Electric pressure washer

[Dave Lehnert]

Looking to get an electric pressure washer to use around the house. First reason for electric is it seems with gas powered tools that are not used often will not start when needed. I have an electric chainsaw and electric snow blower (yes! electric Toro) and feel sorry for all the people who spent big bucks for a gas power unit. (But I do live in Cincinnati, not Alaska) Cleans the snow off my 100foot drive to the pavement. FANTASTIC TOOL. Best purchase ever made.
Back to the pressure washer. Anyone have experience with an electric? How well does it work. What brand etc…

Thanks!

[Clint Winterhalter]

David,
I'm on my second electric pressure washer. I'm an old Sear Guy so I started with a craftsman. I owned 25% of the thing, 4 couples went in on it. We all felt that it was one of those things that wouldn't see enough use to own one on our own. Well it got used.. and used and loaned out to everyones neighbors.. It died a slow death after about 2 years of hard use.

I went and bought my own (Cheapy house brand from the Orange Borg). It has worked well for the last 3 years. It to has been on the loaner circuit and suffered as a result. It doesn't always like to start (pump starts when you pull the trigger) But with some fiddling you can make it work. I'm more than likely due for a new one but this thing still goes so I'll keep it till it dies.

Be careful what you use it on, a couple times of year when I was a DM with Sears we would have customers "wash the house" and inject water under their siding / into gable vents etc. Of course it was always our fault!

(I hear you about electrical equipment. I've got a 12 year old electric chainsaw that has taken out some major trees / shrubs over the year with no complaints. / I've never needed anything more).

Good Luck with your purchase..

Clint

[Bill Huber]

I had a little Kärcher 1350 psi for about 5 years and then got a bigger gas one an gave it to a friend and he is still using it so its 10 year old and still going good.
I had no problems with it and he has had no problem so I would say that is really good.

I think they make some larger ones with more psi.

[Mike Henderson]

I have a Karcher also and have been very satisfied with it - maybe 10 years old. The new ones have even more power. I bought the electric just so I wouldn't have to mess with a gas engine (getting and storing gas, oil changes, and maintenance).

Mike

[Rich Engelhardt]

Hello Dave,
I bought a small 1350 psi / 1.3 GPM flow rate Karcher last winter to prep a basement for retuckpointing and being waterproofed. It worked Ok.
A larger one would have been quicker, but I only had three walls to do, so speed wasn't as much an issue as cost.
IIRC, I paid $79.00 for it at Wal Mart.

The little thing works ok within it's limitations.

For anything bigger/tougher I can always rent a gas one.

[Ken Werner]

I bought a used electric McCollough at a garage sale. Works great. Way cheaper than gas. Unless you need to wash where there isn't electricity, I see no reason to go with gas powered.

Ken

[Russ Filtz]

Electric - not as much power as gas, a pain to deal with electric cords on top of the water hose, etc.

Gas - more powerful, more flexible, get one with a good engine like Honda and you won't have problems starting, newer oil mixes eliminate multiple mix fuel containers laying around.

Had a Karcher, couldn't do the job, switched to a Northern Tool Honda model.

[Doyle Alley]

I've got the karcher 1600 psi model. Works fine. The only problem I had with it was the GFI plug that it came with. When I first bought it, every time I pulled the trigger, it would trip that GFI plug. I knew it wasn't my house wiring that was the problem, so I replaced the plug with a standard plug and I've been happy ever since.

[Keith Webster]

It all comes down to what you are going to use it for and how often. I am in the remo business and would only use a gas one for now on. Those electric ones are ok for washing your car and other small stuff around the house....but for heavy use....the gas is the only way to go. I love my electric chain saw....but the one electric power washer I used...well it had no power amd always tripped the GFI outlet.

[Brad Townsend]

If you buy a Karcher, don't buy the lowest end of the line. That's what I did about five years ago, putting my faith in the Karcher name. It was a POS. After having the pump rebuilt twice (under warranty fortunately) and having it fail a third time, I gave up and threw it out. The second time I had it repaired, the service guy told me that if I had bought one model higher, I would have gotten a quality pump, but I had no way of knowing at the time of purchase. He told me flat out that I paid for a name and would have gotten better quality paying the same money for an off-brand unit.

Two years ago, my wife bought me a gas powered one for my birthday. Apparently she is a much smarter shopper than me, because it's a gem. It's 2600 psi with a Honda 5hp engine (starts on the first pull) and less than $400. While I liked the convenience and quiet operation of the electric, I've found there are things this one will do that the electric couldn't touch.

[Steven Wilson]

Had an electric, inherited my Dad's gas powered unit - only way to go. Electric tools like this are not worth it. If you're having problems starting engines then you need to learn how to take care of them. When the snow is done, I change the oil, spray a little WD40 on the exposed metal, replace the spark plug, run the machine until no gas is left, and shoot some oil in the cylinder. Machine starts up first pull every fall. Same schedule for the weedwhacker, garden tractor, leaf blower, chain saw, boat motors, presure washer and rototiller. Every engine I have starts first or second pull every time and they last for years. The trick is mixing in Stabil when the gas is fresh, not letting gas sit too long in the tank (or keep it full if it's a big tank), lube the cylinders when they're likely to sit for awhile, and keep your sparkplugs clean and gapped.

[Jim Becker]

I have a Husky electric from the 'Depot and it serves my incidental needs around the house. If I were doing serious pressure washing, however, I'd want a gas-powered unit. (I rented one a few years ago when I did have a heavier need for power-washing a deck that had not been maintained well by the previous owners)