Pressure washer?

[Landscraper83]

Ok I did a search on this with no luck.

I'm looking for a little electric pressure washer, Used only to wash trucks, that will last more than 3 uses.

Doent have to be high psi, 1500 would probobly be more than enough. I'd like something small and light, and not super expensive. I already have a heavier duty gas pressure washer, so Im not looking for a powerhouse.

The most important thing is finding something that'll last me more than a month, even better more than a year. I just returned a little karcher that I got literally 2 uses out of, I really don't want to go through 6 pieces of junk until I find one good one.

Anyone on here have a small, electric pressure washer that they've had for a while and would recomend?

Thanks

 

[CJM8515]

I have a karcher I got awhile back from walmart, 1400psi I recall little electric unit. No issues in 5 years. I added a section of hose to the end where the water connects to the unit because I felt taking off and putting on the hose would stress the plastic coupling and it would break.

 

[Basstracker34]

March 2015 issue of Family Handyman did a comparison of them.

I have the electric Greenworks 51012 from Lowes. Have had it a number of years and haven't had a problem.

Best value award was for the Ryobi RY14122. I like the look of it and how it's smaller than my Greenworks.

 

[Landscraper83]

March 2015 issue of Family Handyman did a comparison of them.

I have the electric Greenworks 51012 from Lowes. Have had it a number of years and haven't had a problem.

Best value award was for the Ryobi RY14122. I like the look of it and how it's smaller than my Greenworks.

This is the kind of stuff I'm looking to hear. That ryobi is honestly bigger than I was hoping for.....I'm looking for a suitcase type, or at least a smaller wheeled one, something I can toss around with one arm.....but durability > all else at this point.

I'll try to find that article, thanks.

 

[Basstracker34]

Lightweight champ award was "Karcher K3 FOLLOW ME"

Looked to be pretty cheap build though.

 

[Fusion13]

Stihl makes a nice electric pressure washer, my detail guy has one... Works good

 

[Landscraper83]

Stihl makes a nice electric pressure washer, my detail guy has one... Works good

Are you outside the U.S.?

 

[kctyphoon]

i honestly think your best bet for something like this is to spend your time searching amazon and reading reviews.. much more pieces to compare, many more reviews to read.

 

[Fusion13]

Are you outside the U.S.?

Yes I am... located in eastern canada

 

[Landscraper83]

Yes I am... located in eastern canada

On the stihl website it looks like the pressure washers aren't available in the us. Which is too bad because I'm actually at my local stihl dealer like 3 times a week.

 

[Landscraper83]

Green works(?) electric pressure washer is sold by hammacher schlemmer for $169 with a lifetime, no ********, no questions asked, warranty from a company that's been in business since the 1930's.

That's intersting, I'll check them out. I've always just accepted that these lower end ($100-200) electric ones are just junk in general. I think lasting more than a year is uncommon. But A lifetime warrantee says something, I guess.

Thanks for the tip on searching too, I havmt tried it yet but it seems like it would be a lot more helpful than the search tool

 

[sberry]

There is only so much one can do at that price level. They are so small they re just junk, how much does anyone think they can get out of a suitcase washer? Washing trucks takes power.

 

[Nekit]

I've nevr used an electric one that I was happy with. I'm sure they make some, but the typical electric ones at the big box stores are a waist in my opinion. I have a gas power Northern Tool one and have been very happy with it.

 

[Landscraper83]

There is only so much one can do at that price level. They are so small they re just junk, how much does anyone think they can get out of a suitcase washer? Washing trucks takes power.

Well considering you can use a garden hose to wash a vehicle, it's a safe assumption a small pressure washer will work fine also.

In my Op I said I already have a larger gas pressure washer. It's more than I like to use on my trucks. Hence looking for a small electric one.

 

[Landscraper83]

The unit hammacher schlemmer sells is no better than the one Lowes sells.
But hammacher always warrants any of the items they sell that are under $50,000 or so, for life.
All of their items comes with a free return shipping label.

People often misconceive that they sell only high end stuff for too much money.

I think these electric pressure washers are inherently cheap...price and quality, and that's my problem. But after getting 2 uses out of the last one....I really don't want to keep buying and returning them, even if still under warrantee.

Maybe that's my only option though.

 

[sberry]

Why not use the gas drive if it works?

It's more than I like to use on my trucks.

Why go from adequate to sub par?

I've nevr used an electric one that I was happy with. I'm sure they make some, but the typical electric ones at the big box stores are a waist in my opinion.

This is pretty much spot on, I am not sure why they don't sell a better one, I think Northern tool might but there may even be gaps in that line.
This one runs on 30A,, if I was to do it again and a little earlier in my career it would be one size larger.

 

[Landscraper83]

Why not use the gas drive if it works?

It's bigger and clunkier than I'd like for a quick car wash. The psi is probobly I bit higher than I'd prefer too......employees tend to jam the nozzle too close to the paint if there's something sticking.

 

[sberry]

Believe it or not a washer is a little like a welder or more closely to spraying paint and most people really need to be trained on one. I can see the benefit in the landscape biz especially with employees. You don't have a location but if ther I any grease and winter weather a washer is really worth an all out investment, I use mine every day and usually more than once.
Mine is good and perfect for something like that, if I was going new would likely be LP fired and 7.5 hp.

 

[Landscraper83]

Believe it or not a washer is a little like a welder or more closely to spraying paint and most people really need to be trained on one.

I hear you. You'd think its common sense but obviously it's not. Unfortunately there's only so much training/babysitting I can do with employees.....sometimes I just need to **** it up and accept stupid things will happen.

 

[sberry]

This is true but I don't simply turn them loose with a tool. A lot of biz types do but enough sheet happens anyway and a 5 minute lesson pays off for a long time and,,, I don't let everyone do everything.
I used to wonder why some things didn't work, I try today not to fit he square peg to round hole and even some super smart people are not cut out for everything.
I eliminate some for better and don't have to pay one good worker to make up for a poor one that mostly has hands in pockets. I don't turn loose un supervised unless I know they know.

 

[Landscraper83]

Not trying to get too off topic here, but I got a good story for you. I had a part time guy workomg for me last year. He was just a laborer, but he did have his small engine mechanic certificate. Nice little bonus right?

Well one day I had a root tilling job planned. I told him, "the tiller has been sitting unused for at least a year, go check it out, get it running and ready to go"

Sounded pretty straightforward to me, without micro managing. I watched him walk over to the machine and start pulling on the recoil. Actually started after the second pull too. Too bad the dumb shyt didn't check the oil first. I almost ripped his head off I was so pissed.

Hmmmm, machines been sitting for a year....what's the first thing you would do? Guess they didn't teach him to check the oil in his certificate class.

 

[sberry]

I have seen it all or most of it too from people should know better.
As a side note I want to try one of the hot washers from Northern. I have seen a couple but never used one. The price isn't too bad. I can really tell how one cleans washng a car or truck, maybe more so than other types o0f cleaning where you are pecking with it as there are enough flat surface to see the removal rates.
I use it for a lot of things, even some pressure test but my Dad was going to sit on a bucket with a screwdriver and a pick for an hour in the hot sun to get this wind up out. I shooed him to a coffee and washed the dirt out and cut it off with a razor knife in about a minute or 2

 

[The Detailer]

Ok I did a search on this with no luck.

I'm looking for a little electric pressure washer, Used only to wash trucks, that will last more than 3 uses.

Doent have to be high psi, 1500 would probobly be more than enough. I'd like something small and light, and not super expensive. I already have a heavier duty gas pressure washer, so Im not looking for a powerhouse.

The most important thing is finding something that'll last me more than a month, even better more than a year. I just returned a little karcher that I got literally 2 uses out of, I really don't want to go through 6 pieces of junk until I find one good one.

Anyone on here have a small, electric pressure washer that they've had for a while and would recomend?

Thanks

I detail an surprisingly the only thing I haven't gone to the moon and back is for my Karcher. I have paint gauges that are thousands but my 280$ Karcher is awesome. Had it years an several hundred automobiles. Still runs perfect. Karcher k5.85m plus.

A big thing I've noticed is to always purge them. I did it with my last karcher, it ran great an still runs to this day. I just wanted more power (that is paint safe) an 1850 or so psi is perfect. Just don't spray an rusty areas, use common sense and your all good to go.

 

[sberry]

I have seen a couple small ones work for a long while, I spose every once n a while you get one doesn't die. I never really used a small one cept for a little 5 hp and a 6 gas job, the 6 wasn too bad, the 5 was better than a garden hose.
I got to get used to the idea that lots of people don't need it, don't need to continuously clean dirt and clay and grease and slime off stuff. I live in nasty winter and have a couple main road near me they really hit with salt, like driving in brine, covers all the way to the top. I cut ice off all winter.
Its too cold to wash today, the warmer the better but I can deice a car outside in about 10 or 15 minutes.
Its so bitter I have 2 family cars and my plow truck and a little work van in heated garage. I cleaned them the other day when it was near freezing and put inside before the temps reached super lows.

 

[PBCampbell]

http://www.arnorthamerica.com/

These seem to get good reviews, but I have no experience with them.

 

[RTUmark]

I bought an AR blue electric from amazon. 1900 psi. Still going strong. Use it all the time instead of my gas pressure washer

 

[justme-]

Very few electrics are up to that task because, in simple terms, they are not intended to be high use. They are mostly marketed to joe Homeowner for washing his deck or cleaning his siding that one time... and likely the next time it's needed (and remembered) several years later it's not surprising if it fails.

Employee training and a few protections will get a gas one to serve you much better. We use a hot gas unit for cleaning all our equipment in the rental department - kids run it with little training and don't damage anything that an electric would not do. Stickers come off, loose paint comes off. Teach them where NOT to point it (door gaskets, window gaskets, intakes, electronics...) and limit the tip option. Only green and black are available... with red being on an ask the boss basis. In other words - don't let them have a narrow spray angle tip (0-15*) will eliminate a ton of potential damage.

 

[sberry]

I put new tip in on occasion, seems to cut better. Some tips,, aim square like spray painting and lap 50% The slower the pass the better the cleaning. Be deliberate in the pattern, its not like swatting swarms of mosquitoes.