Need electric power washer recommendation

[bigi]

Looking for most powerful unit available.

Is something like this recommended?
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Sun-Joe...e-Washer-with-Roll-Cage-SPX9009-PRO/307763174

Any other options.

Need to properly clean up wood deck, clean siding and landscape bricks, etc.

Thanks

 

[BoomerD]

IME, electric pressure washers are...meh. Most of the reviews I've seen in the past couple of years say Sun Joe is pretty shoddy...but that may have changed.
Karcher is one of the big names for electric pressure washers, but they have good units, great units, and "will die after one or two uses" units as well...

Even though I really don't have the extra garage space for it, I bought the Yamaha/Powerstroke gas pressure washer from Costco a couple of months ago when it was on sale.
https://www.costco.com/Powerstroke-...eaner-and-Turbo-Nozzle.product.100485851.html
Does a fabulous job...for a low-end gas unit.

 

[NutBucket]

Yeah, the electric ones are a bit of a joke. The gas ones really are that much better.

 

[bigi]

^thanks.

 

[KeithP]

Based on what you want to do, you should probably be looking for 2600-3000 PSI. At least according to this. Most of the electrics seem to top out at about 2000 PSI. This electric Ryobi gets up to 2300 PSI and was a top pick at the wirecutter FWIW.

 

[bbhaag]

I bought the Sun Joe SPX4001 a couple of years ago and it has worked well. It seems to handle all jobs I've used it for so far without issue. Cleaning the wood front deck, cleaning the brick patio out back, and washing the siding on the house are just a few jobs I've used it for. It did all of this with no problem.

One thing to keep in mind is this is just a cheap home owner electric washer so don't expect it to tackle large jobs for hours on end day after day or last a lifetime. Also Sun Joe uses a non standard size for all its fittings and quick couplers so using other brand parts like washer wands is not an option. At least they did on the unit I bought and that is a major complaint about it.

 

[Greenman]

Looking for most powerful unit available.

Is something like this recommended?
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Sun-Joe...e-Washer-with-Roll-Cage-SPX9009-PRO/307763174

Any other options.

Need to properly clean up wood deck, clean siding and landscape bricks, etc.

Thanks

Buy a scrub brush instead, it will work a lot better.
If you decide to go gas, get one with a Honda engine. They always start, and that can't be said for most other brands.

 

[BoomerD]

Buy a scrub brush instead, it will work a lot better.
If you decide to go gas, get one with a Honda engine. They always start, and that can't be said for most other brands.

I can't argue with that. When we moved out of CA in 2012, l "winterized" my Honda mower. (changed the oil, emptied the gas tank, ran it till the carb/fuel system was empty, fogged the cylinder. For the next 6-1/2 years, I'd give the rope a pull from time to time, just to make sure the piston/rings hadn't rusted in the cylinder...2 months ago, I finally had a yard to mow...added gas to the tank, let it sit for a minute, set the choke...started first pull. That was damned impressive.

 

[zinfamous]

I have a cheap electric pressure washer. It's garbage. After looking into it a bit more, there isn't really one that I have noticed that has a high enough PSI rating, or that actually superheats the water (what you really need) to get any kind of serious job done.

It's good for washing a car and blowing away some loose surface debris, but that's about it. I think you can get some universal aftermarket nozzles that claim to boost output pressure by what normally comes with the unit, but I'm not sure about that either....I actually did get one of those, but haven't tried it yet.

 

[Micrornd]

I've got a Sun Joe SPX3000 and it works great for everything around the house.

 

[Greenman]

I've got a Sun Joe SPX3000 and it works great for everything around the house.

I watched the promotional video, and they did nothing that a garden hose with a good nozzle wouldn't do.
Will it actually clean an old wood deck or get ground in dirt off of old concrete? They claim it will remove oil stains from concrete as well, my 3000psi Honda pressure washer won't do that.

 

[bbhaag]

I watched the promotional video, and they did nothing that a garden hose with a good nozzle wouldn't do.
Will it actually clean an old wood deck or get ground in dirt off of old concrete? They claim it will remove oil stains from concrete as well, my 3000psi Honda pressure washer won't do that.

In my first post I linked to the 4001 model that is very similar to the 3000 except the 4001 has the hose reel. Yeah it does all that without much issue. Getting oil stains out requires using a detergent first to help loosen the stain.

 

[bbhaag]

I have a cheap electric pressure washer. It's garbage. After looking into it a bit more, there isn't really one that I have noticed that has a high enough PSI rating, or that actually superheats the water (what you really need) to get any kind of serious job done.

It's good for washing a car and blowing away some loose surface debris, but that's about it. I think you can get some universal aftermarket nozzles that claim to boost output pressure by what normally comes with the unit, but I'm not sure about that either....I actually did get one of those, but haven't tried it yet.

If you want a unit that super heats water then you need to look at the Hotsy line of pressure washers. They aren't cheap and there is a reason why but they get the job done fantastically.

 

[zinfamous]

I watched the promotional video, and they did nothing that a garden hose with a good nozzle wouldn't do.
Will it actually clean an old wood deck or get ground in dirt off of old concrete? They claim it will remove oil stains from concrete as well, my 3000psi Honda pressure washer won't do that.

exactly.

..it kinda does it, but what the video won't show you and what you have to do to actually strip surfaces, or just clean embedded debris in asphalt of whatever, is that you need to focus that nozzle on your target spot for 4x the time, and closer, and just add to your job to even clean up the mess that you create just to clean up the established mess.

I bought my Greenworks 3k PSI unit on sale, essentially to clear wash my broke-ass crumbling asphalt driveway ahead of re-leveling, cleaning, sealing, and that 1/2 year later re-surfacing. ...lol, I bought all of the materials to do this, but the damn thing is barely more capable than my garden hose. Now, my driveway is basically the entry point to hell, the gaps that it has, but I've still noted about 5 minutes of time to adequately clear a 0.75" wide and 1" deep crevasse of the last 2 decades of roots and debris, that only extends maybe 2 feet. Honestly, that thing should be blasted out with a deliberate but quick run, and my 3k PSI washer just doesn't do it. ...OK, not under 20 minutes, and that is the point. Yes, it can do it, but if you have a big job, prepare to be defeated by nature before you are finished (the myriad trees that hang over my driveway and drop all manner of plant semen onto the surface that I have just cleaned...every goddamn minute)

 

[zinfamous]

If you want a unit that super heats water then you need to look at the Hotsy line of pressure washers. They aren't cheap and there is a reason why but they get the job done fantastically.

It's really about time and the kind of work that you need to do--how long since the deck was washed and treated? If the wood is compromised and you've got mold and moss growing there, then you need more than pressure. You need to strip the first ~2 layers of surface, and re-treat with seal, which means that you need super-heated pressure. Reviews won't tell you that, and I can't imagine an electric pressure washer capable of ever doing this job on a real wood surface. Laminate? I dunno...it's plastic. stuff just washes off with enough attention.

 

[Micrornd]

I watched the promotional video, and they did nothing that a garden hose with a good nozzle wouldn't do.
Will it actually clean an old wood deck or get ground in dirt off of old concrete? They claim it will remove oil stains from concrete as well, my 3000psi Honda pressure washer won't do that.

Cleaned my 5 year old unfinished PT deck without a problem.
Bought the wand extension kit and cleaned all the vinyl siding on the house for the first time in 20 years.
(only got the wand extension 'cause I was tired of getting soaked )
Haven't cleaned any concrete 'cause the driveway is crushed 'crete (ground up concrete, do they have that out in Cali' ?)
I would think you would need to presoak any real oil stains on concrete with either gas or electric.
It's not a pressure washer for making a living with, but it's fine for home use.
My neighbor used it with some cleaner he bought on his concrete tile roof and it looks like new.
Me, I was happy standing on the ground waiting to call 911

 

[Micrornd]

In my first post I linked to the 4001 model that is very similar to the 3000 except the 4001 has the hose reel. Yeah it does all that without much issue. Getting oil stains out requires using a detergent first to help loosen the stain.

And the 4001 has a single 54oz fixed detergent tank, while the 3000 has 2 removable 30oz tanks with a simple selector switch.

 

[bigi]

I've got a Sun Joe SPX3000 and it works great for everything around the house.

I have had a Karcher like this for years. It is great for washing a car and my dirty bike, etc. Overall, it is a toy.

 

[bigi]

FYI

Got this for $258 at my local HD.

In a nutshell, excellent.

 

[BoomerD]

I hope it lasts. I haven't been too impressed with Ryobi quality over the years.

 

[Greenman]

Ryobi is upper end homeowner stuff. It does pretty well under light use.

 

[bigi]

I hope it lasts. I haven't been too impressed with Ryobi quality over the years.

It is brushless electric. Unless seals don't hold, much less to fail than combustion engine.

I've had many things RYOBI. Frankly, I am shocked how well ALL of their stuff work especially for the price.

 

[NutBucket]

That's a misconception IMHO. Gas engines are more mechanically complex but also stupid simple. I've dealt with far more failed electric motors than small gas engines. Older seems to be better as stuff was built better 30 years ago. I'm lucky to get 4 years out of a shop vac before the bushings in the motor fail. That's sad.

 

[Micrornd]

I'm lucky to get 4 years out of a shop vac before the bushings in the motor fail. That's sad.

So true, because the older stuff had bearings and now we have cheaper bushings.