Mid-range machines have a pressure of around 110 bar and these are better for more challenging cleaning needs, such as patios, fencing, cars, guttering and exterior paintwork. Models with high pressure rates of 120 bar and above are ideal for big areas of paving, driveways, wooden decking, stonework, really grubby 4x4s or caravans. There are exceptions to the rule, but generally speaking, the more you pay, the more accessories you get – patio brush, car wash brush, lance, turbo nozzle, jet nozzle are some of the more common ones.
Pressure washers come in all shapes and sizes, from carry-round units to huge and heavy ones that need chunky wheels for easy transporting. Be sure to think about weight and storage. Hose lengths are dramatically different – another thing to check. But most importantly of all, think about what you’ll be cleaning and how often and work from there.
Kärcher K4: £164.99, Amazon
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Bar pressure: 20-130
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This is like the Kärcher K7 (also featured in our roundup) without all the bells and whistles. So you still get a really solid, well-built, powerful machine that can do all the basics brilliantly – cleaning the car every week, clearing up the patio once or twice a year, and so on – but without the fine detail and the really serious oomph of it’s far more expensive cousin, which you probably won’t need for regular cleaning jobs anyway. It’s quick and you can easily move between gentle and powerful cleaning sprays, depending on the task in hand. But it is pricey, heavy and there’s no hose reel. Available with a number of accessories.
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Nilfisk Compact 110 Home and Car Pressure Washer: £84.99, Argos
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Bar pressure: 80-110
Nilfisk is one of the best-known names in the pressure washer business, so you’d expect this small machine to be good – and it is. Despite being one of the cheaper models in our roundup, it has five cleaning accessories and three nozzles, and it’s intuitive to use and cleans quickly and thoroughly. A great choice for windows and cars, it can be filled up straight from the tap and has lots of safety features and well-thought out design features such as the large wheels for easy manoeuvring.
