I am a homeowner and need a pressure washer for regular homeowner stuff like cleaning deck, driveway, porch. I'll probably use it 2-3 times a year. I prefer an electric pressure washer only b/c I've used my dad's gas one and that thing went through gas like nobody's business. Probably had to fill it 6 times while pressure washing the driveway/sidewalk. What brand do y'all recommend? I'm leaning towards a Black Max model b/c it's metal and has brass fittings. Many of the other brands such as Sun Joe SPX3000 Electric Pressure Washer, AR Blue Clean AR390SS Electric Pressure Washer etc look very plasticy.
If fuel usage is your only issue with gas powered washers, then you should reconsider.
I have a gas pressure washer with a 190cc Honda engine, and I fill the gas tank (roughly a quart) about once an hour. An hour is a lot of pressure washing.
I've used the electric ones, and to be honest, they just don't have the power I need, even for "around the house" stuff. If all I needed was an occasional rinse off of the car, then I might use an electric. The biggest one that BlackMax sells only does 1700 psi and 1.2 GPM.
For about $100 more, you can get a gas one one that does 2300 psi and 2.3 GPM, with a Honda engine that, if maintained correctly, with your usage, will work for a long, long time. My pressure washer is going on 15 years, and still starts with one pull.
....
Could you recommend the best pressure washer for say around $150-$200? Most of the gas powered I see are over $400+. I really could use one for around the house and possible 2nd story windows, patio, siding, etc.
How much psi do you need to clean concrete?
Power Washing Concrete. To clean concrete effectively, use a power washer with a pressure rating of at least 3000 psi and a flow rate of at least 4 gallons per minute (gpm).
How much psi do you need to clean a driveway?
To wash your car, you need a washer that delivers 700 pounds of pressure per square inch, or 700 psi. To clean your deck or the exterior of your house, you need 1500 psi. To clean your concrete driveway, you need 3000 psi.
What is a good psi to wash a car?
Choose a pressure washer with a setting of 1200 – 1900 PSI. It's safe to use for cars, so you won't need to worry about damaging the paint on your car. Experts recommend using a pressure washer with 1.4 – 1.6 GPM.
I've owned 2 gas and 2 electric over the years, and I now lean to electric for the following reasons:
I don't use it much, twice a year tops.
Gas engines require a little more maintenance/winterizing with the ethanol in fuel now. You can get around this by finding non-ethanol fuel, emptying tanks when done using, but it gets to be a pain.
I found the right nozzle - I upgraded to a turbo nozzle, it cost me around 40 bucks. Coupled with the karcher k.3000 (1.8k), it will carve your name in your deck if you get it too close.
Since I can back off with the nozzle, each pass covers more area, making it a quicker job on the deck and driveway. I use the nozzles it came with to clean the house and windows.
Things that would push me back to gas:
1. I had a bunch of other gas equipment I had to maintain, keep gas on hand for, etc.
2. I had a lot of stuff far from the house and electric outlets.
3. I had a huge driveway - I'd get a gas one coupled with one of those round surface cleaners (e.g. Whirl-a-Way).
I've been happy with the karcher - I had a green works that was crap, and was not impressed with the neighbors AR Blue while I researched my Karcher.
How to Pick the Perfect Pressure Washer
How powerful a pressure washer is determines what kind of jobs it can handle. That power, or pressure output, is measured by pounds per square inch (PSI) and gallons per minute (GPM).
A pressure sprayer rated with a higher PSI and GPM will clean better and faster, but often cost more than lower-rated units. Use the PSI and GPM ratings to determine the cleaning power of a pressure washer.
The greater the combination of the numbers, the more area you can clean in less time.
Light-duty: Perfect for smaller jobs around the home, these pressure washers typically rate between 1300 to 2000 PSI at 2 GPM. Whether you want gas-powered or electric, these compact, lightweight machines are ideal for cleaning patio furniture, grills, vehicles, as well as small decks and patios.
Medium-duty: Generally gas-powered, these medium-duty pressure washers generate between 2000 and 2800 PSI at 2-3 GPM. Best for home and shop use, and built with premium components, these sturdier, more powerful units make it easy to clean everything from exterior siding and fences to walkways and driveways.
Heavy-duty: Great for everyday commercial uses, these professional-grade pressure washers put out between 2900 and 3000 PSI at 3-4 GPM. Durable, gas-powered units make light work out of most large-scale cleaning jobs, including graffiti removal, paint stripping and washing a two-story home.
Extra heavy-duty: These pressure washers rate around 3300 PSI and higher. These models handle many of the jobs of other machines, but add more power.
Multi-Duty: A multi-duty pressure washer, or an all-in-one pressure washer, allows you to adjust your machine's water temperature and pressure flow for more delicate cleaning tasks.
Hot Water Pressure Washers: Ideal for industrial and farm use, hot water pressure washers generally cost more and are more complex to operate, but they clean better and faster than cold water pressure washers, and they use less soap or other cleaning chemicals.
If fuel usage is your only issue with gas powered washers, then you should reconsider.
I have a gas pressure washer with a 190cc Honda engine, and I fill the gas tank (roughly a quart) about once an hour. An hour is a lot of pressure washing.
I've used the electric ones, and to be honest, they just don't have the power I need, even for "around the house" stuff. If all I needed was an occasional rinse off of the car, then I might use an electric. The biggest one that BlackMax sells only does 1700 psi and 1.2 GPM.
For about $100 more, you can get a gas one one that does 2300 psi and 2.3 GPM, with a Honda engine that, if maintained correctly, with your usage, will work for a long, long time. My pressure washer is going on 15 years, and still starts with one pull.
....
Could you recommend the best pressure washer for say around $150-$200? Most of the gas powered I see are over $400+. I really could use one for around the house and possible 2nd story windows, patio, siding, etc.
How much psi do you need to clean concrete?
Power Washing Concrete. To clean concrete effectively, use a power washer with a pressure rating of at least 3000 psi and a flow rate of at least 4 gallons per minute (gpm).
How much psi do you need to clean a driveway?
To wash your car, you need a washer that delivers 700 pounds of pressure per square inch, or 700 psi. To clean your deck or the exterior of your house, you need 1500 psi. To clean your concrete driveway, you need 3000 psi.
What is a good psi to wash a car?
Choose a pressure washer with a setting of 1200 – 1900 PSI. It's safe to use for cars, so you won't need to worry about damaging the paint on your car. Experts recommend using a pressure washer with 1.4 – 1.6 GPM.
I've owned 2 gas and 2 electric over the years, and I now lean to electric for the following reasons:
I don't use it much, twice a year tops.
Gas engines require a little more maintenance/winterizing with the ethanol in fuel now. You can get around this by finding non-ethanol fuel, emptying tanks when done using, but it gets to be a pain.
I found the right nozzle - I upgraded to a turbo nozzle, it cost me around 40 bucks. Coupled with the karcher k.3000 (1.8k), it will carve your name in your deck if you get it too close.
Since I can back off with the nozzle, each pass covers more area, making it a quicker job on the deck and driveway. I use the nozzles it came with to clean the house and windows.
Things that would push me back to gas:
1. I had a bunch of other gas equipment I had to maintain, keep gas on hand for, etc.
2. I had a lot of stuff far from the house and electric outlets.
3. I had a huge driveway - I'd get a gas one coupled with one of those round surface cleaners (e.g. Whirl-a-Way).
I've been happy with the karcher - I had a green works that was crap, and was not impressed with the neighbors AR Blue while I researched my Karcher.
How to Pick the Perfect Pressure Washer
How powerful a pressure washer is determines what kind of jobs it can handle. That power, or pressure output, is measured by pounds per square inch (PSI) and gallons per minute (GPM).
A pressure sprayer rated with a higher PSI and GPM will clean better and faster, but often cost more than lower-rated units. Use the PSI and GPM ratings to determine the cleaning power of a pressure washer.
The greater the combination of the numbers, the more area you can clean in less time.
Light-duty: Perfect for smaller jobs around the home, these pressure washers typically rate between 1300 to 2000 PSI at 2 GPM. Whether you want gas-powered or electric, these compact, lightweight machines are ideal for cleaning patio furniture, grills, vehicles, as well as small decks and patios.
Medium-duty: Generally gas-powered, these medium-duty pressure washers generate between 2000 and 2800 PSI at 2-3 GPM. Best for home and shop use, and built with premium components, these sturdier, more powerful units make it easy to clean everything from exterior siding and fences to walkways and driveways.
Heavy-duty: Great for everyday commercial uses, these professional-grade pressure washers put out between 2900 and 3000 PSI at 3-4 GPM. Durable, gas-powered units make light work out of most large-scale cleaning jobs, including graffiti removal, paint stripping and washing a two-story home.
Extra heavy-duty: These pressure washers rate around 3300 PSI and higher. These models handle many of the jobs of other machines, but add more power.
Multi-Duty: A multi-duty pressure washer, or an all-in-one pressure washer, allows you to adjust your machine's water temperature and pressure flow for more delicate cleaning tasks.
Hot Water Pressure Washers: Ideal for industrial and farm use, hot water pressure washers generally cost more and are more complex to operate, but they clean better and faster than cold water pressure washers, and they use less soap or other cleaning chemicals.
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