1300 psi power washer @ Target $88

[Optical]

There is no brand name shown on this weekend's Target ad. I do know K Mart used to used one similar abit bigger for $98 or so and Costco sells a 1400 psi for $179. Anyone have experience with the one at Target? How much PSI do you need anyways?

I need for it for washing cars and maybe outside walls and stuff.

 

[CaseyAZ]

You probably have to plug it into a wall outlet, which some people are hesitant to do when working with water. Are those other sprayers gas powered?

 

[Optical]

You know, I've never thought about the outlet thing. Those other ones are electric as well. Those are really nice to wash your car with. The regular hose is just too weak to blast the dirt off and lot of times end up scratching the paint as you dry it.

 

[allisolm]

Home Depot also has a 1300psi electric one for $89. I have that one and it is fine for cleaning decks, concrete patios and driveways. It has a ground fault circuit interrupter to prevent any water/electricity problems and you don't spray the water on your electric outlet with the machine running anyway unless you have a strong deathwish. The electrical cord on mine is 30' so I am a long way from the electrical source. It also doesn't run unless you pull the trigger on the wand and stops when you release the trigger. It came with a spray container so you can add detergent or bleach or whatever. A 1300psi machine is considered to be "light duty" and fine for cleaning cars.

 

[rebuilder]

My two cents concerning the outlet:

Most homes nowadays have a GFI outlet for the exterior required by all building codes for at least the last 10 years. If you have a GFI then there's nothing to worry about (check the test button of course). It will sense a super small current (milliamps) to the ground system (you included) and shut the power off immediately(milliseconds).

Secondly the washers are designed to handle any water that's sprayed on them. (could you imagine the lawsuits if folks were getting fried!)

In other words, it's pretty darn safe if you have a GFI (ground fault interrupter)

 

[Optical]

allisolm, what brand is the one you bought from Home Depot? I just bought mine from Target after much consideration. It's portable and has the same features you mentioned. Mine is a "BCP". Know very little of it.

 

[bambam]

Very " light duty " . But then again, look at the price.

 

[allisolm]

The ones at Home Depot are called Powerwasher and can be found here . I know nothing about the brand but I know that renting a washer is about $50 and paying a company - well, I don't even want to think about that - so I come out ahead using this one twice. I have 700 sq ft of deck, over 100ft long doublewide concrete driveway and a 12' X21' concrete patio and the 1300 psi washer did fine. I have had 3 Campbell Hausfeld ones and each lasted less than 2 years. I won't be buying any more of them!

 

[Optical]

Allisolm, I'll check this out at HD for myself. It appears your's may be a little higher quality than mine. Mine is a handheld and I hope I'm not loose much features/power because of that. They are both 1300psi though.

 

[theshamu]

Ha, I just bought a Karcher 1400 psi pressure washer from Kmart - yes, one of their closing stores. It was $120. I suspect though it could be had for a mere $100. Amazon sells the same brand but a higher end model. From what I read (which is very limited) on the subject, 1400 psi is suffient for washing deck/wall/drive way but it takes longer than those medium duty washers (gas powered). For washing cars they are more than adequate.

 

[kantonburg]

theshamu

I wish I knew you were going to buy that K-mart washer. My local K-mart here had them Tues, Wed, and Thurs of this week 50% off for $58.00. I wondered how well it worked. Then again my fiance's father has a 2400 psi gas powered washer and I still thought that was weak. Honda at that! I guess I was used to the industrial sized one I used several summers ago where I worked.

 

[theshamu]

<< I wish I knew you were going to buy that K-mart washer. My local K-mart here had them Tues, Wed, and Thurs of this week 50% off for $58.00. I wondered how well it worked. >>


Well, there are two Karcher washers at the Kmart I went, the smaller one was $75 or so, and these are 40% off. They have piles of the smaller one, but only a few 1400 psi washers left. I didn't want to take the chance waiting another week for the 50% to kick in - they just started 40%. Bottom line is I didn't feel I was getting a super deal, but since I wanted to buy a Karcher, and didn't want to check back often (I hate Kmarts, and it's worse in the closing store), had to bite it.

Anyway, the washer feels powerful enough for car washes, and it's pretty quiet. I'll see if it can get my deck clean...

 

[wesbc]

My deck has paint that I want to remove... this will not be powerfull enough... or will it with the right attachment/cleaner? But right now, NJ has a water shortage, so washing is somewhat limited.

 

[RU482]

This is a great buy for you S&M folks

 

[Madib]

<< I need for it for washing cars and maybe outside walls and stuff. >>



Unless you want to be repainting your car sometime soon, don't be spraying it with a powerwasher! Any small pit in the paint will instantly become a leverage point for the washer to lift more paint off.

 

[Optical]

Unfortunately, non of the kmarts in the bay area is close, at least what I'm aware of. btw, I went by HD today and they had the Karcher 1400 for $99! They were originally 169.99. Not as good as those Kmart deals but not bad.