How many watts does an electric pressure washer use — and what can run it?

The representative model is the RYOBI RY141812G, an 1,800 PSI electric pressure washer. RYOBI's product page gives a 13 A motor; the site multiplies by 120 V for 1,560 W. That is the motor's amp rating, not a reading at any particular nozzle or pressure.

What changes the draw

A pressure washer's motor drives a pump, and it works hardest while water is flowing at pressure. Between sprays, with the trigger released, the load drops. The page assumes one hour of use a day, 1,560 Wh, as if the trigger were held the whole time.

Starting draw: not published

An electric motor draws a short burst above its running current every time it starts, and a pressure washer may start many times in a session. RYOBI publishes no starting figure, and the Champion chart has a row only for a 1,500 PSI unit — 1,200–1,500 W running, 2,400–3,000 W starting — not for 1,800 PSI. Rather than borrow that row, the site leaves the starting figure empty, so the fit tables check continuous output only. A station that passes with a peak below the chart's 1,500 PSI range is passing with no margin known for the start (fit rule).

Reading the tables

Runtime assumes the motor runs continuously at 1,560 W. Example: the Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2 record has no maker factor, so the default 0.85 applies: 1,024 Wh × 0.85 ÷ 1,560 W = 0.6 hours.