Ryobi Pressure Washer Lawsuit Claims Manufacturer More Concerned With Profits Than Risk of Explosions

Lawsuit was filed less than one week after the CPSC announced a pressure washer recall, impacting products manufactured by Ryobi.

A California man has brought a class action lawsuit against the manufacturer of Ryobi pressure washers, claiming the company ignored complaints about its products exploding and injuring users for years.

The complaint (PDF) was filed by Ken Angelini in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California on September 2, naming TTI Outdoor Power Equipment Inc. as the defendant. TTI is the manufacturer of Ryobi electric pressure washers.

The lawsuit comes less than a week after the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced a Ryobi electric pressure washer recall on August 28, indicating that there have been at least 41 reports involving pressure cookers exploding, including at least 32 injuries and another 100 incidents where the devices overheating.

As a result of the problems, TTI recalled approximately 763,000 Ryobi brushless electric pressure washers. However, Angelini contends that the manufacturer was aware of issues with these pressure washers for years, yet prioritized profits over safety by ignoring complaints about pressure washer explosions and injuries.

In his complaint, Angelini indicates he purchased a Ryobi RY142300 electric pressure washer from Home Depot in the summer of 2023. However, in May 2025, the washer exploded during use, knocking him down and injuring his finger.

Although Angelini says that he contacted the manufacturer about the incident, the Ryobi class action lawsuit claims the company refused to help him. 

The lawsuit blames a faulty capacitor that can overheat and explode, launching parts with enough force to injure users’ hands, eyes and faces. Consumers have repeatedly described the units as “blowing up.”

“There were no warnings about the defect on the product box, on Home Depot’s product webpage, or anywhere else. The defect was material to Plaintiff. If Defendant had disclosed the defect on the product packaging or somewhere else, Plaintiff would not have purchased the product, would not have purchased the product on the same terms, or would have promptly returned it when he noticed the disclosure.”

— Ken Angelini v. TTI Outdoor Power Equipment Inc.

According to the complaint, TTI had received consumer complaints for years, many of which were forwarded by the CPSC. Reports from 2023 through 2025 described pressure washers blowing up, injuring fingers and hands, setting off car alarms and leaving burnt or charred components.

Angelini also criticizes the August 2025 Ryobi pressure washer recall as “half-hearted,” arguing it offered only a repair kit instead of full refunds. He contrasts it with other major recalls that prioritize safety by removing defective products from circulation, and claims TTI chose to protect profits over consumers.

Angelini raises allegations of breach of implied warranty and unjust enrichment, as well as violations of California’s Unfair Competition Law, California’s Consumer Legal Remedies Act, and the Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act.

The lawsuit seeks certification as a class action, with multi-state warranty and consumer protection subclasses, as well as a California subclass, in addition to actual, compensatory, statutory and punitive damages.

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