Pressure Washer

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Ruben12

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Hey guys, I'm on the market for a new pressure washer. I currently have a 2500psi gas powered pressure washer and I'm tired of the noise and fumes. Anyone know of an electric pressure washer I can pick up at my local Home Depot or Lowe's? I'm looking for one that works well with a foam cannon too! Thanks!
 
SunJoe SPX3000 electric. I have one, use it with a foam cannon, and love it. Swap out their plastic fittings for quick release ones, and you're set. Have had it for close to a year with no issues.
 
I've had a Karcher K5-85M for at least 5 years and use a foam cannon. The Karcher takes a special adapter but does a great job.

I use it on my wife's Equinox, my '98 Mercedes, and my 69 Vette. Don't need anything more powerful.

Good Luck
 
1969Vette said:
I've had a Karcher K5-85M for at least 5 years and use a foam cannon. The Karcher takes a special adapter but does a great job.

I use it on my wife's Equinox, my '98 Mercedes, and my 69 Vette. Don't need anything more powerful.

Good Luck
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If I remember correctly the op's main problem with the karcher k5 was the hose always coiling? I do agree that can be a problem if you don't take care of it. By that I mean using a rubber and vinyl cleaner/conditioner on it when you roll it up. It would be nice if karcher had an upgrade for the hose that was rubber
 
I ran a Karcher PW for over 5 years before it developed an internal leak. Great unit, but uses its own quick connectors which can be a PITA when adapting to extension hoses or foam cannons. The Karcher breaking down gave me the excuse to upgrade to a unit that uses standard pressure washer fittings.

The Sun Joe is another option, however it uses a proprietary sized outlet which is an M22/15mm. I converted that outlet (using a brass fitting with o-ring) to give me a "standard" M22/14mm size. So now i am able to run any off the shelf pressure washer hose, gun or attachment i want. To me that is key if you have a Sun Joe unit. I chose the SPX3000 and paired it with an MTM Hydro gun/lance, 50" custom hose+reel and couldn't be happier with my setup.
 
 
I'm also in the market now for a power washer. But it needs to serve multiple purposes, such as car washing with lots of suds and cleaning wood siding, driveway, and similar uses. Not sure if I should get gas or electric, 1500 or 2000 psi, hose roller, etc.

Interested in how this thread goes.
 
Much is depending on the budget you have. And what kind of use you are going to have it for. The thing I looked after when I was upgradeing my smallest nilfisk pressure wash. Was that I wanted as much of the gpm the PW could give on the electric outlet I have which is 240v. If you want a high caulity PW which would last you a lifetime then Kränzle is the brand to look into. I have heard good things about AR PW also. There is a couple of futures to decide about. Are you able to have a PW on one place or is it haveing to be portable. Do you want a hose reel or an one that you disconnect and reel up somewhere else. I would test out the original spray gun and hose to start with if that is possible. Then think thrue if an upgrade is necessary to get. If you are going with a smaller PW and still wants a good foam from the foamcannon. Then replace the orifice to 1.1mm in the foamcannon. The standard orifice is 1.25mm. This gets you a better foam. But don't forget that the cleaning ability the PW has is IME the higher gpm the better.
I went with a kärcher k7 premium plus flex pressure wash with specs 2600psi 2.6gpm 240v. The difference to the nilfisk pressure wash with specs 1300psi 1.1gpm is light years apart. I had to get a bigger orifice to the foamcannon 1.3mm. The time has been cut in more than half the time and a better cleaning ability and a thicker foam with less of product. So go from a gas PW to a small to mid range consumer PW is a big step down. See if you can borrow or test the PW size you are thinking of to get. And see if it meets your needs.
 
I personally have a gas washer. But, I do wish I had gotten a 240V electric, as SWETM suggested. One that looks to be a good value, but I can't personally vouch for since I don't have it, is the Northern Tool NorthStar #1573021. $850, 5 HP motor, 3000 PSI, 2.5 GPM. That is still less powerful than a less expensive mid-range gas unit. But, looks to me to be a good value for an electric. If I was to buy again, I would probably get it.
 
JMak97008 said:
I'm also in the market now for a power washer. But it needs to serve multiple purposes, such as car washing with lots of suds and cleaning wood siding, driveway, and similar uses. Not sure if I should get gas or electric, 1500 or 2000 psi, hose roller, etc.

Interested in how this thread goes.
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There is no one-size-fits-all electric is for cars and other small stuff. gas is for all that other stuff.

You just have to pick what's more important if you want foam have to get a separate foam Cannon. It's big money if you want to do everything right
 
I looked at Kränzle as suggested by SWETM. Dang! The Kränzle unit that is most comparible to the NorthStar I listed costs $3k! 3.5x the price of the NorthStar! But, the Kränzle has a 10 year warranty. And somewhat higher cleaning units since theirs has higher GPM.

I watched their video on their pumps and they talk about their superiour design. I am convinced theirs is a good product. But, for 3.5x the price, I think I would get the NorthStar. But, I don't own either. I have a DeWalt gas.
 
I have a Mi-T-M belt drive pressure washer that works great but it's all based on your budget
 
Speedie6 said:
I looked at Kränzle as suggested by SWETM. Dang! The Kränzle unit that is most comparible to the NorthStar I listed costs $3k! 3.5x the price of the NorthStar! But, the Kränzle has a 10 year warranty. And somewhat higher cleaning units since theirs has higher GPM.

I watched their video on their pumps and they talk about their superiour design. I am convinced theirs is a good product. But, for 3.5x the price, I think I would get the NorthStar. But, I don't own either. I have a DeWalt gas.
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What is your specs on the dewalt? For an electric if looking at kränzle and the 110v outlets the most common one is K1122tst 1400psi 2.1gpm. The thing to have in mind is that it's a 50feet and good quality wand spray gun. This is an investment if you use a PW alot. You might need to get a swiwel and quick connections down the road. Where I live the 240v is standard and is whole different thing in terms of power to 110v outlets. I have 440v outlets in the garage so can use really powerfull industrial PW. Thought about getting one of those but then the versitale would be low. The kränzle unit I looked at was the K1152tst. But the double price to kärcher k7 and the what I would use it for. I got with the k7.
I would look at the use you are going to be useing with. And what kind of hose and spray gun and wand that comes with it. There is a cost to upgrade those also. Then what kind of cleaning ability you need. The range about 2.0gpm IMO is the lowest I would go. But I live in hard weather elements. If you are wanting an effective PW to more than cleaning cars with and the time it takes to do different work. I would look at a gas PW in the 3.0gpm range. To cleaning cars 2.0gpm and above is good cleaning ability. Then you more gpm the less time the work takes. And then the quality of the PW is what it suits your need and budget. If I had a detailing shop I would not look at others than kränzle. And if I maintain some cars on the weekends and time is important to save. The more gpm I would want if you use the water pressure from the PW to clean with. If you use it to rinse only then a small PW is good. So all comes down to how you use the PW. If the climate environment I lived in is not harsh and I maintain the car weekly I would be use the water hose to rinse of the loose dirt and then wash. If a thorough prewash is needed and clean as much as you can before touching the paint. Then PW is the way to go.

Sorry about all the text but want to explain my thoughts as good as possible lol
 
I've never thought of this but you're right, the hose coiling is a problem. I might have to start using a conditioner on the hose to make it more manageable.

Another thing, gas washers only have two hoses to deal with, not the extra power cord to get in a tangled mess. I'm forever getting all of these wrapped up like a pile of snakes.

For every convenience, there are drawbacks.
 
fightnews said:
There is no one-size-fits-all electric is for cars and other small stuff. gas is for all that other stuff.

You just have to pick what's more important if you want foam have to get a separate foam Cannon. It's big money if you want to do everything right
Click to expand...

Now that's a bummer to hear...I was hoping to get a PW that could double on both cars and exterior wood, driveway cleaning duty.

I'm looking at a Honda/Powerstroke gas PW at Costco which is essentially this - Direct Tools | POWERSTROKE 3000 PSI Gas 2.5 GPM Pressure Washer with Honda Motor

Was really hoping that it could also be used for washing our cars, too, without causing damage.
 
JMak97008 said:
Now that's a bummer to hear...I was hoping to get a PW that could double on both cars and exterior wood, driveway cleaning duty.

I'm looking at a Honda/Powerstroke gas PW at Costco which is essentially this - Direct Tools | POWERSTROKE 3000 PSI Gas 2.5 GPM Pressure Washer with Honda Motor

Was really hoping that it could also be used for washing our cars, too, without causing damage.
Click to expand...

That one will suit your needs fine. The thing to not use on the car is the turbo nozzle and the low grade nozzle tip. When you are testing it you simply start the PW and hold your hand as far as possible away from the nozzle. Then close the distance until it hurting your hand. You get a range where it's safe to PW on cars and other surface. And then if you have loose paint chip you are not PW them and also on ppf and clearbras edges you don't go to them but from them of the edges. Even the small PW can damage things used wrong. But so can a water hose with a high water pressure and the jet setting on the spray gun.

So for a versitale PW the one you linked seems to be a great one. Just get some different angles nozzle tipps and the wider the spray pattern is the safer it is. And on what ever kind of surface be very carefull to use the turbo nozzle as it's very powerfull. You may need to switch the orifice in the foamcannon to a size bigger than original. And maybe look at the pro foamcannon to handle the pressure. If you have to much of pressure and water flow from the PW and the foamcannon pulses you have to get a bigger orifice. Also if useing the smallest PW you will need a smaller orifice to get a decent foam from the foamcannon. That is what happens often when getting a pro foamcannon to a little PW.
 
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