Asked on Mar 16, 2014
Power Washers... Too many to choose??
by
Anna Ibarra
+18
I am on the market to buy me a power washer preferably electric. Can anyone recommend one that is very helpful. Suggest the power that is best or size? I want it for outside cleaning of house, decks, outdid or furniture etc. Any advice would be welcomed.
12 answers
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I can't remember the brand of ours but it works great. Let me check and I'll get back to you. I know the PSI is important. You don't want too low or the pressure won't be worth it.
Z
on Mar 16, 2014
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Okay, I ran outside to our storage and ours is an HD Power Washer with 1400 PSI. I couldn't find the model on their website, but we've had it for close to a decade and as of last fall it was running. Haven't had the need to try it this year. I've personally used to clean our back 14 x 16 foot deck, and two large wood deck porches and it did the job quite well.
Z
on Mar 16, 2014
- See 3 previous
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Ideally the bigger the better. The low cost electrical units typically are not much better then a good quality hose sprayer and can only do what your hose currently can do. I would suggest at least a 2400 PSI unit. Combined with the proper accessories you can power wash driveways, clean decks, wash the house, plastic furniture , the car and do all sorts of other things the lower cost/pressure units cannot do. I do not suggest an electrical unit as your limited to only areas where you have power and if you did use extension cords you need very heavy gauge ones that cost a lot of money.
Woodbridge Environmental Tiptophouse.com
on Mar 16, 2014
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Yet hats exactly the info that was important -power pressure.
Anna Ibarra
on Mar 16, 2014
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Anything else over 2400 psi is really a professional use machine. They are expensive and unless your doing large buildings or parking lot size driveways. You really will not get the use out of the machine. I have a 2400 psi unit and a 3600 psi unit and the larger one sits in the storage shed all of the time. The 2400 unit is large enough to get you into trouble. You do need to be really careful with the higher pressure units. 2400 psi can cut you and take your hand off in short order. Left in one spot on a deck for more then 1 second, you have a hole in the wood.
Woodbridge Environmental Tiptophouse.com
on Mar 16, 2014
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I would suggest if your not going to use this all the time, or are still on the fence with what to choose. You can rent these machines locally at many HD stores and local rental shops. If its a tool that you do not think you will use a lot, then the rental method is the best way to go. No need to store the machine or maintain it. Plus you can choose the machine that would work best for the task. Cleaning brick? Use the more powerful unit, cleaning plastic furniture? The smaller unit will work fine. IN any case you will save some money and if you find you have a need for it more often then you can always purchase the size that fits your budget and need once you have tried them both out.
Woodbridge Environmental Tiptophouse.com
on Mar 17, 2014
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I have an electric Homelight power washer that I love. With the wand attached to the base it works like a vacuum on decks and patios and the wand detaches to do walls and windows. Being able to push it like a vacuum for flat surfaces makes it easier and faster than cleaner with the wand. http://www.tylertool.com/factory-reconditioned-homelite-zrhl80215-1-500-psi-1-3-gpm-electric-pressure-washer/homrzrhl80215,default,pd.html?ref=tylercipla&zmam=31282435&zmas=47&zmac=667&zmap=homrzrhl80215&srccode=cii_17588969&cpncode=26-314358660-2 Good luck
Leona G
on Mar 18, 2014
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A am I am 73 years young and I use an electric power washer. It is fun and easy but make sure it isn't too heavy. In the summer it is especially fun and you get wet but it doesn't matter(You are cool( I think mine is 2200 psi and it isn't too powerful for me....Happy power washing....have fun..... I do
Lynn5280
on Mar 18, 2014
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We got one from WM a few years ago and it barely was more powerful than our hose---and we have well water! Can some one post the difference between what are being called "Electric" and--what OTHER options are there? I am thinking some difference like a Shop Vac is to your basic upright? OR am I off track entirely??? We would like one for alum siding that has stains from--well we think maybe tree sap altho it is also on areas where we have NO trees; cars in our wretched climate; cleaning the chicken coop when needed and any outdoor furniture and kid outdoor toys etc. This is interesting as I never knew there was more than one option!
Comet
on Mar 18, 2014
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Comet, there are two methods of powering a power washer. 1 electrical motor and 2 a gas engine. Typically the gas engine models are more powerful in the pressures they reach while the electrical units tend to be less. This is not to say that you cannot get a more powerful electrical unit that would meet the needs, but like anything else in the tool world, you get what you pay for. Most of the electrical units are low power, they will boost the pressure out of the hose, and for many what comes out is normally about the same result you can get if you purchase a really good hose nozzle. I think Lynn above has a 2200 PSI unit. That is as far as I can tell about the strongest unit you can get with electrical system. That would be more then enough pressure to do just about any normal cleaning project around the house. The main benefit of the electrical unit its, quite, and does not need to have gas or oil to run. So service is nothing more then draining the water out before cold weather sets in. But for myself who, besides runs a business, use our machine to wash our horse trailers, our trucks and many other larger projects in which time is a factor, So we use a much stronger powered unit that gets the job done quick. The lesser powerful units do not have spray patterns as wide as those with the larger psi pumps. As a result we can get things done faster. Also with electrical units, you need to have power to run it. In our business there are many times when electrical power is simply not available so the gas unit is our only option. So for your home an electrical unit of around 1700 psi would do more then enough work for you. But as I suggested in an earlier post, hit the local home center rental place and rent one first, there about $30 per day or so, and they normally have different sizes to use. Try before you buy. You may find its not for you, or you had some much fun you want to go even bigger. These machines do not hold value very well so if you purchase and decide to upgrade and sell what you have, you will take a pretty big hit when you sell. Rental is the best option. In fact I own two units a 2400 and 3200 PSI gas unit. And I find I rent them more then use my own. AS they are sometimes more work to set up and use coming out of storage then to just drive to the rental place and pick it up and go.
Woodbridge Environmental Tiptophouse.com
on Mar 19, 2014
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Thank you all.
Anna Ibarra
on Mar 19, 2014
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Yes the maintenance on the gas units are a bit of a pain, but that is really only a concern if your just using the machine once or twice a year. As contractors use these machines all the time so storage of fuel and that part is built into the use. For home owners, the electrical one makes sense, but those with the higher pressures tend to be as much or more in cost then the gas units are. Its a trade off. But renting is really the best thing to do here. You do not have to worry about service and storage, and you can rent just the right size one that is needed for your project. If you see a value in using the tool and find your renting all the time, by then you will know more about them and will choose the proper model that works best for your needs. Me, I am more like the tool man, I own thousands of dollars worth of equipment and tools, many of which I have only used once or twice in the many years I owned them. But some people collect dolls, and toys, I collect tools.
Woodbridge Environmental Tiptophouse.com
on Mar 20, 2014
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