Stihl RCA 20 cordless pressure washer: Versatile steam cleaner from the gardening pro put to the test

Few people think of bike cleaners when they hear the name Stihl. Rather, most people will inevitably think of loudly screeching chainsaws and wildly flying wood shavings. However, the Hessian company with the distinctive orange logo now has all kinds of useful garden tools in its range. A new addition is the battery-powered RCA 20 pressure washer, which is available in a practical set with two batteries and all kinds of useful accessories.

Stihl RCA 20 cordless pressure cleaner - Features

Stihl supplies 2 batteries, charger, gun and a nozzle with 4 spraying functions for the price of 229 euros >> e.g. available here. If you already have compatible batteries from Stihl, you will have to pay a little less, namely only 169 euros >> e.g. available here.

The practical transport bag also contains a lance for extension, a hose for the water connection and a folding canister with a volume of 20 litres. You can either fill it at home and take it with you on your trip, or fill it up with water from streams or lakes - a filter attachment then prevents small particles from getting into the hose.

Clever handling

Overall, assembly takes a little longer with Stihl than with the Bosch Fontus 18V-6which we also tested. However, once all the parts have been assembled, the cordless pressure washer is very practical. The water canister is easy to fill and just as easy to transport to the place of use - even if the thin-walled tank does not hold its shape when carried.

Thanks to the long, flexible hose, you can move quite freely around the bike and easily reach all areas. Another great feature is the option to connect the gun directly to the garden hose, provided it is fitted with a Gardena coupling.

With the integrated cleaner tank, a thick film of foam can be applied to the frame - good for particularly muddy mountain bikes or gravel bikes. For spraying down, you can either use just the gun and attachment (somewhat more compact) or an additional extension lance. A total of four spray modes are available, but only a maximum of two of these make sense on the bike.

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The pistol itself sits comfortably in the hand. The two available pressure levels can be conveniently selected on the back and the trigger is nice and smooth. The battery indicator also works reliably.

During prolonged use, however, the gun is comparatively heavy in the hand - as if you were doing your weight training while washing your bike. This is due to the fact that the motor and battery are completely integrated into the gun and not, as with devices such as the Aqua2Go Evo or Muc-Off Pressure Washer are accommodated in a separate housing. This has both advantages and disadvantages.

Stihl cordless pressure cleaner RCA 20 - Info & Conclusion

• Price 229 Euro (including 2 batteries and charger) >> available here, Price solo 169 Euro
• SCOPE OF DELIVERY 2 batteries, charger, foam pot, lance with nozzle, gun, hose, folding water container
• OPERATION Battery / 10.8 V, 2600 mAh
• RUNNING TIME (highest level) 2 x 12:45 min
• TANK / HOSE LENGTH 20 l / 5 m
• PRESSURE / delivery rate 24 bar / 2.4 to 3.9 l/min

Conclusion

The chainsaw professionals supply a universal device that draws water from the garden hose, the 20-litre folding canister or, thanks to the integrated filter, also from lakes and rivers - which is very practical. The long, flexible hose and high-quality workmanship are also pleasing. The foam pot can be used to lather the bike properly, but only two of the four spray modes are suitable for bikes.

Thanks to two batteries, you can easily clean four bikes at once. The heavy gun is criticised. This shows the disadvantage of this system with integrated motor and battery. Everything can be conveniently stowed away in the compact bag for transport. Only 169 euros are due if identical Stihl batteries are already available.

Advantages & disadvantages of the Stihl RCA 20 cordless pressure washer

+ High-quality workmanship; flexible water connection; long battery life; easy to transport

- Gun with motor and battery is heavy in the hand; only two useful spraying modes