May 29th, 2020 by Chris Chapman

A pressure washer can be a fantastic bit of kit for making light work of some of the dirtiest jobs in the garden and around our properties. A task that could require hours of elbow grease by hand can be done in a fraction of the time, with a lot less effort and to a much higher standard, by a pressure washer. What’s not to like about that?

Commonly used to clean patios, driveways, decking, outdoor furniture and even bikes and cars, pressure washers, do pretty much what the name suggests: use water combined with pressure to clean surfaces. Often this is enough to shift dirt without needing any kind of cleaning agent although some jobs may require the addition of a detergent, and many will have attachments that allow for this.

If you’re thinking of investing in one, here is a buyer’s guide that gives you an insight into all the aspects you may want to consider, and how they might impact performance.

How to measure the power of a pressure washer

The key thing to understand about a pressure washer is how that pressure is created and measured. There are 3 factors to this:

1. The pressure of the water
   This means the pressure that the water is expelled from the machine at. This is measured in bar.
2. The rate of water flow
   This refers to how much water is expelled over a given time. This is measured in litres per hour
3. The power of the unit
   As with other power tools, this is measured in watts (W) if electric or horsepower (Hp) if petrol. The majority on the market are electric.

What level of power do you need?

As with all power tools and DIY gadgets, what you need should be determined by what you’re likely to use it for. The heavier and dirtier the jobs, the more pressure and flow rate you’re likely to need. As a general rule, harder surfaces will usually require more pressure, especially if they get very dirty. Patios and driveways will usually require more pressure than decking, fences and cars.  Heavy-duty jobs may require 130 bar +, medium-duty 110-130 bar and light duty up to 110 bar. Bear in mind, of course, that your surfaces may only be heavy-duty jobs the first time you do them. Regular maintenance with your pressure washer after that will prevent the dirt from building up again too much.

Can a pressure washer have too much pressure?

You may worry that you could cause damage to your patio with a pressure washer. While they can damage some materials, this is invariably more down to usage than the machine itself. This can be due to using the device at too high a pressure or not using an appropriate attachment. For example, it is advisable to use a patio cleaner attachment when cleaning patios and paving stones to avoid leaving lines. Remember that even the most powerful pressure washers have different settings so you can vary the pressure, depending on the surface you’re cleaning. If you’re not experienced with using one, start at low pressure and gradually increase it. Pressure washers are not advised for glass and windows.

Electric or petrol?

Most pressure washers run on electricity but you can get petrol-powered ones. Petrol machines can be good if you don’t have access to power or you have a really large garden and don’t want to be hampered by a lead. They’re most common for people who use them away from home a lot. They can be heavier than electric pressure washers and do require you to be able to collect and store petrol safely.

Features

Now that we have looked at the basic specification of a pressure washer, we’ll take a look at some of the additional features and accessories that might be useful.

Auto start/stop

This is a feature that uses the trigger on the spray gun to start or stop the water flow, rather than a button on the main machine. It’s easier because it can be operated with one hand and offers you more control. It can also help to save water.

Attachments and accessories

The more attachments that are available for your pressure washer, the more versatile it will be. Useful ones include detergent bottles or tanks, different nozzles, patio cleaner, snow foam lance and car cleaning brush. Some will have adapters, which means you can use attachments from other manufacturers, offering you even more options. You don’t have to buy all the attachments at once. If you know there is a range available, that can be bought separately, you can just acquire them as you need them.

Suction hoses

Suction hoses allow you to take water from a static water source such as a water butt or even a bucket or tank. This is great for making the best use of collected water and reducing home water usage (good for the environment and those on a water meter). It also means that you can still do your jobs in the garden even during a hosepipe ban. (One tip when cleaning garden furniture or bikes is to place them on the grass so the water won’t go to waste).

Hose length

The hose is what connects the main unit to the trigger gun. A longer hose will allow you more movement from the machine which is good for larger areas like fences and driveways as it means you won’t have to move the machine itself around as much.

Weight and wheels

If you find a device cumbersome and difficult to move around, you will soon tire of using it. Choose one that has wheels for easy manoeuvring and check the weight as they can range from around 4KG to 20KG. Think about how you plan to use it; if it’s mainly to wash the car or a small area, you won’t need to move it a lot. If it’s to cover a large area with steps and slopes, weight may be a bigger consideration. The more powerful and expensive ones tend to be heavier so you have to balance the benefit of the power with the possible inconvenience of the weight.

Integrated storage

It’s perhaps a small point but integrated storage for parts and accessories on the machine, such as hooks and holsters, can be really useful in keeping everything together when stored. This saves you looking for attachments every time you use it plus it protects accessories from getting damaged if stored loose.

Pro-Kleen Pressure Washer

Price: £89.99

Buy Now

Quick checklist

Hopefully, this has given you a good overview of what you should be looking for. In short, consider the following:

• Consider the jobs you will use it for
• Power is determined by pressure and water flow. Choose one with appropriate power for the jobs you plan to do
• Check the range of accessories
• Consider hose length and weight
• Buy the best your budget will allow