The Best Electric Pressure Washer

If you’re dealing with caked-on dirt, years of grime or even tough stains, an electric pressure washer is likely your best bet for deep cleaning the outside of your home. Whether you need to power wash your backyard fence or make the sidewalk look like new again, an electric pressure washer can help you get the job done quickly and easily.

A pressure washer produces a high-powered stream of water to help you strip away dirt and other substances from a surface. The pressure washer’s stream is much more powerful than that of your average garden hose and is usually more efficient than trying to scrub away dirt by hand. Plus, who wants to spend their precious free time huffing and puffing while cleaning?

An electric pressure washer plugs into a power outlet like any other electric appliance. Generally speaking, electric pressure washers are quieter, smaller and lighter than gas pressure washers. They’re typically best for small projects and they require less forethought than gas models — all you have to do is plug the pressure washer in, rather than running to the gas station to fill up on gas.

You can purchase electric pressure washers with varying levels of power, depending on the types of jobs you think you’ll be doing most often. They range from being able to tackle heavy-duty, commercial-grade jobs to helping you clean the summer’s dirt and dust off your patio furniture.

• One of the most important metrics to consider before purchasing an electric pressure washer is “PSI,” which stands for pounds per square inch. This metric is essentially a measure of how much power your electric pressure washer produces.
• The PSI generally ranges from 1300 to 3000, depending on the power you need to tackle the task at hand. Some pressure washers are better for small jobs around the house, while others are designed for more difficult jobs in a commercial setting.
• A light-duty PSI of up to 1900 is good for washing outdoor patio furniture, vehicles and other light jobs. A medium-duty PSI ranges from 2000 to 2800 and is generally good for patios, fences and decks. A heavy-duty PSI is typically in the neighborhood of 2800 and beyond and is good for prepping surfaces for paint and removing tough stains.
• In addition to its power, you’ll also want to consider the volume of water produced by an electric pressure washer. While the power tells you how much force the electric pressure washer will use when stripping away dirt, the volume of water tells you about the device’s ability to wash that dirt away. The volume of water is labeled in gallons per minute, or “GPM.” Some models are able to deliver 0.53 gallons per minute, while others deliver 1.76 gallons per minute.
• Do you need accessories with your pressure washer? Some power washers come with useful add-ons, like two different washing wands, a 20-foot hose, a 14-ounce detergent bottle and two “quick change wands” with variable nozzles. Other models also come with an onboard detergent tank in case you want to use soap, as well as a 25-foot hose and three nozzles.
• To ensure that your electric pressure washer has a long life, you’ll want to perform regular maintenance and cleaning procedures as outlined in the user manual.
• If you’ve never used an electric pressure washer before, you may consider testing it on a hidden surface until you get the hang of using it.
• Another factor you may want to consider before purchasing an electric pressure washer is how environmentally friendly it is.