Need a new pressure washer
Discussion
Talk to me people.
Need something lightish and portable that can clean cars, patio and fences, etc which is not going to break to bank - less than £200
I've seen a few in Argos (Karcher) which seem expensive compared to the equivalent RAC version - are Karcher worth the money?
I don't want to buy something only to have the wife complain it won't clean to patio properly!
Need something lightish and portable that can clean cars, patio and fences, etc which is not going to break to bank - less than £200
I've seen a few in Argos (Karcher) which seem expensive compared to the equivalent RAC version - are Karcher worth the money?
I don't want to buy something only to have the wife complain it won't clean to patio properly!
Tyre Smoke said:
Davi said:
Tyre Smoke said:
I've seen a few in Argos (Karcher) which seem expensive compared to the equivalent RAC version - are Karcher worth the money?
THere is a thread running at the moment about how utterly crap Karcher are 
sonic_2k_uk said:
The lads on detailingworld have discussed this at much length.
The general consensus is that Karcher are crap, and Nilfisk are very good for the money.
I have a Nilfisk 120c which was £120 and has been excellent.
This?The general consensus is that Karcher are crap, and Nilfisk are very good for the money.
I have a Nilfisk 120c which was £120 and has been excellent.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Nilfisk-Accessory-Pressure...
That's the one, looks like a good price.
They knocked it up on Amazon to £150 when loads of us on DW started buying them
The main benefit of a Nilfisk is even the lower models have metal pumps in them, whereas the Karchers have plastic from what i've read.
I'd also recommend an extension hose as i find it annoying to move the pressure washer around when i'm doing the car.
If you want a really small one for portability, look at the c100.
They knocked it up on Amazon to £150 when loads of us on DW started buying them
The main benefit of a Nilfisk is even the lower models have metal pumps in them, whereas the Karchers have plastic from what i've read.
I'd also recommend an extension hose as i find it annoying to move the pressure washer around when i'm doing the car.
If you want a really small one for portability, look at the c100.
Davi said:
Tyre Smoke said:
I've seen a few in Argos (Karcher) which seem expensive compared to the equivalent RAC version - are Karcher worth the money?
THere is a thread running at the moment about how utterly crap Karcher are Tyre Smoke said:
Talk to me people.
Need something lightish and portable that can clean cars, patio and fences, etc which is not going to break to bank - less than £200
I've seen a few in Argos (Karcher) which seem expensive compared to the equivalent RAC version - are Karcher worth the money?
I don't want to buy something only to have the wife complain it won't clean to patio properly!
I got a Karcher from Costco which has the middle sized patio cleaner attachement (T200 I think) and it worked way better than I expected on both a flagged patio and a block paved drive. Whole thing was around £200 inc VAT. I wouldn't say it's light, but it's on wheels.Need something lightish and portable that can clean cars, patio and fences, etc which is not going to break to bank - less than £200
I've seen a few in Argos (Karcher) which seem expensive compared to the equivalent RAC version - are Karcher worth the money?
I don't want to buy something only to have the wife complain it won't clean to patio properly!
Apparently Karcher are rubbish quality but almost anything you buy from Costco (sadly, they changed the policy on TVs and computers a while ago) is effectively guaranteed for ever.
Bought the Lavor Thermic 3S, petrol washer from here.
http://www.jet-wash-direct.co.uk/pressurewashers/d...
Had it for about 5 years now, and its still going strong, with no issues. Bit more expensive than it was when I bought it though. But would buy another, good service from this company as well
http://www.jet-wash-direct.co.uk/pressurewashers/d...
Had it for about 5 years now, and its still going strong, with no issues. Bit more expensive than it was when I bought it though. But would buy another, good service from this company as well
I bought the K2.400 from here, comes with a T50, great for the driveway :-
http://www.mattvac.co.uk/shop/index.php/Karcher-Eq...
http://www.mattvac.co.uk/shop/index.php/Karcher-Eq...
Tyre Smoke said:
Talk to me people.
Need something lightish and portable that can clean cars, patio and fences, etc which is not going to break to bank - less than £200
I've seen a few in Argos (Karcher) which seem expensive compared to the equivalent RAC version - are Karcher worth the money?
I don't want to buy something only to have the wife complain it won't clean to patio properly!
My advice - If you want to clean your patio/driveway...Need something lightish and portable that can clean cars, patio and fences, etc which is not going to break to bank - less than £200
I've seen a few in Argos (Karcher) which seem expensive compared to the equivalent RAC version - are Karcher worth the money?
I don't want to buy something only to have the wife complain it won't clean to patio properly!
Either:
1) Go and rent a petrol/diesel pressure washer for approx £120 a day from a tool hire place.
2) Pay someone like me (hertspressurewashing.co.uk) with the proper gear to do it
OR
3)Buy a mickey mouse karcher/nilfisk/alto/RAC electric plug in washer and waste 3 weekends of your life before you realise you need to do either 1) or 2) ....
Not being funny, but the amount of jobs I go to where people say 'I've got a karcher but it doesn't clean it properly...'
Hope this helps..
king_of_herts said:
3)Buy a mickey mouse karcher/nilfisk/alto/RAC electric plug in washer and waste 3 weekends of your life
Good point - whenever a neighbour tries to pressure-wash anything you get this infernal buzzing that goes on for hours, interfering with a nice summer's day, and when you go to investigate they're getting the clag off at about 0.5cm2/sec and have done four paviers... I borrowed an RAC washer to clean the Indian sandstone patio I have.
It went down a year ago and due to the poor weather over the winter had a lot of algae on it.
I didnt expect much as I had heard a lot of stories about domestic pressue washers not being that good.
Anyway, I was absolutley amazed at how dirty the patio had become. Here is a picture on one section:
Uploaded with ImageShack.us
The patio looks like new.
I accept though that for tougher problems a more industrial unit might be better suited but I wouldn;t discourage borrowing a washer from someone first if you can and trying it out.
On another day I took it out front and did it on my pavement that leads upto the house - this must have somehting liek 15-20 years build up of crap on it. I was amazed at how it went from a browny colour ot a fresh whiteish colour. Seriously amazed as I was so used to the old colour and you kind of just think thats what it should look like. Admittedly on this more grimey surface it is taking a little longer.
It went down a year ago and due to the poor weather over the winter had a lot of algae on it.
I didnt expect much as I had heard a lot of stories about domestic pressue washers not being that good.
Anyway, I was absolutley amazed at how dirty the patio had become. Here is a picture on one section:
Uploaded with ImageShack.us
The patio looks like new.
I accept though that for tougher problems a more industrial unit might be better suited but I wouldn;t discourage borrowing a washer from someone first if you can and trying it out.
On another day I took it out front and did it on my pavement that leads upto the house - this must have somehting liek 15-20 years build up of crap on it. I was amazed at how it went from a browny colour ot a fresh whiteish colour. Seriously amazed as I was so used to the old colour and you kind of just think thats what it should look like. Admittedly on this more grimey surface it is taking a little longer.
Mojooo said:
I borrowed an RAC washer to clean the Indian sandstone patio I have.
It went down a year ago and due to the poor weather over the winter had a lot of algae on it.
I didnt expect much as I had heard a lot of stories about domestic pressue washers not being that good.
Anyway, I was absolutley amazed at how dirty the patio had become. Here is a picture on one section:
Uploaded with ImageShack.us
The patio looks like new.
I accept though that for tougher problems a more industrial unit might be better suited but I wouldn;t discourage borrowing a washer from someone first if you can and trying it out.
On another day I took it out front and did it on my pavement that leads upto the house - this must have somehting liek 15-20 years build up of crap on it. I was amazed at how it went from a browny colour ot a fresh whiteish colour. Seriously amazed as I was so used to the old colour and you kind of just think thats what it should look like. Admittedly on this more grimey surface it is taking a little longer.
Did you have your indian sandstone sealed with anything as this can make a huge difference to how easy it is to clean!It went down a year ago and due to the poor weather over the winter had a lot of algae on it.
I didnt expect much as I had heard a lot of stories about domestic pressue washers not being that good.
Anyway, I was absolutley amazed at how dirty the patio had become. Here is a picture on one section:
Uploaded with ImageShack.us
The patio looks like new.
I accept though that for tougher problems a more industrial unit might be better suited but I wouldn;t discourage borrowing a washer from someone first if you can and trying it out.
On another day I took it out front and did it on my pavement that leads upto the house - this must have somehting liek 15-20 years build up of crap on it. I was amazed at how it went from a browny colour ot a fresh whiteish colour. Seriously amazed as I was so used to the old colour and you kind of just think thats what it should look like. Admittedly on this more grimey surface it is taking a little longer.
Simpo Two said:
Karcher is currently advertising on TV (with an Argos logo) and that fact alone tells me that a few years ago they cut costs and quality by going to China, but the punters noticed, sales fell off and now they have to pump up the brand again...
Just a hunch!
I've just replaced a 15 year old karcher because I can't get an o-ring to fit the hose. Otherwise it's in fine working order and I'd guess it's had hundreds of hours of use. Just a hunch!
I bought another Karcher. Time will tell how bad it is, but it doesn't feel any worse built than the last one, if anything it's more sturdy, though I realise this isn't representative of the quality of electrics etc. Works bloody well though (I say that as someone with access to thousands of pounds worth of industrial cleaning kit). It's not amazing, but it seems perfectly adequate.
Turned 3 patios worth of this
into this, in less than an hour
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