Pressure Washers

[nuyorican]

I know very little about them but occurred to me today that one might come in useful to give the drive and side-path a good clean of all the vegetation and muddy slime etc before summer. Plus to clean the car...

What's the usual recommendation? I see those yellow Karschers (sp) are always on offer at Screfix etc. Any good? Alternatives, which one would I need for said job? Anything else I should know?

Cheers

[Lefty]

I just bought a nilfisk core 140 after a recommendation on here and it’s fine. Metal pump instead of plastic apparently.

Edited by Lefty on Sunday 24th March 21:31

[Mazinbrum]

Karcher will go wrong so keep the receipt if you get one.
Nilfisk are great value.

[toasty]

My Karcher broke after 18 months. Still under warranty, they fixed it and it broke again after 30 seconds.

I now have Nilfisk and it feels much better made.

[nuyorican]

Nilfisk it is then. Thanks.

How do they work then? Do you attach the hose to it or does it use its own reservoir? What about cleaning products?

[ridds]

Another vote for Nilfisk.

Mine has been abused for years and just keeps going.

[B'stard Child]

I think my Karcher (K4 I think) is about 10 years old now but I'm pretty sure it's not as powerful was it was when new - I do make a point of draining it before winter as all pressure washers don't like being frozen - I killed the previous one buy forgetting to that.

Last weekend I cleaned all the front drive (brickweave - 4 car spaces) this weekend I did the back patio and decking - the whizzy round jet for patio cleaning sometimes takes a few pulses before it starts whizzing but other than that it's been utterly reliable.

Perhaps short life is another example of things being built to a price now

[Rustybanger]

Make sure you don't use an aquastop type connector, they can damage the pressure washer as they block any backflow.

[blueg33]

Rustybanger said:

Make sure you don't use an aquastop type connector, they can damage the pressure washer as they block any backflow.

Hmm. Been using one with my Nilfisk for 15 years.

Surely when it’s connected it’s open, how would it block back flow?

[QuickQuack]

After different brands have all broken down just outside the warranty period, I've given up on all electric pressure washers and now have a petrol powered one. It's more powerful than the most powerful electric ones that cost far more and doesn't need a socket so can be used anywhere. Simple, reliable 4-stroke engine, had it for 3 years, and hasn't given any trouble at all in that time. It seems to have gone up quite a bit in price since I bought it though, I got it for £285 and it's £380 now!

https://www.parkerbrand.co.uk/petrol-pressure-jet-...

The only downside is that it doesn't have a patio attachment like some of the electric ones do but I can live with that. There's a much cheaper and marginally less powerful model which is still ridiculously powerful compared to anything electric.

https://www.parkerbrand.co.uk/petrol-pressure-jet-...

I was thinking that I'd never go back to electric pressure washers but I simply may never need to replace this one, even with another petrol washer!

[dalzo]

I’m not sure if they are still metal internals but nilfisk was super reliable for me until I got a direct hoses pressure washer.

Basicly a water pump with quick connectors, it’s a very good machine but the service from direct hoses was diabolical. When it was first sent out it looked like it had been stripped for parts and took forever to sort.

Easily serviced and plenty of different hose reels, guns etc.

[Turtle Shed]

Take a look at the Toolstation "Hawksmoor" ones. I bought the smaller one on the basis of great reviews and it is excellent. £57.00 and if it lasts a year I'll be more than happy.

On another thread someone else said how impressed they were with the larger one.

[nuyorican]

Turtle Shed said:

Take a look at the Toolstation "Hawksmoor" ones. I bought the smaller one on the basis of great reviews and it is excellent. £57.00 and if it lasts a year I'll be more than happy.

On another thread someone else said how impressed they were with the larger one.

Nice! Cheers.

[blueg33]

QuickQuack said:

After different brands have all broken down just outside the warranty period, I've given up on all electric pressure washers and now have a petrol powered one. It's more powerful than the most powerful electric ones that cost far more and doesn't need a socket so can be used anywhere. Simple, reliable 4-stroke engine, had it for 3 years, and hasn't given any trouble at all in that time. It seems to have gone up quite a bit in price since I bought it though, I got it for £285 and it's £380 now!

https://www.parkerbrand.co.uk/petrol-pressure-jet-...

The only downside is that it doesn't have a patio attachment like some of the electric ones do but I can live with that. There's a much cheaper and marginally less powerful model which is still ridiculously powerful compared to anything electric.

https://www.parkerbrand.co.uk/petrol-pressure-jet-...

I was thinking that I'd never go back to electric pressure washers but I simply may never need to replace this one, even with another petrol washer!

I assume it will need servicing like a lawnmower every now and then. How noisy is it? I live in a quiet village and N electric washer is a tad embarrassing.

[smifffymoto]

Kranzle beats everything mentioned above but they are pricey.

[Phooey]

Karcher's do have a bad name but the patio cleaning accessory (I think it's called T-Racer?) is brilliant. It's supposed to be superior to the Nilfisk equivalent. Not sure how many years it will last though..

[Rustybanger]

blueg33 said:

Rustybanger said:

Make sure you don't use an aquastop type connector, they can damage the pressure washer as they block any backflow.

Hmm. Been using one with my Nilfisk for 15 years.

Surely when it’s connected it’s open, how would it block back flow?

https://northwestpowerwashers.co.uk/does-an-aqua-stop-on-a-garden-hose-break-a-pressure-washer/

2 split inlets on my nilfisk using one. No issues without

[blueg33]

Interesting. I will play safe and change mine.

[Ian Geary]

nuyorican said:

Nilfisk it is then. Thanks.

How do they work then? Do you attach the hose to it or does it use its own reservoir? What about cleaning products?

I bought a bargain basement Argos job - qualcast. It's fine for the light use I give it, was probably about £60, and spend £5 on a replacement washer for one of the tools.


Generally you need a water supply. Ie a longish hose from a garden tap should be fine, though I use a water barrel next to the cars . It is runs out of water pressure, you will know.

I used push fit connectors, but not the ones with the stop valve in them.

One point to consider is the length of hose that comes with it - 5 meters is not really long enough to go round a car, so I have to move my washer (and garden hose, and extension socket) multiple times.

A 10m long hose would have been more convenient in hindsight.

Other point it to disconnect the hoses regularly and grease with say red rubber grease (not petrochemical grease) to stop them drying out and tearing


Hth

Ian

[Zio Di Roma]

ridds said:

Another vote for Nilfisk.

Mine has been abused for years and just keeps going.

Same here. I've just treated it to a new, longer, hose to apologise.