NWFA power washing gurus

[thorborg]

I'm looking for power washer advice. I want to buy an electric PW. For several reason: I'm not so fit as to be able to produce the energy to physically scrub things any more, The water bill in Beaverton is enormous so a power washer would use less volume than a regular hose., I have a neighbor with a gigantic Sycamore tree that extends over forty feet onto my property and produces 7 million tons of pollen that if not removed nearly immediately, will stick like JB weld to everything it lands on (and its everywhere) especially irritatingly on the vehicles and trailer. No nozzle on a regular hose I've found will remove it from the little cracks and edges around seems, windows and canopy creases. Not to mention BBQ and other things,.

So, While I don't need to blow the doors off the truck or carve my name in the concrete, I thought something around 15 to 2k psi would be enough, which seems in line with electrical PW's
I saw a Dewalt that used a 20 volt battery I have, looked pretty simple but it was 500 PSI which didn't seem enough though I don't know what pressure I need for things. I don't want blow the paint off the car or if 500 PSI is enough to get the dried on pollen crud.

Also, I need it to be reasonably light and preferable with wheels, I don't bend over well but I read comments on some taller ones were "tippy"
I have nearly no experience with Power washers, for something little used by an old guy, If you Please, opine on what you suggest or this:

Supposedly 1600PSI 1.2gpm looks like a small compact easy to store package.

Or recommend another:

Thank you kindly.

Read More

 

[Stomper]

Ryobi 1800-psi power washer.... it works great, and it's compact and lightweight.


Around $100 at Home Depot

https://www.homedepot.com/p/RYOBI-1800-PSI-1-2-GPM-Cold-Water-Corded-Electric-Pressure-Washer-RY141802/317623149

or on Amazon for $116

Amazon.com

 

[Joe13]

Volume is more important then psi but few people are aware of that

 

[TNThomas]

I'm looking for power washer advice. I want to buy an electric PW. For several reason: I'm not so fit as to be able to produce the energy to physically scrub things any more, The water bill in Beaverton is enormous so a power washer would use less volume than a regular hose., I have a neighbor with a gigantic Sycamore tree that extends over forty feet onto my property and produces 7 million tons of pollen that if not removed nearly immediately, will stick like JB weld to everything it lands on (and its everywhere) especially irritatingly on the vehicles and trailer. No nozzle on a regular hose I've found will remove it from the little cracks and edges around seems, windows and canopy creases. Not to mention BBQ and other things,.

So, While I don't need to blow the doors off the truck or carve my name in the concrete, I thought something around 15 to 2k psi would be enough, which seems in line with electrical PW's
I saw a Dewalt that used a 20 volt battery I have, looked pretty simple but it was 500 PSI which didn't seem enough though I don't know what pressure I need for things. I don't want blow the paint off the car or if 500 PSI is enough to get the dried on pollen crud.

Also, I need it to be reasonably light and preferable with wheels, I don't bend over well but I read comments on some taller ones were "tippy"
I have nearly no experience with Power washers, for something little used by an old guy, If you Please, opine on what you suggest or this:
View attachment 1981149
Supposedly 1600PSI 1.2gpm looks like a small compact easy to store package.

Or recommend another:

Thank you kindly.

Check out Harbor Freight. They have a similar unit with slightly better stats, and about $90. They almost always have a coupon too.

 

[WAYNO]

I have a lot of experience with both gas powered and electric pressure washers

In a nutshell, the biggest and most important difference is the width and density of the spray pattern. (volume of water).

For small jobs, an electric unit will do everything expected, but will take a little more time. For big jobs, the additional time required of an electric unit will make you hate it.

And as far as cordless units, regardless of the tool, they can be unbelievably comparable in power to a corded unit. But I don't care what kind of tool it is, the battery will go dead in the middle of a job. Maybe it's not a huge issue to change the battery, but then it's a roll of the dice if your extra battery has been charged recently enough, or if even it will still hold a charge, Then you order a new battery from Amazon for a hundred bucks, if it's a recent enough model they still have batteries available..

Sometimes, for some jobs, any of the corded/cordless/gas engine models are a better choice than the others. And that's not just for power washers. It equally applies to drills, saws, grinders, everything..





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[P7M13]

I see how well you take care of your stuff.
I have a Kawasaki gas powered pressure washer you're welcome to borrow. A bunch of different nozzles for varying the spray pattern.

 

[Nosferatu]

I have the Dewalt battery powered one you're talking about. It's more of a high-pressure hose than it is a pressure washer.

I think most the electric ones these days are pretty much the same. Look for a higher flow rate pump than higher PSI.

 

[edzz]

The only electric unit I've owned was about 30 years ago, started producing smoke in the first hour of work.
I've had a few gas powered units over the decades. My opinion is more power more better. With the gas units you can back off the throttle if you want less pressure.
The machine I have now is ~4000 psi commercial unit, powerful and fast. My favorite nozzle for heavy cleaning is a turbo nozzle like this Turbo nozzle best thing since peanut butter if used with caution. If not careful it'll take the chrome off a trailer hitch. Having a mounted hose reel and 50 foot hose make everything easier if you can deal with the added weight.
Some of the battery powered units have battery's that cost more than a cheep gas unit that has virtually unlimited run time, just add more gas.
If you insist on electric or battery powered my best advice would be to look at what Costco has available. Hard to beat their return policy.

Pro tip, don't forget to winterize if you live where you get hard freezes. Don't ask how I know. FWIW protect your battery's from freezing also.

 

[JRuby]

We bought a 2400psi kerscher throught Costco. It has a Honda gas powered engine on it and I don't think we need to go any bigger. I would not use it on a vehicle. Does a heck of a job of removing paint or cleaning concrete.

 

[1911Fanatic]

I'm looking for power washer advice. I want to buy an electric PW. For several reason: I'm not so fit as to be able to produce the energy to physically scrub things any more, The water bill in Beaverton is enormous so a power washer would use less volume than a regular hose., I have a neighbor with a gigantic Sycamore tree that extends over forty feet onto my property and produces 7 million tons of pollen that if not removed nearly immediately, will stick like JB weld to everything it lands on (and its everywhere) especially irritatingly on the vehicles and trailer. No nozzle on a regular hose I've found will remove it from the little cracks and edges around seems, windows and canopy creases. Not to mention BBQ and other things,.

So, While I don't need to blow the doors off the truck or carve my name in the concrete, I thought something around 15 to 2k psi would be enough, which seems in line with electrical PW's
I saw a Dewalt that used a 20 volt battery I have, looked pretty simple but it was 500 PSI which didn't seem enough though I don't know what pressure I need for things. I don't want blow the paint off the car or if 500 PSI is enough to get the dried on pollen crud.

Also, I need it to be reasonably light and preferable with wheels, I don't bend over well but I read comments on some taller ones were "tippy"
I have nearly no experience with Power washers, for something little used by an old guy, If you Please, opine on what you suggest or this:
View attachment 1981149
Supposedly 1600PSI 1.2gpm looks like a small compact easy to store package.

Or recommend another:

Thank you kindly.

Time to cut that branch.

 

[orygun]

I bought one of these from Home Depot a couple of years ago. Works very well.

Sun Joe SPX3000® Certified Rated 2030 PSI Electric Pressure Washer | 1

THIS ELECTRIC PRESSURE WASHER GETS YOUR DIRTY WORK DONE. The Sun Joe® SPX3000® pressure washer delivers an efficient solution to remove stubborn stains and dirt. SPX3000 easily tackles a variety of cleaning tasks including homes, buildings, RV’s, cars, trucks, boats, decks, driveways, patios...

shopjoe.com

 

[kmk1012]

I have both a Harbor Freight electric jobber and a newer Stihl commercial gas unit. The job size determines which one comes out. I'm not a city dweller so battery ain't an option for me. If you go electric, at least from HF, get the warranty no matter how much it costs extra, I needed it more than once. One thing to consider too, how far away from electricity do you need to wash? These units generally almost max out an outlet's capacity and adding extension cords compound the issue. I found out this the hard way and now have two gassers because im lazy and don't want to move it from the shop to the house. My old gasser is a Lowes Honda powered unit about 25 years old, just keep regular pump gas out of it if you want it to last.

 

[orygun]

Location of use would be the determining factor between electric and gas. Mine is used mostly for washing dirtbikes and other homeowner stuff. The cord is long enough to work without an extension, plus it has a fairly long hose. There is a lot of plastic involved in the makeup of the pressure washer, but all of the fittings are of good quality. I saw that at least one place had it for less than $150.
At our property, which is rural, it would be a hassle to use and gas would be the ticket, guaranteed. I have battery powered tools and depending on the time you need to run the pump, might be an ok option. One of those tools is a battery powered chainsaw. It is super convenient and is wonderful for smaller stuff. Runs for a decent amount of time on a large (expensive) battery and can cut it's bars length of 16". The overall quality is not up to a good gas saw and really shows up in the bar and chain.

 

[doninoregon]

I have one of these and am pleased with it:

amazon.com/gp/product/B00CPGMUXW

 

[Alexx1401]

I'm looking for power washer advice. I want to buy an electric PW. For several reason: I'm not so fit as to be able to produce the energy to physically scrub things any more, The water bill in Beaverton is enormous so a power washer would use less volume than a regular hose., I have a neighbor with a gigantic Sycamore tree that extends over forty feet onto my property and produces 7 million tons of pollen that if not removed nearly immediately, will stick like JB weld to everything it lands on (and its everywhere) especially irritatingly on the vehicles and trailer. No nozzle on a regular hose I've found will remove it from the little cracks and edges around seems, windows and canopy creases. Not to mention BBQ and other things,.

So, While I don't need to blow the doors off the truck or carve my name in the concrete, I thought something around 15 to 2k psi would be enough, which seems in line with electrical PW's
I saw a Dewalt that used a 20 volt battery I have, looked pretty simple but it was 500 PSI which didn't seem enough though I don't know what pressure I need for things. I don't want blow the paint off the car or if 500 PSI is enough to get the dried on pollen crud.

Also, I need it to be reasonably light and preferable with wheels, I don't bend over well but I read comments on some taller ones were "tippy"
I have nearly no experience with Power washers, for something little used by an old guy, If you Please, opine on what you suggest or this:
View attachment 1981149
Supposedly 1600PSI 1.2gpm looks like a small compact easy to store package.

Or recommend another:

Thank you kindly.

Looked at a few in this price range on Amazon and all of them looked like they would surely do what you want and are easy to move around. LOT of bad reviews on the first few I looked at though. About them just stopping working shortly after buying. If its Prime I would not worry about that as Amazon will just give you your money back. Would be a little more leery if they are 3d party on Amazon although Amazon will still back you. One below is from Harbor Freight and the video seems to show it would do what you are asking without damaging things you just want clean.

1750 PSI 1.3 GPM Corded Electric Pressure Washer

Amazing deals on this 1750Psi 1.3Gpm Electric Pressure Washer at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

 

[Bacchus]

,but then it's a roll of the dice if your extra battery has been charged recently enough, or if even it will still hold a charge, T

I have two batteries with my cordless string trimmer, and I always recharge the battery when I finish trimming so that it (and the other battery) are always both charged up. Same with my cordless drills. About once a month I'll need both batteries to finish a trimming job, but I have a small yard. I have had no issue with the batteries dying after no recent usage, even in the spring when I hadn't uses them for months.

I need a power washer, but I need more info to make an informed purchase. This thread is a great start, thanks!

 

[WAYNO]

Sounds like you've got it all figured out.

i was just pointing out the upsides and downsides to the options.

 

[orygun]

I have two batteries with my cordless string trimmer, and I always recharge the battery when I finish trimming so that it (and the other battery) are always both charged up. Same with my cordless drills. About once a month I'll need both batteries to finish a trimming job, but I have a small yard. I have had no issue with the batteries dying after no recent usage, even in the spring when I hadn't uses them for months.

I need a power washer, but I need more info to make an informed purchase. This thread is a great start, thanks!

I have a Milwaukee string trimmer. It's great. Almost every electric power tool I have is Milwaukee, and they all take the same batteries.

 

[Capn Jack]

I have a Craftsman Power washer with a Briggs and Stratton motor.
5 seasons ago it walked off of the dock while I was pressure washing my boat and went down into 15 feet of salt water.
I pulled it up by the hoses and drained all of the fluids, then I dowsed it with WD-40. After refilling all of the fluids, it started after about 20 pulls and has worked every season since then.
*Note I moved the motor on the frame to prevent the unit from wanting to move around while running.

 

[thorborg]

Looked at a few in this price range on Amazon and all of them looked like they would surely do what you want and are easy to move around. LOT of bad reviews on the first few I looked at though. About them just stopping working shortly after buying. If its Prime I would not worry about that as Amazon will just give you your money back. Would be a little more leery if they are 3d party on Amazon although Amazon will still back you. One below is from Harbor Freight and the video seems to show it would do what you are asking without damaging things you just want clean.

1750 PSI 1.3 GPM Corded Electric Pressure Washer

Amazing deals on this 1750Psi 1.3Gpm Electric Pressure Washer at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

I like the compactness and every thing storing neatly on the machine. plus nearly 60 bucks cheaper to boot.