The Stihl DIRT BOSS® RB 400 is a gas-powered pressure washer offering a maximum water pressure of 2700 PSI and flow of 2.7 GPM. (Read full specs)
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Description
Zoom on the Stihl RB 400
The Stihl RB 400 is a medium duty pressure washer, that provides its users with an all-around versatile cleaning experience, and enables:
- spot cleaning of hard, unpainted surfaces or high reach areas
- intense cleaning of tough, paintless surfaces
- cleaning of painted and fragile surfaces
- application of detergent and cleaning solutions
Its power characteristics and design, its main features and all its additional features are presented ahead.
Power
The Stihl RB 400
Powered by a 196 cc (6.5 hp) engine, its axial pump can deliver a pressure of 2700 PSI (around 45 times more than a standard garden hose) and a flow of up to 2.7 GPM (values claimed by the manufacturer). Combined, these values mean that the Stihl RB 400 has a cleaning power of 7290 Cleaning Units.
This gas-powered pressure washer’s Kohler SH265 engine is started by a traditional pull-start mechanism.
The fuel is stored in a tank, which can hold up to 0.95 gallon of gasoline.
Design & Handling
The Stihl RB 400 is very mobile, due to its hand truck design and approximate dimensions of D28.5 x W27.5 x H39.5 in. The robust steel tubing frame guarantees longevity of the assembly. The folding handle enhances its mobility, while allowing for a convenient storage.
This model weighs 90 lbs. For this reason, it cannot be called lightweight and thus, carrying and transporting it might be somewhat challenging. Its 196 cc Kohler SH265 engine and steel tubing frame add up to a large chunk of the device's weight. However, the unit is manipulated smoothly thanks to its two pneumatic wheels, which play a key role in its maneuvrability.
Main Features
The Stihl RB 400
The Stihl RB 400 comes with a spray gun, a wand, a pressure hose, 5 nozzles and a detergent injection feature, which are detailed below.
- Soap injection: Detergent is fed in through a siphon hose, since the device lacks a soap tank. However, since the Stihl RB 400 does not feature a soap dilution mechanism, you'll have to make sure your detergent is correctly diluted before use. If a soap nozzle is attached, the device will proceed to add the detergent to the water automatically.
- Pressure hose: The included 25 ft high-pressure hose can be neatly stored on the unit when idle thanks to a set of convenient hooks.
- Spray gun and wand: The included classic ergonomic spray gun and its wand can be easily stored in a side hook.
- Nozzles: The 5 nozzles included with the device, and the respective surfaces which they’re the most suitable for, are shown in the following table.
0° | 15° | 25° | 40° | Soap |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Concrete, brick, masonry | Use with caution | Suitable | Suitable | Suitable | Suitable |
| Siding, gutters, house | Not recommended | Use with caution | Use with caution | Suitable | Suitable |
| Fencing, deck, patio | Not recommended | Use with caution | Use with caution | Suitable | Suitable |
| Lawn equipment, boat, RV | Not recommended | Use with caution | Use with caution | Use with caution | Suitable |
Note: The shape of the nozzles above is for illustration purposes only and may differ.
Red cross: Not recommended. Green check: Suitable. Orange check: Use with caution.
Other Features
The Stihl RB 400
- Onboard storage: With the Stihl RB 400's handy storage area, you’ll always have all the necessary nozzles and accessories at hand and thus, you’ll be fully prepared for any job.
- Safety: Safety of operation is enhanced by a trigger lock mechanism (which prevents accidental operation), a low oil protection and a thermal relief valve (which helps to prevent internal pump damage).
- Accessories: Included with the Stihl RB 400 are also the owner's manual (opens in a new tab) and some basic documentation to get you promptly started, along with several accessories, such as wand, pressure hose, spray gun, oil and soap hose.
Product Videos
The Stihl RB 400's performance versus other pressure washers
The following charts are provided to give you an idea of how the key specs of the Stihl RB 400 compare to similarly priced pressure washers.
- The Stihl RB 400 and its 2700 PSI, ranks amongst gas-powered pressure washers with a comparably low pressure output, considering the units that cost between $600 and $700. As for the device with the most powerful water stream, in this price range, one of the top products is the Lifan LFQ4515E-Elite with 4500 PSI.
- In its respective price range, the water flow of this washer, 2.7 GPM (gallons per minute), ranks as average. In case you are looking for a device which can most efficiently rinse away debris in the current price range, the Lifan LFQ4515E-Elite has the highest GPM of 4.
- The RB 400 has 7290 Cleaning Units (PSI x GPM), which can be considered low in comparison to other gas-powered devices of this price. When it comes to the highest overall cleaning power in the current price range, one of the products at the very top currently is the Lifan LFQ4515E-Elite and its 18000 Cleaning Units.
Here's a list of the most popular specific comparisons:
Price comparison
As you can see from this interactive chart, when compared to other gas-powered washers between 7000 and 7500 Cleaning Units, the Stihl RB 400 is on the expensive side of the price range.
While certainly not the cheapest of its cleaning power range, purchasing it could most likely also mean enjoying the reliability of a high-end product.
The bottom line
- Good range of nozzles included
- Onboard storage
- Several security features
- Decent GPM for the price
- On the expensive side
- No soap tank
- No detergent dilution mechanism
- Low PSI for the price
- Low CU for the price
Features and Specifications
| Fuel | Gas-Powered |
|---|---|
| Handling | Hand Truck |
| Water | Cold (125°F max.) |
| PSI | 2700 |
| GPM | 2.7 |
| Cleaning Units | 7290 |
| Engine | 196 cc 6.5 HP Kohler SH265 4-stroke OHV |
| Pump | Axial |
| Frame | Steel tubing |
|---|---|
| Soap injection | Via siphon hose |
| Soap dilution | No |
| Nozzles | 0°, 15°, 25°, 40°, Soap |
| Quick connect nozzles | Yes |
| Onboard storage | Yes |
| Hose | 25 ft |
| Hose storage | Hooks |
| Dimensions (D x W x H) | Approx. 28.5 x 27.5 x 39.5 in |
|---|---|
| Weight | 90 lbs |
| Wheels | 2 wheels, pneumatic |
| Included accessories | Oil, wand, spray gun, high pressure hose, soap hose, 5 nozzles |
| Security | Low oil, trigger lock and thermal relief valve |
| Emissions | Unknown |
| Warranty | 2 years |
Unlike many websites, we did our best to research each of the specs above. That being said, we are not immune to making the occasional mistake or omission. Should you notice any missing or incorrect values, don't hesitate to suggest improvements so we can address the issue.
About Stihl
Since revolutionizing the forestry industry in 1926 with the invention of the first two-person electric chainsaw, STIHL has become one of the top-selling brands of outdoor power equipment in the US and around the world. Their ever-growing product line includes gas-powered, corded-electric and battery products. Made in the USA and in China by over 2,000 dedicated employees at their state-of-the-art, dedicated, manufacturing facilities in Virginia Beach, VA, and in Qingdao, STIHL products are sold by local, authorized dealers in over 80 countries.
Warranty Information
The Stihl RB 400 is covered under a warranty for up to 2 years. This warranty may be limited and may not cover all parts of the unit.
For more information about the warranty of Stihl pressure washers, please consult Stihl's warranty policies (opens in a new tab). Alternatively, you can also contact their Customer Support: 1-800-467-8445.
Very poorly designed, You can not just pull back on the handle to move the unit you must place you foot on the frame to get it to tilt back. Very difficult to get the pressure hose off the pump as well as the wand. 25 feet of hose is not very good it is too short, requiring a lot of moving when washing the house. Kohler is a good engine but you can not shot off the gas supply to run the carburetor dry, considering the relatively high price for its capacity you would hope it would be more user friendly.