These Are the Best Pressure Washers We Tested and Recommend for Heavy-Duty Cleaning (2024)

Although we don’t have hands-on experience with this exact model, Roy Behrendsen did run a very similar version, the Simpson MegaShot MSH3125 Pressure Washer through a rigorous testing process, and was seriously impressed with the brand’s combination of quality and power.

A Honda engine is essential for any high-quality gas-powered pressure washer, and this model’s GX200 engine has enough power to generate 3300 psi and 2.5 GPM. This engine also automatically shuts down if the oil level gets too low—preventing serious damage–and also comes with a three-year warranty.

The non-marring hose is abrasion-resistant, which helps extend its lifespan, but we did find Simpson hoses to be especially stiff, and take some time to break in.

This DeWalt pressure washer provides nearly as much PSI as our top gas-powered pick, without the noisy and high-maintenance engine. Its suitcase-style design features 2 wheels, a telescoping handle, and multiple grab handles for convenient transport.

Roy Behrendsen also appreciated how easy the hose was to store on the unit itself, and there are helpful storage areas for the spray gun, nozzle tips, and a molded compartment for the included foam cannon. While the high PSI is well-suited for blasting off stubborn grit and grime, the relatively low GPM means it’s not as practical for heavy rinsing jobs.

Light-duty washing doesn’t get much more inexpensive or portable than this compact pressure washer. For your money, you get a foaming soap dispenser and two cleaning brushes–one for general use and the other designed to clean automotive wheels. Plus, you get a full set of four nozzles, with user-friendly, quick-connect capability.

The machine’s ergonomics are also solid; the hose outlets, on/off switch, and carrying handle are well-shaped and located to make this little machine easy to use. But it tips over easily on grass or other uneven surfaces due its small wheels and vertical configuration, so it’s best confined to working on pavement.

We worked the SPX 3000 hard (harder than a homeowner probably would) and found its cord and GFCI were quite warm when we were done. There’s only so much these small machines can withstand when you run them relentlessly on a summer day, with temperatures hovering between 80 and 90 degrees.

Key Specs

We tested the power washers below on the exterior siding of a house. Electric models work well on wood and synthetic decks that need only gentle cleaning, plus all types of outdoor furniture.

The GPW2700 sailed to an easy victory among the electric pressure washers, not surprising given that this is an expensive and well-made piece of equipment.

Its high pressure and volume output enable faster and more thorough cleaning. And those come courtesy of the constant-run motor, which is always turning, not just when you pull the spray wand trigger. This improves trigger response and reduces priming, since the pump is held under constant pressure. Also, the machine has a pressure and flow sensor so that the pump output adjusts to suit the nozzle you insert in the spray wand. All of this adds up to better wash performance. And this model comes with a pressure washer foam cannon.

Although the pressure washer stands for storage or when you need to wheel it for transport, it operates horizontally. Thus, it can’t tip over. And a pivoting hook eases access to wrapping of the 35-foot cord. Our complaint: The hose outlets (both for the spray wand and the garden hose hookup) are close to each other, reducing access to them.

Key Specs

This is a light, easy-to-handle machine with adequate power for mid-duty jobs. We particularly appreciated the whopper of a power cord, which measures 35 feet long (that’s about 10 feet longer than average). Combined with the large 10-inch wheels and wide top-mounted handle, these features make the Craftsman especially mobile. The large, easy-access detergent tank on top of the machine is removable for easy cleaning when you’re finished.

Of all the nozzles we tried on this model, we had the best results with the turbo (rotating blast). It proved particularly adept at cleaning concrete. A final design detail that we really like is its slide-on spray wand mount. This prevents the gun from being knocked off during transport–an annoying issue with lower-quality machines.

Key Specs

Water enters the pressure washer via a garden hose (a) and moves through a pump, which consists of a series of two or three plungers (b) arranged in a line or a circle. The plungers are powered by an output shaft on the engine or from a motor. Each plunger boosts the water pressure sequentially, one feeding higher pressure water to the plunger next in line.

The last pulse of high-pressure water exits the pump. The water then moves through a component called the unloader (c). This component unloads water if it gets too hot because the gun’s trigger is off. Next, the water travels down the hose to the gun (d). When you pull the gun’s trigger, you send a series of high-pressure pulses of water out the nozzle.

“It’s important to understand that the pump produces cleaning and rinsing efficiencies with high-velocity water pulsations,” says Vince Morabit, a mechanical engineer who’s designed and developed outdoor power equipment from pumps to chainsaws since the early 1960s. “Think of it this way: The kinetic energy in that pulse of water is like a chisel being struck repeatedly by a hammer.”

And since residential pressure washers also dispense cleaner, either out of a built-in tank (e) or by siphoning it out of a bucket, they clean via mechanical and chemical means. You apply the cleaner and then rinse the surface. The cycle is always the same: clean, rinse, repeat.

“The cleaning agent you use is as important as the pressure washer itself,” says Morabit. By selecting the right one, you rely less on the pressure washer’s force and more on the gentle removal of grime by the chemical action of the cleaner.

Pressure Washer Safety Tips

All the machines we tested were safe to use, and we encountered nothing in them that caused us any concern. However, pressure washers by their nature demand careful and deliberate handling, both for your sake and that of whatever you’re cleaning.

Both electric and gas pressure washers can damage surfaces. Of the two, the risk is higher with gas-engine machines owing to the fact that they’re generally more powerful. In order to clean safely and effectively, keep these key tips in mind.

1. Use a green or a white nozzle for most jobs: the broad spray angle is less likely to damage surfaces. Reserve red and yellow nozzles only for the toughest cleaning. Their narrow spray angle provides more cutting action but is more likely to damage a surface.
2. Avoid spraying electrical components: Don’t wash outdoor light fixtures, outlet receptacles covers, transformer boxes, doorbells, security cameras, or backup generator cabinets. These objects are easily damaged by high pressure water. Also, pressure washing them can, in the worst case, send water inside their electrical box, leading to corrosion-induced electrical failure.
3. Watch your distance, and keep moving: The longer you keep the pressure washer’s stream focused in one place, and the closer it is to the surface, the more likely you are to cause damage.
4. Avoid or proceed with caution around delicate surfaces such as shade sails, insulated-glass windows, and outdoor furnishings built from soft materials like cedar or redwood.
5. To protect yourself from flying debris and the stream itself, always wear eye protection and closed-toe shoes. Even at relatively low pressure, debris can easily dislodge and fly towards your face, especially when working on vertical surfaces. You also don’t want to be wearing sandals or flip flops if you inadvertently pass the nozzle stream across your toes.