hotdram

The time has come to purchase an electric pressure washer (don't want gas). I need it to clean off the 4 wheeler and dirtbike, not sure if I will use it on the vehicles. I will be looking at the PSI rating, but what else should I look for? Can you put attachments on most of them (if I decide to use it for the vehicles)? Any brand suggestions? I will probably be looking at Sears, Lowes, Home Depot and Wal-Mart.

Thanks,
~Rob

apache

We sniveled enough and finally got a new one here. 3500 psi. Last time I tried to gently use it to steam my cheby engine it wasted anything it hit, wires, vacume lines,etc. Guess what Im saying is ,More is not always better

Dodgezilla

I had one and it was a real piece of crap!! I got it at BJs Wholesale Club. It was a Karcher but I don't remember the model. It was still under warranty when it broke but none of their listed warranty stations would fix it. Apparently they don't pay their bills! I tossed it in the trash and bought me a gas powered Campbell Hausfeld from Wal-Mart and it has worked great for the last couple of years. The cheap electric ones like I had have attachments but only the ones made by that manufacturer. You can't just go to the hardware store and buy them like you can for the gas powered units.. As with all pressure washers, never let them freeze with water inside them or they will break..

On the other hand, my dad has had a Karcher for a couple of years and his works fine...........

amartinson

Try to get one with either an adjustable nozzle or changeable tips. Then you can use it for everything from cleaning concrete to watering the house plants.

TomW

I have a buddy who works for a company that supplys products for Briggs and Straton pressure washers. He recommends 2400-3000 psi. I know you stated "no gas", but in his professional opinion, they're the best models to get.

He highly recommends the Craftsman model for the manufacturing quality and options (additional nozzles, etc.). They also last a lot longer than the competitors according to his sources.

He recommends this model highly.

hotdram

You guys are BAD influences. I stated no gas because I was trying to keep the cost down and didn't want the maintenance of another engine in my garage. However, I am starting to think gas is probably the way to go. I would rather buy one and have it be the "right one" the first time. If a gas one will outlast an electric one, then the extra money is worth it.

hotdram

Ok,

Home Depot: Ex-Cell brand, Honda 5 HP engine, 2600 psi, $388
Sears: Craftsman brand, Briggs & Stratton 6.75 HP engine, 2500 PSI, $399
Lowes: Troy-Bilt brand, Honda 5 HP engine, 2600 psi, $398

So far, the Sears one looks the best. It looks like it has a hose reel built in and bottles included if you want to inject a cleaning solution.

TRAVIST

I got mine a costco and it is a karcher. Has 5 adjustable tip including the power scrubber which works great on the driveway, eats away just about anything. At the other end of the spectrum the low pressure tip you could easily water the house plants if you so desired. I think mine only ran about $250.00. Also never had a problem one with mine and i use it quite often. Forgot to mention that mine also is gas and 2500psi.

Lary Ellis (Top)

I have an Electric one I bought at Lowe's pretty reasonable. It has a rotating power nozzle as one of the exchangeable tips. It cleans better than any other electric PW I have had before.

Around 1650 psi I believe, yellow plastic body, can't recall the brand name at the moment, but it has been flawless so far. I wasn't crazy about the plastic handles and body at first, but it makes it lighter and easier to move around for the wife.

Might be a Karcher brand, but so far it has outlived the Craftsman model I had that it replaced. That rotating nozzle is the cats meow, it cuts the algae growth off my boat hull 5 times better than the regular nozzle.

I cleaned some old concrete sidewalks with it as well, they have to be close to 20 years old, and they look like new now

The regular fan nozzles NEVER cleaned this well for me. Has a built in GFI breaker on the power cord too, Makes me feel more at ease when the wife uses it

amartinson

"when the wife uses it"

My wife claims she "doesn't know how" to use any of that stuff.

I.E. snowblower, lawn mower, shovel, broom, rake, etc.

I've only been married 7 years Lary, where did I go wrong?

hotdram

Lary,
I didn't picture you as living anywhere where there were sidewalks

Also, as COO of this site, can you tell me this: If member "A" talks member "B" into spending 2X as much for something as member "B" originally planned, can member "B" send member "A" a bill for half of the purchase (TomW, you might have a PM soon )?

~Rob

amartinson

If that is true, there are some people on here that owe me some money! My sig looked like this when I started here:

2001 QC 4x4 SLT, Auto

Shovelhead

My wifey insists that I only purchase liquid pumping electrical devices without GFI circuits and then she cuts the ground prong off.

Do you think she's trying to tell me something?

amartinson

My wife insists that I take the hairdryer in the shower with me so I can "save time".

Pop-Pop

If you want the pressure you will almost certainly need, better go gas. I chose the electric type for the same reason you state but it just couldn't deliver the pressure I needed. Mine, now, (with a Honda engine) produces 2400 psi and I sometimes need a little bit more when washing masonry, siding, my fiberglass boat, etc. Just be sure to use Stabil in the gas to keep from gumming up the carb.