Looking for gas powered pressure washer recommendations

[IXLR8]

I know there has been some threads on gas powered pressure washers, but I can't find them. I need a pressure washer to; clean my mower deck, clean boat hull after a season in the water, clean concrete floor in my storage building, clean vinyl siding. The unit will be used about 5 times a year so I don't need a high grade commercial unit, but I do need some power to clean up the concrete and the boat hull. I would also like the output pressure to be adjustable so I can lower the pressure. I was considering either the HF 3100 psi unit or the HF 4400 psi unit. I have a HF about 5 miles from me, they are handy and convenient, but are they junk? I have a Lowes nearby, they don't seem to have a good selection. Other than that it will have to be an online order. Any recommendations would be appreciated.

 

[CMV]

Cant tell you what TO get get, but can recommend NOT GETTING the PowerShot brand ones from Lowe's/HD/Costco. Unless they have improved significantly over past several years they're pretty poor.

I thought it would be a good machine - and Honda engine was a huge selling point I thought.....but just about everything on mine broke at one point or another. The Honda engine was fine, but hard to fix stuff like the cast water inlet was real irritating. Hoses, connectors, tips, wheel....pretty much anything that wan't the tubular frame or the Honda engine.....it broke. And mine wasn't at all abused - light residential use only & it couldn't hold up to that.

When it wasn't broken, it performed well. Was crazy powerful and could easily ruin concrete if you were a dum bass about it. It also did a good job of pulling & mixing low pressure detergent. Sadly though it was a bunch of junk parts wrapped around a good engine....

I ended up going with the little HF electric one. It's not good for doing the vinyl siding (have to get so close & work with fairly small fan it's a lot more ladder time vs a big gas one!), but everything else - even de-mudding the tractor - does what i want. For $70 can't really gripe about it....

 

[mopardude318]

Last one you’ll ever need to buy

Professional 4 PSI Pressure Washer | Vortexx Pressure Washers

 

[MossRoad]

Last one you’ll ever need to buy

Professional 4 PSI Pressure Washer | Vortexx Pressure Washers

The price isn't listed on the menu.... must be good! :licking:

 

[Jaylegger]

Interesting, I was about to post a glowing review of the 4200 psi Simpson units. Have a Dewalt DWPW4240 (4200psi 4.0 gpm) which is re-branded Simpson unit and I can't say enough great things about it. Honda GX390 engine is fantastic and the entire unit has been trouble free for 8 years now.

I'm sure you'll get 100 different recommendations. Best advice from me would get the largest engine which typically are in the 4200psi and above units. I also find higher water flow per minute just as if not more important than ultimate pressure.

That HF 4400 unit seems to have good reviews and I'd bet is a Simpson 4400 unit with their own engine.

 

[Beltzington]

If it flies, floats or washes rent it... I would recommend you rent one and see how it does before you end up with a paper weight you cant sell.

I found a near new commercial MI-T-M washer on CL for $800 and the thing is awesome, with the right tip it will take a years worth mold and grime off my aluminum car hauler and leave the aluminum bright and shiny. It is rated a 3500psi and I weigh 200+ LBs and it will push me backwards if I am not braced, hard to imagine needing anymore psi.

Can't speak for the lower end Mi-T-M units but I loaned mine to a son of a friend who was starting a landscape business and he washed dozens of driveways without any problems. I got free lawn service that year.

Mi-T-M Gas Pressure Washer, 13HP, 35��psi, 3.7gpm GC-35�4-4MGH | Zoro.com

 

[CMV]

Interesting, I was about to post a glowing review of the 4200 psi Simpson units. Have a Dewalt DWPW4240 (4200psi 4.0 gpm) which is re-branded Simpson unit and I can't say enough great things about it. Honda GX390 engine is fantastic and the entire unit has been trouble free for 8 years now.

I'm sure you'll get 100 different recommendations. Best advice from me would get the largest engine which typically are in the 4200psi and above units. I also find higher water flow per minute just as if not more important than ultimate pressure.

That HF 4400 unit seems to have good reviews and I'd bet is a Simpson 4400 unit with their own engine.

Yours is bigger than mine was - maybe the larger ones are made with better parts? Or maybe I just got one made on a Monday morning or something...but it was bad enough to sour me from their brand. Mine was 3k psi & the smaller more upright looking ones without the big tires. Probably some level of quality difference between a $400 & a $1200 one....

 

[IXLR8]

The price isn't listed on the menu.... must be good! :licking:

Looks like you need to go thru one of their dealers. I found some online prices between $1750-$1999, that is way above my budget. I don't need a professional unit that can be used daily.

 

[IXLR8]

That HF 4400 unit seems to have good reviews and I'd bet is a Simpson 4400 unit with their own engine.

They do use their own Predator (Honda clone) engine with an AR pump. The question is... what is the quality level of the AR pump? I understand AR makes some of the best pumps around, but they also make 'homeowner' pumps to meet a price point.

 

[IXLR8]

If it flies, floats or washes rent it... I would recommend you rent one and see how it does before you end up with a paper weight you cant sell.

I totally agree with you. Except the nearest place that is open when I am not working is 50 minutes away. HD and another local hardware store had rental departments up to about 4 years ago. They both shut down within 3 weeks of each other. The only other place local is set up for contractors and only open Mon-Fri 7-4, making it very difficult to rent from them. I did rent one for some work I had to do at my sisters... but it was pretty beat up and I don't think it put out the 3200 psi it was rated for as it barely removed paint from her deck. She lives 6 hrs from me.