Talk to me about Pressure Washers

[MontyVeda]

Mum's pressure washer died yesterday so we're looking to buy a new one (unless i can get the old one going again once it's cooled down).

The niggle i had with the washer when it worked was getting the water pressure right from the inlet hose; turning the tap (on the wall) full on meant the connector to the machine would fly off every time i released the trigger. Only having the wall tap part on stopped this from happening, but maybe the reduced flow of water lead to it overheating? I'm guessing since I've only played with these machines a few times.

It's a Karcher B203, probably a good 10 years old and did its job well. Don't want to spend too much but do want a machine as good as the old one. Main use is cleaning the patio paving slabs once every couple of years.

Karcher seem to be the DIY standard but now having two busted Karcher's in the garage, I'm wondering if they're really that good.

Any tips to get the most out of a pressure washer, which to buy and what to avoid would be greatly appreciated

edited to add... the budget is around £150 max

 

[Electric_Andy]

Karcher like most other brands now makes cheap shite as part of their range. Spend as much as you can afford. You can also replace the coupling that comes with it, for a metal one. But make sure it's free flowing and not one of those auto close ones, as they generally stick shut. I bought a Karcher on special offer in Toolstation, can't remember the model but it was reduced to £125. Any half decent one should last, if you give it the best chance.

Try and fill the hose before you connect to the washer. This purges air out and limits dry running. Try to keep the handle pulled whilst/before turning on the unit. And limit stop/start as much as you can. Motors don't like continuous stop and start, nor over running with no load

 

[Sterlo]

I'm looking at Titan from Screwfix, (https://www.screwfix.com/c/auto-cleaning/pressure-washers/cat810150?brand=titan) I've had some of their other tools with no issues and they're a lot cheaper. I had a cheap (on offer) Bosch pressure washer but it gave up the ghost last year.

 

[fossyant]

Titan is OK as is Nilfisk. We've a Karcher K4, and it's OK, but the main coupling has been changed for a metal one as the hose kept popping off - it's a poor design and Karcher sell the upgraded metal connector, but don't upgrade the washer itself.

 

[MontyVeda]

I'm looking at the Karcher K3, £150 at screwfix. slightly better spec than the old one... but need to see if that's decided to work again now it's had a day to cool down (I'm not hopeful though).

 

[Oldhippy]

Shan't.

 

[T4tomo]

it is amazing the difference they make to a patio, but as you say you use them once year at best.

If we were communists we'd just buy one per street and share it around but it might be worth asking a neighbour if they have one you can borrow.....

that reminds me, I used to rent a house and the landlord owned 3 in a row on the same street. early doors I moved the (provided) lawn mower from one shed to another for some reason and one of the neighbours knocked to ask if I knew where it was. Whilst the landlord kindly provided it so we could keep the grass tidy, it was one to share!

there was also no diving wall in the loft between 2 semis. Just a small amount of boarding out near each hatch for a bit of storage. if you were that way inclined you could have done a joist walk over to the neighbours and pop thru onto their landing! It was easier to wheel the lawnmower thru the gap in the hedge though.....

 

[Drago]

I had the same problem with a Halfords branded Karcher. IIRC I binned the standard fitting for another make - Hozelok? - thwt turned out to be a better fit. Problem solved.

 

[MontyVeda]

Shan't.

?

 

[All uphill]

We bought the cheapest available from Argos a couple of years ago for, I think, £68. It has survived routine mistreatment, loans to neighbours, been run dry, and will probably break this afternoon half way through cleaning some mucky tarmac.

 

[Profpointy]

I gritted my teeth and bought a Kranzle, but it was an awful lot of dosh, even buying direct from Germany (no longer viable as VAT and fees are now added). They are even more expensive now. For context an adjustable lance for the Kranzle cost about the same as one of the cheaper Karcher machines ! The kranzle lance is mostly brass and steel so genuinely a vastly better thing that plasticky ones.

Anyhow it is an outstandingly good and powerful machine. Mine's their 10/122 but in retrospect I'd buy their very similar 7/122 which can use water from a container rather than needing mains pressure; not that I've so far needed this ability, but it could be handy, and the slightly reduced litres-per-minute (7 rather than 11) would be no great loss, and perhaps more manageable. You can wind back the pressure but not the volume. Mine does not have the auto-stop-start feature, which is yet more money, and appatently not a benefit for home use where you don't leave it "idling" as it were

One thing they do on cheaper washers is have a kink in the lance. This gives a sideways force which makes the user think the machine is more powerful than it is. They don't do that on pro machines as power is not in question but straight lances are easier and less tiring to hold

As with a lot of things industrial or trade level kit is usually a lot better than DIY grade, albeit sometimes a lot more money. These days some DIY grade stuff is quite poor - not maligning Karcher here, but when you see an angle grinder or whatever for a tenner it is clearly going to be crap as making something decent for such a low cost is just not feasible.

Anyhow, despite the cost, I don't regret buying my Kranzle machine, but I see they're £600 to £700 now, which is a lot

 

[Profpointy]

it is amazing the difference they make to a patio, but as you say you use them once year at best.

If we were communists we'd just buy one per street and share it around but it might be worth asking a neighbour if they have one you can borrow.....

that reminds me, I used to rent a house and the landlord owned 3 in a row on the same street. early doors I moved the (provided) lawn mower from one shed to another for some reason and one of the neighbours knocked to ask if I knew where it was. Whilst the landlord kindly provided it so we could keep the grass tidy, it was one to share!

there was also no diving wall in the loft between 2 semis. Just a small amount of boarding out near each hatch for a bit of storage. if you were that way inclined you could have done a joist walk over to the neighbours and pop thru onto their landing! It was easier to wheel the lawnmower thru the gap in the hedge though.....

A friend of mine lived in a shared house / former mansion back in the day. I gather the various residents were rather Bohemian, and decidedly odd in some cases, and their landlord was even odder. Amongst the terms of the lease was an instruction that the lawns should be mowed every so many weeks, and the "lawnmower to be stored in the North West corner of the sitting room".

My pal moved out eventually as it all got even more peculiar culminating in phone lines being cut, and he wasn't sure if it was the loopy landlord or one of the decidedly hippyish residents after smoking too many herbal cigarettes. Sadly the landlord ended up killing himself not long after so there was a tragic side to all the oddness which was likely mental illness rather than eccentricity.

 

[Houthakker]

+1 for Nilfisk here. Had one for years now and its been better than the Karcher I had before it, and lasted longer. I believe that winter is the real killer of pressure washers, if any water inside them freezes.

 

[MontyVeda]

thanks for the replies. Which Nilfisk model do you have @Houthakker ?

Also, has anyone tried those patio cleaner attachments that looks like an upturned bowl. Are they a game changer or a gimmick?

 

[mistyoptic]

We treat our patio with Algon and find it more effective than periodic jet washing