The best electric joint cleaners, compared.
Top pick: Ecobuild HB-GW1110 Best value: Einhell GC-CC 18 Li Solo – About £47.36 with both brushes and 3,333 reviews. Best value only if you already own a Power X-Change pack. The battery and charger are not in the box. Updated 22.10.2026.
An electric joint cleaner is a long-handled rotary brush for weeds, moss and dirt in patio and driveway joints. In the UK it is also sold as a patio cleaner. You buy one so you can work upright. You judge a suitable tool by the brush, the power source and a spare wheel. Wire or steel suits concrete, brick and robust block. Nylon suits sandstone, limestone and sealed faces. A corded tool runs from a lead of about 10 m and needs an outdoor RCD. An 18 V tool suits a patio the cable would cross, and only when you already own that battery. Narrow joints are where a wide wheel rides on top, and the brush throws sand you sweep back. UK mains are 230 V with a BS 1363 plug. Use an RCD of not more than 30 mA outdoors, and keep a mains tool off dew and rain. Wheel choice by surface is in the [wire or nylon joint brushes](/hub/garden-supplies/electric-joint-cleaner/sub/electric-joint-cleaner-wire-vs-nylon) guide.
An electric joint cleaner is a long-handled rotary brush for weeds, moss and dirt in patio and driveway joints. In the UK it is also sold as a patio cleaner. You buy one so you can work upright.
22 products checked · 64 hrs invested · +24,100 readers
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
What can you power it from?
The Ecobuild HB-GW1110 is listed as a corded 450 W brush at £59.99 with a claimed 10 m cable, a shaft from 83 to 114 cm, and two wire wheels plus two nylon wheels at 110 mm. On paper that is the fullest box in this set, and the star line is 4.7. Only four reviews sit behind that line, and the review notes hold one UK text that says it is easy and does what the listing says. That is not enough to judge wear, the switch, or a whole drive. The bullets say 2.68 kg while the technical line says 10.4 kg, so you cannot quote one weight. Date first available is 1 April 2026, which fits a thin sample. Treat the four brushes and the 1,500 rpm claim as listing text until more UK reviews exist.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A corded try if you want spare wheels in the box and can accept a very small review sample.
Less suitable: Anyone who wants a tool judged on hundreds of UK reviews before they buy.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the Ecobuild listing include a battery?
No. The power-source field is mains, and the bullets claim a 10 m cable.
How many brushes are claimed?
The bullets claim two wire brushes and two nylon brushes, each 110 mm, with a click change.
Which weight should you use?
The bullets say 2.68 kg. The technical line says 10.4 kg. Both figures are on the listing, and they are not reconciled.
The Ryobi RY18PCA-0 is an 18 V ONE+ bare tool at £83.95 with a wire wheel only, listed at 1,350 rpm and 2.9 kg. Reviewers use it to clear weeds and thick moss in paving and blockwork cracks, including a four-car block drive, which is a different job from washing the slab face. The amazon.co.uk line is 4.3 from 1,787 reviews. Battery and charger are excluded, and reviewers report about 20 to 30 minutes on the packs they used, even though the listing claims over an hour with a 4.0 Ah pack that is not in the box. The wire brush marked brick paving, so buyers who wanted a gentler wheel bought one later and called it short-lived at about £15 to £18. It throws debris back at your feet and legs, and once a battery is fitted it is described as top-heavy. One reviewer says poor pointing came out with the weed.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Concrete and block cracks when you already own ONE+ batteries and accept a wire wheel.
Less suitable: Sandstone or soft brick, a first buy with no battery, and anyone who needs nylon in the box.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the Ryobi price include a battery?
No. The title says battery and charger are excluded. A runtime of over an hour is claimed with a 4.0 Ah ONE+ pack that is not in the box.
Is a nylon brush included?
No. The included-components line is a wire brush only. Reviewers who wanted a gentler wheel bought one later.
What speed does the listing give?
1,350 rpm for the wire wheel. The item weight is 2.9 kg. A working-height range in centimetres is not given.
The Ark Mat LW-1 is a corded 400 W brush at £55.95, and reviewers use it standing up to clear moss and small weeds from block-paving joints. The box lists a 10 m lead, a shaft that adjusts from 94 to 122 cm, and one 110 mm nylon wheel plus one 110 mm metal wheel. Across 621 amazon.co.uk reviews the line is 4.3. It is the top pick here because you can run it from a socket without buying a battery, and both wheel types are listed in the box. A double drive used two wire wheels, and one reviewer wore a wire brush down after about six hours on a large brick drive, so replacements are a real running cost. Mats of grass and long weeds still need a first pass by hand, and the brush is too thick for some slab gaps. The power switch is described as temperamental, which in the review notes is a worry rather than a logged failure.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Block paving and concrete joints when you want a corded brush and both wheel types in the box.
Less suitable: Narrow slab gaps, deep-rooted grass, and decking, which the listing does not answer.
Specifications
Common questions
Is the Ark Mat a cordless tool?
No. It is a mains brush with a claimed 10 m lead and a listed 400 W motor. There is no battery in the box.
Can you change the brush without tools?
The listing says the 110 mm brush clicks in without tools. It supplies one nylon wheel and one metal wheel.
What does the listing say about assembly?
The assembly field says yes. Reviewers describe a short build with a cross-head screwdriver.
At £47.36 the Einhell GC-CC 18 Li Solo is the bare 18 V Power X-Change brush, and buyers who already own a pack use it upright on moss, algae and small weeds in block and slab joints. The included-components line lists one nylon brush and one steel brush, with a claimed 10 cm cutting width and 1,200 rpm, at a listed 2.04 kg. The amazon.co.uk line is 4.1 from 3,333 reviews, the largest sample in this set. It is the best value here when you already own a Power X-Change pack, because the shelf price is the brush rather than a battery you would pay for twice. Battery and charger are not in the box, so this price is not a running price if you are starting from nothing. Wire wheels wear quickly, and other brands' wheels are said not to fit. The brush is called too wide for narrow block joints, larger weeds and grass are only partly cleared, and the two-point switch has no lock, so the motor stops if your thumb eases off.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Households that already own an Einhell 18 V pack and want moss and small weeds out of paving joints.
Less suitable: A first cordless buy with no battery, narrow block joints, and established grass or dandelions.
Specifications
Common questions
Does this Einhell listing include a battery?
No. The title and the Power X-Change bullet say it is supplied without a battery or charger. The price is the bare tool.
Which brushes are in the box?
The included-components line lists one nylon brush and one steel brush. The listing cutting width is 10 cm.
Does the listing say it needs assembly?
The assembly field says no. Several reviews still describe fitting the handle, guard or brush.
This Einhell kit is £75.95 and puts an 18 V battery and charger in the box with the paving brush, so the shelf price is closer to a first-day cost than the solo listing. Reviewers say it is faster than hand weeding on flags and block paving, and some of them finished a patio on one charge. The amazon.co.uk line is 4.0 from 2,187 reviews. On a large block drive one buyer needed three charges, and another recharged about every 30 minutes, so a multi-car drive is not a one-pack afternoon. Brushes wear quickly and only Einhell wheels are said to fit. The bullets claim nylon and steel, but one reviewer found only the steel brush and ordered the nylon wheel. The two-point switch needs constant pressure, one reviewer reported a numb thumb after about 60 minutes, and one unit kept cutting out.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A first Einhell paving brush when you do not already own a Power X-Change pack.
Less suitable: An eight-car drive on one charge, and buyers who need a stated rpm, which this listing does not give.
Specifications
Common questions
Does this Einhell kit include a battery?
Yes. The title and the included-components line list a battery and a charger. One reviewer still expected two batteries and found one.
What brushes does the listing claim?
The bullets claim one nylon brush and one steel brush. One reviewer says only the steel brush was in their box.
Is a speed listed for this kit?
No. This listing has no rpm line. The weight on the listing is 2.4 kg.
The Kärcher WRE 18-55 is a bare 18 V nylon weed remover at £128.99, the highest price here, with a listed maximum of 2,800 rpm and a swivel head. Kärcher UK states a 180 mm nylon head, about 15 m² and about 15 minutes on a 2.5 Ah pack. UK reviewers say it clears moss and surface weeds from blockwork while the bristles are still intact. The amazon.co.uk line is 3.8 from 1,104 reviews. Of the first 50 texts in the notes, seven are written as United Kingdom reviews, so the UK picture is thinner than the star count suggests. Nylon fingers wear very quickly, sometimes in one session on a yard the reviewer did not call huge, and the locking cap can stick so a new strip will not go on. One UK review got about 25 minutes from the smaller 2.5 Ah pack, which is not in the box. The tool is described as badly balanced and pulling to the left, and after about 20 minutes one unit cut out and would not restart for about 30 seconds.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Soft stone and surface moss if you already own a Kärcher 18 V battery and will budget for bristle strips.
Less suitable: A first patio brush, stubborn roots, and anyone who wants a wire wheel in the box.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the Kärcher listing include a battery?
No. The title and the box-contents bullet say the battery is sold separately. The amazon.co.uk price is for the bare unit.
Is there a wire brush?
No. The listing is a nylon bristle head. There is no steel wheel in the included parts.
How do you change the bristles?
The bullet says the brush strap comes off with a screw cap and no tools. UK reviews say that cap can stick.
Scores are a buying aid from amazon.co.uk listing fields and the review notes. They are not a lab test, a noise test, or a measured weed-clearance trial. Shelf prices used were Einhell Solo £47.36, Ark Mat £55.95, Ecobuild £59.99, Einhell kit £75.95, Ryobi £83.95 and Kärcher £128.99. Five blocks sum to 100, then deductions apply. The highest score is the top pick. Best value is the low shelf price that still lists both brushes and a large review sample, with the missing battery stated in the assessment.
Stars
25%Amazon star line scaled from 3.0 to 5.0 onto 25 points. A 3.0 line scores 0. A 5.0 line scores 25. Rounded to the nearest integer.
Review sample
20%2,000 or more reviews scores 20. 1,000–1,999 scores 16. 400–999 scores 13. Under 10 reviews scores 2. A sample under 10 is also deducted afterwards.
What is in the box
25%Both brush types, a mains lead or a battery in the box, a centimetre height range, and a claimed guide wheel or swivel head. A bare cordless tool and a single wheel type score less. Up to 25.
Shelf price you can run
15%Corded, or battery included, under £60 scores 15. The same at £60–£90 scores 12. A bare tool under £50 with both brushes scores 11. A bare tool over £120 scores 3.
Review sentiment
15%Praise and criticism in the review notes, up to 15. A single positive review with no fault named does not score like a large mixed sample.
Choose the wheel for the stone, then the power source for the area, then whether a battery is already in the house. A bare 18 V price is not a running price. Four reviews are not the same evidence as a few thousand.
An electric joint cleaner is a long-handled rotary brush for weeds, moss and dirt in patio and driveway joints. You buy it to work upright. Shoppers also call it a patio cleaner or a grout cleaner. It is not a pressure washer, and it is not a pesticide. The brush lifts moss, dirt and small weeds from the joint. It does not clear roots for good. Start with the wheel. Wire or steel suits concrete, brick and robust block. Nylon suits sandstone, limestone, sealed faces and softer tiles.
Einhell Solo, Ryobi and Kärcher do not include a battery or charger. The Einhell kit does. A corded Ark Mat or Ecobuild has no battery to add. Compare the price of a tool you can switch on.
Wire or steel suits concrete, brick and robust block. Nylon suits sandstone, limestone and sealed faces. Ryobi’s box is wire only, and reviewers said it marked brick. Kärcher’s head is nylon only.
Ecobuild is 4.7 from 4 ratings. Einhell Solo is 4.1 from 3,333. The brush also does not kill roots. A labelled weedkiller is a different product, and sunk blocks need a professional, not another wheel.
Wire or steel is for concrete, brick and robust block. Nylon is for sandstone, limestone, sealed faces and softer tiles. Ryobi’s kept listing supplies only a wire wheel. The nylon wheel for that platform is extra. Kärcher’s WRE 18-55 is nylon only, and Kärcher UK states a 180 mm head. Ark Mat, both Einhells and Ecobuild list a nylon option in the box. Einhell cites about 10–15 mm as the joint their grout brush is aimed at. Narrow block joints are where reviewers say the wheel rides on top.
A mains lead has no battery limit and needs an outdoor RCD of not more than 30 mA. Ark Mat is listed at 400 W and Ecobuild at 450 W, both with a claimed 10 m cable. UK mains are 230 V with a BS 1363 plug. The listing files do not prove the plug or an IP rating. Electrical Safety First says not to use mains garden tools on dew or rain, and to unwind outdoor leads fully. An 18 V pack is the right tool when the cable would cross the patio, and a short one when the area is a whole drive.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You would rather pay about £56–£60 for a corded brush than a first battery. Ark Mat LW-1 is the top pick at about £55.95, 4.3 from 621 reviews, with nylon and metal wheels and a claimed 10 m lead. Use an outdoor RCD. Ecobuild is a similar corded box with only four reviews.
Einhell GC-CC 18 Li Solo is the best value at about £47.36 if you already own a Power X-Change pack. Nylon and steel are listed, and the line is 4.1 from 3,333 reviews. The battery is not in the box. Ryobi RY18PCA-0 is the bare ONE+ tool, wire only, at about £83.95.
You need nylon, not a wire wheel. Ark Mat lists nylon in the box. Kärcher WRE 18-55 is nylon only, at about £128.99 without a battery, and UK reviews describe fast bristle wear. Ryobi’s wire wheel marked brick in the reviews.
Ark Mat LW-1 leads this set with a score of 75. It is a corded 400 W brush at about £55.95, with a claimed 10 m lead, a shaft from 94 to 122 cm, and nylon and metal wheels in the box. amazon.co.uk shows 4.3 from 621 reviews. You can run it from a socket without buying a battery. That is the top pick. Einhell GC-CC 18 Li Solo is the best value at about £47.36, with nylon and steel listed and 4.1 from 3,333 reviews, if you already own a Power X-Change pack. The battery and charger are not in the box. The Einhell kit at about £75.95 is the fairer all-in cordless price when you own no pack. Ecobuild’s 4.7 from four reviews is not a category win. This is not a lab test.
Einhell GC-CC 18 Li Solo
About £47.36 with both brushes and 3,333 reviews. Best value only if you already own a Power X-Change pack. The battery and charger are not in the box.
Editorial
Peter F. is the editor for DIY & tools at productscompared.co.uk. Comparisons in this category are checked against amazon.co.uk listings, review evidence and public UK sources.
Guides on what to look for, how to use a product, and common mistakes.
Public UK sources and the amazon.co.uk listings compared on this page. Shelf prices are the figures used for this comparison. Updated 22 October 2026.
Expert source (DIY & tools): Lee Burkhill (Garden Ninja) (external profile) – public expert commentary used as a research source, not as a contributor to our pages.
This page contains affiliate links. If you buy through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Links use the amazon.co.uk tag pcuk26-21. Prices, stars and review counts are the amazon.co.uk figures used for these listings. This is not a laboratory test.
