Finding the right pressure washer for your home isn’t as easy as it sounds. You can buy local and pay more but get your pressure washer now, or you can shop online, entering the world of endless choices and dubious brands.
So what’s the best pressure washer for your home?
What Is A Pressure Washer And Why To Buy One
A pressure washer is a tool that delivers high levels of water pressure at its output despite having simply a garden hose as its input. In other words, a pressure washer is to water what an air compressor is to air.
Pressure washers use high-powered streams of water to clean surfaces that otherwise couldn’t be cleaned, would require lots of scrubbing, or would need harsh chemicals to clean. Some of the most popular things to clean with pressure washers are house siding, side walks, stone walkways, car wheels, grill grates, fences, and driveways.
Pressure washer are sometimes known as “power washers.” The terms are essentially interchangeable so don’t worry if you see a product that is labeled as one or the other.
What You Need For Home Use
When I’m buying tools for my home I generally tend to over-buy, with the thinking that I’d “buy right and buy once” but some times overkill is just wasteful. Also though, this might be a bad idea when it happens with a tool that you’e not familiar with or where you can overdo it and mess something up. Case in point: a bit too much pressure and you can damage your deck or the siding of your house that you were trying to clean off.
You also don’t need a lot of pounds per square inch (psi) to clean most things. Too much pressure (ie: too much psi) could really hurt the siding of your house or damage your car, so do not feel compelled to get a super powerful pressure washer unless you have a specific application in mind!
AR Blue Clean AR111S Electric Pressure Washer
The AR Blue Clean AR111S is a small, lightweight pressure washer that looks a bit like a toy. In fact, I almost rejected it out of hand due to its size and light-duty looks… but I ultimately bought this washer and have been quite happy with it!
This pressure washer sells for right about $120 and it’s widely available, most notably at Ace Hardware, Lowe’s and Amazon. It includes everything you need to get it running, like the power cord, hose, wand, and an in-line detergent bottle.
The AR Blue Clean AR111S has the base level features a home users needs, like a variable width spray and a want extension (for getting up close to the ground or a deck without bending over), but basically nothing else. It hooks directly to a garden hose, which is the best hook-up type for the vast majority of home users.
Based on over 15 hours of testing I can tell you that this washer might be inexpensive, but it’s perfectly adequate for cleaning a deck, washing off stone walkways, cleaning the siding of a home, and doing other light duty work around one’s home.
Price: $120
Specifications
- Electric (corded)
- 1600 psi
- 1.4 gpm
- Cold water only
- Adjustable Spray: 0-45°
- Accessories: 15-inch extension wand, detergent holder
- Pump Type: Axial Plunger
- Dimensions: 21 x 11 x 12 inches (L x W x H)
- Weight: 14.4 pounds
AR Blue Clean AR112S Electric Pressure Washer
The top alternative to the AR111S is the AR112S. The AR112S actually has a retail price of $130 but you can find it as low as $90 if you shop around or have access to a superstore, like Home Depot.
The has less pressure power than the AR111S and has a less powerful, but more efficient motor. Ultimately the AR112S is very similar to the AR111S but the decrease in power is nominal while the feature set is substantially the same.
This is going to be a fine pick if you need a light duty power washer for around your home or boat, and it’s an especially good pick for occasional use, like closing down and opening up your outdoor spaces.
Price: $90
Specifications
- Electric (corded)
- 1500 psi
- Cold water only
- Adjustable Spray: 0-45°
- Accessories: 15-inch extension wand, detergent holder
- Pump Type: Axial Plunger
Sun Joe SPX3000 Pressure Washer
If you are shopping in person then AR Blue, Ryobi, and Stanley will probably be the top brands you see. If you are buying online then your research will be dominated by Sun Joe and its current top model, the Sun Joe SPX3000. This is a 2030 psi electric pressure washer has lots of sales and great reviews, plus it has power to spare and is a great value relative to buying in person.
I purchased a similar model to the SPX3000, the Sun Joe SPX3001 (2030 psi, 1.76 gpm) for $189 in the summer of 2018 and it’s held up quite well. It’s a good deal larger and heavier than my AR Blue AR111S, but I can’t really say I that I have a strong preference for one or the other.
I like the Sun Joe’s extra power but the tool is larger and heavier. As with the AR Blue’s it has small wheels which make it a bit of a pain to use on gravel, but this is largely countered by the fact that the washer is relatively lightweight.
Price: $150
Specifications
- Electric (corded)
- 1.76 GPM
- 14.5 Amp
FAQs
What’s the difference between the AR Blue Clean AR111S vs AR Blue Clean AR112S?
The AR111S and AR112S are very similar, as their retail prices ($120 and $130) would suggest. The AR111S can do up to 1600 psi generated from a 2000W electric motor where the AR112S only goes to 1500 psi from a 1400W motor. So the AR112S is a more efficient washer despite having some small loss of power.
Gas or electrics power washer – which is better?
Neither is better, but they have different strengths. A gas pressure washer can be moved freely as it doesn’t need power source. Gas pressure washer are usually quite heavy (thanks to an engine) and loud. They also require keeping flammable fuel on hand. That said, gas washers generally have more pressure (more power) than electric washers. Electric pressure washers require less maintenance and are quieter than gas ones, but they tend to have less power. They also need to be used with extension cords and/or a generator if you are moving far from your power source. Gas models tend to start at about $200 where electric ones start at $80.
Can you pressure wash with an air compressor?
No, an air compressor cannot become a pressure washer. Some air compressor accessory makers sell tools like a “Syphon Water Jet Cleaning Gun” but ultimately it’s never going to be a pressure water because an air compressor delivers air at up to about 200 psi where a pressure washer delivers water at about 1600 psi. The two applications are similar in theory but much different in practice.