How to buy the best pressure washer or power washer

Last updated on March 28th, 2023 at 06:22 pm

When you are looking to buy a pressure washer, it’s vital that you get the right pressure washer or power washer for your needs.

If you don’t, you will waste money, either by buying a pressure washer that can’t perform to your requirements, or by buying one with capabilities that exceed your demands.

There is no ‘best pressure washer’, there is just the best pressure washer for you.

That means you need to do two things:

1. be clear in your own mind about what you are going to need the machine to do, and
2. work out which kind of machine can deliver what you want, at the right price.

This article will help you through both of those steps in the pressure washer buying process.

Looking for a cheap bargain pressure washer, check out our feature on refurbished pressure washers here.

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There are two basic types of pressure washers and power washers – electric pressure washers and gas pressure washers.

I’ll show you which ones are suited to which jobs, as well as take you through the important features that you’ll need to know about as you consider each type of machine.

But first some key information about pressure washers, their parts and the terminology.

Pressure washer or power washer

These terms tend to get used interchangeably. But, gas pressure washers are the ones that are more often known as power washers, probably (surprise, surprise) because they deliver more power.

Components

A pressure washer typically consists of:

• an engine or electric motor,
• a pump,
• a high pressure hose,
• a trigger switch attached to a wand and nozzle.

How do Pressure washers work

First, water from your garden hose is taken into the inlet of the machine.

The engine or motor drives the pump, which pressurizes the water and pumps it at high pressure through the machine’s high pressure hose and out of the tip of wand.

The pressure at which the water is driven out of the machine is what gives it its cleaning capacity.

The water is delivered at high velocity as a result of its pressurization and is therefore able to disrupt the chemical bonds holding the stains or dirt to the surface you are cleaning.

Tougher stains are bonded more tightly. So, to remove tougher stains, more water pressure is required.

Water Pressure

This is what these tools are all about.

Water pressure, measured in pounds per square inch (PSI) is therefore a vital measure of how powerful and effective a pressure washer will be.

Variables which affect water pressure include the size of the nozzle tip and the flow rate of the water.

Water Flow Rate

The other essential measure to be concerned with when looking at pressure washers is water flow rate. This is measured in gallons per minute (GPM).

All other things being equal, the higher the water flow rate, the larger surface area a pressure washer can clean in a given time.

Cleaning Comparison

It’s not always easy to compare different pressure washers when they differ in both the water pressure and the flow rate they can generate.

Imagine comparing two machines. One has a higher PSI rating. The other has a higher GPM rating.

Which is better?

The answer lies in Cleaning Units (CU). If you multiply Pressure (PSI) by Flow Rate (GPM), you get Cleaning Units.

Thus if you compare machine A, rated at 4000 PSI and 2 GPM with machine B rated at 3000 PSI and 3GPM, we find:

Machine A has 2000 x 2 = 8000CU
Machine B has 3000 x 3 = 9000CU

So despite delivering water at a lower pressure, Machine A is more effective.

Which pressure washer for which job?

As with all power equipment, there are different grades of pressure washers.

As you can see from the explanations above, these grades are broadly determined by the pressure and flow rate the unit can deliver.

There are also questions of quality to consider, for example relating to pumps, engines and so on. Some types of motors, some engines and some pumps are simply better than others.

I’ll deal with these quality issues on the pages which deal in more detail with the different types of pressure washers.

For now, the table below will give you a good idea of what kind of machine you are likely to need for your particular requirements and, thus, how to buy the best pressure washer for you.

Looking for a cheap bargain pressure washer, check out our feature on refurbished pressure washers here.