Ryobi's Patio Sweeper Looks Too Good To Be True, So We Turned To The Reviews

Ryobi is well-known for affordable power tools and also offers a range of equipment for lawn projects and yard work. It recently added a patio sweeper to its outdoor collection, and though the device has generally been well received, there are a few comments on TikTok from people who are concerned that it will damage their patio pavers. As soon as we saw the discussions, we knew it was something that needed further investigation.

To get some real-world feedback, we first looked at reviews on Ryobi's website. We have no reason to believe these aren't honest, verified purchasers, but we wanted another source for cross-checking. Ryobi has an exclusive deal with The Home Depot for online sales, so we also took into account what their customers had to say.

Before we delve into how the tool works and look at user comments, we need to clarify one thing. Ryobi didn't introduce one patio cleaning tool; they introduced two. The first is the 18V One+ Outdoor Patio Cleaner, and the second is the 18V One+ Outdoor Patio Cleaner — Wire Brush Kit. With such similar names, it's no wonder people get confused!

Let's look at the standard Ryobi Outdoor Patio Cleaner first. According to Ryobi, it is designed to clean tile patios and decking. It is cordless, height adjustable, and comes fitted with a 4-inch wide universal brush. A wood scrubbing brush and a scouring brush are available as extras. Ryobi doesn't say what these brushes are made of, but based on appearance, it's a fair bet they are nylon or plastic — just the kind of thing to get rid of mold and mildew and clean your patio like a pro.

Most reviewers are positive. One customer on Ryobi's site summed up what a number of people thought: "Not perfect but better than manual or power washer." He added, "This tool is good for getting the layers off, but you'll still need a crevice tool." Apparently, it does a good job of removing dirt and grime without risking damage or marking pavers.

Over at The Home Depot, however, another customer wasn't so happy. "The head on this spins the wrong way; instead of sweeping the dirt in front of it, it sweeps the dirt onto your feet." It's a complaint we've seen from other reviewers. As it rotates, the brush should push dirt and water away from the user like a manual brushing action does. Interestingly, it seems some of the brand's tools are faulty and work only in reverse.

Ryobi's second patio sweeper is another cordless model that uses the same battery and has the same height adjustment as the other model. The difference with this version is at the brush end. Instead of being designed for surface cleaning, it is intended to remove dirt and weeds between pavers using a rotating wire brush.

This brush has caused concern, and while it might do an adequate job of cleaning joints, it could potentially damage the surrounding concrete and stone surfaces. The preferred way to clean patio pavers without a pressure washer is to use a stiff, non-wire brush. In fact, Ryobi does offer a nylon alternative, and its website says, "Gentle bristles ensure surfaces will not be scratched or damaged."

Customer reviews at Ryobi are almost nonexistent for the wire brush patio cleaner, so once again, we turned to The Home Depot. One reviewer shared, "It works quite well, easily handling dirt, small plants, moss that grows between flagstone pavers." Others like the innovative and comparatively lightweight design.

An individual among those who disagreed echoed the thoughts of several other reviewers who thought it a little underpowered: "It really didn't do much but push the weeds back and forth." Interestingly, though, of the thirty-two one- and two-star reviews we checked, only one complained of any surface damage, and that was to old brick pavers, not concrete or stone.