Modest price pressure washer - thoughts?

[Fenlander]

Time for a new pressure washer. Just for general use cleaning slabs, outdoor wood items, car underbody and sometimes rusty old "things".

For around 20yrs I've had a basic no-brand that cost about £40 back in the day.

Looking to spend around £100-£150. Have seen the Karcher refurb outlet store which attracts as I could up the pressure/flow for the same money.

Any thoughts welcome.

[Brinormeg]

Karcher for many years for home, work and all my family have found them ok.

Never had issue except frost damage a couple of times because they hadn't drained them properly for winter. But even then it was a doddle to strip and repair, with parts available online from espares etc

The rotating brush is great for slabs, decking and even loose gravel if you just let it float above them with the more powerful models.

I cant remember the details, but some say the newer models have a different motor that lasts longer, but I have still to burn one out after hundreds of hours of use.

[Jon Tallis]

I've got one of these, from Screwfix - it's great! Much better and cheaper than the Nilfisk one it replaced. Not sure I'd ever get spares for it if it broke down but it hasn't yet

[Fenlander]

Jon that model certainly has a great pressure for the money.

I'll do some reading up on them.

Any more folks with ideas?

I feel a purchase coming on soon.

[Orwell boy]

Originally Posted by Fenlander

Jon that model certainly has a great pressure for the money.

I'll do some reading up on them.

Any more folks with ideas?

I feel a purchase coming on soon.

Hi F ,i have been in pressure and flow monitoring etc most of my working life ,however not directly in washers ............what i would say is dont get over excited about pressure ,its flow you need ,think about it ! a massive pressure will drill a hole but without flow you will wash no dirt away !! , i would use the example of dipping something hot in cold water and removing ,it will quench but not cool by much ,now put it under a running tap ,it will take the heat away
Watch the flow rates ! thats what will shift the dirt sometimes so bad they are quoted in litres per hour !!

[Steve509926]

I had a Karcher for over 20 years, a really heavy thing and powerful for its size, but it failed a few years ago.
I replaced it with a "refurbed" K4 from karcher outlet incl a rotary patio scrubber. I don't know what was refurbed about it as everything looked and was packaged like new. I was surprised at how light it was as compared to my old karcher which didn't inspire confidence, however I have used it extensively over the past 3 years and it has been excellent value for money. I have had to replace the patio scrubber a couple of times, and the hose, but with the amount of use and abuse it gets I can't complain.
I wouldn't hesitate to buy another.
Just to add, its not only used at home, its used at work.

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by Steve509926

I had a Karcher for over 20 years, a really heavy thing and powerful for its size, but it failed a few years ago.
I replaced it with a "refurbed" K4 from karcher outlet incl a rotary patio scrubber. I don't know what was refurbed about it as everything looked and was packaged like new. I was surprised at how light it was as compared to my old karcher which didn't inspire confidence, however I have used it extensively over the past 3 years and it has been excellent value for money. I have had to replace the patio scrubber a couple of times, and the hose, but with the amount of use and abuse it get I can't complain.
I wouldn't hesitate to buy another.

I have a couple of vintage Karcher machines. A 650 diesel fired steam cleaner & a cold pressure wash of unknown parentage. Both have the massive brass bodied pumps with the ceramic pistons & are at least 30 years old. I had the steam cleaner repaired a couple of years ago at a cost of £70, the guy replaced the seals in the pump & told me to hang on to both machines, they go forever & are cheap to repair were his words.
I also second the comments re. Flow. It’s all about the volume, not the pressure….unless you have both.

[Steve509926]

Same as my old one Dave, brass body and ceramic pistons, but mine was electric. The ceramic piston had shattered, dont know how, and made a mess of the cylinder. Don't think it would have been financially prudent to try to repair it.

[TmMorris]

Originally Posted by Orwell boy

Hi F ,i have been in pressure and flow monitoring etc most of my working life ,however not directly in washers ............what i would say is dont get over excited about pressure ,its flow you need ,think about it ! a massive pressure will drill a hole but without flow you will wash no dirt away !! , i would use the example of dipping something hot in cold water and removing ,it will quench but not cool by much ,now put it under a running tap ,it will take the heat away
Watch the flow rates ! thats what will shift the dirt sometimes so bad they are quoted in litres per hour !!

The down side being when the flow rate of your pressure washer is greater than the flow rate of your tap and the pressure washer has too small a reservoir to compensate.

I have a hand me down Karcher which must be at least 20 years old if not more and while the soap mixing element seems to no longer work (probably just gummed up somewhere to be honest) it has been really good but some days it just doesn't work as the water pressure from the house goes just too low for it to run.

It took me ages when I first moved here to work out why the washer kept cutting out. Why some days it would work fine, others it would cut out every few seconds and on other days not run at all. It was only after taking a break from dismantling it to check the wiring that it dawned on me that in the old days you used to have to fill a bin with water to create a reservoir/buffer between the mains and a strong washer and that we lived on a hill with variable water pressure.

[A1an]

The newer Karchers seem to have the shortest and shittest hoses known to man

[Orwell boy]

Interesting observation re the supply pressure /flow availiable ,and indeed a consideration ,many prefer to draw from water butts instead of mains and this is a feature offered by some brands ! ,
The simplest ways are always the best and if you want to see what flow you have available ,then a simple test running a tap into a bucket with a stopwatch then using a measuring jug to see whats in the bucket after 1 minute will quickly confirm your litres /minute

i have a hunch that your best value buys may appear in the next few weeks at Lidl or Aldi ??

[Fenlander]

>>>The down side being when the flow rate of your pressure washer is greater than the flow rate of your tap

Yes we had this for the first few years at the previous very rural house. Teed supply to next door and on moving in all the water systems in both houses were on mains, no loft tank storage at all and no water upstairs.

The flow was so interactive between houses them turning on a large bore outside tap would stop our toilet refilling. So I put in a large cold water storage tank in the loft but if they turned on a tap it would stop filling and you could hear the water in our mains feed pipe to said tank fall back down with a gurgle.

As with so many times in our lives the other party professed to be happy with the situation and I ended up with the hassle of sorting it. I hand dug in a new 32mm service pipe to replace the furred up 3/4" one and all was well.... except then next door complained the flow was so fierce from their taps it bounced out of the bathroom basin onto the floor.

Neighbours eh...

Re the Karcher hoses I'd noted that and seen folks post online about replacing the hose with a more flexy one. I can understand it as my old cheapy model has a hard plastic hose with a mind of its own.

[Fenlander]

Across all my possessions I have a mixture of well regarded brands and some cheaper "take a chance alternatives".

Considering the latter I have eyed this up...

https://www.aldi.co.uk/pressure-wash...00000630436100

In basic pressure/flow/motor power spec it matches a £350+ Karcher K5 and it has a 3yr warranty. Bit tempting.

[Brinormeg]

Originally Posted by Fenlander

Across all my possessions I have a mixture of well regarded brands and some cheaper "take a chance alternatives".

Considering the latter I have eyed this up...

https://www.aldi.co.uk/pressure-wash...00000630436100

In basic pressure/flow/motor power spec it matches a £350+ Karcher K5 and it has a 3yr warranty. Bit tempting.

Pros...Cheap. 3 year warranty (depending on whats covered)

Big Big Big pro......has a built in reel for hose compared to all our karchers (especially those with added extension) that makes it a total pain to look after and store.

Cheap for all you get in the bundle.


Cons...internal parts and accessories could be difficult to get later. Aldi might change manufacturors/ suppliers....so might never have compatible add-ons,even from them.

Of course if aldi parts and connections are the same as another well known brand....just with a different name....then the cons kind of vanish

Have to admit to being a big aldi fan on many products but have had numerous issues with their electronics.....fortunately going wrong very soon after purchase....so no quibble refund

[Steve509926]

Originally Posted by A1an

The newer Karchers seem to have the shortest and shittest hoses known to man

Not sure which model you have, but I thought all the K4 and above come with 8 metre hoses which I think are decent quality and tend not to kink.

[Steve509926]

Originally Posted by Fenlander

Across all my possessions I have a mixture of well regarded brands and some cheaper "take a chance alternatives".

Considering the latter I have eyed this up...

https://www.aldi.co.uk/pressure-wash...00000630436100

In basic pressure/flow/motor power spec it matches a £350+ Karcher K5 and it has a 3yr warranty. Bit tempting.

Like Brian, I've bought a bit of Aldi electrical stuff (multi meters etc) which was OK for a few weeks then stopped working, instant refund from Aldi.

Are you sure you need the power/flow from a K5? I find the K4 more than enough for cleaning old brickwork, stone, patio blocks etc

Karcher outlet has this one on sale:-

https://www.karcheroutlet.co.uk/prod...ct.asp?id=6375

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by Brinormeg

Pros...Cheap. 3 year warranty (depending on whats covered)

Big Big Big pro......has a built in reel for hose compared to all our karchers (especially those with added extension) that makes it a total pain to look after and store.

Cheap for all you get in the bundle.


Cons...internal parts and accessories could be difficult to get later. Aldi might change manufacturors/ suppliers....so might never have compatible add-ons,even from them.

Of course if aldi parts and connections are the same as another well known brand....just with a different name....then the cons kind of vanish

Have to admit to being a big aldi fan on many products but have had numerous issues with their electronics.....fortunately going wrong very soon after purchase....so no quibble refund

Back in the day (about 15 years ago), I was contemplating building a PC for the daughter to do her GCSEs & A levels on. I’d built a few PCs & enjoyed the task. I specced up a high end machine & priced up the components. Then along came Aldi with a Medion PC with similar spec to what I was going to build, but several £100s cheaper. I was working away at the time & Barnsley wasn’t posh enough for an Aldi, we’d only just got a Netto which was big news[emoji849]. So I find myself slipping off site to find the local Aldi in Notts. Fast forward 4 years & the Medion has done GCSEs & A levels & is about to start a law degree, when it gives up the ghost, the motherboard died. I called the number on the sticker on the back of the case & got through to Aldi customer service. They said that the PC was out of warranty (I knew that) but as a gesture of goodwill, they’d repair it FOC. They sent a courier to collect it, replaced the motherboard, updated the copy of windows and replaced the mouse & keyboard, then returned it. All FOC. I’ve been a big fan of Aldi ever since & have bought quite a few of their tools, which for occasional hobby use are perfectly sound.

[Fenlander]

Intended use is always important. As I said at the start my unbranded cheapy has done almost 20yrs. But now the mains hose connection is damaged and bodged... and the lance trigger is stuck on so it runs all the time.

But the main motivation for change is some significant garden hard surface updates adj the house. Some new paths and patios at a cost that would fund a new Zodiac, 20hp and trailer. Anyone seen the price of slabs these days!!

However there is a more casual area around the sheds where I hope to clean off slabs to an OK standard and have them levelled saving around £750 compared with replacing them.

It's those that I think will need a slightly better than basic washer and spark interest in a bit of grunt for the money.

[neil.mccrirrick]

Dont know if this helps but living on an island I bought after a, lit of research a wilks petrol pressure, washer

Been very impressed with it so far a year in

[Brinormeg]

Originally Posted by Fenlander

Intended use is always important. As I said at the start my unbranded cheapy has done almost 20yrs. But now the mains hose connection is damaged and bodged... and the lance trigger is stuck on so it runs all the time.

But the main motivation for change is some significant garden hard surface updates adj the house. Some new paths and patios at a cost that would fund a new Zodiac, 20hp and trailer. Anyone seen the price of slabs these days!!

However there is a more casual area around the sheds where I hope to clean off slabs to an OK standard and have them levelled saving around £750 compared with replacing them.

It's those that I think will need a slightly better than basic washer and spark interest in a bit of grunt for the money.

Prices of most building materials are crazy just now.....with just having replaced/repaired 42ft of fence as a result of the storms.

But brick acid (from builders merchant) or have had reasonable results with just some cheapo bleach and a stiff broom.
Would do a small trial first and if happy enough....much better than results than with a power washer for me.