Karcher K 2.93

Discontinued

Reviewed

June 2009

Pros

Induction motor
Rapid-exchange warranty
Surface cleaner
Dirt-blaster nozzle

Cons

No wheels
Only for small, light jobs
One-year warranty
Cord can get in the way

Our Analysis

Experts say a low-powered electric pressure washer like the Karcher K 2.93, rated at 1,400 pounds per square inch (psi), is ideal for washing cars, bikes and patio furniture because it's less apt to damage finishes than more powerful models. In this size and price range, reviews favor the Karcher K 2.93 because it's one of the rare models that employ a quiet durable-induction motor instead of a cheaper (and noisier) universal motor. The kit that includes the rotary surface cleaner, for cleaning patios and garage floors, makes this an especially good deal. The one-year warranty includes a rapid-exchange program so there's no delay waiting for a defective pressure washer to be repaired. If you want to clean a deck, however, you'll need a faster, more powerful pressure washer like the Karcher K 5.93 (Discontinued).

We found the most current review of the Karcher K 2.93 pressure washer kit at an expert retailer site, PressureWashersDirect.com. Older, more objective comparison tests at ConsumerReports.org and Popular Mechanics cover similar but discontinued models. At the time of our report, only one owner had reviewed this exact model at Amazon.com, and owners reviewing pressure washers at a U.K. review site, DooYou, discuss the Karcher brand but not this specific model.

Our Sources

1. PressureWashers Direct.com

Expert staff recommend this Karcher 1400 K 2.93 M kit as the best small electric pressure washer, praising its quiet, durable induction motor and noting that the T50 surface cleaner keeps water from splashing the user when cleaning a patio. A handful of owners also review the kit, giving it mostly high praise; one owner, however, finds the electric cord a nuisance.

Review: Karcher K2.93 + T50, Editors of PressureWashersDirect.com

2. ConsumerReports.orgDetails/Subscribe

Comparison tests here include an older but similar Karcher model, the Karcher K 2.97 M 1,500-psi pressure washer with the same flow rate of 1.3 gallons per minute (gpm) as the K 2.93. The Karcher is rated and ranked along with 14 other pressure washers, including four other electric models.

Review: Pressure Washers: Quicker Cleaning for Less, Editors of ConsumerReports.org, Nov. 2007

This excellent but outdated comparison review covers an earlier but very similar Karcher pressure washer. A more expensive Annovi Reverberi (AR) model gets top ranking here, but editors also like the way the Karcher can draw from standing water -- useful for fighting fires or situations when pressurized water isn't available.

Review: Under Pressure: We Test Six Electric Pressure Washers, Thomas Klenck, July 2003

4. Amazon.com

The owner reviewing the Karcher K 2.93 pressure washer here says it's fine for occasional patio and pool-deck cleaning. No drawbacks are noted.

Review: Karcher K293 1400 PSI Electric Pressure Washer, Contributors to Amazon.com, Dec. 2007

5. DooYoo

The Karcher K 2.93 model isn't reviewed here, but owner-written reviews at this U.K. site favor Karcher as a brand -- though some owners voice criticisms of various Karcher models.

Review: Pressure Washers, Contributors to DooYoo, As of June 2009

NorthStar 1577544 *Est. $500

2 picks including: Yesterday's Tractor Co., Northerntool.com…

AR Blue Clean AR141 *Est. $130

2 picks including: Amazon.com, PressureWashers Direct.com…

Briggs & Stratton 20358 *Est. $240

1 pick including: PressureWashers Direct.com…

Karcher K5.740 *Est. $300

1 pick including: Amazon.com, PressureWashers Direct.com…

Karcher K 2.93 Review

Karcher K 2.93