anyone have a gas powered pressure washer?

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purbeast0

purbeast0

No Lifer
Sep 13, 2001
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my brother and i are going to split the cost of one and we wanted to go with one that has a honda motor. the 2 that we're looking at are the following 2:

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Simpson-...ssure-Washer-MSH3125-S/203177499?N=5yc1vZbxdj

and...

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Ryobi-31...with-Idle-Down-RY80940/203615829?N=5yc1vZbxdj

we're leaning towards the Simpson one simply because i can get it from amazon using prime and having no taxes.

but i was just curious if anyone has any experience with either of these models, or if they have others in that same price range they would recommend.
 
N

NetWareHead

THAT guy
Aug 10, 2002
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My own personal opinion is to avoid ryobi for anything that expensive just because of my own poor results with ryobi equipment.

These both have the Honda GC series of engines which is not the same famed GX series of commercial engines. These are more homeowner type of engines.

Look at what water pump these power washers use and find a way to compare them. The engines will be more or less the same, the pump is where you need to compare.

FWIW, simpson makes good pressure washers and is supposedly a recognized brand in pressure washers.
 
purbeast0

purbeast0

No Lifer
Sep 13, 2001
53,486
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NetWareHead said:
My own personal opinion is to avoid ryobi for anything that expensive just because of my own poor results with ryobi equipment.

These both have the Honda GC series of engines which is not the same famed GX series of commercial engines. These are more homeowner type of engines.

Look at what water pump these power washers use and find a way to compare them. The engines will be more or less the same, the pump is where you need to compare.

FWIW, simpson makes good pressure washers and is supposedly a recognized brand in pressure washers.
Click to expand...

yeah this is going to be for home use we're just splitting the cost because it's one of those things you use every now and then. definitely don't need commercial engines.
 
crab

crab

Diamond Member
Jan 29, 2001
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I have this one and its fricken amazing.

I wouldn't buy one without the Honda engine to be honest...it's very reliable.

I built a go-kart when I was a kid, and used a 5hp Honda engine I sourced from a power washer with a blown pump (drain any water from the pump heading into winter so it doesn't freeze and crack it...this is rare because they hold so little water, but I've seen it). I beat the absolute shit out of it over five years. I even removed the governor and revved the crap out of it. The frame broke before the engine could.
 
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BoomerD

BoomerD

No Lifer
Feb 26, 2006
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Check your local Costco. They MIGHT still have some of the pressure washers left from spring. IIRC, they were Simpson brand and Honda-powered...MUCH lower price than the one at Home Depot...but I'm NOT sure how they compare.
 
SandEagle

SandEagle

Lifer
Aug 4, 2007
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i had one with a honda engine, 2700psi. was loud and obnoxious. paid $500 for it...used it 2 years, and just gave it away. what is the quietest one i can get?
 
R

rommelrommel

Diamond Member
Dec 7, 2002
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SandEagle said:
i had one with a honda engine, 2700psi. was loud and obnoxious. paid $500 for it...used it 2 years, and just gave it away. what is the quietest one i can get?
Click to expand...

A quiet one is going to be a POS that isn't much better than a hose.
 
G

Greenman

Lifer
Oct 15, 1999
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I have the older version of the Simpson, it's a good little unit. I'd get that one because it has standard nozzles, the other one has what appears to be a proprietary nozzle that will be a pain to find and probably expensive.

All of the homeowner units have spiral pumps that don't last all that long, and are very touchy about being run dry.
 
G

Greenman

Lifer
Oct 15, 1999
21,752
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SandEagle said:
i had one with a honda engine, 2700psi. was loud and obnoxious. paid $500 for it...used it 2 years, and just gave it away. what is the quietest one i can get?
Click to expand...

An electric will be quiet, and not as good as a bucket of water and a sponge.
 
mmntech

mmntech

Lifer
Sep 20, 2007
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I've got a Briggs and Stratton similar to this one, but it's only 2700psi/2.3gpm
http://www.pressurewashersdirect.com/Briggs-and-Stratton-20503-Pressure-Washer/p8241.html

It's as loud as any four stroke gas lawn mower.

The electric ones are certainly quieter, but are largely rubbish IMO. Haven't owned one yet that's lasted longer than a couple of seasons. Lot of them use plastic fittings that seem break easily with normal use. Especially if you get any back pressure. Karchers are bad for that. I also had the motor go in a Simonize one.
 
purbeast0

purbeast0

No Lifer
Sep 13, 2001
53,486
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yeah the sound isn't an issue for me. i don't understand why people have such issues with sound when it comes to lawn mowers and stuff.

probably going to go with the simpson one in the OP.
 
DrPizza

DrPizza

Administrator Elite Member Goat Whisperer
Mar 5, 2001
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I got one similar to the Simpson in the OP - for much less than that price; I think it was $300. Also, check other places they sell such equipment than the box stores; I don't know if it's still true, but even with the same model number of riding mowers, the ones at Home Depot were significantly inferior to the ones at dealers - thinner metal, more plastic, etc. Not built to last. I don't know if HD has the type of control with other manufacturers where they dictate price & the manufacturer has to cut a few corners to hit that price.
 
Jimzz

Jimzz

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Oct 23, 2012
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See who made the water pump on them. The gas motor usually is not the problem with pressure washers; but the pump itself is.

You can find sub $100 ones on craigslist and they all say the same "Starts right up and runs well, only needs a pump..."
 
N

NetWareHead

THAT guy
Aug 10, 2002
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DrPizza said:
I got one similar to the Simpson in the OP - for much less than that price; I think it was $300. Also, check other places they sell such equipment than the box stores; I don't know if it's still true, but even with the same model number of riding mowers, the ones at Home Depot were significantly inferior to the ones at dealers - thinner metal, more plastic, etc. Not built to last. I don't know if HD has the type of control with other manufacturers where they dictate price & the manufacturer has to cut a few corners to hit that price.
Click to expand...

I almost never buy power equipment at HD for the reasons you listed. I go straight to the dealers or to a dedicated outdoor power equipment shop. The support is also better from a dealer than HD/Lowes. More than one dealer has told me that Home Depot customers always are second in priority to his own customers. if my snowblower breaks, I want it back and repaired asap rather than needing to wait a week or more.
 
zephyrprime

zephyrprime

Diamond Member
Feb 18, 2001
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Always drain the water out of any pressure washer after use! And use the winterizing flush stuff for periods of extended disuse.
 
P

Pneumothorax

Golden Member
Nov 4, 2002
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As what's already been mentioned above, it's the pump on these things that go bad, not the engine. I'd take a pressure washer any day with a cheap ass Briggs and Stratton engine on it with a Cat Triplex pump. If you can spend $499 here's a decent one. It's a comet pump which isn't as nice as a Cat (the cat pumps are more easily serviceable) but at least it's not a 'throw-away' as the pumps you see on the machines at home depot/lowes/costco. For a bit more coin here is a commercial Honda engine with a cat pump. IF you maintain the pump and motor, you can give this to your kid when he grows up. Some things to keep your pump running good: WINTERIZE the pump, use a pre-filter to keep the crud out, watch the oil in the pump (the cheap pumps don't use oil at all), and don't run detergents, bleach or other nasties through the pump (I use a nozzle adapter at the END of the pressure wand to spray cleaners so the pump doesn't have the run the chemicals through it.) Finally, if you have to get a HD/Lowes/Costco pump, please avoid the ones that use lawn mower type engines with a vertical crankshaft. Make sure it's a horizontal shaft motor. The Reason? So when the pump goes bad you can buy a comet/CAT pump that you can bolt onto the motor, the higher end pump manufacturers don't make ones that will fit in the tiny space provided in the vertical shaft motors.
 
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M

Mandres

Senior member
Jun 8, 2011
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Jimzz said:
See who made the water pump on them. The gas motor usually is not the problem with pressure washers; but the pump itself is.

You can find sub $100 ones on craigslist and they all say the same "Starts right up and runs well, only needs a pump..."
Click to expand...

Bingo. Most any small engine will outlast the rest of the machine as long as you keep the carb clean.

The pump is the most important part.
 
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