Need a Power/Pressure washer recommendation

[Gio]

Hi all!

I decided to stop borrowing my friends pressure washer and buy my own. I have been surfing around and can't seem to get a good feel for which brand i should buy.

I will be washing a small tractor, a couple of Cars, the farm truck, my Gravely and the house. I don't need huge power but i really want something that will last or can be repaired easily. My budget is around 450.

If anybody has a recommendation or advice I would greatly appreciate it.

Gio

 

[Wnc3]

I like mine from Nortern tool. It is the 110v electric one with a cat pump. Must have a dedicated cicuit.
Works well and much better than the others I've tried. I need to get the same model with a gas engine for another job...

 

[Gio]

Thanks Wnc. Really need a Gas powered machine. My 100 year old house is a little light on outside outlets...and breakers.

 

[RoyJackson]

I bought an electric pressure washer (Amazon.com: AR Blue Clean AR383 1,900 PSI 1.5 GPM 14 Amp Electric Pressure Washer with Hose Reel: Patio, Lawn & Garden) which I'm quite happy with...
However, since you want a gas unit, the main thing I can add is to ensure your well can keep up with it's GPM requirements. My well doesn't put out a high GPM (about 2 GPM) which is why I bought the one I did...does do a great job though!

 

[Gio]

Good thought Roy. I think I have pretty decent pressure. The outside hydrant pumps pretty good but I will check it out.

Gio

 

[RoyJackson]

Good thought Roy. I think I have pretty decent pressure. The outside hydrant pumps pretty good but I will check it out.

Gio

Pretty easy to do...just need a 1 gallon container and a time piece...

 

[Storm56]

I have a Hotsy gas powered with the oil fired hot water, has the Robin/Subaru engine. Think it is like 2800 psi and about 4 gal a minute. Never had a lick of trouble with it in the 7 years I have had it. The hot water is really the nuts when cleaning oily greasy stuff. By the way I never really need to go above 175 degrees with the hot water, just melts all that goo away.

 

[big lar]

I bought a gas powered Homelite from Home Depot (chinese, I am sorry to say) for about $350.. Does everything I need it to, wash down my tractors andequipment; p/w my vinyl siding, p/w down the patio and dog area.. Used it to wash down the deck of my pool. It has 4 nozzles (easy in and out) for the various pressures and width of spray you want. Had a Devillbis which was heavy and clunky; you adjusted the spray level by a slider taht was in the wand, but it was often difficult and didn't work. These removable nozzles are much easier; and the machine is light and eay to wheel around.

 

[mrmikey]

I'm in NS so bear that in mind.
Bought this one BE Power Washer | Pressure Washer, 3100 PSI, 7HP Powerease , Gas, Horizontal, With Low Oil Alert | Home Depot Canada from Home Depot for $300, works great, loads of power, my only complaint is the idiot engineer that designed the cart should be shot. Since when do you design a piece of wheeled equipment that you have to lift up to move, the wheels are on the front with the stationary foot at the rear. Chinese engine is the only thing I'm leary of but saying that it starts right up and sounds good......Mike

 

[Gio]

Thanks again everyone. I am going to give this one a try

Karcher G3050OH-BONUS - 3000 PSI (Gas Cold-Water) Pressure Washer w/Honda Engine & Bonus Offer

I have heard good things, Honda motor, big wheels to get around the property and good output. A little more than i wanted to spend but i have purchased and re-purchased enough equipment to learn the "cry once" rule.

 

[RoyJackson]

Thanks again everyone. I am going to give this one a try

Karcher G3050OH-BONUS - 3000 PSI (Gas Cold-Water) Pressure Washer w/Honda Engine & Bonus Offer

I have heard good things, Honda motor, big wheels to get around the property and good output. A little more than i wanted to spend but i have purchased and re-purchased enough equipment to learn the "cry once" rule.

I looked at this one...I didn't think my well GPM was adequate.
Do look around...seems like the price I saw was less then $500.

 

[tow653]

Think you may be disappointed with the axial cam pump,they don't hold up well.

 

[hizoot]

Think you may be disappointed with the axial cam pump,they don't hold up well.

agreed...
Get one with a good pump.Engine is important but not as much as the pump... That is where the work is. If you buy one with a no name pump,odds are it wont hold up for long and they have a reputation as "one season wonders". Get one that has the pump advertized . Like a General.Cat,Comet,AR (Annovi Reverberi),etc...and preferably a triplex pump.

 

[boggen]

always had a cheap electrical 110v power washer.

garden house faucets always end on opposite side of house than what i need them on. but same thing for electrical. it is not that bad to drag extension cords around. since ya already need to drag garden hose around.

on the todo list. is tie into the hot water line in the house, and place a second garden hose faucet outside right beside the cold water garden hose faucet. so i can have hot and cold. and then use a couple short hoses 1' if that. and a garden hose valve Tee. to adjust cold and hot water.

2000psi give or take a couple hundred, seems to do a good enough job for me. even with just using standard cold water coming out the garden hose.

generally wait near end of fall when close outs happen. for outdoor equipment aka pressure washers. and get a good deal any were from 40 to 70 percent off. if it lasts a little over a year ok, that stinks, but generally had descent luck with what ever cheapo i can get. that last 3 to 7 years. all the pressure washers i have had, (110v) you could dismantal with some screws and replace seals and like. but normally by the time they failed, it was time for new anyhow. (cords and hoses getting cracked, switches getting ugly, gun and nozzles getting roughed up pretty good, 0-rings, etc... starting to go, etc...)

my dislike about gas engines no matter what they are, pressure washer, riding lawn mower, trimmer, etc... is i have to spend extra time to drain gas, or put some sort of carb cleaner / fuel stabilzer in it. so the carb does not get all gummed up. and/or completely drain fuel out of it when done to protect carb. and if carb does get gummed up. then a rebuild kit is in order to get things back running. which cost extra cash.

with above spend roughly 75 bucks every couple years, or spend 500 plus for a gas engine pressure washer, and then nickle dime me, from just filling it up with gas, to oil for engine, to air filter pad, to other.... also if gas pressure washer does not have big diameter wheels, trying to pull it across the yard seems more trouble than it is worth vs just picking the thing up and carrying it.

 

[Gio]

Thanks for the Pump call out, I was about to pull the trigger. My gear can stay dirty for another week while i keep looking.....

 

[RoyJackson]

Thanks for the Pump call out, I was about to pull the trigger. My gear can stay dirty for another week while i keep looking.....

BTW, that's one reason I went for the AR 383...has a triplex pump.