A Good Pressure Washer?

[paccorti]

Can anybody recommend a good pressure washer either gas or electric? I bought a CH electric model but in 2 years of light use it is dead. Has anybody had a pressure washer for 3 years that they are happy with?

I've tried doing research on Amazon and other sites to get opinions but most of what I read is negative. I've researched Excell (at Home Depot), Troy Bilt (at Lowes) and Porter Cable and Generac. Anybody?

Peter

 

[paccorti]

I neglected to say that I'll mainly use this around the house cleaning the tractor etc not for commercial purposes. I'd like to spend $500 or less. Can you get quality in that price range?

Peter

 

[jawmaw]

I bought a Porter Cable 2500 psi with a 5.5 hp Honda engine over 3 years ago from Sams Club. I paid less then $500 and it runs like a champ.

 

[thcri]

I have a Karcher G2410HB. On it's second year and no problems to date. I bought that one for two reasons, 1 my neighbor has something else and is on his second pump in 3 years, 2nd, a local convience store that I work with has a sprayer in all 36 car washes and they found the Karcher to be the best. But when it really comes down to it, you will find a couple of different motors used and a couple of different pumps out there and most brands will do pretty good for you as long as you maintain it.

murph

 

[petekoss]

Try to buy one that has a Cat Pump, they usually last about twice as long as any other pump out there.

Pete

 

[JerryT]

Someone from this site directed me to COSCO about 2 years ago and I bought a 2500 PSI 2.5 G/min 5.5 Honda engine unit for about $300.00. Great unit, terrific price. Don't know if they are still doing this, but its worth a look if you have COSCO around you.

 

[johndeere2210]

Lowes has gas powered Troy Built pressure washers. I believe that the 6.5 HP model is less than $300.00. I bought one a year ago and have several hours on it (two oil changes) and it does everything I want it to do. I bought it to replace an electric washer. Wish I had bought a gas powered washer years ago.

 

[paccorti]

Thanks for all the replies everyone. One of the Home Depot models (Excell) has a 6.5 honda engine with a CAT pump for $699. That's a bit more that I wanted to spend but perhaps the components are at least good.

Peter

 

[lschultz]

I bought a Excell 2500(I think) with Honda engine from Home Depot probably 2 yrs ago and no problems.It was a replacement for a electric.I have gone through about 4 over the years.I think this one was around 400.Should of bought a gas engine years ago.

 

[5030]

I have a pressure washer story for you.

In as much as I use a pressure washer in a sudo/commercial way, cleaning farm equipment, tractor trailers and of course the family cars and pickup, I need a good unit.

I think to date, I have had about 5 of them. I started out with a Jenny which had an electric motor and a diesel fired hot water/steam boiler on it. It was tempermental to say the least and the steam was plain dangerous. Actually wet steam is the best cleaner and remover of caked mud and dirt and grease. A steam unit isn't a Lowes or depot special. They are pure commercial.

Next I had a Northern special. It had a 5 horse Briggs and a Cat Triplex pump. It lasted about 3 years and that was the end of the 9 lives of the Cat.

Next was a couple of box store specials. They lasted about a year each.

Finally, I had a brain fart. I blew a bunch of money BUYING pressure washers, why not get a good one with a service contract. that's what I did.

I presently have an Alladin 3500 Psi diesel fired unit with a 13 horse Honda engine, electric start of course. She runs 3500 psi continuous at 185 degrees. With a 0 degree tip, I can cut a 2x4 with just water. I have had the Alladin for about 5 hard years. It has a General Triplex pump and a water pre-filter. I don't ever use the detergent injector, I just apply the commercial detergent/degreaser with a 5 gallon weed sprayer. Total maintenance has been a new battery and a couple of oil changes and one ignitor unit which the service contract paid for and the technician came out to the farm and did it.

The Alladin is a great unit, however, the price of admission is high.....I paid right around 5K for it.

 

[KNotMe]

A good pressure washer is the one you bought, that is until it quits. To buy it you must be able to afford it, and that is the most important quality!!!


KNotMe

 

[normde2001]

I think the Lowes Troybuilt is probably the most bang for the buck. I bought a 2850psi unit about a year ago for $519. You can get a 3000psi now for $499. That, with a turbo attachment will do everything including strip paint.

 

[Westonium]

I am in a bit of a quandry myself. I have a 6.5hp Honda powered 2500psi (I think its that), and it took some damage moving here. I was removing the pressure sprayer line as carefully as I could, and saw that the threads for the brass connector socket piece were cracked. I will probably have a hard time finding this part.

The engine probably has oil places its not supposed to, and wont run unless I feed it gas right into the air intake, and then only briefly. I've fussed with it for about 4 hours now, and am seriously wondering how many hours I should invest into this thing. I will be most unhappy if I get it working only to have the water pump fail etc.

I would really like something I can hang off the PTO on my tractor. At least if I do that, I don't have to fuss with that engine.

Honda engines tend to be pretty reliable, but this one was simply designed stupid. The starter handle is angled such that the most natural place for you to want to put your hand is on the exhaust cover which is painted black just like the not-so-hot air intake cover. I was in Home Depot the other day and I noticed that they totally re-arranged the setups in the current engines.

Sadly, I really need one NOW, and not 4 weeks from now.

I will read replies to this thread with the hope that someone has solutions for us

 

[brad_oatley]

You gotta love that idea..... a PTO pressure washer.

 

[Scratchnbell]

I think I recently saw one of the chinese import tractor companies making a pto pressure washer. I wish I could remember where.
Bob

 

[fractal]

What do you want the pressure washer to do?

The folk who rate pressure washers do so in "cleaning power" which is CFM * PSI or some crud like that. PSI is a lot easier and cheaper to make than CFM so you find a lot of pressure washers with huge PSI's. Problem is ... they peel paint, chip concrete and are generally a pain.

I have an electric and it works fine for washing the car. I have a box store 5hp honda powered gas unit and it works fine for the patio. The electric will do the patio but takes forever. The gas won't wash the cars ... it peels the paint. You can spend even more and buy a decent gasoline powered one with good CFM and not too much PSI that will do an even better job. Just remember not to fall for the PSI hook. Too much is NOT good.

 

[JDgreen227]

I have had a number of electrics ranging from a $100 C-H 1300 psi unit to a $200 Craftsman 1700 psi unit, the cheapo C-H outlasted the twice-as-expensive Sears washer by a year.
My current electrics are both C-H 1750 psi models, one is three years old and one is two years old, for about $125 they are the best I have ever owned for the money.

They are powerful enough for deck cleaning bu it takes forever, so I bought a gas machine....it's a 6.25 horsepower Tecumseh engine Craftsman, 2100 psi. After 3 years it still works like new, but it gets little use. It was a clearance model at Sears, someone returned it because it was hard starting....original price was $400, they marked it down to $225, took it home....well, the spark plug gap was almost completely closed, five minutes of work and I had a nearly new washer that started fine for about half price... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif.

One thing I really like about the design is it uses the same oil as the engine uses to run the pump, which is mounted directly under the engine itself. Every time I change the engine oil it also supplies new oil to the pump.

Something you want to look for in a pressure washer is the quality of the hose and gun, the cheapo models have a small hose and a plastic gun that lasts less time than the washer itself, if you pay more money for a quality hose and metal gun in the beginning you will come out ahead. The plastic guns cost about $30 or more at TSC and are a waste of money. If you need a quality replacement hose and lance for a washer, check Northern...theirs are excellent and well made for the price.

 

[_RaT_]

If you want a washer for a lifetime, check out Landa or MiTM. Both are very well built, use very good pumps and high quality electric or gas engines and have many options. Both will cost you much more then anything Home Depot, Lowes etc. offer's. It has been mentioned that CAT is a good pump, I have found quite the opposite. They need repair at the same frquency as most pumps but the price for a set of seals for example is about $125 plus shipping. The head is easy to remove and good thing, the stainless valves will need replacing often.

It has been my experience that most folks buy based on PSI when the combination of sufficient pressure and as much volume or GPM as you can afford is what really matters. It is the GPM that is going to cost you. A 3500 PSI washer at 4 GPM requires about 13 HP. Drop the GPM down to 2.5 and your now looking at about 5 HP.
The idea that more pressure will simply "strip paint" off your car is misleading. You will not strip adhered paint off anything with the proper tip/ distance. A 0 degree tip at 2 inch can make holes with 1000 PSI. It is the tips job to break the pressurized liquid be it paint or water into a useable pattern. At 10 feet away, a 3500 PSI spray from a 40 degree tip is a soft pleasant mist, at 1 inch away it will cut right through your skin, it's usable range is 12 to 18 inches. Paint sprayers are much the same just far less GPM but similar PSI's. My advice is to get at least 3 gpm for general washing down, if you simply wash down autos tractors etc, 2.0 gpm is OK but still can be slow going. I'd rather have 2000 PSI and 4 GPM then 3000 PSI and 3 GPM .

Landa cold water washers

MiTM Washers

 

[KubotaSteve]

No matter what kind you get, I think the proper maintenance of the pump is important. We had a cheapo electric one and only used it a couple of times a year. Each time we were finished, we filled it up with RV antifreeze so the harsh limestone water we have wouldn't corrode and mess up the O rings in the pump. It lasted about 5 years until dad forgot to fill it with up RV antifreeze when he was finished and then it never did work right after that.

 

[bczoom]

I just got one a Troy Bilt at Lowe's the other day.
I got the Honda engine so it was about $70 more than the Briggs.
Only used once but so far, it does what I want.

I also have an electric that's a few years old and works fine.

I'll concur with KubotaSteve on pump maintenance. I don't (although should) put something in the pump after use but our water is good so I haven't had any issues, so far. Biggest thing I've found is DON'T LET IT FREEZE!!! Oops. Accidentally left one in an unheated building for a winter without anything to stop the freezing. DOA next spring.