Looking for the best electric pressure washer to clean your vehicle, decking, patio and a whole host of other uses? If so, then this article will not only list my top picks, but I will also share my experience on what I believe you should look out for when purchasing your next electric pressure washer.
Guide To Buying An Electric Pressure Washer
In this guide to electric pressure washers, I will be talking you through what to look for when shopping and telling you why I think an electric pressure washer is an excellent choice.
Why Choose An Electric Pressure Washer?
In modern times, everyone wants convenience and that is one of the main reasons that an electric pressure washer is such a popular choice. You can simply plug them in and get going with very little, if any, maintenance. If you’re in a hurry to get your patio clean or wash the car, then I would absolutely suggest going for an electric model.
Now, there is no denying that the power behind petrol pressure washers is always going to be greater. This is true of any tool. But with modern innovation and engineering, the level of power you get from an electric jet washer is not all that dissimilar and it is certainly more than enough to tackle some pretty stubborn jobs.
Nobody wants to disturb the peace when they are cleaning outdoors, but some of the petrol powered pressure washers can be terribly noisy. Where electric models are concerned, you’ll find that they are much quieter in comparison. In addition to this, you won’t need to purchase anything else such as petrol, oil or replacement parts for the motor.
Here Are Some Of My Favourite Electric Pressure Washers
Last update on 2021-09-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Are There Any Downsides To Using An Electric Pressure Washer?
While I would advocate the use of an electric pressure washer, there are a few disadvantages that you must keep in mind. For some people, these are minor and nowhere close to being a deal breaker. However, for others, these drawbacks may be the difference between choosing electric over petrol.
- Since the electric pressure washer is powered by the mains, it does have a power cord which poses two minor problems. It can get in the way and serve as a tripping hazard or it will limit you on how far away from the power source you can clean. For this reason, these models may not be ideal if you have a larger garden or are using your pressure washer for commercial purposes.
- Electric pressure washers don’t tend to last as long as their petrol counterparts, so while they are cheaper to purchase, you will need to replace them more often. On average, you can expect around 500 hours, that’s about ten years out of your electric jet washer provided you look after it and is used for domestic purposes.
What To Consider When Buying An Electric Pressure Washer
You only have to type the words electric pressure washer into Google and you’ll be bombarded with a myriad of results. This can leave buyers feeling confused, but don’t worry; with a little bit of knowledge, you will soon be able to pick apart each model and determine whether it would work for you.
Power And Flow Rate
You want to make sure that your pressure washer is going to be up for the most challenging cleaning tasks, so one of the first things you should look at is its power. There are two things that you will need to consider; PSI which stands for pounds per square inch and tells you the intensity of the water jet and flow rate which tells you how much water the jet washer puts out per minute.
Where PSI is concerned, you can expect around a maximum of 2500 in an electric pressure washer, but you don’t want to go for anything any lower than around 1500 PSI. While you might not always need that level of power, it is useful to have it for the more stubborn cleaning jobs.
The flow rate is given in gallons or litres per minute, depending on the model. You will find that if the flow rate is low but the pressure is high, the water jet will be much finer and suited to lighter cleaning tasks. On the other hand, a high pressure and high flow rate will deliver a much more powerful stream.
Pressure Washer Pressure Guide
| Task | Light Duty 40-110 Bar 600-1600 PSI |
Medium Duty 110-130 Bar 1600-1900 PSI |
Heavy Duty 130+ Bar 1900+ PSI |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patio | ✅ | ✅ | |
| Cars/Vans/Bikes | ✅ | ||
| Block Paving | ✅ | ||
| Decking | ✅ | ✅ | |
| Fences & Garden Furniture | ✅ | ||
| Commercial Vehicles | ✅ | ✅ |
Weight And Size
Electric pressure washers tend to be lighter than petrol models, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t some pretty cumbersome models out there. You will normally find that more powerful pressure washers are larger and heavier, but you want to make sure that you don’t go for something too bulky.
You will likely already be limited in manoeuvrability thanks to the power cord, add a heavy pressure washer into the mix and it can make cleaning more exhausting and inconvenient than it needs to be. Storage should also be a consideration.
Motor Power
While looking at the water pressure is an important consideration, you will also need to check the power of the motor. Generally speaking, a powerful electric pressure washer will come with either a 12 amp or 14 amp motor to support the high water pressure. If you go for anything lower than this, you may find that it doesn’t offer enough get up and go and may shorten the life of the motor.
Do You Need Accessories?
Depending on the type of cleaning you intend on doing, you may need a variety of accessories. One of the first things you should look for is the ability to twist the nozzle to adjust the water pressure and this is excellent if you want to clean a variety of surfaces. Some delicate surfaces may be prone to damage if they are cleaned with too high power.
Next, you may wish to look at whether the electric pressure washer comes with other accessories like extension hoses, foam lances and even some detergent. In some cases, the pressure washer will have onboard storage for these accessories, which makes cleaning even more convenient.
Foam dispensers and brushes are ideal for cleaning cars, bikes and vans, where a rotating patio cleaner will make cleaning a patio or decking with your pressure washer a breeze. What’s more it will result in a much cleaner job with less mess on the surrounding area.
Conclusion
If you are looking for an easy, quick and convenient way of tackling outdoor cleaning jobs then an electric pressure washer is, without doubt, one of the best options. However, you will need to familiarise yourself with these tools and get to know the types of features and accessories that you need to get the best results.
Below is a table whereby you can select the features you require and the ideal electric pressure washer will be shortlisted for you.
Other Pressure Washer Articles
Click here to see my full list of best pressure washers for general cleaning.
Click here to see my full list of best pressure washers for cleaning your car.
Click here to see my full list of best pressure washers for cleaning decking and patios.
Click here to see my full list of best cordless pressure washers.
Click here to see my full list of best petrol pressure washers.
