Electric Pressure Washers

[Mr__Bill]

I'm looking at this pressure washer from Amazon.

What I need is something to wash the dirt and not the paint of of the house and to get the winter mildew and moss of of the fence and deck. I know that a gas unit will do a better and faster job but I think they are too much machine for what I want to do.

Does anyone have experience with this washer or perhaps like a similar priced unit better?

Bill
over here in the rain

[charliex]

I have a 1200 psi 1.3 gpm Karcher that I use for car and house wash. Works great. I have a problem with mildew stains on the north side which it easily removes. Before that I had a Campbell Hausfield that only lasted 2 years. That price for a re-furb seems a bit high. These things are rugged but can be easily abused.

[vaking]

I have something like this.
http://www.amazon.com/Campbell-Hausf...2401462&sr=1-3

I bought it refurbished many years ago andf it is still going strong. To be honest - I use it only couple times a year.
It is not heavy duty but it does the job for me. Even though it is small - it had enough power to damage concrete on the patio when I first tried. I believe that power is not really an issue for home use. In all cases you need to practice and look for proper accesories. For instance there is a special attachement for concrete floors - works great.

[jackellis]

I have an electric pressure washer made by Black and Decker. My first was a small used unit that was great for small cleaning jobs. A second one didn't last because we stored it in an unheated garage in cold temps.

A gas unit would be better for tough jobs but the gas units operate at higher pressures and can more easily cause expensive damage.

Even if I have to replace this one in a year, using the pressure washer is better than using a brush on hands and knees.

[williwatt]

I have an Aldi KingCraft electric pressure washer and a Karcher unit that I bought at Big Lots that is similar to the one you are looking at and neither of them work any more. I believe the problem is with the built-in GFCI units which I think have failed. I have a friend who replaced the GFCI unit and his pressure washer started working again.

[JimDantin]

I bought this one from the same supplier
http://www.cpopressurewashers.com/products/k5.85mr
Very happy with it -- I didn't want the detergent tank, but did want the higher PSI and hose reel. Quick, free shipping and the company seems good to deal with. Mine came with a 30 day money back warranty including return shipping.

[chopnhack]

I borrowed that unit from my brother and I wasn't really happy with it. I didn't find it user friendly. The wand/hose assembly was clumsy and leak prone. The soap dispenser? leaked and of course the further encumberance of the hose attachment which of course would be the same with a gas powered unit. This unit cycled on and off pretty violently as their was no real reserve, it would have to run pretty much as long as the trigger is depressed. I actually stopped after doing one small square section and packed it up to give it back to him, lol

[LCHIEN]

funny, i read one amazon user review that said the unit was not covered by warranty.

it's only covered by 30 day money back.

on the recon page it links you to the "new warranty", but the new warranty says specifically it doesn't over recon units.

[RayintheUK]

I use a Nilfisk Alto. I've just got a new one as my original Alto finally died after 15 years' service.

Ray

[drillman88]

I have the smaller version of that unit and it works great for most jobs. The turbo nozzle is a real time saver. I dont run chemicals through mine, I use a pump up sprayer. Unless you flush the unit well, the chemicals can corrode quickly ruining your unit.

[charliex]

A couple of good heads-up were mentioned.

1. Don't store in freezing temps without clearing of water.
2. Be careful of the chemicals you use, some can shorten the life of the pump. A hose end sprayer attachment gives you a better option on what you can use.
3. After several uses spray a lube into the in-put with the unit running and the out-put hose disconnected. Someone might correct me on this but I think WD40 is acceptable.
4. If you use hot water don't exceed 110 degrees. Manufacturer may set this at a different level.
5. I think most units now come with a drop pressure sensor. Which means they run when you pull the trigger and shut off when it's released. My CH unit didn't have this feature, meaning it ran as long as the switch was on. I believe that greatly contributed to it's early demise.
6. The GFI on the CH unit also failed. I replaced it with a common plug because all my outside receptacles were GFI.

[Mr__Bill]

I have a 1200 psi 1.3 gpm Karcher that I use for car and house wash. Works great. I have a problem with mildew stains on the north side which it easily removes. Before that I had a Campbell Hausfield that only lasted 2 years. That price for a re-furb seems a bit high. These things are rugged but can be easily abused.

The price seemed high to me too. I does include the shipping, others who sell for less charge for shipping and it comes out about the same. If I lived in a metro area I might find it less expensive but I am stuck with Home Depot, WallyWorld or the internet.

I have an Aldi KingCraft electric pressure washer and a Karcher unit that I bought at Big Lots that is similar to the one you are looking at and neither of them work any more. I believe the problem is with the built-in GFCI units which I think have failed. I have a friend who replaced the GFCI unit and his pressure washer started working again.

Having it plugged into a GFCI protected outlet I wonder about the need for one on the washer. The one I borrowed the GFCI was very tempermental and a simple bump would cause it to trip off.

I bought this one from the same supplier
http://www.cpopressurewashers.com/products/k5.85mr
Very happy with it -- I didn't want the detergent tank, but did want the higher PSI and hose reel. Quick, free shipping and the company seems good to deal with. Mine came with a 30 day money back warranty including return shipping.

I wondered if the hose reel was usefull or just another place to fail. Have you had any problems with it? If it works it makes for a nicer package for storing.

funny, i read one amazon user review that said the unit was not covered by warranty.

it's only covered by 30 day money back.

on the recon page it links you to the "new warranty", but the new warranty says specifically it doesn't over recon units.

Yes, it seems it's only a 30 DMB warranty. If I get one I'll have to use it right away and find out if anything is wrong with it.

I have the smaller version of that unit and it works great for most jobs. The turbo nozzle is a real time saver. I dont run chemicals through mine, I use a pump up sprayer. Unless you flush the unit well, the chemicals can corrode quickly ruining your unit.

I was wondering about that, soap caustic enough to really clean may do a number on the plastic inside. They sell soap packs I wonder if there is anything special about them. I was also thinking of adding something to get rid of the spiders to the soap tank but thinking about it more that may be a bit dangerous as the water from washing gets all over everything. I should probably stick to the Hudson Sprayer for that.

A couple of good heads-up were mentioned.

1. Don't store in freezing temps without clearing of water.
2. Be careful of the chemicals you use, some can shorten the life of the pump. A hose end sprayer attachment gives you a better option on what you can use.
3. After several uses spray a lube into the in-put with the unit running and the out-put hose disconnected. Someone might correct me on this but I think WD40 is acceptable.
4. If you use hot water don't exceed 110 degrees. Manufacturer may set this at a different level.
5. I think most units now come with a drop pressure sensor. Which means they run when you pull the trigger and shut off when it's released. My CH unit didn't have this feature, meaning it ran as long as the switch was on. I believe that greatly contributed to it's early demise.
6. The GFI on the CH unit also failed. I replaced it with a common plug because all my outside receptacles were GFI.

Good points, I like the idea of WD40 after a use, hadn't thought of that.

It rather sounds like these are much the same brand to brand. I found a selection chart for the Karcher models that may help with the confusion over so many models that seem to be alike.

Bill
over here in the rain