Keeping your garden and outdoor space squeaky clean is a job in itself. And what do you need to do a good job? The right tools. That means it’s time to tool up with a high-performance pressure washer. To maintain your outdoor area, a standard garden hose just isn’t going to cut it.
Buying something like a pressure washer isn’t easy, of course — especially if you’re a pressure washer newbie. There are plenty of options out there — different brands, unique features, and all kinds of specifications. A quick look online will throw up all kinds of models from just a single brand, so which one is right for you?
That’s where we come in. We’ve lined up everything you need to help you make the right decision. To get you started, here’s some basic need-to-know info.
What is a pressure washer?
Pressure washers are essentially super-powered hoses used for cleaning a variety of things, such as patios, walls, decking, driveways, cars, garden furniture, and other outdoor surfaces. They look like hi-tech vacuum cleaners, which you can wheel around with an extendable wand to spray and clean.everything in sight.
How does a pressure washer work?
It’s simple enough. You connect your regular garden hose to the washer, which then uses a pump to pressurise the water and blast it out via a spray lance or gun (or any number of specialised nozzles and attachments). Industrial grade pressure washers can be gas powered, but all the pressure washers you’ll find on this list have electric motors. You can also add in detergent for an extra efficient clean.
What does ‘bar’ mean in regards to water pressure?
Bar is the metric system’s way of measuring pressure. Bar is the unit of pressure, so if you’re trying to determine how powerful a pressure washer is, check out its bar measurement. We’ve highlighted this in all picks below to make it easier to compare. The higher the bar, the better the machine will be at tackling tough cleaning jobs. Some pressure washers will also have adjustable pressure, which you can control by twisting the nozzle.
What attachments are included with a pressure washer?
Each model will be different, but standard attachments might include a variety of nozzles — such as jet, spray, blasting, or flush nozzles — all designed for specific surfaces and cleaning tasks. The main head of the washer might also be changeable, with lance or gun-style designs.
Some models might also include a surface head. Rather than target once area with a jet spray, this allows you to sweep over larger surface areas like you would with a vacuum cleaner. A feature that’s also important is storage. If it comes with attachments, it’s handy to have built in compartments that keep those attachments safe and organised.
What is the best pressure washer?
It’s a dirty job, but somebody’s got to do it. We’ll leave the final decision up to you, but we’ve selected some of the very best models from top brands to get you started. There should be something for everyone and every budget in this list.
These are the best pressure washers in 2022.
