Sometimes you just need a simple tool that will do the basics well. The Makita HW101 Compact Pressure Washer is just that; it may not have all the bells and whistles of a more expensive pressure washers, but it will clean paving, wash the car, and hose off grime with minimal effort required from you. It’s the best pressure washer for easy, no-nonsense cleaning. There’s something deeply satisfying about watching dirt being blasted away by a pressure washer. These handy tools transform the mains water supply from a simple outside tap into a powerful cleaning jet, and the best pressure washers can make light work of all the intensive cleaning tasks around your home and garden. In very few cases is a pressure of 180 bar required to remove stubborn dirt. In principle, 110 bar is sufficient for any kind of soiling, but the nozzle must then be held very close to the surface, which takes a long time to clean the entire surface in the case of large areas of soiling. That said, although 180 bar may be its maximum, this pressure washer provides a little less than that when you have it on its strongest setting. However, it comes with a boost function that you can use to give yourself an extra 15 bar of pressure whenever you’re struggling with stubborn dirt, which is very useful. Offering 155 bars of continuous pressure, it isn’t quite as strong as the Kärcher K7 pressure washer (which works at 160 bars), but it comes pretty close. For this reason it’s well suited to domestic use.

Some pressure washers can be heavy, so a longer hose can be useful so that you don’t have to carry it or wheel it around. This is also good if you are using it to clean your car as it makes it a lot easier to do as you can then just move around without having to pull it along with you each time. Most entry models come with at least a 4m pressure hose as standard. AccessoriesThere are two options here; it will either be air-cooled or water-cooled, which relates to how the motor is kept cool when the pressure washer is in use. Water-cooled is on the higher-spec models from Karcher and is designed with the water pumping around the motor to cool it down when in use. The benefits of this include a high level of efficiency and durability. Detergent intake In terms of power, the Karcher K5 provides a pressure range of 20-140 bar . The maximum is sufficient for just about all domestic cleaning tasks, and the water-cooled motor means that you can run it continuously for long periods without dealing with overheating. By using the different nozzles, jets and lances, this pressure washer can clean gutters and cars, and even strip moss, algae and grime from paving slabs. In fact, the finest jet is so powerful that it can visibly ‘write’ on grubby driveways.

This Wilks-USA pressure washer can also achieve a maximum pressure of 262 bar with its first burst of water, which is extremely powerful. However, it isn’t capable of producing this level of pressure continuously, so it’s more realistic to call it a 155-bar pressure washer. Of course, what matters most is performance, and this pressure washer gets the job done well . It effortlessly cleared my 4×4 of several weeks of deeply embedded farm dirt, with the three different pressure settings enabling me to properly customise the clean. The many attachments included with this pressure washer certainly boost its performance. Between the variety of lances and the rotating wash brush that was able to get into even the smallest of crevices, this pressure washer is able to deliver a professional-looking finish .If you decide to use a 180 bar pressure washer, you should be aware of its destructive power. Never leave the pressure washer unattended and do not use it when children are around. This is because the following injuries can occur: Weighing just 4 kg, it would be easy to not expect much from this little machine; however, Bosch have in fact created a small pressure washer that can still dish out 120 bars of pressure and clean for hours. The Bosch EasyAquatak 120 is powerful yet compact, owning a niche in the market as a very lightweight pressure washer. With electric jet washers, there is no messy petrol or diesel to have to deal with, no oil to remember to top up and no maintaining of carburettors – simply plug in your machine and you’re ready to go!

The Premium 180 is one of the most powerful pressure washer in the Nilfisk domestic range, while providing an impressive level of flexibility & user control. It looks and feels the part too – with a telescopic handle and dedicated areas to clip in the attachments, both moving and storing this machine is easy. At 12.9kg , it’s sturdy enough to stay upright while it’s in use, although the 10m hose saves you from having to move it around much. The only downside was that the hose easily kinks. It may be steel-reinforced, but you’ll still need to be careful with it to prevent it from splitting. The maximum pressure of a pressure washer indicates the maximum pressure the unit can reach. For example, if the water flow is interrupted, a high pressure can build up in the unit for a short time. This is then calculated or measured and is output as the maximum pressure. With this pressure washer, you’re also paying more for its technology. With its smart LCD display and bluetooth connectivity, this is the most high-tech pressure washer that I’ve used. Is it worth paying more for? In some ways, yes. Being able to adjust the pressure using the gun helps you to get the job done with more finesse. However, the bluetooth feature wasn’t useful in the slightest. I would imagine that most people would happily go without this in exchange for a slight drop in price! The way I see it, this higher price is justified by this machine’s power . You’ll struggle to find a home pressure washer that offers 180 bar for a lower price. It takes the machine out of the domestic realm and into the heavy-duty category, yet it costs significantly less than a professional model.

My Top Recommended Pressure Washers

When it comes to car cleaning, look for a lower pressure setting of around 80 bar . Using as low a pressure as possible will avoid damaging paintwork and causing rust. Maximum pressure isn’t the only way to assess whether a particular model is right for you. If the manufacturer includes it, look for the washer’s “bar-rated pressure” , which is the average pressure that each washer can maintain over a long period. Bar is an internationally recognised unit of pressure. One bar is equal to 14.5psi (pounds per square inch). What accessories do you need for different cleaning tasks? Integrated wheel kit - The integrated wheel kit allows the high-pressure cleaner to be manoeuvred comfortably. The tool’s large wheels can even handle stairs and rough terrain. Given that this is a budget option, there aren’t as many ‘thoughtful touches’ on this machine as with more premium pressure washers. For example, it isn’t possible to store the accessories on board, and the mains cable doesn’t always store perfectly neatly over the plastic hook. bar and 360 l/h flow rate is what a pressure washer should have at least for normal household use. However, if you only want to clean your bicycle and garden furniture, you can get by with less. However, if you need the pressure washer for larger tasks around the house, you should go for one with more power. What are the benefits of high pressures?

In the following paragraphs, we’ll dive deeper into each of these factors to help you make an informed decision when choosing the best pressure washer for your needs. Pressure Output and Water Flow Rate With many pressure washers it can be very time consuming and annoying to have to keep moving the heavy base unit around whilst in the middle of a task. Yet, with the Easy Aquatak 120 this isn’t such a problem;. I’d say it’s the best pressure washer in terms of portability due to its light weight. It’s even possible to be useful as a handheld pressure washer – you can even carry it with you as you go. This pressure washer is almost already fully assembled, meaning that you can get it up and running in just a couple of minutes The working pressure, on the other hand, is measured from the outlet of the pressure washer pump. However, it is still reduced or increased by the piping in the unit and the accessories. The working pressure is approximately 10 % – 20 % below the maximum pressure. Since this is a home pressure washer, rather than one designed for cars, it didn’t come with any extra car-related accessories. Fortunately, I already had a bottle of Karcher’s car shampoo, so I slotted this in to the Plug n Clean detergent system and twisted the lance over to its detergent setting.Using a pressure washer safely and effectively is essential for achieving optimal cleaning results. In this section, we’ll provide expert advice on: If you are looking for a cold water pressure washer, Kärcher models are often the first choice. You can buy them online for as little as 500 pounds incl. VAT, in combination with free delivery. This means you can get started straight away after waiting 2-3 days for delivery. Even with the basic models, everything is included, so a free jet pipe with nozzle is always included, so you can get started straight away. Key specs – Size: 27 x 69 x 25cm (WHL); Weight: 6.3kg; Max pressure: 115 bar; Water flow rate: 300l/hr; Hose length: 5m; Cable length: 5m; Cleaning area: N/A; Motor power: 1,600W