The 10 Best Electric Pressure Washers

Bob Vila's testers made the Greenworks GPW3001 their overall pick among the electric models they tried, and it cleaned concrete fastest. This full-size cart pairs a brushless motor with a cast aluminum pump for a certified 3,000 psi, and it adds a steel-braided hose and a shock-protecting plug on the cord. Greenworks covers the motor for 10 years. The catch is weight: it's hard to push and steer, and it's expensive.

Popular Mechanics named the Sun Joe SPX3000 its best value, and this modestly priced upright is good at washing cars. Two removable detergent tanks let you switch soaps mid-job, quick-connect tips come with it, and pressure tops out near 2,000 psi. It's light, too. The body is mostly plastic, the hose is short, and the tall shape can tip over on uneven ground.

Serious output at a mid-range price comes from the steel-framed Westinghouse WPX3000e cart. Its manual rates its steady working output at 2,600 psi, not just the peak, and an induction motor drives a pump that stops when you let go of the trigger. Never-flat wheels, an onboard soap tank, a set of tips and a three-year warranty come with it. It's heavy, and the soap tank sits low on the frame, where it's awkward to fill.

The Westinghouse ePX3500 fits real cleaning power into a light box on four swiveling casters. It works at about 2,000 psi, enough for cars, siding, fences and patio furniture, and the low, wide body is meant to resist tipping. An onboard soap tank, a braided hose, a steel wand and tips that clip onto the unit come with it, plus a three-year warranty. The small casters roll well on pavement but drag on grass and gravel.

A water-cooled induction motor, which Karcher says outlasts the motors in most cheap washers, drives the Karcher K 5 Premium. It pairs about 2,000 psi with strong water flow. One wand twists to turn pressure down, and a rotating-jet wand attacks stubborn grime in concrete. The hose winds onto an onboard reel, and an inlet filter keeps grit out of the pump. It's heavy, pricey for its pressure, and the warranty runs just two years.

Anyone who carries a washer more than rolls it should look at the Karcher K1700 Cube, a squat box with a carry handle that fits a garage shelf. Karcher rates it at 1,700 psi, and those figures are independently certified. A foot switch turns it on and off, and three nozzles include a rotating turbo tip. Its basic motor is loud and not built for long life, the hose is short, and sellers disagree on weight and warranty.

For light jobs such as washing a car, a grill or patio chairs, the low-cost Craftsman CMEPW1700 is a low-slung box that tops out near 1,700 psi. Cord and hose store on board, so it takes up little room. A soap bottle clips onto the wand instead of a built-in tank. A three-year warranty is generous at this price. The tradeoff is power: it's too weak for stained concrete or a large deck.

Aimed at big concrete, deck and siding jobs, the Westinghouse WPX3400e is for when you want serious pressure. Its manual lists a 3,000 psi rating for steady work from a brushless motor. The steel cart rolls on never-flat wheels and carries a soap tank, a metal gun and five tips. One is a pinpoint red tip that can cut skin and gouge wood, so save it for tough spots. It's pricey, and sellers disagree on the hose length.

The Greenworks GPW2300 trades some pressure for water volume. Greenworks rates it at up to 2,300 psi with generous flow, and that extra water rinses dirt away faster. The brushless motor is designed to sense the job and adjust its output, and the ratings are independently certified. Tips, an onboard soap tank and a three-year warranty come with it. Peak pressure and peak flow don't happen at once, and it's pricey for its class.

Compact and box-shaped, the Greenworks GPW2101A has a telescoping handle that pulls out for rolling and slides down for storage. Greenworks rates it at 2,100 psi, enough for fences, patio furniture, siding and small patios. It starts with a push button, and tips and a soap applicator come with it, plus a three-year warranty. It's a medium-duty tool, not one for big driveways, and the seller's specs conflict, so check the box.