Pressure Washers

This excellent comparison review is now seriously outdated, but it still contains useful information about what to look for in an electric pressure washer. Popular Mechanics rates six electric pressure… washers, including three light-duty home units and three commercial-rated models, all ranging from 1,250 to 1,700 psi. The Annovi Reverberi (AR) Extreme 120 (now the AR Team) gets top ranking here, but editors also like the way the Karcher K 1400 pressure washer (now the Karcher K 2.16) can draw from standing water, and the Cam Spray 1500A is judged "the most rugged and capable."

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Most of the gas pressure washers sold at Sears are its own Craftsman brand, but a Snapper model and some high-end DeWalt gas pressure washers are also available this year. You can sort the models by average… owner-written rating, which makes the site very easy to use. While a few gas models have accumulated enough reviews to make the average ratings significant, Sears lists only three electric pressure washers at the time of this writing, with few reviews for any of them.

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Owners rate pressure washers at Lowes.com on five factors: design, features, quality, value and ease of use. Some owners also write brief reviews based on their experiences. Most pressure washers sold here… get less than stellar average ratings from owners, but two gas models stand out for relatively high marks: the John Deere 3,300 psi and the less expensive Troy-Bilt 2,600 psi. Oddly enough, two other Troy-Bilt models -- one more powerful than the 2,600 psi, one less powerful -- get much lower ratings for quality. None of the electric pressure washers get high marks here.

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This 14-page discussion evaluates several Ridgid pressure washers, with some comparisons with the DeWalt 3100. A clear consensus emerges in favor of triplex pumps rather than axial cam pumps, with CAT the… favorite brand. Confusion about the pump on the 3,000-psi model is finally cleared up: the 2008 version used an AR axial cam pump, while the 2009 version uses a Cat triplex pump. The 3,300-psi model favored in initial posts here has been discontinued.

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Several contributors give detailed advice on choosing a pressure washer for cleaning decks. Two, including a deck builder, urge erring on the side of too little power to avoid creating a ragged, splintery… deck. One notes that spending more for a commercial model costs less in the long run, since the pressure washers can be repaired for less. Indeed, one owner reports that repair on his Craftsman model was covered by warranty only for 90 days; when the pump failed again it wasn't covered.

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This succinct blog post on pressure washers is written by a self-described "power tool geek," who explains the technical terms very well. He recommends direct-drive motors (with the pump directly mounted to… the spindle of the motor) for their efficiency and longer life compared with belt drive motors. He also notes that it's important to make sure you'll be able to get parts when needed, which is where major brands have a definite edge.

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This forum discussion evaluates a 2,000-psi electric Husky pressure washer. Several contributors report that the pressure and flow aren't high enough for cleaning a deck -- and certainly not for siding. The… Husky brand also gets some criticism for relatively low build quality. However, the consensus is that nothing in the under-$200 price range will be much better. Searching this forum for "pressure washer" will bring up quite a few older discussions; it's a good place to check for evaluations of a specific brand or model that interests you.

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