Best High Pressure Car Washing Machine To Buy

The Ryobi RY141612 is similar in size to the RY1419MTVNM but doesn’t have its cleaning power or features. Best High Pressure Car Washing Machine

We tested the Kärcher K4 1900 PSI Electric Pressure Washer, and although we found a lot to like about it. Including an induction motor—the convenience features weren’t as comprehensive as the Ryobi RY142300’s.

It has much smaller wheels, a less stable vertical design, and a less robust plastic wand.

The Ryobi RY141900 2000 PSI Electric Pressure Washer shares many characteristics with our top pick. But the wheels aren’t as large, it has a hose reel, and it has only a universal motor.

The AR Blue Clean AR383 Electric Pressure Washer was the least expensive washer we looked at, but even at its usual bargain price, we can’t recommend it.

We didn’t like the hose reel, the cord storage was tedious to use, it tended to tip over, and the wheels were tiny.

We dismissed more than a few other electric pressure washers prior to testing.

The Kärcher K5 Electric Pressure Washer operates at a higher pressure than the K4 (which we tested) but at a lower flow rate in gpm, which evens out its cleaning-units score.

In all other ways, the two models are identical. In this case, we didn’t think the added cost made it a good value, given the closeness in performance.

Kärcher’s K3 Follow Me has an interesting four-wheel design that you can pull around behind you. Its low cleaning-units score and so-so owner feedback put it out of the running.

Kärcher also sells the K1700, K1800, K1900, and K2000. Although these look like nice washers. They don’t match the cleaning-units scores of their Kärcher counterparts (the K4 and K5) yet their cost is nearly the same.

On top of that, these models come with individual nozzles rather than an adjustable wand, and they have opaque detergent tanks and the clunky GFCI plug design.

AR Blue Clean’s AR383SS has a hose reel and tight cord storage. It usually costs about the same as the Sun Joe SPX3000, if not more.

The company also sells the AR2N1, which has an interesting design that allows you to remove the motor from the frame and mount it to a wall.

That feature adds a decent amount of cost to the AR2N1, but it still has only a universal motor.

Stanley’s electric pressure washers are all made by AR Blue Clean and appear to be the exact same but with yellow paint instead of blue.

Greenworks appeared to be in the middle of a transition between model lines at the time of our testing in 2018.

The GPW1950 is still in stores but doesn’t show up on the company’s website. While the GPW1954 is available at the Greenworks website but nowhere else.

We researched a number of popular gas washers. But none matched the Ryobi RY803001’s ease of use, warranty, availability, and Honda engine.

The Simpson MSH3125-S came the closest. Has a larger Honda engine (190 cc) but no quick-change tip. It also has smaller wheels and a shorter warranty.

Typically costs more too. Simpson also sells the MS60773-S, which similarly has a shorter hose and warranty.

How We Picked Best High Pressure Car Washing Machine

After our conversations with Pressure Washer’s  and our additional research, we determined a number of features to look for when purchasing a pressure washer. Best High Pressure Car Washing Machine

1. Electric powered Pressure Washers : 

We believe that for most homeowners an electric pressure washer offers the better combination of power and convenience.

Electric washers are not as powerful as gas washers. But we found that they had plenty of strength for normal around-the-house jobs and were just plain easier to deal with.

They need almost no maintenance, and they start with the flip of a switch. Off-season storage requires barely anything more than shutting them off and tucking them in a corner of the garage.

Gas pressure washers, on the other hand. Need to be constantly fueled up, oiled, and properly winterized in the off-season. They also require air-filter and spark-plug changes.

Price is a difference as well, with quality electric washers typically in the $150 to $250 range. While gas models are usually $300 to $500.

But due to their power and mobility, gas pressure washers do have their place. In a best-case scenario. An electric washer can make it about 60 feet from an outlet, but gas washers have no such constraints.

They’re also considerably faster at cleaning than electric models (roughly twice as fast). This difference is most noticeable in cleaning large areas, such as a driveway or a big deck.

2. Cleaning power of Pressure Washers :

He told us the sweet spot for an electric washer’s pressure. In pounds per square inch (psi), is in the 1,800 to 2,000 psi range (a garden hose, in contrast, is capable of roughly 40 psi).

These models typically move a water volume of 1.3 to 1.5 gallon per minute (gpm). Washers clarified the distinction between the two measurements this way: “PSI pushes the organic matter from the surface, and the GPM carries it away.” Best High Pressure Car Washing Machine

Multiplying them gives you what the pressure washer industry calls the cleaning units, or CU, of the washer. The CU score gives you a comprehensive way to compare how two washers perform against one another, and it is a more accurate metric than psi alone.¹

For example, our recommended Ryobi electric model has a powerful pressure rating of 2,300 psi. Much more than most electric models, but because of its relatively low, 1.2 gpm water volume, it has a total CU of 2,760.

The AR Blue Clean AR383,

With its much lower pressure of 1,900 psi, delivers a higher 1.5 gpm and thus a CU of 2,850, so the two machines have roughly the same cleaning ability.

Gas-powered washers tend to have much higher psi. With most residential units in the 2,800 to 3,200 psi range. Washers said that anything over 3,200 psi is overkill, even for the pros.

Taking the higher flow rate in gpm into consideration. Residential gas models land in the range of 6,000 to 7,000 cleaning units; in other words, they clean twice as fast as electric models.

You can find less powerful gas models that deliver pressure in the 2,000 to 2,800 psi range. But we believe that if you’re going to take on the hassle of owning a gas engine. There’s no point in choosing anything in the lower range. You might as well get some significant power in return.

3. Induction motor of  Pressure Washers :

We recommend seeking out an electric pressure washer with an induction motor rather than one with a universal motor.

Induction motors usually add about $50 to $75 to the overall cost of the washer. They’re found only on models starting around $200. But as Washers writes in an article comparing the two styles, “They are also more rugged, quieter and will have a longer lifespan.”

Induction motors are quite a bit heavier too, but we see this as a positive—as long as your machine also has some nice, big wheels.

Pressure washers can have a tendency to tip over, and the beefier motor helps prevent that. We tested both kinds and noticed the sound difference. The induction motors emitted more of a humming, in contrast to the whine of the universal motors.

How We Tested Best High Pressure Car Washing Machine

Over two weeks of testing, we washed

• eight cars,
• a couple of sets of patio furniture,
• a lawn tractor,
• a brick chimney,
• two filthy wheelbarrows,

and anything else we could find (including

• a small soccer net,
• a garden cart, and
• some grimy extension cords).

One of the cars was covered in blobs of pine sap, which is tenacious in its stickiness and potentially damaging to the paint. Some of the patio furniture was ancient and hadn’t been cleaned in at least a decade. Best High Pressure Car Washing Machine

In 2020, we did another round of testing, which included. Among other things, cleaning years of caked-on cow manure off an old well-used Ford tractor.

In the end, we couldn’t see any real difference between the majority of electric models as far as cleaning speed.

There was a difference, though, in convenience features. So that’s where we focused our attention. We evaluated things such as stability, cord and hose storage, portability, accessory storage, hose quality, overall durability, and motor noise.

In these categories, unlike with cleaning speed, we found huge variations between the models. With the more expensive washers typically outshining the inexpensive ones. On features that sounded at first like minor conveniences but in practice proved to be significant distinctions.

What Is High Pressure Washer?

A pressure washer is a household tool that attaches to your garden hose. And seriously ramps up the force of the water spray to be able to peel off built-up dirt and stains. Best High Pressure Car Washing Machine

The functional part is some type of spray gun or wand. And they usually have various attachments for different types of cleaning tasks, from soap dispensers to power brushes.

There are several different categories of pressure washers based on power source and strength. The two main types of pressure washers are gas and electric. And these two power sources also contribute to how much force it can generate.

Gas-powered washers are generally more powerful. Starting from 2,000 pounds per square inch (PSI) of pressure, a measure of how powerful it is for blasting away dirt and stains.

Household gas pressure washers can go up to over 4,000 PSI, but you are not likely to need anything that powerful for chores around the yard.

Gas Pressure washers are generally more expensive, starting at about $300 and climbing into the thousands for the most powerful or specialized models.

While powerful, they are heavy, loud and require maintenance and special storage because they contain gasoline. They also produce toxic emissions, so they should not be run indoors. Aside from pressure, there is another measurement to consider: gallons per minute (GPM).

GPM is a measure of flow, how much volume of water is used in a minute. And while PSI determines a washers ability to lift dirt and stains from the surface you’re cleaning. GPM determines its rinsing or removal ability, washing away all the gunk that’s been liberated.

If you have a large patio, long fence, or siding on your house that requires cleaning. A high flow will be helpful for getting the job done quickly.

Electric pressure washers are usually designed specifically for household use. And not industrial applications, so they are more likely to fulfill all your needs at a palatable price.

Prices range from under a hundred to a few hundred dollars. And from just over 1,000 PSI to about 3,000 PSI, maxing out at about 2.0 GPM.

Although not yet common, there are a few options for cordless. Battery-powered electric assures, but pressure is limited. So while extremely portable, they are not yet competitive with plug-in electric models.

Electric washer owners are also advised to be particular about storage. As water left in the hoses and pumps can cause various failures. So use either a special additive or follow manufacturer instructions on proper storage.