16 Best Electric Pressure Washers – (Reviews & Guide)

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Pressure washers are awesome tools, If you’ve ever tried to wash a greasy surface or garden furniture which is covered in moss and tried to remove all the dirt from your car or your car mats with a regular hose, then you know how time-consuming it can be, let alone in some cases next to impossible. So this is why I’ve compiled this best electric pressure washers list.

I tested some of the most popular pressure washers on the market, ensuring that they were well worth the money and put them through their paces, not only that but I made sure not to just test the most powerful electric pressure washers, but also to test out the low and medium-duty pressure washers to see if the most powerful high-pressure ones were worth our time and spoiler alert… they are!

So, if you are looking to buy the best pressure washer, then let me arm you with the necessary knowledge to buy with confidence. In these electric power washer reviews and buying guide, I’ll guide you to making the right decision come purchase time, so you walk away with the best rated pressure washer that suits you needs.

In a hurry? Here are my top choices for best pressure washers. Looking for a high pressure washer or one of the most powerful electric pressure washers? then the Powerhouse International – Electric High Power is in my opinion the best rated pressure washers for home use. Want a medium duty pressure washer? My recommendation is the AR Blue Clean AR383. Finally, are you after something incredibly portable? I’ve two choices for you the Karcher K3 Follow-Me or the Greenworks 1600 PSI GPW1602. Both are a fantastic light-duty portable new electric pressure washers

Let’s get right to it and talk about the top, no, the best high pressure washers on the market today.

PRODUCT	DETAILS
	Powerhouse International – Electric High Power	Weight:32 pounds Dimensions:15 x 18 x 24 inches Pressure:3000 psi GPM:2.2 gallons Cleaning Power:6600 Warranty:1 year	View on Amazon
	Sun Joe SPX3500	Weight:46.5 pounds Dimensions:16.7 x 14.5 x 36 inches Pressure:2300 psi GPM:1.48 gallons Cleaning Power:3404 Warranty:2 years	View on Amazon
	Karcher K5 Premium Electric Power Pressure Washer	Weight:32 pounds Dimensions:34.3 x 13.1 x 16.8 inches Pressure:2000 psi GPM:1.4 gallons Cleaning Power:4800 Warranty:2 years	View on Amazon
	Sun Joe SPX4000	Weight:27.8 pounds Dimensions:22 x 18 x 36.6 inches Pressure:2030 psi GPM:1.76 gallons Cleaning Power:3572 Warranty:1 year	View on Amazon
	Briggs & Stratton 20680 Electric Pressure Washer	Weight:26.5 pounds Dimensions:15.5 x 18.75 x 34.5 inches Pressure:1800 psi GPM:1.2 gallons Cleaning Power:2160 Warranty:1 year	View on Amazon
	Goplus Electric High-Pressure Washer 2030PSI	Weight:19 pounds Dimensions:27 x 12 x 11 inches Pressure:2030 psi GPM:1.6 gallons Cleaning Power:3248 Warranty:1 year	View on Amazon

Most Powerful Electric Pressure Washers (Updated List)

When it comes to pressure washers, I’ve found less is not more… While you can use a low or even medium-duty pressure washer and achieve great results, what you really need is a high-pressure pressure washer, as it’s the most powerful electric pressure washers that get job done quickly, efficiently and they can tackle everything you can throw at them, which is why these are firmly some of the best electric pressure washers.

The Powerhouse pressure washer certainly lives up to its name, it’s a powerhouse of performance with looks to match and in my opinion, it’s the best electric power washer for home use.

I love its red-platinum finish, and the whole body is mounted onto a 4-wheel system, which was amazing when it came to maneuvering around the yard.

Weight-wise it’s about 32 pounds, which isn’t light… but also isn’t heavy, so moving around and storing won’t be a problem.

The motor… for an electric pressure washer producing 3000 PSI at 2.2GPM!! This thing is rather quiet. The cleaning power this pressure washer produces is a solid 6600. There isn’t much that will withstand that amount of cleaning power.

This model comes with 5 quick connect nozzles  (0° (not pictured above), 15°, 25°, 40°, and soap/detergent nozzle), a universal spray gun which you can extend, a foam cannon/sprayer… which is an excellent addition, fantastic for washing your car and a pair of specialized brushes (rotating brush for your patio and a soft-bristle brush)

This thing is packed with accessories, typically you’d had to purchase most of these separately, lots of value for money here, I personally think that this is one of the best rated pressure washers for home use, and works very well with a pressure washer surface cleaner.

Pros

• Easy to transport thanks to the 4 caster wheels
• Rotating patio brush is ultra-convenient for cleaning your drive and patio
• The spray wand can be extended for reaching those hard to reach places, high windows for example

Cons

• The soap container is rather small, so you will have to refill it a couple of times
• The wheels aren’t large, so they can take some getting used to

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When it comes to pressure washers, Sun Joe is a veteran in the pressure washing game, and the SPX3500 proves it.

The body of the SPX3500 has been designed to represent the typical SunJoe colors of black and Green, but it has a mean stance to it. Showing that this slim machine packs a punch.

The pressure washer weighs a little over 46 pounds, and due to its upright design, it’s incredibly easy to store even in the tightest of spaces. Moving this pressure washer around is a breeze thanks to the over-sized wheels on the back.

With the SPX3500 producing 2300 PSI at 1.48 GPM, this machine produces 3404 Cleaning power, that’s a heck of a lot from a 13-amp electric induction motor.

You won’t be left wanting when you’re cleaning around your yard.

This pressure washer comes with a set of 5 quick-connect nozzles (0°, 15°, 25°, 40°, and soap/detergent nozzle), a rotary brush, a patio and deck attachment, and a 25-foot long hose length.

About the only additional accessory, I would add would be a snow foam cannon and personally I go for this MTM version over Sun Joes specific one as I find it’s better, but there are some fantastic snow foams on this list.

Pros

• Designed for convenience when it comes to storage and performance
• The rotary brush really helps tackle those stubborn dried in stains
• The detergent tank is a decent size

Cons

• Like most upright models there is a chance that it can be tipped over
• Producing only 1.48 GPM may mean it won’t penetrate some of the harder to remove stains, good thing there’s the rotary brush.

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Karcher is a brand that most people know, it’s renowned for manufacturing all kinds of quality tools.

The Karcher K5 is no different, this is a top-quality well-made model, capable of any task.

I love what Karcher has done with the design, it looks tough, rugged and modern with its almost futuristic with its black and yellow parts. This is another verticle pressure washer, mounted on a 2-wheel system. As for the weight, it’s 32 pounds, which is fantastic for portability and storage.

The motor in the K5 produces 2000 PSI at 2.4 GPM, which generates a cleaning power of 4800. This pressure wasn’t is going to be able to tackle almost anything you throw at it.

Unlike the other pressure washers, this doesn’t come with quick-connect nozzles. Instead, it has a Vario Power spray mode, which allows you to change the option with a twist while you clean.

The pump has been put together using highly durable materials and is water-cooled, which means you can do longer cleaning sessions. No need to stop when cleaning your driveway,

Inside the box, you’ll find the K5m a 25-foot long high-pressure hose, a Vario Power spray wand, and a Dirt blaster wand.

Pros

• The K5 comes with two spray wands that allow you to adapt the washer to a wide variety of tasks.
• There’s a hose reel that makes storing and moving much more manageable.
• This model has a rather large detergent tank for extended cleaning sessions.

Cons

• Like most rear wheeled verticle units, moving this around can cause tipping and can be a little annoying
• There is no additional spray nozzle set. The wands are great, but personally, I like the quick connect system

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The Sun Joe SPX4000 brings a lot to the table, this is a popular model, and it’s not a surprise as to why.

The body has been designed to stay stationary, but with its large 2 wheel system it’s a break to move around, I love its vertical frame with its heavy-duty handle, it feels nice in hand and the unit feels very stable when you are using it. This is one of the best residential pressure washers capable of handling heavy duty tasks

The motor within this pressure washer exerts 2030 PSI at 1.76 GPM, which produces more cleaning power than you would expect reaching 3572! Which is more than enough power. However, sometimes you don’t want to create that much power, and in other models you had to change your spraying tip to reduce the power.

Not so in the SPX4000, it has adjustable pressure, simply turn the dial, and you can be producing as low as 1450 PSI, perfect for cleaning damaged garden furniture.

Now just because you can adjust the power, don’t think that this doesn’t come with nozzles, because it does. In the box, you get a 20 foot-long high-pressure hose length and 5 quick-connect spray nozzle tips  (0-degree, 15-degree, 25-degree and 40-degree and two removable detergent tanks).

Pros

• The body and frame of this electric pressure washer are designed to be ergonomic. You can even wind the hose around the mainframe for easier storing.
• The pressure adjustment and the 5 nozzles all you to tackle any type of situation
• This model’s motor is designed to save power by reducing the PSI generated for more straightforward tasks

Cons

• The Soap dispenser / detergent tank could be larger
• The wheels form the 2-wheel system could be bigger, it’s portable, but larger wheels would improve that

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Briggs and Stratton might be a name you are familiar with, and if it’s not, it should be. Briggs & Stratton have earned their place among the well-made electric pressure washers.

The 20680 (catchy name) is designed to be both stationary and portable due to its wide body and large 2-wheel system.

The heavy-duty handle feels good in the hand and makes carrying this machine around a breeze, that and the fact it only weighs a total of 26 pounds helps.

The motor within this pressure washer can operate at several PSI settings, producing just 900 PSI at its minimum setting and a maximum of 1800 PSI, exerting 1.2 GPM, producing 2160 cleaning power.

Look, yards, garages, sheds, cars, patios, and driveways are well within the reaches of this cleaning machine.

Inside the box, you’ll find the 20680, a 20 foot-long flexible high-pressure hose length, only 3 quick-connect spray nozzles, but you do get a turbo nozzle for those extra stubborn stains.

Pros

• The body of this pressure washer is made out of welded steel, increasing its durability.
• The turbo nozzle works in focusing the stream during hard cleaning jobs. It penetrates dried in stains with ease.
• There is a large 1/2-gallon detergent tank, which is larger than the most models in this class.

Cons

• The motor is quick to overheat, so you will need to do 15-minute bursts of cleaning.
• The unit is a bit heftier, so storing will require a bit more additional space.

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This GoPlus model is one of the lighter models in our list of the most powerful electric pressure washers, it’s the skinny one in the group.

But don’t be fooled by its size and weight.. only 19 pounds! This machine delivers the one-two punch, it’s got incredible performance. Like most, this is another vertical model, with large rear wheels for storing and transporting.

Despite the size of this pressure washer, it’s electric motor still produces 2030 PSI at 1.6 GPM, giving us a cleaning power of 3248!

This is an incredibly portable yet powerful model. I barely noticed it’s weight when carrying it around, unlike other models in its class.

The motor doesn’t give you the ability to adjust the pressure, it’s merely an on/off button. It comes with a top-mounted hose reel, which is rather convenient and makes storing this unit a breeze.

In the box, you’ll find the pressure washer, a 16.5 foot-long high-pressure hose, which is a little short, a spray gun with a fixed brush, a foam cannon bottle which you can use for soap and detergent.

Pros

• Among powerful electric pressure washers, this is one of the most portable ones.
• The GoPlus is simple to operate, it’s basically plug and play.

Cons

• Lack of control over power and nozzle is a shame.
• The foam cannon is used for detergent as well and is rather small

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PRODUCT	DETAILS
	AR Blue Clean AR383	Weight:27 pounds Dimensions:12.25 x 11.25 x 28.5 inches Pressure:1900 psi GPM:1.50 gallons Cleaning Power:2850	View on Amazon
	Sun Joe SPX3001	Weight:32 pounds Dimensions:16.5 x 14.4 x 33.5 inches Pressure:2030 psi GPM:1.76 gallons Cleaning Power:3572	View on Amazon
	Karcher K3 Follow-Me	Weight:32 pounds Dimensions:21.7 x 12 x 12.8 inches Pressure:1800 psi GPM:1.3 gallons Cleaning Power:2340	View on Amazon
	AR Blue Clean AR390SS	Weight:27.8 pounds Dimensions:16 x 38 x 17 inches Pressure:2000 psi GPM:1.4 gallons Cleaning Power:2800	View on Amazon
	Karcher K1800	Weight:26.5 pounds Dimensions:13.5 x 15.6 x 33.9 inches Pressure:1800 psi GPM:1.2 gallons Cleaning Power:2160	View on Amazon

Best Electric Power Washer Reviews

Above we reviewed what I think are the best most powerful pressure washers, but for some they just pack too much punch and all you are really after is a top quality pressure washer that’s ideal for home use, well here are my choices for the best electric power washers for home use, these are all medium-duty, so I hope you enjoy my best medium duty pressure washers reviews.

AR Blue Clean produces some fantastic pressure washers. The AR383 can produce 40% more power than a conventional garden hose while consuming 80% less water, this is one environmentally friendly machine.

It comes with a 35 foot-long power cord that features an Auto-Reset GFCI setting, a device that is intended to protect you from electric shock.

The motor in the AR Blue Clean 383 delivers 1900 PSI at 1.5 GPM giving it a cleaning power of 2850.

In the box, you get the AR383, two separate spray washers wands, one being a turbo spray and the other an adjustable spray wand, you also get a 14oz detergent bottle allowing you to quickly and easily apply snow foam or soaps/detergents.

To allow you to quickly change the wand, this unit comes with a quick-release system for its pressure washer wands. When the unit isn’t in use the motor/pump is automatically shut off.

The after-sales service provided by AR Blue clean is phenomenal. You also get a 1 year “bumper to bumper” warranty on this product.

Read more here: AR Blue Clean AR383 Review

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Another Sun Joe, which isn’t a surprise as Sun Joe, produces some fantastic pressure washers. The SPX3001 comes with a 1.2-liter onboard detergent tank, that’s a decent size.

It also features a 35 foot-long power cord, meaning this unit is highly mobile, you can reach a fair old distance with that length.

It’s large rear wheels have been designed to never go flat, and due to their size they shouldn’t get stuck in rough terrain either, making the SPX3000 Electric Pressure Washer quite versatile and maneuverable.

Add to that that the high-pressure pressure hose that comes with this pressure washer is 20 foot-long, you have got an effective reach of 55 feet, those hard to reach places won’t be hard to reach anymore.

The SPX3001 produces 2030 PSI at 1.76 GPM producing a cleaning power of 3572!! That’s plenty to give you ample cleaning action. It comes with 5 quick connection spray tips (0-degree, 15-degree, 25-degree and 40-degree and soap/detergent) and an onboard hose reel for easy access and quick use. This excellent pressure washer will handle all types of cleaning from small to heavy-duty, whether it’s light, mean of even heaving cleaning use.

The Sun Joe SPX3001 is a CSA approved product, and Sun Joe gives you a 2-year warranty. This pressure washer packs a punch in terms of power and is ideally suited for your home needs, it’ll clean driveways, gutters, patios and even a greasy garage!

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The Karcher K3 Follow-Me is one of the more maneuverable pressure washers on the list. It’s been designed in a way that maximized the comfort and convenience of regular cleaning user.

As you move around cleaning, it will follow along like an obedient puppy, thanks to its four wheels, which have been added for exceptional and secure handling.

The PSI/flow rate of this power washer machine is 1.3 gallons per minute, with a pressure output of 1800 PSI, producing 2340 cleaning power units.

While it’s not the powerful pressure washer on the list, it will get the job done, especially for light t- medium duty cleaning. Being as mobile as it is will make doing those jobs a dream, rather than a potential chore.

The K3 comes with a Vario spray wand to further add to its convenience. The Vario spray wand allows you to change the pressure according to your needs with a quick twist. Should the Vario fail you, the K3 comes with an extra dirt blaster wand, which gives you even more pressure punching power. There’s a built-in detergent tank, and this unit only weighs 16.3 pounds!

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The AR Blue Clean AR390SS is a heavy-duty pressure washer, giving you amazing results, this machine is so easy to use, I didn’t even need to bust out the manual.

It’s a vertical unit with rear wheels that manages to produce 2000 pounds per square inch (PSI) of pressure at 1.4 gallons per minute (GPM), giving it a cleaning unit power of 2800. That means that the pressure of the water coming out of the nozzle is enough to remove any hardcore dirt.

It weighs only 36 pounds and has a 30 foot-long high-pressure hose making it very easy to move around. It was a breeze to assemble out of the box, made from durable materials.

The technology driving this pressure washer has been designed to help save you water, that’s right it’s water-saving technology not only helps your water bills, but also the environment.

It comes with a 1-year warranty, but with the top quality materials used and the fantastic manufacturing process, it’s doubtful you’ll need it.

Read more: AR Blue Clean AR390SS Review

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Karcher has put together yet another fantastic machine. The K1800 has some amazing high-quality features, including a long warranty period, which I rather like.

If this pressure washer were to break, you can be safe in knowing that Karcher will give you another pressure washer thanks to there rapid exchange program.

The K1800 comes with a certified performance review and only weighs 21.4 pounds, while it’s not the lightest pressure washer out there, it’s not far off!

It produces around 1800 PSI and a water flow rate of 1.2 gallons per minute (GPM), producing 2160 cleaning power units.

The K1800 comes with 3 different nozzles, an all purposing cleaning nozzle, a detergent nozzle, and my favorite the “turbo nozzle”. Changing these nozzles and well setting up the machine is a breeze, it’s a no-tool assembly, all plug, and play.

You can use standard pressure washer accessories with this product, it’s nice that they are all compatible as I do love to use a surface cleaner.

If you are looking for a low maintenance and durable power cleaner for domestic use, then look no further, this is the one for you. It’s sturdy, comes with a long warranty period, and will tackle all your regular power washer cleaning jobs with ease, though when it comes to those hard-code heavy-duty, higher pressure cleaning tasks… I’d suggest one of the machines from the most powerful pressure washer list above.

Read more: Karcher K1800 Review

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PRODUCT	DETAILS
	Greenworks 1600 PSI	Weight:17 pounds Dimensions:11.4 x 17.1 x 9.4 inches Pressure:1600 psi GPM:1.20 gallons Cleaning Power:1920	View on Amazon
	Stanley SHP2150	Weight:26 pounds Dimensions:14 x 13 x 26 inches Pressure:2150 psi GPM:1.4 gallons Cleaning Power:3010	View on Amazon
	Greenworks 2000 PSI	Weight:33.2 pounds Dimensions:15.16 x 12.99 x 23.43 inches Pressure:2000 psi GPM:1.2 gallons Cleaning Power:2400	View on Amazon
	PowerStroke PS14133	Weight:32 pounds Dimensions:16.5 x 19.2 x 34 inches Pressure:2000 psi GPM:1.2 gallons Cleaning Power:2400	View on Amazon
	Ryobi RY141900	Weight:32.3 pounds Dimensions:16.5 x 20 x 33.5 inches Pressure:2040 psi GPM:1.2 gallons Cleaning Power:2160	View on Amazon

The Greenworks 1600 is a part of the Greenworks power washer family and has been designed for portability and regular cleaning, weighing only 17.5 pounds you’ll have no trouble carrying this around.

You can use it vertically or horizontally, so no worries if it tips over on the floor.

The pressure produced by this unit has been hinted at in its name, 1600 PSI, with a water flow rate of 1.2 gallons per minute, which gives this unit a cleaning power of 1920, which isn’t bad for such a compact and portable unit.

The high-pressure hose included is 20 feet long, which is great for coverage, add to that the 35 foot-long power cord and, well there isn’t anywhere you won’t be able to clean in your yard.

The Greenworks 1600 PSI comes with a snow foam applicator, which you can use for soap and detergent, and its performance is PWMA certified. This is the most light-duty pressure washer on the list, but don’t let that put you off. It will tackle most jobs, and it’s incredibly small and compact which are fantastic selling points.

If you don’t need a high pressured power washer, then this might just be the perfect pressure washer for you.

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This is a fantastic pressure washer, not just for the residential user but also for the professional user. It has a range of “best in class” features and provides high-pressure for rigorous cleaning.

The Stanley SHP2150 produces 2150 PSI with a water flow rate of 1.4 GPM, which means we have a cleaning power of 3010. That’s a decent amount of cleaning power.

The SHP2150 comes with a higher pressure foamer, which helps you get your soap right where you need it, penetrating those dried in stains.

The pressure produced makes it ideal for cement, concrete, asphalt, and similar surfaces.

It comes with a 25 foot-long high-pressure hose, and 4 quick connect nozzles.

You get a 2-year warranty, which is rather good.

Read more: Stanley 2150 Review

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Greenworks created a pressure washing unit that can pack a punch and can produce heavy-duty results while remaining compact enough to be stored with ease.

The Greenworks 2000 has a modern and slightly futuristic design, it’s a vertical machine with a heavy-duty handle to aid in moving this machine around.

This power washing unit weights a little under 37 pounds, so you could carry it if you need to. Though the preferred option would be to roll it around using its rear wheels.

It comes with an installed hose reel, which will help with storage and also keeping the life of the high-pressure hose as long as possible.

There is a drawback though, there is no soap tank included. Though you could purchase an MTM snow foam cannon

The motor of this pressure washer is a 13 amp induction motor, which exerts 2000 PSI at 1.2 GPM, this gives you a cleaning power of 2400. That’s the kind of cleaning power which will make sure you can tackle any outdoor cleaning task. Dirt, grime, dust, well everything is fair game!

Personally, I  think this is a fantastic pressure washer, which makes cleaning your car, yard, outdoor power tools a breeze.

It comes with 4 quick-connect nozzles and a 25 foot-long high-pressure hose.

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This is a versatile and powerful pressure washer ideal for outdoor and indoor use. While it looks small, it’s a mighty machine capable of cleaning anything that gets in its way.

The Powerstroke PS14133 comes with 3 quick connect nozzles. A 15-degree, an all-purpose nozzle, and a turbo nozzle.

These are the typical ones that’d be used in a residential setting, so getting 3 instead of 5, you’re not really missing out.

The PS14133 produces 1700 PSI at 1.2GPM, giving this a cleaning power of 2400. It has a built-in 1-gallon detergent tank and comes with an integrated reel for its hose.

The frame of the unit is a roll cage, designed to protect the motor if it’s tipped over and actually makes this pressure washer incredibly stable. I wouldn’t expect to see any accidental tipping over of this pressure washer.

The hose has connections for both the wand and trigger and actually comes with a gutter cleaner.

This isn’t the lightest machine on the market, coming in at 32.4 pounds, it’s still portable thanks to its large rear wheels. And is ideal for all your home cleaning needs

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Ryobi creates some fantastic tools, and the Ryobi RY141900 is no exception to that. It’s a highly stable and durable machine. Designed to be an easy to use pressure washer.

The 13 amp motor produces 2000 PSI at 1.2 GPM producing 2040 cleaning power units.

With that amount of pressure, even those old oil stains are easily removed, making this perfect for yard, driveway and garage cleaning.

It comes with a 25 foot-long high-pressure hose, a removable detergent tank for easy cleaning, and weighs 32 pounds, so it’s not light, but thanks to its large rear wheels, it’s easy to move around.

Thanks to its robust frame and heavy-duty handle it’s a dream to move around the yard.

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What is an Electric Pressure Washer

Pressure washing or power washing, as it’s otherwise known is the use of a high-pressured water spray to get rid of mold, dust, loose paint, mildew, graffiti, or chewing gum from surfaces such as windows, walls, ceilings, patios, buildings, etc.

A pressure washer is a water machine that dispenses the water at high pressure. This highly-pressurized water spray is used to remove those tough stains and even mold that collects around your house.

This is a machine that can be used on all surfaces, which can be soaked in water, you can even add soap/detergent to aid in your cleaning, which makes it a great way to clean your house, siding, etc.

A pressure washer is ideal for washing your car, the high-pressure water will remove dirt from the surface if you then coat the vehicle in a snow foam any tough to remove dirt will be lifted and removed during your rinse.

This will reduce the chances of micro-scratches when you wash with your car mitt.

Pressure washer machines can be used for both domestic and industrial use. There are different water pressures for washing the various surfaces you will come into contact with, i.e., you won’t use the same pressure for a glass window as you would for your concrete driveway.

Due to how convenient and available pressure washers are these days, they are becoming ever popular for easy to use around the house. It’s the tool that just improves your life by saving you time. It enables you to efficiently clean up around the house without a huge amount of effort, no more scrubbing, peeling… or hard work!

As time has gone on these machines, have made their wait into people’s homes rather than just being for commercial purposes. Companies such as Karcher, Sun Joe, Ryobi not make different pressurized systems to suit the domestic lifestyle and the domestic surfaces where their products will be used.

How Do Electric Power Washers Work?

Look, your surfaces get dirty all the time, whether from your own handiwork, your pets, kids and their chalk art on the concrete, birds targeting your house or car, and everything in between.

This leads to needing to do some serious cleaning several times a year, paying for a professional can be an expensive outgoing, especially if you need to do it over and over. So it’s wise to invest in your own powerful electric pressure washer.

Before you start shopping for a power washer that will meet your needs, there are some key terminologies that you have to understand. So let’s see how a power washer actually works.

The technology that drives a power washer is rather simple. The water is sprayed at a very high-pressure and directed towards the surface you want to clean.

The motors have to produce at least 100-200 times more pressure than the air that surrounds us. These motors will provide 1500-4500 pounds per square inch (PSI) water pressure to help fight the toughest of stains. Light to medium-duty cleaning can be done with water pressures, which range from 1500-2000 PSI. That is generally sufficient to wash your patio, driveway, cars, BBQ grills, and other simple to accomplish residential cleaning feats.

Though if you are looking for heavy-duty cleaning, you’ll need 1900 PSI and up.

If you are looking to clean a garage or workshop, well any highly stained and greasy areas. Then you’ll want to make sure that your pressure wash includes a soap and detergent dispenser. A foamer is always nice as well.

The pressure the motor produces will be somewhat meaningless if the hose doesn’t have the appropriate diameter to throw the water. Typically the inlet is ¼, but the water produced from the nozzle is referred to as gallons per minute (GPM). The larger the GPM, the more significant the amount of water produced, and ultimately the faster the cleaning process.

You’ll see “cleaning power” mentioned in reviews, and to determine the cleaning power of a pressure washer you multiply the PSI by the GPM. This number gives you an absolute figure to measure each pressure washer against each other.

The higher the number, the faster the cleaning and more heavy-duty the cleaning.

The simple formula is Cleaning Power (CP) = PSI x GPM.

Main Parts of a Pressure Washer

Like any machine, a pressure washer is made of parts or rather components. These main parts are what keep the machine running efficiently and without a hitch. The following parts are the main (common) part’s that can be found in any standard pressure washer machine.

1.     Water inlet

For your pressure washer to pressurize water, it needs a water supply, and that’s what the water inlet is for.

The water inlet is a hose that is connected to your mains water supply, The inlet is protected by a filter so that contaminated water can filtered out and does not cause any hindrance to the running of the machine.

It’s essential to make sure that your clean or change your filter regularly. Otherwise there may be a lack of supply to the pump, which can cause damage to your pressure washer.

2.     Electric Motor

The engine is an essential component, it’s what keeps the machine running. The best electric pressure washers at home have electric shock safety measures, which is vital as, as the name implies they run on electricity and mixing that with water can be a rather dangerous and shocking affair.

Most pressure washers intended for home use don’t draw a huge amount of power. Even so, care must be taken.

Industrial pressure washers, however, require a much more significant amount of electricity, and the more powerful the motor, the more powerful the power washer, meaning faster jets of water shot under pressure.

The electric motor drives the water pump. The water pump is what will generate your high PSI.

3.     Water Pump

The water pump is the heart of your power washer, it follows the same principles of a hand-operated water ground pump. Except that the manual process is handled by the electric motor.

The pump sucks water from the inline and pushing it out at a high pressure down the high-pressure hose.

These pumps are designed to withstand 1-2 gallons of water per minute.

4.     High-pressure hose

The high-pressure hose is the tube from where the water is projected at pressure. This hose is made to handle the pressures from your pressure washer, a typical household hose pipe would burst from the pressure generated by the water pump.

A high-pressure hose is made from high-density plastic, which is reinforced with a wire mesh.

Some pressure washer machines may not come with a house, and that can be a problem as it can be challenging to find one which is ideally suited for your machine.

With a lot of pressure washers, the nozzles which attach to the end of the house play an essential role in regulating the pressure and angle of the water jet that’s coming out of the pressure hose.

The angle of the water makes all the difference in how the water pressure is used for cleaning.

Most powerful Electric Pressure Washer Buying Guide

There are many choices when it comes to purchasing a powerful electric pressure washer. Each model has something slightly different or unique. They all have their own distinctive combination of “standard features”. So getting to know what these features are and which ones you really need for your needs is rather essential.

In the sections that follow, I’ll go through in intricate detail each of the features, it’s worth spending some time to understand these critical features as this will aid in your buying decision of a powerful electric machine.

PSI and GPM, common terms, but what do they mean?

Every pressure washer will have a PSI and GPM rating, you would have seen this in all the reviews above.

PSI stands for “Pounds per square” inch and GPM “gallons per minute”.

Both are equally important, with PSI describing the raw power of the pressure washer and GPM specifying the amount of water needed to support that much pressure.

Not everyone is an engineer, and knowing know these values and how they correspond to each other shouldn’t get in your way. The math is simple with a single principle. The bigger the number, the more power the pressure washer.

Though bare in mind that the higher the PSI and GPM, the more electricity, water, and detergent will be required to run the pressure washer.

If you intend only to do light cleaning, then you may want to consider getting a model that has adjustable power settings.

Now there is a nice easy way to get around the numbers and get to a single number as an identifier as to how powerful the pressure washer is.

This is called Cleaning Power (CP). This is the PSI x GPM, and this determines the total power the machine can exert, and that’s the number I use when looking for a pressure washer.

What makes electric pressure washers powerful?

PSI, GPM, and CP are fantastic terms, but they don’t really adequately describe the pressure washer.

They are just numbers showing what a pressure washer can do. But not about quality or features.

The first component that’s key to a pressure washer becoming powerful is the motor.

The motor is the life of the unit. It’s what powers the water pump, which creates the liquid circulation of the system.

The benefit of electric motors is that they are usually quite compact and lightweight, unlike their gas engine alternatives, which is always a plus when you have to haul this pressure washer all over your yard.

But what really makes an electric washer power is the engineering. Combining the electric motor, the water pump, and the high-pressure hose to create the perfect combination of pressure to water flow.

If you have a PSI, but low water flow, the machine won’t produce much power, you need a good PSI and a good water flow rate, along with a hose which can handle the pressure to create the perfect jet of water and cleaning power.

It’s this that every washer model tends to differentiate with, there are many factors that can affect the cleaning potential. Besides raw power, the spray gun quality, power adjustment, pressure hose type. These are some examples of what controls what makes an electric pressure washer better or worse, depending on your individual requirements.

However, if you really want maximum power, you should consider looking at gas pressure washers, these outside the electric version with ease.

The Advantages of Powerful Electric Pressure Washers

Depending on your needs, an electric pressure washer can trump that of a gas model.  Here are a few advantages of powerful electric pressure washers.

Maintenance

No matter the size or power rating of an electric motor, the chances are you won’t have to do a single thing to maintain their internal components.

These motors are tightly packed and oil-free, so you won’t have to grease anything.

With certain models and only if the manufacturer specifies it, you may have to take short breaks when cleaning to allow the motor to cool.

If taking short breaks bothers you, you should consider getting a pressure washer model that uses water cooling. These models are known for prolonged working hours, simply due to the fact that the inlet water is circulated through the washer as a cooling agent.

Noise

A factor that people tend to forget about when purchasing a pressure washer is the noise it will make. Yes, while you’ll be washing outdoor surfaces, it’s kind to be kind to your neighbors. Electric motors are known for being quiet, some may be slightly noisier when you crack up the PSI power to the max when you are tackling those stubborn stains. 

But that’s nothing in comparison to a gas machine pressure washer, and if noise levels both you, then an electric pressure washer with adjustable settings will be the safest bet.

Portability

There have been some fantastic engineering solutions made when making these powerful electric pressure washers, and one of those is the size of these models.

They are compact and portable, not weighing a huge amount yet producing incredible amounts of cleaning power meaning they can challenge any stain thrown at them

Each manufacturer has developed its own ways to increase a power washers portability, but you’ll find they all have these solutions in common.

• Hose Reel – A big wheel on top of the units body which helps you keep the high-pressure hose safely stored when not in use and allowing you to quickly unwind when you need to get cleaning.

This feature ensures that your high-pressure hose doesn’t tangle or choke as these can cause damage to a pressure washer as it needs a constant flow of water within the pump.

• A 2 or more wheel system – The majority of electric pressure washer models come with some form of 2 wheel system, some have bit wheels designed to tackle stairs and the rugged terrain, some have 4 wheels and follow you around as you clean.

You can have 2 small wheels that work well for level surfaces. This wheeled system ensures you don’t have a problem moving your pressure washer around your yard or driveway.

• Heavy-Duty, Rugged yet lightweight body – One of the most essential features of a power washer, well behinds the motor & pump is the body that holds everything together.

The more compact pressure washer models tend to have the primary support made of steel. The rest will be molded plastic.

However, it isn’t a rare sight to find an electric pressure washer with an entirely welded steel frame. These tend to have enough steel to make the unit robust without adding a huge amount of bulky weight.

What kind of equipment should you expect with your powerful electric pressure washer

There are many different ways to utilize the full potential of your powerful electric pressure washer unit. The best way would be the harness the power that these machines offer through the various equipment and accessories that are contained onboard or added on the side of your powerful power washer.

Hopefully, you’ve noticed that there isn’t a single power washer that comes without equipment and accessories.

So, what equipment should you be looking for?

Durable High-Pressure hose

The bread and butter of every well-made and well-designed pressure washer will be its hose. This is the crucial ingredient in transferring the pressurized water from the water pump to your spraying wand.

According to professional tool users, the quality of your hose is as important as the rating of your pressure washer. Quite simply, no matter the PSI and GPM that your water pump produces, if you hose can’t handle it, then you aren’t cleaning

High-pressure hoses that come with your pressure washer are made in several layers. Typically they’ll have a wire network inside to aid in preventing kinks. They may also have additional layers of synthetic materials to help prevent corrosion and damage.

You may have noticed that most high-pressure hoses are between 15-25 feet, the reason for that is that longer isn’t always better, sure it’s more convenient, but to ensure the pressure remains the same across the entire length of hose, you need more power to be produced by the power washer.

Spray Wand

At the end of the high-pressure hose, there’s an outlet system. If there wasn’t, where would that pressurized water go? Often this is in the form of a spray wand. At its core, a spray wand is just a hollow tube that get#s attached to a high-pressure hose.

The vast majority of spray wand models had a trigger or a pressure lever on the bottom side, which is designed to be placed conveniently under your palm so you can control the flow of this pressurized water.

A lot of systems have a twisting valve on the end of the wand that allows you to control the angle and the width of the water stream. This will enable you to control the cleaning power directly, some models include detachable wands, with some kind of turbo wand for maximum pressure and minimal angles.

Though some systems have a solid wand that you attach spray nozzles to the end of, these nozzles control the angle and pressure of the water stream, this system is becoming ever more popular and with each new model of pressure washer seeming to move over to the standardized system. Which leads us nightly onto the next topic.

Spray Nozzles

Spray nozzles are a key function to your hose and wand. These are what control your spray patterns, spray type, and pressure.

Spray nozzles come in standard sets, with a maximum of 5 pieces:

• 0-degree nozzle – This is the most powerful of them all, it focuses all of the water into a stream that’s a single line. Utilizing the full force of the powerful electric pressure washer.
• 15-degree nozzle – If you are willing to lose some power in exchange for cleaning speed, then this nozzle is best for cleaning concrete and metal surfaces. The pressure produced by this nozzle is still very high, so not ideal for softer materials such as wood.
• 25-degree nozzle – This is your general-purpose nozzle, it’s incredibly versatile, it can provide a lot of power, but with a wide enough stream to not damage the contact surface
• 40-degree nozzle – This is a nozzle that’s not often supplied as a part of most set’s, it’s creates a vast stream, allowing you to cover a wide area in a short amount of time. Bear in mind that the wide the stream, the lower the power of the stream
• Soap nozzle – This is the nozzle with the lower cleaning power in terms of pressure, but that’s because it has an entirely different task. This nozzle has the single job of spreading detergent from the soap/detergent tank as widely as possible. It’s used when you need to soak stubborn stains so that you can later eliminate them with a higher pressure nozzle

Learning how and when to use each of the nozzles will ensure that you unlock the full potential of your power washer.

Adjustable power management

Every model of pressure washer will have some form of adjustable power management, whether but adjust the PSI output of the motor/pump or very the spray wand.

Electric pressure washers are powerful, and the last thing you want to do is clean your patio furniture or wood and end up causing damage.

The key to this is by controlling the power output. There are various ways to do this, you can change the spray nozzle, switch out your spray wand or if you have the capability, your pressure washer might come with an adjustable PSI control on the main body, you can use this to reduce the power output of the machine.

This can give you electricity and water savings as well as more control over what you are cleaning and how you achieve that cleaning.

If you do want/need absolute control, then I recommend you get a model that has power regulation via both the motor and the spray wand. Utilizing both will give you a finely tuned stream of pressurized water, ensuring your cause no material damage and/or unnecessary waste of resources.

Cleaning Power

Once you are looking at which pressure washer you want to purchase, you’ll quickly come to realize how wide the variety is when you consider their cleaning power.

So one of the main questions you need to consider when choosing a pressure washer is knowing what it’s primary purpose will be. Obviously, the main objective will be to clean, and there are a vast number of additional parts/accessories that you can add to make the job easier.

But you will want to pick a PSI/GPM/CP that’s perfect for your needs.

Anything over ~2000PSI is excellent for heavy-duty cleaning, handling those bigger jobs, larger surfaces, and hard-core stains.

Below that, you have light and medium-duty machines, both of which are perfect for home use, depending on what you intend to clean.

Do bear in mind that light-duty machines are not designed to take on a daily workload.

Auto shut down

The majority of pressure washers have an automatic shutdown feature that’s designed to ensure that the machine isn’t working when you aren’t. This will shut the motor down when you disengage the trigger on the spray wand. This ensures the longevity of your motor and pump.

Features you must look for in an electric pressure washer

Does it come with extra nozzles?

You will need different nozzles for cleaning different surfaces without causing damage.

Make sure you only purchase the ones that aren’t included with your pressure washer, you can see the industry standard color codes for the different nozzle tips below, that said while it makes it very easy to see what tip you have installed if your pressure washer comes with a dial nozzle then you are in luck.

Dial nozzles allow for a quick change in spray pattern and you only have one nozzle to worry about, not wondering where you left the cutting nozzle this time. They offer the same performance as individual nozzles as well so you are gaining convenience without an loss.

Does the pressure washer come with a detergent system?

When it comes to cleaning, having the ability to pretreat with pressure washer soap will produce the best results.

Some machines even come with an onboard soap tank and when I first came across these I thought it was a genius idea. But in the long run it’s turned out to more more of a nuisance.

You’re constantly refilling the tank when working large jobs, ok, yes the same can be said with snow foam cannons and the like. But after you finished the jobs you have to clean out the tank because dried soap can damage your pump.

You know what I really prefer? the siphon turb approach. All you have to do is to shove the tube into the end of a gallon or so of cleaner and your pressure washer will start soaping.

One the job has been complete, cap the jug, rinse through the tube and call it a day.

Now if you are a handy person you can turn the onboard soap take into a siphon system by disconnecting the tank and installing a siphon turn and filter accessory directly to the soap port of your pump. The place where the tank used to be, could be used to mount your soap jug…

What type of couplings does the cleaner come with?

A lot of pressure washers come with plastic coupling connectors, these connectors come with a lot of complaints as they don’t offer the same resilience and often break or leaks.I highly recommend you invest in brass couplings to replace any plastic ones that have come as stock.

Is the wand plastic or stainless steel?

While a plastic wand is fine, a stainless-steel wand is more durable.

What is the hose and electrical cord length?

Most units will come with a 20-foot hose and around a 30-foot electrical cord.If the unit comes with anything less I would suggest moving on.

A point about hoses. All high-pressure hoses are going to be a hassle to wrestle with, that said some are much stiffer than others and typically those stiffer ones are also terrible stubborn.

The pressure washer I use for washing my car has a horrid hose, I quickly bought a third party hose to replace it because it was such a pain to unwind prior to use and still it would get itself knotted up while car washing.

Look, if you hose rights you during step and storage, you’re bound to dread using it, I know I did.

So make sure to look at the hose, the best ones are flexible and unroll easily while retaining very little coil memory. The worse ones are the opposite, they’re bulky, constantly want to recoil. They are a pain to work with and to store.

Does it come with a hose reel?

This is a personal preference choice. A lot of people hate the hose reel due to how difficult I can be to get the hose back onto the reel and then the kinks that are left in the hose. But I love a good hose storage.

As mentioned in the previous point. If you have a hose that isn’t prone to kinking then a hose reel makes a lot of sense.

Does it come with wheels?

If your machine is over 20 pounds then you want to be looking for ones that come with wheels, if it doesn’t I would be very wary.

And when it comes to wheels, Pneumatic tyres roll better, it’s that simple, they are the easier to move around, they handle steps and gravel with ease.

Yes they’ll need some maintenance with the occasional re-inflation and potential puncture. But plastic or molded rubber wheel’s just get stuck more readily.

Variable pressure versus fixed.

The majority of pressure washers on the market run at their maximum pressure for the entire time that they are running. But some of the more feature rich models give you the ability to adjust the pressure that the pump is producing.

This is a great feature, but by no means something you should look for, you can achieve the same result by purchasing a Simpson Dial-N-Wash, by increasing the distance between you and the object you are washing and also by changing the spray pattern to a wider setting.

On board storage for nozzles etc?

This isn’t a must have but a very nice feature. That said I have left a nozzles in my pocket and they have ended up going through the wash… Perhaps onboard easy storage may have prevented that.

Higher hose connections are preferred

Personally I prefer that the hose connection is placed a high up the machine as possible. The lower to the ground it is the more annoying it is to deal with it.

Look if you have dodgy/bum knees or trouble bending over, then you’ll understand how just by moving the hose connector up a few inches can make a world of difference.

What sort of cleaning power PSI/GPM do you need?

When it comes to an electric pressure washer you are limited entirely by the price, if you are willing to pay more then you’ll get higher PSI/GPM.

you can spend thousands to get heavy-duty electric pressure cleaners which will produce high GPM and PSI, or you can spend a few hundred and get a medium-duty and even less for a light-duty pressure cleaner.

Top Pressure washer brands

If you are looking to make a choice based on brand, the following are the top brands of pressure washers. When it comes to “paying for the name” it’s worth it, the machines are better built and the warranty and service assistance are top notch.

• Sun Joe
• Ivation
• Karcher
• Powerhouse International
• Honda
• Generac
• Craftsman
• DeWalt
• Ryobi
• Simpson

What Can You Clean With a Powerful Pressure Washers?

We’ve covered the systems and components that make up your pressure washer, the garden machine great.

But it’s about time we talk about what they can do and the results they can achieve. You can clean all sorts of things!

• Walkways
• Stone paths
• Patios
• Decks/Verandas
• Driveways
• Weeding (in between cracks in stone)
• Cars
• Bikes
• Boats
• RVs
• Exterior walls / House siding
• Garage doors
• Sidewalks
• Farm procedures
• Plants
• And more.

To give you an idea of your options, I’ll show you from the lightest and work our way up to the more challenging surfaces, the ones which can handle the most pressure. Theres no difference here between residential and commerical pressure washers.

Wooden surfaces

Cleaning porches, decks, fences, outdoor chairs, and tables, well you name it, if it’s wood, it can be cleaned. Using a wide enough spraying angle, you can tackle any wooden surface.

A pressure washer will get them cleaned in a matter of minutes. Though you need to consider the softness of the wood before you spray it, if you don’t, you could cause permanent damage.

For softer woods or boards, though with little or no protective layers, either use a wide-angle nozzle/spray wand or set your pressure washer to a lower power setting if it has the ability. In the case of a heavily protected wood surface or hardwood, you can feel free to kick it up a notch, perhaps you could go as far as to use a 15-degree nozzle.

Think of the dirt and build upon your fence, a 15-degree nozzle will quickly make your fence look brand new in a matter of minutes.

If you are worried about damaging the wooden surface, try cleaning a small part that’s not very visible first, just a few square inches to get an idea of what the end result will be

Ceramic and mineral surfaces

Great use of your powerful electric models is to clean the inside and around the pool. The powerful jet can get between the times and lift that nasty grim that’s accumulated during the season. I’ve done this, and it’s incredibly satisfying and incredibly hygienic.

Though like the care taken with wooden surfaces, test the impact on a single type before you go guns blazing.

Mineral surfaces are those of stone and marble, these usually make up your yard and patio furniture, these surfaces tend to get moldy, as they are a natural habitat for mold and lichen. Set up your pressure washer to a wider spray pattern and renew those surfaces in a matter of seconds.

Metal and concrete surfaces

It’s the metal and concrete surfaces that can handle the narrowest of nozzles. These surfaces are durable and can get dirtier than the rest of the yard.

Driveways, rain damage, garage doors, etc. Everything is fair game as long as you test on a small section first. The risks of damaging these surfaces are minimal, and these surfaces tend to the largest, so get ready for some long pressure washing sessions.

Non-conventional washing

There are some surfaces that you may not think of as targets for your pressure washer, those being the outside facing windows, cleaning gutters, restoring old and greasy BBQ grills, and even removing paint.

Feel free to experiment a little you may find you can save time in the future, what about your outdoor power tools? Do those need a clean?

How to set up a pressure washer

Setting up a pressure washer is simple. Simply follow these size steps.

1. Attach your high-pressure hose to your pressure washer
2. Attach your spray wand to the high-pressure hose
3. Attach your garden hose to the inlet and make sure it’s securely fastened using the threaded coupler
4. Set up your spray gun by attached the extension lance & nozzle
5. Plug your pressure washer into a power source
6. Turn your water faucet on, make sure not to turn your high-pressure water pump on without proper water flow or the pump will be damaged

All that’s left to do is turn on the power washer and pull the trigger.

Troubleshooting your electric pressure washer

1. Lack of pressure/low-pressure issue? Unlink the garden hose and ensure the full water pressure is coming from the tap.
2. Experiencing no pressure? Then adjust the unloader screw and also check for damaged seals or springs.
3. Experiencing pulsing pressure? Disassemble the pump and replace or even clean components of the inlet.
4. Pressure spiking repeatedly? Make adjustments to the unloader valve for the appropriate pressure.
5. If the pressure drops after a short while, then clear the nozzle with the help of a needle (usually included).
6. The pressure washer is not cleaning the surface? Switch to a spray nozzle with a higher pressure. Though check the manual to see whether the surface can withstand the higher pressure.
7. Water leaking from the pump? Check your warranty and return or replace your machine.
8. Is water leaking from the garden hose? Connect your hose securely.
9. Leakage of spray? Replace the o-ring or return the hose and get a new one.
10. Oil dripping from the engine? Replace the seals under warranty.
11. Water in the oil? The machine might have worn out or even broken pistons, ask for a repair under warranty.
12. The chemical injector is not working? Insert the black soaping nozzle.
13. Excessive noise? Check and clean your machine or replace it under warranty.

Warranty

Each brand will have their own offers when it comes to the warranties of their power washers, here’s a list of the top brands offerings.

Please note that when a company mentions a limited warranty this means that they will cover substantial defects against the material and workmanship which occur within the warranty period.

what does “defect against material and workmanship” mean?

If you use your pressure was in compliance with the user manuals instructions but the pump or motor fails within the warrant period then the manufacturer will fix or replace the whole unit.
IF any of the structural components fails like a handle, button or frame, it will be fixed as long as you haven’t for example run over it with your car or dropped it.

90 days warranty

All companies tend to offer coverage for normal wear of items such as hoses, seals, o-rings, valves, lances and nozzles against any defect which is the result of material and workmanship for 90 days.

1-year Limited Warranty

The following brands offer a 1-year warranty on items such as the pump and motor.

• Karcher
• AR Blue Clean
• Campbell Hausfeld
• Greenworks

Make sure that you read the manual as it will detail what voids the warranties of these items.

2-Year Limited Warranty (with possible extension for a fee)

• Sun Joe.

Sun joe is the only brand that offers a 2 year limited warranty out of the box.

This is a fantastic piece of mind and also shows their confidence in their products.

There is also the option to purchase another years extended warranty for a small fee, but this must be done within 90 days of purchase.

Warranty Fine Print

If you’ve purchased your pressure washer and decide to rent out or to use it for industrial or commercial purchases (please see the manual for intended use) the warranty will usually only be valid for 90 days.

Best ways to kill your pressure washer (i.e. the don’ts)

Basically do not every do these things if you want your pressure washer to last.

• Leave water in the pump and hose over the winter
• Kink the garden hose while washing
• Fail to clean the pump inlet screen

Potential Risks

I’ve learned this the hard way… Water coming out of a pressure washer can be dangerous if exposed to your skin.

It’s expelled at a rate of 30-80 times more pressure than that of a gaden hose and because of that it can also have strong cutting capabilities depending on the nozzle being used.

So my advise is keep your skin well away from the water jet, as you could end up with a bruise or much worse regarding a trip to the emergency room.

Safety

I’ve mentioned about that the water jet can be quite dangerous if handled incorrectly. The water jet can also cause bacterial infections.

In 2014 there were circa 6,000 people who had to have emergency treat due to injuries sustained by pressure washers.

Another thing to bare in mind and this is more for gas pressure washers than electric, is that they can be quite loud, so I suggest that you use hearing protection.

Some further do’s and don’ts to consider

Do – Carefully read the manufacturer’s manual.
Do – Wear appropriate clothing, and protective goggles, don’t for example wear flip flops.
Do – take extra care on slippery wet surfaces.
Do – Stand at least two feet away from the surface you are pressure washing.
Do – Turn off the pressure washer and drain any excess water before changing an spray tips.
Do – Take care when pressure washing painted surfaces such as your car as getting to close can result in stripped paint.

Don’t – Never get closer than six inches to any surface you are cleaning, you could end up stripped paint, puncturing tyres or even putting holes in wood.
Don’t – Use a pressure washing while standing on an uneven surface. e.g. a ladder.
Don’t – Point the nozzle towards, people, animals or plants.
Don’t – use an extension cord with an electric powered pressure cleaner unless it’s designed to handle water.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about Powerful Electric Pressure Washers

Are these pressure washers safe to use?

Yes, but you need to take precautions, you should wear safety equipment, you are operating a powerful pressure washer, and using narrow-angled nozzles. At a minimum, you should at least wear some protective eye-wear.

I also suggest some hard-industrial boots just in case your water jet passes over your feet, and these boots are more than likely going to handle slippery and soapy surfaces better.

Do not underestimate these machines as these are really powerful, they may just spray water, but that water can cause damage to yourself.

Why eye-wear? Debris can ricochet into your eyes.

What kind of cleaning agent or detergent should I use with my electric pressure washer?

The short answer is that it depends. Always consult your manufacturer of the model you are interested in to see if they have their own brand or recommend brands.

That said, most cleaning products don’t differ so much so you can mix it up a little, just use small amounts at first and see how the pressure washer reacts.

Make sure you use the correct soap nozzle when you are applying the soap.

Can I let my electric pressure washer use hot/warm water?

The majority of pressure washers are cold water only. Check your manual to see otherwise.

You may think that hot water sounds like a logical choice for better cleaning performance, but actually, it’s not likely to yield better results.

Hot water is only suitable for specific tasks, such as really stubborn stairs made by grease or oil, typically new cars are coated in a wax film, and hot water pressure washers are used to clean that film off.

Your typical high pressure, pressure washer exerts enough force to tackle anything, regardless of the water pressure

What Are The Potential Risks Associated With Pressure Washers?

There are a variety of risks associated with pressure washers. The high amount of pressure created by these machines can cut through flesh and cause serious injury.

These machines can also cause high-pressure water ingestion which is incredibly dangerous

High-pressure water can cause damage; regardless of the type of chemical, if it’s sprayed at a high enough pressure, it can cause severe damage.

So don’t forget to wear your safety gear, boots, ear, and eye protection, gloves, and long pants are ideal.

The pressure can also cause damage to the surface you are cleaning, so pay attention to the color coding of your nozzle tips.

Does The Washer Have Enough Pressure To Damage Car Paint?

Yes! The most powerful electric models can strip paint off of a car if they aren’t used properly.

The sheer amount of force exerted is incredibly high and can damager a solid surface easily.

There’s enough pressure produced by these pressure washers that they can even dent your car. So while you’ll want a power washer that’s powerful enough to wash all the surfaces you have in mind.

Make sure to use the correct nozzle for the job and also respect the distance, your pressure washer should be 8 or more inches away from the surface of your car.

How Should I Store My Power Washer?

You can find out how to store your pressure washer from its manual.

Because we are talking about an electric pressure washer, for the most part, it should be a case of just entirely unplugging the pressure washer, wrapping up the hose and cables, and putting it in a dry place.

What Are the Different Types of Pumps In Power Washers

There is a range of pumps that are used by different companies, and these pumps also vary from one machine to another. There are three broad categories of pumps. Axial cam pump, triplex plunger pump, and a wobble pump.

Axial cam pump

The axial cam pump works well in high GPM and PSI environments. It’s an intermediate level pump that operates better than the wobble variant. The pistons rotate around the swashplate.

This plate strokes the piston while the piston does all the sucking up of the water.

The plate rotates around the same axis as the driveshaft it’s connected to. These pumps have a lifespan of 500 to 800 hours and can handle up to 3500 PSI.

Triplex plunger pump

The triplex plunger pump can run for thousands of hours and doesn’t require any maintenance at all. It can tolerate the highest of pressures and is typically found in professional-grade machines.

It operates similarly to a car engine. Where the pistons up water and push it with each stroke.

This pump also runs at a low RPM, and because of this, it runs rather cool. This is also a pump that can be repaired with ease. You’ll find that machines with 3000+ PSI will run this type of pump.

Wobble pump

With the wobble pump, there is a wobble plate that is directly linked to the driveshaft, and it pushes the piston back and forth, enabling it to suck and throw water with a large amount of force.

This pump works really well with 2500 PSI machines or lower. Wobble pumps are sealed before they come out of the factory.

What chemicals can be used?

There is a range of soaps and detergents that you can use with your power washer, and each of them is designed for a different purpose.

For example, there is a specific soap for washing your car and an entirely different detergent for cleaning your driveway

You can find detergents that include sanitizers to kill off bacteria quickly, cleaners to remove dirt and disinfectants that kill a range of microorganisms.

These can be bought separately, and some manufacturers sell them as complementary goods. Manufacturers of these chemicals label them based on the recommended surface and use.

• You can use vinegar for cleaning countertops, or windows. It can polish surfaces from bronze heirlooms to brass door handles.
• Citric acid is suited for concrete driveways and wooden areas.
• Oxalic acid works to remove rust from various surfaces.
• Bleach as an aggressive sanitizer or a disinfectant due to its sodium hypochlorite and sodium hydroxide. Use with caution.
• Sodium Hypochlorite works well as a stain remover and a powerful disinfectant.
• Sodium Hydroxide, which is caustic, can dissolve grease, fats and is commonly used for steel and glass.
• Ammonia is an ordinary stainless steel and glass cleaner.
• Potassium Hydroxide is used to make liquid soap for cleaning purposes.

How Much Should A Power Washer Weigh?

Your average pressure washer can range from a little as 15 pounds all the way to over 100 pounds.

The weight of the machine depends entirely upon the motor fitted to it. The larger the capacity, the heavier it will be. You’ll find that most domestic machines weigh around 15-50 pounds, commercial units are typically heavier, exceeding the 50-pound limit.

How Much Water Is Used For Pressure Washing?

You may be surprised to know that a pressure washer uses less water than a garden hose. A pressure washer will use 2 gallons of water per minute, whereas a garden hose uses 20 gallons per minute.

Yup, using a pressure washer helps save water.

The amount of water you’ll use depends entirely on the job at hand. If you are doing a small join such as washing a car, then a light-duty pressure washer with water pressure ranging from 1400 to 1750 PSI and a water flow rate ranging from 1.2-1.8 GPM.

If, for example, you are going to be cleaning your driveway, you’ll need a medium-duty pressure washer, which has a PSI range of 2300-2500 and a GPM range of 2.2-2.3.

This may sound crazy, but a lightweight pressure washer will consume ~685 times less water than your garden hose.

The Differing ranges of electric pressure cleaning that are on offer

Light-Duty (Up to 1700 PSI)

Amazon product

• Fantastic for the small jobs around the house
• Light and affordable
• Very limited power, so cleaning jobs may be limited and will take longer than a more powerful unit

Ideal for

When you want to clean fragile items such a bike, car, furniture and your pet’s house for example. A light-duty pressure washer is ideal. A light-duty pressure washer will remove mud without any problems.

Medium-Duty (1700 PSI – 2800 PSI)

• The most popular range for residential pressure washing
• Fantastic for cleaning your front stairs, back deck and decking in general, patio furniture, vehicles such as cars, driveways etc.
• Amazing value for money, you can pick these up for a few hundred dollars, but you can pay much more.

Ideal for

When you want to remove stubborn greasy stains that have built up on your driveway or garage floor. Then you need a medium-duty pressure cleaner.

It will penetrate deep into the concrete and remove all of those greasy stains. A lot come with a detergent tank, I’ve given my thoughts about those above. The detergent will help lift the oils from the concrete.

Heavy- Duty (2800 PSI+)

• When you reach into the PSI ranges above 2,100 PSI and 1.8GPM the price begins to sky rocket, you can easily pay over a thousand dollars for a heavy-duty electric pressure cleaner.So unless you are a contractor, or purchasing for a warehouse/factory then you’ll most likely be better off purchasing a gas powered pressure washer if you want a heavy-duty cleaner.
• The main advantage for choose a heavy-duty electric models, is that your workers won’t have to refill the gas take with fuel several times a day.

Ideal for

When you have intense cleaning jobs, such as built up mud around your compound, really tough grime, and moss then a heavy-duty pressure washer will make little work of the task.

They’ll do all the jobs of a medium-duty and light-duty pressure washer but in much less time.

Though it’s the heavy-duty pressure washer where you must practice safe use or you can expect a trip to the emergency room.

Can I use third-party accessories with my pressure cleaner?

Yup. Any third party accessory that’s designed to fit your cleaner can be used.

For example, when it comes to cleaning my car, I use a third party snow foam cannon which attaches to my pressure washer allowing me to cover my car in a layer of foam which breaks down grease and dirt.

You’ll find many companies producing attachments which will help enhance the cleaning performance of your pressure washer.

Some of the most popular third-party attachment include foam cannons, wants, spray guns and improved surface cleaners.

Is it safe to wash my car with a high-power washer?

It comes down to being sensible, I was my car often with my pressure washer, but if you have a high powered one which has adjustable power output then turn the power down.

If you don’t, then the distance and the correct nozzles are important.

You want to select a nozzle that isn’t designed for cutting, and you want to keep the end of the spray wand at least two feet away from the vehicle.

If you get too close, you can break windows, shear off wing mirrors and strip the paint off your car.

As I said it’s about being sensible, I use my pressure washer every other weekend in spring/summer and once a month in winter, I should probably do it more often in winter seeing as they grit the roads, but it’s cold!

Most Powerful Electric Power Washer Comparison Chart

Product	Size / Dimensions (Inches)	Weight (Pounds)	Pressure (PSI)	Gallons Per Minute (GPM)	Cleaning Power (CP)	Warranty (Years)
Powerhouse International – Electric High Power	15 x 18 x 24	32	3000	2.2	6600	1
Sun Joe SPX3500	16.7 x 14.5 x 36	46.5	2300	1.48	3404	2
Karcher K5 Premium Electric Power Pressure Washer	34.3 x 13.1 x 16.8	32	2000	1.4	2800	2
Sun Joe SPX4000	22 x 18 x 36.6	27.8	2030	1.76	3572	1
Briggs & Stratton 20680 Electric Pressure Washer	15.5 x 18.75 x 34.5	26.5	1800	1.2	2160	1
Goplus Electric High Pressure Washer 2030PSI	27 x 12 x 11	19	2030	1.6	3248	1

Best Electric Pressure Washer Comparison Chart

Product	Size / Dimensions (Inches)	Weight (Pounds)	Pressure (PSI)	Gallons Per Minute (GPM)	Cleaning Power (CP)
AR Blue Clean AR383	12.25 x 11.25 x 28.5	27	1900	1.50	2850
Sun Joe SPX3001	16.5 x 14.4 x 33.5	32	2030	1.76	3572
Karcher K3 Follow-Me	21.7 x 12 x 12.8	16.3	1800	1.3	2340
AR Blue Clean AR390SS	16 x 38 x 17	36.3	2000	1.4	2800
Karcher K1800	17.2 x 17.5 x 33	21.4	1800	1.2	2160
Greenworks 1600 PSI GPW1602	11.4 x 17.1 x 9.4	17.5	1600	1.2	1920
Stanley SHP2150	14.6 x 13.6 x 26.8	25.6	2150	1.4	3010
Greenworks 2000 PSI	15.16 x 12.99 x 23.43	33.2	2000	1.2	2400
Ryobi RY141900	16.5 x 19.2 x 34	32	2000	1.2	2400
PowerStroke PS14133	16.5 x 20 x 33.5	32.4	1700	1.2	2040

Wrap Up

So, there it is, all you need to know about the most powerful electric pressure washer machines, whether you have a light-duty or high-pressure washer. The above has everything you need.

These deliver a lot and are not to be messed, don’t mistake them for a toy, make sure you pay them the right amount of respect. I once caught my hand with a low duty water stream… instant bruise, it could have been much worse with a high-pressure model.

I honestly feel that for you to get the perfect pressure washer for your needs, to get the best pressure washer on the market for your yard, you need to arm yourselves with knowledge, which I hope to have provided in this guide and most electric pressure washers reviews.

The more you know, the better your ability to make an informed buying decision, the sooner you get to wash away all those nasty stains on your driveway and patio furniture. The feeling of using a powerful electric pressure washing unit is priceless, fun and interactive.

If you have any questions or a comment to add, please leave a comment below, and I’ll answer as soon as possible.