Plentiful water capacity and usable power mean the Mobi V-15 does a decent post-ride carpark cleaning job despite it's foibles
Pros
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Useful multi-bike capacity despite the compact design
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Decent power as long as the engine is running
Cons
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Power poor when using the car battery
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Wheels don’t really do anything
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Brush doesn’t attach securely
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Mobi’s V-15 is a compact low pressure washer that carries enough water for cleaning multiple bikes before heading home but it’s not without some potential grumbles.
While the bigger Mobi V-17 (£149.99) has a built-in battery, the Mobi V-15 is powered from a 12V ‘cigarette lighter’ connection to your car/van. That means it can be much lighter and more compact and it still holds 15 litres of water. It’s not insulated but if you fill it with hot water it’s still tepid after a few hours if you’re using it to wash yourself or your dog.
There is two mesh side pocket for the hose, nozzle/gun and the brush attachment, but we’d keep the 12V lead in your van to stop it getting wet/dirty. You also need to be careful plugging in/unplugging the hose as the spigot is right next to the power cable connection.
We’ve also heard reports of screws not being tight and units leaking from hoses or the filler cap so check for proper assembly before you fill it. Because there’s no pull handle (and the carry handle is too low down to be comfortable he tiny wheels don’t really do anything useful besides making it more likely to slide around in your car/van. The tall, narrow design also makes it more likely to fall over too and together with the potential for leaks that makes storing it securely for transport a good idea.
Performance
The first time we used the Mobi we just relied on the battery of our van and the results were frankly pathetic, with just a light drizzle coming out of the nozzle. Turn the engine on though and it’ll produce a much more useful pressure and flow. It’s still not jet wash strength but the focusable spray is enough to get a filthy bike that’s still wet, relatively presentable without endangering precious bearings. It’ll shift baked on grime eventually if you soak it with bike cleaner first and get the supplied brush involved too. Don’t bother trying to stick it on the nozzle like it looks as though you should as it falls off as soon as you touch the bike. The ‘long brush’ with built-in cleaning solution bottle has a proper attachment though.
While it’s a fair old weight to lug around when full the 15 litre capacity means there’s enough to wash two mucky bikes, a dog thoroughly and still have spare water left to get the worst off shoes/shorts etc. If you accidentally break or lose the hose, connectors or nozzle then you can buy spares and there’s a replacement O-ring kit available as well. Relatively expensive official pricing on the washer and spares is generally significantly reduced in reality.
Water and electricity dont mix so care is needed when plugging the Mobi into its power and water supply (Image credit: Guy Kesteven)
Verdict
Mobi’s V-15 isn’t perfect. Getting descent pressure relies on you running the engine which isn’t fume or eco-friendly and the brush attachment only works handheld. There’s no convertor for running it from the mains at home either and QC can be variable. Other than that, the Mobi V-15 is a decent ‘bring-along’ cleaner with enough capacity to clean a couple of bikes and riding companions - it does everything well.
