Is Ryobi's Patio Cleaner Worth Buying? Here's What Reviews Say

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Between spilled drinks during the summer, falling leaves in autumn, and the slow but the endless creep of weeds, algae, and mold, sometimes it only takes a season or two for Mother Nature to turn your perfect patio into an overridden mess. Over time, invasive growth popping up through the cracks and around the edges doesn't just make the surface look unkempt and ugly. It can shift pavers, decay or discolor concrete sealant, and make wood surfaces dangerously slippery. Fortunately, cleaning your patio like a pro isn't that complicated, especially if you keep up with a maintenance routine that includes a quick refresh every few months. With the right tools, like the highly-rated Ryobi ONE+ 18V Patio Cleaner with Wire Brush Edger (available at Home Depot for $119), you're able to skip the uncomfortable crouching and bending required for manual scrubbing and restore your patio in a matter of minutes. With a 4.2 rating (out of 5) from Home Depot customers and a 4.8 rating on Ryobi's website, the tool is proving its value in DIY outdoor cleanups.

Compared to some of the company's more high-tech tools, the Ryobi patio cleaner has a simple design. On one end, two ergonomic handles are connected to a telescoping pole that allows you to adjust the cleaner to a comfortable height. On the bottom end, the base unit has a wheel on one side and a wire wheel on the other, which can be swapped out with a softer nylon edging brush that's sold separately. Like many of the outdoor Ryobi tools that will help whip your lawn into shape, the cordless outdoor patio cleaner is compatible with any of the company's 18V batteries and comes with a three-year warranty. Available at Home Depot, the tool itself retails for $119, or if this is your first foray into the brand's equipment, you could purchase it with a battery and charger for $150. The wire and nylon brush wheel replacements cost $15 and $20, respectively.

Users say the Ryobi patio cleaner makes short work of weeds

Ryobi promises that its cordless patio cleaner is ideal for clearing weeds and grass between bricks, pavers, and cracks in your pavement, but we were more interested in what everyday consumers had to say. According to multiple users, the tool significantly reduces the time to remove weeds, moss, and debris from patio pavers. It also gets extremely high marks for the light design, which weighs under eight pounds. "Absolutely a great product, was able to clean my whole 20 x 20 patio and get all the dirt and moss out," writes one reviewer, adding they appreciate the lack of back-breaking work. Although several people reported a relatively short battery life lasting 20 to 30 minutes, the solid and easy-to-assemble design and overall efficiency make it more than adequate. Ryobi's patio cleaner also gets rave reviews for being powerful enough to dig between pavers while being safe for teenage and elderly users.

Getting rid of weeds in the garden and around the property can feel like a never-ending task, and some reviewers certainly felt this tool didn't make it any easier. Most negative reviews reported that, against substantial overgrowth and deeply entrenched weeds, the wire wheel size and battery life simply didn't provide enough oomph. Others warned that it throws lots of dirt and debris around, making safety glasses imperative during operation. And, a few were frustrated that although the tool is more than capable of disturbing weeds in between pavers, you'll still need to clean up the debris and occasionally remove stragglers by hand after using it. Overall, reviewers still reported that Ryobi's patio cleaner is an invaluable tool when it comes to outdoor maintenance, making it well worth the money.

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