Pressure washers: gas vs electric

P man

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I wouldn't mind going electric as long as I got my 2000-2500 psi (or greater). I don't need an expensive professional grade unit. What's the consensus? Gas? Electric? Brand you have used and like? Don't need hot water or chemicals
 
K'Archer has a nice one. I switched from the gas to electric for almost all the jobs I need. I still have my gas one. But let one prison borrow it and they leave it outside when it gets colder. There guess your pump.
 
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I have a little ryobi brick electric that's 1900psi at 1.2 gpm. I use for washing cars and the jeep after wheeling. I'm not washing my house with it. I'll do the shed though.

I'm happy with it for my usage. It's super compact for what it is and no gas to worry about. It is much better than thr cheap Campbell electric upright washer it replaced.
 
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Like vehicles, I prefer my pressure washers to be powered by internal combustion. It's hard to beat the energy density of gasoline! However, a good friend (and TJ owner, but he's not on the forum) used a Karcher electric for probably 15 years before it died.
 
240 volt. Or better yet 208 if you have 3 phase service. The 120 volt washers simply don't have the power that a gas washer does. But a good 5 HP (continuous rating, not peak) 240V or 208V electric can easily dominate a gas washer. The 10-15 HP 208V ones curb stomp anything but a sewer jetter.

They sell both portable and built-in 240V and 208V pressure washers. If you're using it for a garage, the built in ones are perfect. It simply becomes another utility, like a spigot for a garden hose or a compressed air tap. Just plug and spray.
 
I have a cheap electric pressure washer. I can't even remember the model. But I don't use it that hard. A couple times a month on lower pressure spraying.

It will strip paint off of wood if I'm not careful. I used it to clean mold off a porch this weekend before staining.

I would likely get a better quality electric next time, but this thing has worked for a decade. I doubt I spent $100 on it.
 
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I wouldn't mind going electric as long as I got my 2000-2500 psi (or greater). I don't need an expensive professional grade unit. What's the consensus? Gas? Electric? Brand you have used and like? Don't need hot water or chemicals

Get the piece of shit Ryobi from Home Depot in electric. Find the highest PSI that you want to pay money for. They are not the best, they are reasonably durable, do the job at the rated pressure and volume and you care more about pressure than volume for cleaning parts and what not. I've been using them for years. When they die, I go get another one. Unless you are going to throw down big money, stick with cheap and reliable that works pretty okay.
 
Get the piece of shit Ryobi from Home Depot in electric. Find the highest PSI that you want to pay money for. They are not the best, they are reasonably durable, do the job at the rated pressure and volume and you care more about pressure than volume for cleaning parts and what not. I've been using them for years. When they die, I go get another one. Unless you are going to throw down big money, stick with cheap and reliable that works pretty okay.

As much as I hate Ryobi I believe that's the best route. They have decent reviews which surprises me. I once bought a bunch of ryobi power tools and they lasted about a month before I put them all on offerup for hardly anything because I felt bad about actually charging someone for them.

But HD does have a decent return policy just in case.
 
As much as I hate Ryobi I believe that's the best route. They have decent reviews which surprises me. I once bought a bunch of ryobi power tools and they lasted about a month before I put them all on offerup for hardly anything because I felt bad about actually charging someone for them.

But HD does have a decent return policy just in case.

You don't hate them more than I do. I am continually surprised by their pressure washer though.
 
I'm in the minority on this one and prefer gas. I had an electric that worked fine for over 15 years but I always disliked the cord plus the hose, which in my situation weren't close to one another. I now have had a 3000 PSI unit with a 160cc Honda engine for about 5 years. I will admit its louder and higher maintenance but like it much better. Its better performing and easier to set up and move around.
 
240 volt. Or better yet 208 if you have 3 phase service. The 120 volt washers simply don't have the power that a gas washer does. But a good 5 HP (continuous rating, not peak) 240V or 208V electric can easily dominate a gas washer. The 10-15 HP 208V ones curb stomp anything but a sewer jetter.

They sell both portable and built-in 240V and 208V pressure washers. If you're using it for a garage, the built in ones are perfect. It simply becomes another utility, like a spigot for a garden hose or a compressed air tap. Just plug and spray.

I never even considered that possibility, but that sounds so obvious now that you've posted it.
 
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240 volt. Or better yet 208 if you have 3 phase service. The 120 volt washers simply don't have the power that a gas washer does. But a good 5 HP (continuous rating, not peak) 240V or 208V electric can easily dominate a gas washer. The 10-15 HP 208V ones curb stomp anything but a sewer jetter.

They sell both portable and built-in 240V and 208V pressure washers. If you're using it for a garage, the built in ones are perfect. It simply becomes another utility, like a spigot for a garden hose or a compressed air tap. Just plug and spray.

If going that route, might as well go for one that has a heating unit... I'd love to have a permanent mounted electric/propane hot water/steam pressure washer...

Edit: SInce I'm wishing/dreaming it would go perfect with the heated inclosed shop with a drain in the floor!!
 
Here's one super common 240V portable:
https://www.pressurewashersdirect.com/DeWalt-DXPW3000E-Pressure-Washer/p16101.html
Price is a bit high, but mainly just showing it as an example.

If you have $$$ to burn...
https://www.pressurewashersdirect.com/Mi-T-M-CW-5004-0ME3-Pressure-Washer/p145266.html

This one is an example of a wall-mount unit. Install and forget until you need it. Then plug in the hose, flip a switch, and spray away.
https://www.pressurewashersdirect.com/Cam-Spray-4040EWM3A-Pressure-Washer/p82439.html
Note this particular one is a rather high end 208V 3-phase. They make then in 208V 3-phase, 480V 3-phase, and single phase 240V as well.
 
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Here's one super common 240V portable:
https://www.pressurewashersdirect.com/DeWalt-DXPW3000E-Pressure-Washer/p16101.html
Price is a bit high, but mainly just showing it as an example.

If you have $$$ to burn...
https://www.pressurewashersdirect.com/Mi-T-M-CW-5004-0ME3-Pressure-Washer/p145266.html

This one is an example of a wall-mount unit. Install and forget until you need it. Then plug in the hose, flip a switch, and spray away.
https://www.pressurewashersdirect.com/Cam-Spray-4040EWM3A-Pressure-Washer/p82439.html
Note this particular one is a rather high end 208V 3-phase. They make then in 208V 3-phase, 480V 3-phase, and single phase 240V as well.

For those prices I’d get a gas washer. Or pay someone to do it for me.
 
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I have both, a Honda powered gas for the big jobs which incidentally is still going strong after 20 years and a Ryobi electric for car washing. I got the Ryobi that sits down on 4 wheels, lightweight electric washers tend to fall over easily so I wanted one that was already laying down which there are damn few of which is why I chose the Ryobi. Last thing I need it having it fall over while I'm fighting the hose. Still looking for the perfect hose though, one that doesn't keep trying to loop up and get caught on everything. I'm usually in a big hurry when washing cars so I can get them rinsed and dried before I get water spots.
 
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I should say that I have 2 electrics. One is a 20 volt cordless that I use for spot free rinsing. After reading reviews on the cartridge systems and the short life of the expensive cartridges especially in areas like mine with extremely hard water, I saw this video and ordered the Worx 20 volt pressure washer and I do all my rinsing with distilled water. Since then there have been many good cordless power washers introduced to the market but at the time Worx was one of the few making them.
 
Like woody said it kinda depends on if where you're going to be pressure washing has power.

I have a karcher 240v steam cleaner with a diesel fired burner. It cleans stubborn parts like nothing else can.