve got one of the click nozzle fittings on the end of your hose but most people already have these. There was no wastage with the packaging either which is always a plus.

You can buy safety glasses at an additional cost if you're considered about debris and water flying while using the washer.

Image shows the Ryobi ONE+ 18V Cordless Power Cleaner.

(Image credit: Rachel Tompkins.)

Ryobi ONE+ 18V Cordless Power Cleaner: Performance

To begin with let’s talk about the cleaning, as that is what it’s designed for! The Ryobi ONE+ 18V Cordless Power Cleaner was brilliant at blasting sand off of buckets and spades after a day at the beach. 

Image shows the Ryobi ONE+ 18V Cordless Power Cleaner.

(Image credit: Rachel Tompkins.)

Likewise, it was ideal for cleaning the car, and the fact that it’s meant to have four times more power than a standard garden hose is evident, making car-cleaning a breeze. Similarly, for cleaning dirty garden furniture we found that it worked effectively. The results were somewhat mixed on more stubborn dried mud on boots and bikes, where we think having the extra brush attachment would have made it easier.

Image shows the Ryobi ONE+ 18V Cordless Power Cleaner.

(Image credit: Rachel Tompkins.)

We also tried all these cleaning jobs with both the hose, the bucket syphon and the water bottle and discovered that performance was not affected by alternating the water source – all worked effectively. Although it’s powerful enough for these types of cleaning jobs, on tougher, more established dirt such as a weathered and stained patio it did not remove the discolouration, moss and staining. So for tougher cleaning jobs such as these you will need a more powerful device.

The noise level was similar to our vacuum so it didn’t feel obtrusive, and the battery lasted so long that we managed to clean the garden furniture, car and use it on multiple days out before it needed charging. The brand claims it lasts approximately 30 minutes before it needs recharging, but it was definitely longer than that!

Image shows the Ryobi ONE+ 18V Cordless Power Cleaner.

(Image credit: Rachel Tompkins.)

Ryobi ONE+ 18V Cordless Power Cleaner: Care and maintenance

The nozzle can be easily removed for storage and the pressure washer is so neat and compact that without the nozzle it’s essentially no bigger than a drill. As such, it’s ideal for storing in a kitchen cupboard or for leaving in the boot of the car for using when you’re out and about. The manual advises keeping the battery pack and charger away from wet and damp surroundings when you’re storing it. 

The washer is really easy to clean with a dry cloth but because it’s a hand-held cordless device we didn’t find it got as dirty as other devices that are standing on the ground.

The warranty lasts 24 months from the date of purchase providing you have proof of purchase, however make sure you bear in mind that the product is designed for consumer and private use only so the warranty won’t cover you if you’re using it for commercial use.

Image shows the Ryobi ONE+ 18V Cordless Power Cleaner.

(Image credit: Rachel Tompkins.)

Ryobi ONE+ 18V Cordless Power Cleaner: Price and availability

  • $89.98 on Amazon

The Ryobi ONE+ 18V Cordless Power Cleaner is available on Amazon.com, Home Depot, and Ryobi's website. It's important to note that the battery and charger are not included in the base price, so make sure your order includes them as they're vital to use the product. 

Ryobi ONE+ 18V Cordless Power Cleaner: User reviews

At the time of writing, the pressure washer had a star rating of 4 stars out of 5 on Amazon, from 362 ratings. Most reviews are positive, but users often note that this washer will not match the performance of a high pressure washer: ‘After reading many negative reviews about this I finally got one and I'm glad I didn't listen to them,I love this thing I just used it to wash my car and to wash my patio and this worked for both jobs better than I expected as long as you know this do not replace a high powered pressure washer you will love this power cleaner and I recommend it.’ 

Ryobi ONE+ 18V Cordless Power Cleaner: What the experts say

We spoke to Martin Stewart, FME Supervisor and National Trainer at Ryobi, who said:

The Ryobi RY18PW22A-140 Power Washer is part of the growing Ryobi ONE+ system which currently has over 200 tools so the included 4.0ah battery is compatible with all other Ryobi ONE+ tools, past, present and future. On a full charge, the included 4.0ah battery will give up to 24 minutes run time which is more than enough time for most general cleaning tasks.

Martin Stewart, Ryobi

"The Ryobi RY18PW22A-140 Power Washer is perfectly suited for cleaning your car, bike, garden furniture, muddy shoes and much more.  Unlike a full sized pressure washer, there is no need to find a power outlet or use extension leads because it is cordless.  This makes it ideal for cleaning mud off your bike or off road vehicle after driving on mucky trails.  Incorporating a 3-in-1 nozzle includes a turbo nozzle for touch cleaning applications, 15degree fan spray for general cleaning, and a shower function for rinsing.  This power washer produces up to 4x more power than a standard garden hose, speeding up general cleaning tasks."

Should you buy the Ryobi ONE+ 18V Cordless Power Cleaner?

If you’re looking for affordable cordless portable cleaning on-the-go then you should absolutely buy this product. Easy to assemble and use, it’s a perfect choice for cleaning on days out as well as a range of cleaning jobs around the garden. It’s size ideal for storing in the kitchen, utility room or boot of the car too meaning it can be on-hand whenever you need it. 

It’s important to make sure you don’t mistake it with more heavy-duty pressure washers though, as we found that whilst it was ideal for cleaning cars, garden furniture, bikes and boots, it won’t transform your patio slabs if they’re stained and covered in moss! For that you’ll need something more powerful.  

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