Deane Biermeier, former licensed contractor and current member of The Spruce’s Home Improvement Review Board, comments, “Electric pressure washers with various pressure nozzles are the most valuable for the typical residential user. You likely won’t need to spend the money for a professional-grade gas pressure washer for most household chores.”  Our top pick, the Sun Joe 2030-PSI Electric Pressure Washer, won the highest accolades thanks to its power, dual detergent tanks, five included nozzles, and overall performance.  Here are the best pressure washers according to our testers. The Sun Joe Pressure Washer features a 20-foot high-pressure hose, a garden hose adapter, a 34-inch extension wand, and a 35-foot power cord. Our tester noted that it took around 15 minutes to assemble the pressure washer, and while the task seemed daunting at first, the instruction manual simplified the procedure. Once put together, the pressure washer was very easy to use and maneuvered well on its oversize wheels even across grass or uneven ground. This versatile pressure washer can be used for a variety of easy and tough tasks all around the exterior of your home, including cleaning cars and other vehicles, sidewalks and driveways, decks and fences, patio furniture, garden tools, and backyard playsets. You can store two different types of detergent in the dual chambers, switching between them with the selection dial. That’s an especially handy feature when washing a car. Our tester summed up her evaluation by writing, “Despite being somewhat compact, I was pleasantly surprised with the power and cleaning ability of this model, which is comparable to that of higher-priced machines. Not to mention, I never felt restricted, thanks to the long length of the power cord and hose. The Sun Joe is tiny but mighty, and it’s perfect for your average homeowner.” Price at time of publish: $169 At 2,000-psi, the pressure washer delivers 1.1 gpm. Along with the 11-inch surface cleaner, it comes with three nozzles, a cleaning wand, 20-foot heavy-duty hose, and 35-foot power cord. Onboard storage makes it easy to keep everything in place, and the machine itself is fairly easy to set up and use, taking our tester only 24 minutes from opening the box to having the machine ready to go. It’s reasonably quiet, as well. Along with the ease of use and maneuverability of the pressure washer, it was its effectiveness that most impressed our tester. “The pressure washer easily and quickly handled all of the stains we tested it on. We cleaned the side of our garage, soffit, and fence. The 40-degree nozzle was all that was needed to get bird poop and dirt off of the siding. The garage soffit also needed the 40-degree nozzle, which easily removed stains from our walnut trees with minimal effort. The fence is noticeably cleaner and looks like it did when it was first put in.”  This reasonably priced pressure washer is a great choice for any homeowner who likes to keep a patio, fence, deck, siding, or other large area clean. Our tester summarized her results by writing, “It worked like a champ. There was enough pressure to handle all the jobs we planned. It used water efficiently and made cleaning easy. We have noticeably low water pressure at our house, but it had no trouble pressurizing the water. This machine worked well and is fairly priced. It’s a great value for the performance it provides.”  Price at time of publish: $186 The Karcher K5 has a water-cooled induction motor—a system that can help the motor last five times longer, and it comes with a 25-foot high-pressure hose and a 35-foot power cord. At 32 pounds, it’s reasonably lightweight and rolls easily on its two large wheels. Our tester appreciated how easy it was to use the machine, writing, “The hose easily unfurled to allow me to reach every surface I wanted to clean. The cord length was sufficient to reach what I wanted to blast. And It was easy to twist the handle to change the spray setting or to switch between nozzles.”  Our tester summed up her observations with, “I was impressed by how much power this little machine packs. It’s easily up to the task of all the cleaning projects around my house, whether it is spiffing up the exterior of the house, garage, or garden shed; cleaning sidewalks or pavers; washing the car or blasting the lawn mower. I feel like it can even handle some serious cleanup jobs. It’s even fun to use.” Price at time of publish: $277 It took our tester around 30 minutes to unpack the machine and get it ready for use. She found it a bit tricky to assemble the handles, but once everything was in place, said the pressure washer was intuitive and easy to use. She especially appreciated how well it maneuvered on its wheels and the large handles and attachments. However, like many gas-powered tools, it took several pulls of the starter before the pressure washer roared to life, and it did indeed roar: “I thought it was pretty loud. I wish I had worn hearing protection and I made my kids go inside while we were using it.” This unit gets its power from a 420 cc engine, and it’s made from solid steel for durability. The washer’s kink- and abrasion-resistant hose is 50 feet long, and the 13-inch tires make it easy to steer across various terrains, including pavement or grass. The PowerShot Pressure Washer comes with five quick-connect nozzle tips that can be used for all sorts of applications, such as wood restoration and graffiti removal. It’s a fairly large tool, so you’ll need room to store it in between uses. And of course, you’ll need to have access to gasoline to fill its fuel tank periodically.  Still, if you need a pressure washer with the utmost in power, this is a solid choice. Our tester summed up her experience by writing, “I was so impressed by how powerful it was. Our concrete looks so much brighter after using it. We didn’t even get to the highest settings and it was incredibly effective. It’s an expensive machine, but it worked very well. It’s very heavy-duty and would be good for large projects. I’ll admit I was intimidated by it at first, but that quickly went away when I realized how intuitive everything was.” Price at time of publish: $888
The machine includes three nozzles, a 20-foot steel-reinforced hose, a 35-foot power cable, onboard detergent container, and a 34-inch extension wand. At a mere 21.4 pounds, this is a very light pressure washer that has two wheels, so it’s very easy to maneuver where you need it. In fact, that was one of our tester’s favorite features, as he noted it was very easy to move and store. He also said, “The controls and placement of accessories is obvious and the device itself is self-explanatory.” However, it’s a bit tricky to wrap the hose and cords for storage. One nice feature of this pressure washer is its Total Stop System, which switches off the pump when pressure on the trigger is released, thus extending the pump’s life and saving energy. The included “foam cannon” is perfect for washing cars, and the pressure washer is also useful for cleaning patio furniture, washing down driveways and walkways, and other around-the-house tasks.  Our tester summed up his experience by writing, “I can’t imagine what more you could possibly want in a compact pressure washer at this price point. It’s really quick to set it up and very easy to use. It turns on every time, with no weird tricks required to get water to come out. That’s not been my experience at all with pressure washers in the past.” Price at time of publish: $76 The Pro 2300-PSI has a brushless motor that delivers 1.2 gpm on the 2,300-psi setting, but can deliver as much as 2.3-gpm on a low setting of 100 psi. That, along with the five included nozzles, gives you maximum versatility to tailor your cleaning to the surface being washed. Go lower pressure on patio furniture, cars, and siding, and turn up the pressure for tough stains on pavement and concrete.  Along with the nozzles, the pressure washer comes with a 25-foot kink-resistant hose, 35-foot power cord, wand, and onboard detergent tank. It’s easy to use; our tester especially appreciated the startup procedures indicated right on the machine, as well as its maneuverability, compact size, and easy-to-attach-and-detach nozzles. On the downside, the hoses tended to get tangled during use. However, that can be an issue with any electric pressure washer. The noise level was average, as well.  Our tester concluded her testing by summarizing this pressure washer as an easy-to-use, effective choice for just about any light-to-medium cleaning job around the house. She noted that this model had already been recommended to her by a pleased neighbor even before she received her unit for testing. Price at time of publish: $289 The Sun Joe SPX3001 delivers 2,030 psi and 1.76 gpm, making it a good choice for light-to-medium cleaning tasks. Its compact design, along with two sturdy wheels, makes it fairly easy to maneuver, although at 38 pounds, it’s a bit heavy. One nice feature of this pressure washer is the built-in hose reel, which makes storing the 20-foot high-pressure hose a breeze. You get five nozzles for various cleaning pressures, a 34-inch extension wand, and 35-foot power cord. Our tester felt the pressure washer was easy to use, observing that the nozzles were very simple to change, the washer was light enough to move without effort, the trigger required little pressure to squeeze, and the overall performance was smooth and reasonably powerful. She also commented, “It’s not whisper-soft, but very quiet for a pressure washer. I was able to talk and hear over the pressure washer while in use, and there wasn’t a noticeable sound difference between the lowest and highest settings.” Our tester summed up her experience by saying, “For having never used a pressure washer before, I was pleasantly surprised by how straightforward it was to both set up and use. The pressure washer came mostly assembled; you just had to screw on a few of the storage components. Once in use, it was easy to get the hang of it without having to refer back to the manual often. Despite its small size, this pressure washer is a workhorse.” Price at time of publish: $187 This powerful electric tool has a 14-amp brushless motor that propels water at 1.1 gpm on 3,000 psi or 2 gpm on 100 psi. Its onboard detergent tank holds 1 gallon of soap. Our tester found it very easy to use, writing, “I really have nothing negative to say about the design of this machine—it’s intuitive to use, has nice storage features, and seems to be built robustly. The cord is nice and long at 35 feet, which came in handy for our driveway cleaning project. We were able to plug the cord into an outlet inside our garage, and the machine was still able to reach the end of our driveway with cord length to spare. I like that there is cord storage on the machine that can be swiveled to get the cord off more easily (similar to a vacuum). All five of the nozzles can be stored on a panel on the handle, and they’re neatly labeled on the panel with the degree of angle of the tip. The nozzles were easy to switch out, and there was no leakage or spraying when taking them on and off.” No slouch when it comes to performance, this is a great choice for cleaning decks or wooden fences. Our tester noted, “We cleaned a back section of our deck that was already dark with dirt and grime when we moved in three years ago, and it’s only gotten grimier. My husband and I were shocked at how nice the wood was underneath the dirt once we started washing it. We started with the yellow tip and eventually switched to the green tip when we noticed some of the wood being affected by the water. This was more user error than the machine’s fault, but it’s worth noting that this is a powerful machine that can damage surfaces if you’re not careful.” Overall, while it costs more than many other electric pressure washers, this one can’t be beat for performance. Our tester summed up her experience by saying, “I’d recommend this pressure washer to anyone who wants an electric pressure washer with gas-like performance. It’s a solid, stable machine with nice storage features and a variety of nozzles. It definitely offers enough power to handle even tough jobs, and it’s reasonably quiet.” Price at time of publish: $430   It took our tester around 30 minutes to assemble and prepare the pressure washer for use, and she felt the process was somewhat complicated, with online videos for assembly and for adding oil to be more helpful than the written instructions included with the machine. Once assembled, however, she noted that it was fairly easy to maneuver the pressure washer to where it was needed, the hose was very sturdy, and it was easy to swap out the attachments. Like all pressure washers, and especially gas models, the noise was significant, but not worse than any other gas pressure washer. This DEWALT Pressure Washer delivers 4,400 psi at 4 gpm. And it boasts a durable, 50-foot, steel-braided hose that’s more abrasion-resistant than rubber hoses. It has a AAA industrial triplex plunger pump that drives pressure to the nozzle, and it’s easy to direct the ergonomic spray gun and switch out the five quick-connect nozzle tips. Our tester summarized her experience by writing, “This is very powerful, no question there. At 4400 PSI, this is clearly in a different category than the electric versions we have used in the past. This is an expensive model for a reason; it has a high-quality engine that definitely sets itself apart from lower-priced pressure washers. Our favorite thing about this pressure washer is the power and how well it cleans around our house. That being said, our least favorite thing is how large and heavy it is, but otherwise we wouldn’t have the power…so catch 22.” Price at time of publish: $1,279 When it comes to power, she stated that while the washer effectively loosened dirt and grime from the walkway, it didn’t have enough power to actually wash away the resulting sludge, meaning our tester had to use a broom to sweep away the grunge after washing the surface. It was more effective on her very dirty compost bin, blasting away accumulated slimy and smelly grunge. She noted that “This is fine for minor cleaning, but anything with a thick layer such as moss, it’ll take some elbow grease via a broom to get it fully cleaned.” She did comment that she felt it would be excellent for washing cars and other vehicles, however, and added that the battery lasted for an hour after a 1-hour charging period. The washer weighs only 4 pounds and includes the 20-volt battery and charger. It has three options for water supply: connect it to your garden hose with the included adapter, use the included 20-foot water tube to draw water from a bucket, swimming pool, or lake, or use the included attachment to pull water from a 2-liter bottle. The sprayer itself has five pressure settings ranging from light enough to water plants to heavy enough to blast away mud and other grime from many surfaces.  Our tester summed up her experience by writing, “This washer is fairly inexpensive, well made, and feels really sturdy; it just isn’t as powerful as the other types of pressure washers. If you need heavy-duty cleaning, this is not the one for you. But for general upkeep and minor cleaning, this power cleaner is easy to use, maneuver, and store.” Price at time of publish: $122 The pressure washer has a 25-foot high-pressure hose, a 35-foot power cable, an onboard detergent tank, and includes three nozzles. Our tester admitted, “I didn’t have high expectations for this, but I was WRONG! This power washer cleaned dirt and grime on several surfaces much better than I expected.” Her wooden fence and deck reaped the rewards of her testing: “I have an area around my hot tub that turns reddish and gets grimy so I was itching for a smaller power washer like this to try out. It worked great! It took me no time at all to clean up the grime, and the power cord and hose length were perfect for this task. And I have an old wooden fence behind my garage. It’s quite gross: black and green and very weathered. I haven’t power washed it in four years and it really needed some TLC. Even though I got splashed, which happens with any power washer I’ve ever used, I was quite pleased with the results.” She also was thrilled with its performance washing her car, saying that it removed dirt and bugs with ease, and the soap dispenser made it even faster to get her car shining. She appreciated the light weight of this washer—it only weighs 22 pounds—but the telescoping handle and large wheels make it extra portable. Best of all, when you are finished cleaning, this compact pressure washer has onboard storage for the nozzles, hose, and cord, and its shape and size make it easy to store; something that can’t be said about many similar pressure washers. All in all, you can count on this tool to help keep your property clean. Our tester summed up her experience by saying, “For its type, this power washer achieves all that it sets out to and then some. Given the price, this is a great value for someone looking for a small-yet-powerful power washer. It’s easy to store and doesn’t take up too much room in my already very full garage. And I love how quiet it is.” Price at time of publish: $156 Now, the real testing began: each tester used their pressure washer to clean at least three different surfaces, which might include fences or decks, automobiles or boats, house siding, windows, driveways and other walkways, and patio furniture. Each tester noted how long it took for the pressure washer to clean the surface thoroughly, as well as how dirty the surface was to begin with. For pressure washers with detergent tanks, the test included evaluations of the performance both with and without detergent.  While using the pressure washer, each tester evaluated the machine for noisiness, maneuverability, power, and ease of changing the spray settings. On pressure washers with power cords, the tester also evaluated how easy it was to work around the cord, and whether or not it was an adequate length. Once all of the cleaning was accomplished, the tester followed the manufacturer’s directions for storing the pressure washer, including draining the hoses and cleaning out the soap tanks. Finally, testers assigned the pressure washers a score of 1 to 5 (with 1 being the lowest possible score) on several attributes, including effectiveness, design, noise level, ease of use, power, and value. Once all the results were in, the numbers were tallied and the winning pressure washers were declared.

What to Look for in a Pressure Washer

Water Pressure

One of the most important factors to consider when buying a pressure washer is how much force it creates. After all, more pressure equates to more cleaning power. This pressure is measured in psi, or pounds per square inch. Generally speaking, lower psi means less pressure. However, that doesn’t mean you should simply buy the highest psi machine you can find. Depending on how you intend to use your pressure washer, a lower psi may be perfect for your needs. Consumer pressure washers often start at around 1,300 to 1,800 psi. This type of light-duty machine is great for small residential jobs, such as washing cars, cleaning shutters, washing lawn furniture, and spot-cleaning light stains. The next step up is around 2,000 to 3,000 psi. These machines are often considered heavy-duty, as they can be used to clean house siding, driveways, decks, and other tough stains. Finally, machines with 3,000+ psi are considered professional-grade and are used for industrial cleaning, paint stripping, graffiti removal, and more. These high-end pressure washers are the most expensive, and in general most homeowners don’t need this much power. 

Gallons per Minute

The other key factor that goes hand in hand with psi is gpm, or gallons per minute. This measures the volume of water that goes through the pressure water. Models with a higher gpm will clean faster and more effectively because they’re using more water. Gpm is directly correlated to psi; the higher the pressure, the more water the machine will use per minute. Light-duty machines may only use 1.1 to 1.5 gpm, while professional-grade models can reach up to 4 gpm. When shopping for a pressure washer, you’ll want to look at psi first, but keep an eye on gpm, as well. Depending on what you’re using for a water source, you might not be able to support a high-gpm machine. 

Power Source

You’ll also want to look at how different pressure washers are powered. There are both gas and electric models available, and each of these styles has its own pros and cons. Electric-powered pressure washers are typically less expensive, lighter, and easier to maintain. Additionally, they run quieter and don’t create harmful air pollution. However, electric models are generally less powerful than gas ones, and you have to use them near an electrical outlet. This type of pressure washer is often best for small jobs around the house, such as cleaning cars, patio furniture, and grills. The other option is a gas-powered pressure washer. These machines are much more powerful, and because you’re not confined by a cord, they’re more portable and versatile. The downside is that gas machines need regular maintenance, have extra requirements for long-term storage, and they’re louder and worse for the environment due to the gas combustion engine. 

Why Trust The Spruce?

This article was edited and updated by Michelle Ullman, who is the tool and home improvement expert for The Spruce. She has extensive experience writing and researching home content and has executed many DIY projects, including landscaping, painting, flooring, wallpapering, furniture makeovers, and simple repairs. If you don’t have access to an outdoor water tap, you still have options. One is to use the water tap for your washing machine. Those taps are threaded the same as an outdoor hose tap, so you’ll be able to hook up the hose without need of an adapter. You can also use a kitchen or bathroom sink. But as these are not threaded for hose attachments, you’ll need a threaded adapter sized for the tap as well as your hose. When using an indoor tap, you’ll need to run your garden hose inside through a window or door, so plan accordingly.

The red nozzle creates a very focused, powerful stream of water. It’s best used for spot-cleaning very tough stains or dried materials on hard surfaces, such as concrete or steel. The yellow nozzle creates a 15-degree angle of spray, which is a narrow fan suitable for removing dried mud, tough stains, rust, mildew, or paint off sturdy surfaces, such as concrete or metal. The green nozzle creates a 25-degree angle of spray. This is the general-use nozzle and is suitable for blasting away mud, leaves, and other grime from decks, walkways, siding, fences, and driveways, as well as for cleaning boats, automobiles, and outdoor furniture. The white nozzle creates a 40-degree angle of spray, which is gentle enough for use cleaning delicate items, such as flower pots, windows, blinds, and automobiles. It’s also very useful for quickly rinsing objects. The black nozzle creates a large, 65-degree fan of water. This nozzle is typically used with detergents.

Some pressure washers have built-in tanks for detergent, while others require you to set a tube into the bottle of detergent so the pressure washer can suck it directly from the bottle. Either way, your best option by far is using a detergent specifically formulated for pressure washers. These detergents cut through grease and grunge yet don’t get soapy or foamy, leave a film on whatever you’re cleaning, or make the ground slippery. There are formulas for a variety of purposes: cleaning cars, siding, wooden decks, concrete, and driveways to name the most common. There are also many general-purpose pressure washer detergents, which are a good choice if you expect to use your pressure washer for a variety of cleaning jobs around your property.  While some people use dishwashing detergent, this isn’t recommended, as there’s a good chance you’ll end up with an overflow of suds. And pouring dishwashing detergent into your pressure washer’s tank could destroy or damage the machine. For this roundup, she received extensive input from pressure washer testers who put pressure washers (20 in total) through their paces around their own homes. She received extra insight from Deane Biermeier, who is a carpenter and former general contractor, as well as a member of The Spruce Home Improvement Review Board.

What Is Spruce Approved?

Here at The Spruce we want to ensure we fully stand behind every product we recommend, and that when we say something is the best, we mean it. You might have noticed The Spruce Approved badge next to the products on this list. Every product with this badge has been rigorously tested in person and carefully selected by our expert team of lab testers and editors. In most cases, we buy all these products ourselves, though occasionally we get samples provided to us directly by companies. No matter how we procure products, they all go through the same tests and must meet the same strict criteria to make the best-of cut. We also pride ourselves on transparency and will always let you know if we received a product for free.