Electric Power washers ratings of PSI and GPM

[dennis thompson]

Are there any other ratings on electric power washers that matter other than PSI (pounds per square inch) and GPM (gallons per minute flow rate)?
For those who have electric power washers, what do you like, not like?
Any brand recommendations or brands to stay away from?

Thanks

[Tom M King]

One brand you can count on for longevity is Mi-T-M. Both my gas powered one and electric ones are Mi-T-M. Pressure and flow are what matters.

I don't even remember what the pressure and flow are of the electric one, but it's better for some jobs than the more massive gas one. I keep it right inside the door of the mechanic shop, ready to go at the push of a button. It gets used most days for something from washing a vehicle to cleaning off a mower after use before putting it back in the house.

Even when shovels and such have been used in the dirt, they get blasted off before being put away. Great for keeping old tractors less smelly too.

Mi-T-M is not a cheap brand, so if low cost is high on the list, these aren't that. I've since made a more neat installation of the supply hose than in this picture, as well as added a longer hose.

[Bill Howatt]

My washer tasks probably fall into the lighter-duty category - clean the wood siding, lawn furniture, paving stones, bird bath, underneath the lawn tractor - things like that. The pressure from my electric one will gouge wood if the wand is focused. It's all I need and the advantage is that it is fairly light, always runs, and it does not have a gas engine. It's a Karcher and is probably in the cheap category but I've had it for 5+ years. I just make sure to take it in before the freezing temperatures arrive in case there's water in it.

[Dan Friedrichs]

PSI and GPM fully define the cleaning performance.

Keep in mind that most mid-range gas power washers are ~5HP. A 120V 15A outlet is going to give you, max, 2HP. If you want performance that's even remotely comparable, you need at least a 240V 20A outlet to power a 5HP electric motor. Power is power - no way to get equivalent cleaning performance using 2HP of power that others use 5HP to get.

Because most people don't have access to a 240V 20A outlet, most electric power washers are ~2HP and "weak" compared to what people are used to (from gas).

There are 5HP electric power washers available, but not very common. I ended up building my own:
https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread....her&highlight=

[Larry Frank]

I had a mid sized gas pressure washer with a Honda engine and it worked well. However, my use was kind of infrequent and this leads to some issues with gas powered equipment. In addition, I had to drain the gas and winterize each fall. And lastly, my old shoulder did not like lulling the cord.

I got rid of the gas one and bought a SunJoe electric one and it is a better fit for my usage. Not as powerful but is enough for decks, chairs and other things.

[Ron Citerone]

I have a Karcher electric. It works fine but it does not have the power of a gas one. For instance, I used to wash the bottom of my boat when I pulled it for the season and it got most of the gunk off but I still had to scrape some of the tuffer stuff. My friend had a gas one which cleaned the bottom completely. Comes in handy for lighter jobs.

[Greg R Bradley]

Electrics are great for convenience, just a switch and no carb to get messed up with gas problems. They just don't have much power. 120v and 15a only goes so far. I have that in an electric for portable use plus a 240v electric near a shop door. Add a gas for when you need power and portability. They really are all different. Choose 1 or 2 or all 3 depending on need.

[Grant Wilkinson]

I have an inexpensive Simonize model, sold in Canada by Canadian Tire. It does a decent job of foaming and rinsing the car, but does not compare to my neighour's gas model. One thing I noticed in the specs after I bought it is that the pressure rating was at first trigger pull. It does not maintain that pressure for very long. That may be a factor of the price range.

[George Yetka]

I love my electric cheapy. It does my vinyl siding/grill/cars/sidewalks(slowly)/Trex deck. Its light duty but 9/10 thats what im looking for. I borrow my mothers gas machine if I have to get aggressive. But renting a gas machine every 5 years or so would be better than maintaining your own.

[Maurice Mcmurry]

I am pleased with My 2 hp electric. It needs a dedicated 20 amp 120v outlet. It is just right for washing wood decks. If I have a big driveway or concrete patio to wash I rent a big gas washer with 5 hp or more.

[Maurice Mcmurry]

I am pleased with My 2 hp electric. It needs a dedicated 20 amp 120v outlet. It is just right for washing wood decks. If I have a big driveway or concrete patio to wash I rent a big gas washer with 5 hp or more.

IMG_1943.jpg

[Tom M King]

Even my Mi-T-M electric came with a nozzle that I didn't like. I changed the wand to use different sizes of tips like the big ones do. You can buy any angle of fan tip with different size orifices for different pressure and volume. I bought a selection of five different size yellow tips off Amazon, and tried them until I found one that did like I wanted it to for the little one. I use that one tip for everything on the electric. It has great pressure for washing dirt off anything without taking paint off.

edited to add: The second from the smallest orifice was the one I like the best for this pressure washer.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...e?ie=UTF8&th=1

[Stan Calow]

It is a pain to deal with the electric cord getting in the way, and tangling up with the stiff input/output hoses. But I still prefer that over another gas engine tool that is only used infrequently. I had a Karcher once and it worked fine but I gave it to family. Needing one recently, I bought the cheapest one at HF with a coupon. Does what I need, which is mostly cleaning concrete floors and driveway.

[Dan Friedrichs]

Electrics are great for convenience, just a switch and no carb to get messed up with gas problems. They just don't have much power. 120v and 15a only goes so far. I have that in an electric for portable use plus a 240v electric near a shop door. Add a gas for when you need power and portability. They really are all different. Choose 1 or 2 or all 3 depending on need.

But the difference in power is not because one is "electric" and one is "gas". It's because electrics are typically 2HP, and gas ones are typically 5HP, but there's nothing to say you can't have a 7HP electric or a 2HP gas. Power is power.

I don't understand why gas has "portability". You're still tied to a water source.

[Ken Platt]

I have the Dewalt model; like everyone else, my need is limited. I got it to clean the house siding before painting, and it did that pretty well. The thing I don't like about it is that it wouldn't run well from some of the outlets I have outside the house - I think it needs a 20 amp outlet. Luckily, I have a larger size portable generator, so when needed, I used that to power the thing. This could have been a bigger problem without the generator.

A smaller thing, the storage for the cord, hose and wand is completely nonfunctional. I had read that in reviews going in, so l was prepared for that.

Otherwise, very satisfied with the purchase.

Ken