The best pressure washers in 2024

There’s something deeply satisfying about watching dirt being blasted away by a pressure washer. These handy tools transform the mains water supply from a simple outside tap into a powerful cleaning jet, and the best pressure washers can make light work of all the intensive cleaning tasks around your home and garden.

We’ve tested a wide variety of pressure washers, and here you’ll find our top recommendations for washers which offer the best balance of power, value for money and brilliant design, ranging from affordable models around the £60 mark to hefty £500 models that weigh the best part of 30kg.

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Our expert picks

The best pressure washer

The best cheap pressure washer

The best smart pressure washer

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How we test pressure washers

For these reviews, we test every aspect of a pressure washer’s performance so that we can provide a definitive answer to all the key buying questions:

• Is it easy to assemble, drain down and put away? No one wants to spend ages fiddling with awkward connectors or assembling attachments before they use their pressure washer, and easy storage is always a welcome benefit.
• Is it easy to to use? We think about whether the controls are logically laid out and intuitive to use, and make note of whether it’s easy to adjust the settings when required.
• Is it effective at a range of different cleaning tasks? We test its cleaning power with a wide variety of tasks around the home and garden while paying particular attention to how useful the range of supplied attachments are.
• Is it good value for money? We balance all of these factors against a pressure washer’s price, manufacturer warranty and its comparable competitors before reaching our final verdict.

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The best pressure washer

Kärcher K4 Power Control | ~£210

	Powerful enough for most jobs; Great design; Wide range of accessories available
	Some rivals offer more power for the money

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Weight: 11.5kg | Max pressure: 130 bar | Water flow rate: max 420l/hr | Hose length: 8m; Cable length: 5m | Motor power: 1,800W | Size: 31 x 59 x 40cm (WHL) | Warranty: 2 years (5 years with free extension)

Replacing the K4 Full Control in Kärcher’s lineup, the K4 Power Control is a superb pressure washer, with everything you need to clear the grime from all around your home. Its secret weapon is its Power Control Gun and matching Power Control Vario lance. You can switch between three different pressure settings and adjust the spray pattern with a twist of the nozzle, going from a high-powered jet to a softer, flatter spray. Whether you’re washing mud off the car or trying to blast mould and algae from your patio, you get what you need without having to lug around a bunch of different tools.

Of course, since this is a Kärcher pressure washer, there are extra tools available if you want them. We also tested the K4 with the Power Control car and home kit (~£350), which comes with the standard Power Control Vario and Dirt Blaster lances, plus a rotating car brush and a foam jet nozzle. What’s more, it throws in the T5 Surface cleaner for sweeping all the grime from your decking, patio or driveway. It’s worth the extra if you crave extra cleaning power and precision for your car or outdoor spaces, although the basic kit will easily handle all but the toughest washing jobs.

There are a couple of things to bear in mind, however. The Core 130 and Core 140 models from Nilfisk offer more raw power for slightly less cash – and their equivalent of the car and home kit cost significantly less. If you don’t mind a slightly fiddlier design, they’re a superb alternative.

One final thing to bear in mind when shopping for the best deal is that you get an extra year of warranty (3 as standard, 6 after free registration) if you buy direct from Karcher.

The best cheap pressure washer

Bosch EasyAquatak 110 | ~£59

	More powerful than specs would suggest; Compact design; Easy to use
	Not enough power or flow rate for bigger jobs

Weight: 3.8kg | Max pressure: 110 bar | Water flow rate: 330l/hr | Hose length: 3m | Cable length: 5m | Motor power: 1,300W | Size: 38 x 40 x 20cm (WHL) | Warranty: 2 years (3 years with free extension)

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While it’s one of the cheapest models in Bosch’s EasyAquatak range, the EasyAquatak 110 has many positives. It’s a compact unit that looks a little like a mini suitcase, with the high-pressure pipe emerging from the back and the hosepipe connector at the front. It’s incredibly simple to set up and operate, with just a single rotary on/off switch at the front and a trigger and a lock on the handle; it’s pretty much point and shoot from there on in. It comes with three nozzles – an adjustable fan/jet nozzle, a high-power rotary nozzle and a detergent nozzle for cleaning foams and detergents.

Despite its diminutive size and max pressure, it’s a surprisingly powerful washer. We had no problems removing caked-on grime from the bodywork and wheels of our car, nor clearing stains, moss and lichen from concrete slabs. In fact, the blast from the rotary nozzle proved impressively fierce. The downside here, which is something you’ll find with most sub-£100 pressure washers, is that the flow rate isn’t high enough to tackle really big jobs at a decent pace, so you’ll want something bigger for those king-sized patios or fleets of Range Rovers.

Nevertheless, it’s hard to complain at this price. The Bosch is cheap, relatively quiet and easy to stow away, and offers a balance of power and adjustability that makes it useful all around the home, garden and garage.

The best cheap Karcher pressure washer

Kärcher K2 Classic | ~£90

	Compact and lightweight; Great design; Lots of accessories available
	Not powerful enough for tough jobs; Detergent bottle is easy to spill

Weight: 3.7kg | Max pressure: 110 bar | Flow rate: 360l/hr | Hose length: 4m | Cable length: 5m | Motor power: 1,400W | Size: 22 x 39 x 18cm (WHL) | Warranty: 2 years (5 years with free extension)

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Kärcher’s smallest, cheapest pressure washer definitely earns its compact title. Less than 40cm high and 22cm wide, it weighs just over 4kg unfilled and with accessories attached. While it hasn’t got wheels, we were able to easily pick up the body with one hand and move it around as we worked.

As you might expect, it doesn’t deliver the power to blast heavy-duty stains from concrete, but it will happily scourge your patio or decking of ground-in grime and algae, and it’s great for cleaning up garden furniture, muddy bikes or even cars. What’s more, it’s still compatible with Kärcher’s range of pressure washer accessories.

There’s no detergent foam sprayer included, but it does have a little tube that sits inside a bottle of detergent that sucks the stuff up – which is great as long as you can avoid knocking over the bottle while you’re cleaning. It’s also worth mentioning that, for its size, it makes an awful lot of noise.

It’s not perfect, then, but Karcher’s generous warranty goes some way towards balancing the books. You get 2 years of coverage as standard, and you get a free extension to 5 years if you register your warranty within 28 days of purchase. What’s more, you get a further year of warranty (3 as standard, 6 after registration) if you buy direct from Karcher, so it’s worth weighing up any retailer discounts against that extra peace of mind.

A great value pressure washer – but not quite the best

Halfords PW20 | ~£75

	Reasonably powerful for the price; Snow foam bottle included
	Loud; Relatively heavy; Lowest flow rate on test

Weight: 6.3kg | Max pressure: 115 bar | Water flow rate: 300l/hr | Hose length: 5m | Cable length: 5m | Motor power: 1,600W | Size: 27 x 69 x 25cm (WHL) | Warranty: 1 year

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With such a tiny price tag, it’s easy to dismiss the Halfords PW20 as being too cheap to be a credible alternative to £100-plus machines. But within minutes of plugging it in, it’s clear that this is a quality product. As well as an adjustable fan nozzle for the lance, it comes with a snow foam bottle – not always a given, even with far more expensive pressure washers. Even its 1,600-watt motor is, on paper at least, more powerful than several other pricier alternatives on this list.

It performed well in our tests, too. It’s a little louder than some of the other units here, but it isn’t unbearable – and was more than up to the job of blasting brake dust from alloy wheels and cleaning a film of algae and lichen from a patio. It took a little more effort than some here, because its 115 bar pressure rating and relatively low flow rate put it at the lower end of the washers on this list, but it still got the job done eventually.

The PW20 is easy to operate: the 5m hose has metal fittings that are easy to attach, and there’s a single on/off control on the front. The lance adjusts from a spot to a fan by twisting the nozzle.  We found the adjustable nozzle a little tricky to remove, but unless you’re a snow foam aficionado, you can probably leave it attached.

Where the PW20 loses out is weight: at 6.3kg, it’s much heavier than the similarly-priced models we’ve tested from Bosch and Karcher. For that reason, the Bosch Aquatak 110 (~£59) remains our top budget pick, but don’t discount the PW20 completely – it could make a worthy alternative with a big enough discount.

The best for cleaning cars and bicycles

Nilfisk Core 130 Bike & Auto | ~£192

	Power on a par with pricier machines; Great car cleaning attachments; Great value
	Quite a lot of assembly required; Warranty shorter than some alternatives

Weight: 6.6kg; Max pressure: 130 bar; Water flow rate: 462l/hr; Hose length: 6m; Cable length: 5m; Cleaning area: 35m2/hour; Motor power: 1,500W | Size: 29 x 72 x 30cm (WHL) | Warranty: 2 years (3 years with free extension)

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If you’re looking for a pressure washer to purge the mud and grime from your bike or car, you won’t do better than the Core 130 Bike & Auto kit. For one thing, the Core 130 is another well-built, high-performance pressure washer from the Danish firm, with a choice of three power settings and two nozzles. As with the P180 and Core 140, one gives you more of a tough spray, while the other delivers the full-on rotary jet, perfect for blasting the black stuff off your alloy wheels or removing algae or dried paint from your driveway.

This kit comes with everything you need for a proper clean, including a wide-angled nozzle for the bonnet, windscreen and paintwork, a soft car brush attachment, an under-chassis nozzle and a foam sprayer – all of which would normally set you back another £40 to £50. There are a few niggles, such as the slightly awkward housing for the high-pressure hose at the front, or the fact that there’s quite a lot of assembly involved before you get it going, but when your car gets cleaned this quickly and this well, it’s hard to grumble.

A great value option for cleaning cars and bicycles

Ryobi 130 Electric Pressure Washer | ~£159

	Power on a par with pricier machines; Integrated 0.9l detergent tank; Comes with brush attachment
	Not vastly cheaper than the superior Nilfisk Core 130

Weight: 8.3kg | Max pressure: 130 bar | Water flow rate: 420l/hr | Hose length: 5m | Cable length: 5m | Motor power: 1,600W | Key specs – Size: 27 x 92 x 25cm (WHL) | Warranty: 3 years

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While there are other pressure washers – or optional packages – designed for cleaning cars, few offer the all-round ability of the Ryobi 130. That’s because rather than requiring a separate detergent bottle to be attached to the lance, or car shampoo to be sucked from a standalone bottle, the Ryobi has a built-in 0.9l detergent tank in the main body. Once filled, to activate it you simply twist the end of the vario lance, which reduces the pressure and allows you to coat your car quickly, easily and evenly.

Its suitability for the task doesn’t end there. The vario lance adjusts from a focused spot spray for removing alloy wheel grime to a fan for a gentle final spray, and everything in between. A brush attachment and non-adjustable lance are also supplied, along with a filter. The tough yet flexible 5m, steel-braided hose resists tangling well, and comes with tough metal quick-release fittings at both ends.

Delivering 130 bar and a flow rate of 420l/hr, it’s plenty powerful enough for cleaning patios, driveways and decking, too. The only criticism is the hose release catch on the main unit is a little fiddly.

If you can’t quite stretch to the Nilfisk Core 130 Bike & Auto (~£195), this is almost as powerful – and slightly easier to assemble – for a little less cash.

The best cordless pressure washer

Worx Hydroshot WG630E | ~£195

	Cordless; Can be fed from a bucket or jerry can; Powerful enough for cleaning cars or bikes
	Very limited power

Weight: 2.4kg; Max pressure: 24 bar | Water flow rate: 200l/hr | Hose length: 6m | Motor power: 20V brushless motor | Key specs – Size: 24 x 93 x 13cm (WHL) | Warranty: 1 year

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Sure, it might seem weedy from the specs, but the Worx Hydroshot WG630E can go places where you’d never take another pressure washer. That’s because it’s cordless, running from one of Worx’s 20v 4A lithium-ion batteries, and because it doesn’t need a conventional mains water supply – just drop the end of the bundled hose into a watering can or bucket and it will run until it drains it dry. It has a normal power mode and a battery-saving eco mode, and a choice of five jet patterns courtesy of the rotating nozzle.

There isn’t enough power here to blast off ground-in, dried-on dirt, but it’s fantastic for rinsing down a muddy bike, your car or removing surface grime and bird droppings. The battery takes around 45 minutes to charge and runs for around 30 to 40 minutes, and the only hassle is having to refill your can or bucket, with the WG630E getting through 10 litres in around 3 minutes of solid squirting. Even then, a quick car clean took only two cans to complete. This isn’t the last word in cleaning power, but it’s unbeatable for sheer convenience.

A more powerful alternative to the Karcher K4

Nilfisk Core 140 | ~£226

	More powerful than Karcher K4; Tackles serious jobs with ease; Car Kit bundle is amazing value
	Quite a lot of assembly required

Weight: 9.2kg | Max pressure: 140 bar | Water flow rate: 474l/hr | Hose length: 8m | Cable length: 5m | Cleaning area: 40m2/hour | Motor power: 1,800W | Size: 37 x 88 x 31cm (WHL) | Warranty: 2 years (5 years with free extension)

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As the step-up model from the Core 130, the Core 140 can tackle pretty much anything you throw at it, from a muddy quad-bike to larger cars and campervans, and algae and moss-stained decking, too. In fact, you need to be a little more careful about its power settings when you’re using the rough, rotary jet attachment, since it can chew through soft timbers or old tarmac.

Whether you buy it solo or pay a little extra for the Car Edition bundle (~£270), you’re getting a great pressure washer, with the latter option adding foam sprayer, wide-angle car nozzle, car brush and under-chassis nozzle attachments.

Like the Core 130, the Core 140 takes a fair bit of time and effort to assemble – and this is why we narrowly prefer the Karcher K4 Power Control.

That said, the Core 140 has a couple of key improvements over the Core 130 model which make it easier to use and store, including a longer high-pressure hose pipe and a reel at the front to keep it tidy, along with an even more robust frame, sprayer lance and handle.

With a bit more welly than the budget models, but a lower price tag than the premium washers from rival manufacturers, the Core 140 is one of the best value mid-range pressure washers. If you can find it going for less than the Karcher K4, then this is the model to choose.

The best smart pressure washer

Kärcher K5 Premium Smart Control Home | ~£450

	Very powerful; Hugely adjustable; Great smart features; Integrated hose reel
	Expensive; Not vastly more powerful than the Nilfisk Core 140

Weight: 13.9kg | Max pressure: 145 bar | Water flow rate: max 500l/hr | Hose length: 10m | Cable length: 5m | Motor power: 2,100W | Size: 31 x 59 x 41cm (WHL) | Warranty: 2 years (5 years with free extension)

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The K5 Premium Smart Control is a little bigger and more powerful than the K4, and comes with the bonus of a built-in, wind-up hose reel to keep its longer 10m high-pressure pipe under control.

Yet the real advantage is its Smart Control system, comprising a new trigger gun with a built-in LCD panel and Bluetooth connectivity that hooks into a smartphone app. On its own, the trigger gun allows you to turn the pressure up and down, with six levels and a boost setting to deal with the most persistent grime. Meanwhile, Kärcher’s 3-in-1 multi jet lance can switch spray patterns, so that you can change from a wider spray to a focused, rotating jet within seconds.

Connect the app, and you can tell the K5 what you’re trying to clean. It will then set the required pressure and tell you how to adjust the lance for every stage, so that, as you clean the car or power-wash the driveway, you’re using the right spray pattern and setting for every step. Buy the Home version and Kärcher also bundles in the T5 Surface cleaner for a thorough clean of any hard surfaces in your garden.

In truth, you pay a lot for the smart features, and we’re not sure that using the app to control the lance is really all that convenient, even if it does help to guarantee the best results. If you want the ultimate in high-tech pressure washers, the K5 is a superb pick – but if it’s raw power you care more about, then we’d opt for the far cheaper Nilfisk Core 140 (~£226) or go the whole hog and set your sights on the monstrously powerful Nilfisk Premium P180 (~£500) instead.

The best heavy-duty pressure washer

Nilfisk Premium 180 | ~£500

	Sturdy build quality; Tackles the toughest jobs with ease
	Big and heavy

Weight: 29.5kg | Max pressure: 180 bar | Water flow rate: 610l/hr | Hose length: 10m | Cable length: 5m | Motor power: 2.9kW | Size: 38 x 96 x 39cm (WHL) | Warranty: 2 years (5 years with free extension)

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For most home applications, the Nilfisk Premium 180 is going to be overkill; but if you need to clean something big – a swimming pool, terrace, boat, or caravan, for example – this is the washer for the job. It’s a massive unit, standing nearly 1m tall, and weighing 26.8kg, which makes you glad of the built-in trolley. Much of that comes down to the robust build and all-aluminium pump. The 10m high-pressure pipe that connects the lance winds onto an internal reel at the top, and there are even points for winding up the 5m mains cable. The Premium 180 is built for serious use.

That’s also reflected in the performance. Even with the Gentle nozzle, which adjusts from a wide fan to a fearsome jet, it can blast through the toughest dirt and grime in seconds. On some surfaces, it might even be too tough, so it’s good that you can ramp back the pressure with a quick turn of the dial. Switch to the Rough nozzle with its rotary jet and there’s very little this won’t get through; it effortlessly cleaned paint marks and stains from concrete that lesser pressure washers couldn’t shift. This is a practical, pro-level tool that’s built to work hard.

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How to choose the right pressure washer for you

What do the specifications mean?

While specifications such as size, weight, hose and cable length are all self-explanatory, the importance of others such as max pressure and water flow rate is less obvious. In short, though, a washer’s maximum pressure and its flow rate are the key metrics you need to understand to judge its theoretical cleaning power.

Max pressure: This gives you a rough idea of how powerful a washer’s water jet is and is normally measured in the metric unit of pressure, bar. Budget pressure washers tend to top out around 100 bar of pressure, while high-end models can exceed 150 bar. The higher the pressure, the more easily a washer can shift dirt.

Water flow rate: This is measured in litres per hour and gives you an idea of how quickly a washer can clean and rinse away dirt. If a washer has a high pressure, but a low flow rate, its jet of water will be smaller than a washer with the same pressure but a higher flow rate. High pressure plus high flow rate means a bigger jet of water to clean the surface and rinse away the dirt afterwards, so allows for speedier cleaning.

Motor power: This is the power of the pressure washer’s water pump measured in watts. All things being equal, a more powerful motor should be able to pump more water at a higher pressure than a lower-rated pump. That said, the max pressure and water flow rate are the only metrics worth focussing on, as not all pumps are created equal.

Things to know: It’s worth noting that manufacturers do not always quote an in-use maximum pressure, but sometimes quote the maximum pressure that a pump can generate before you actually hit the trigger, at which point the real pressure drops significantly. If the manufacturer publishes it, look for the washer’s “bar-rated pressure” in the manual or specifications, which is the average pressure that each washer can maintain over a long period. In practice, only way to really measure a pressure washer’s cleaning abilities is to test it thoroughly, and that’s why we’ve taken the time to properly test every model we recommend here.

Is more power always a good thing?

When it comes to power, more isn’t necessarily better: the last thing you’ll want to do is bore holes in timber or blast off car paintwork. Most of the more powerful pressure washers offer the ability to dial down the maximum pressure for more delicate work, and where the increased pressure and flow rate of pricier models really comes into its own is when you have really big areas to clean, really heavy soiling to remove, or lots of cleaning to do on a regular basis.

Sometimes, though, it’s more about having the right accessories or attachments than out-and-out power. If, for instance, you mostly just want a pressure washer to make lighter work of cleaning cars or bicycles, and you want to get the absolute best possible results with the least concerns about damaging paint work, rubber seals or pushing water into bearings and so on, then it’s more about choosing a pressure washer with specialised attachments. For instance, many popular models are available in specific car- or patio-cleaning bundles which add the relevant accessories. Or, alternatively, you can just buy the standard model to start with and add the accessories later as your budget dictates.

Which is the best pressure washer for you?

With all these factors in mind, the table below splits the various models we recommend into categories based around what kind of user they might suit best.

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What accessories do you need for different cleaning tasks?

Before you hit the Buy Now button, it pays to stop and check which tools are included. Most pressure washers arrive in a variety of bundles, all with different tools in the box – rather confusingly, similar product names also make it easy to pick up the wrong model by mistake.

If the hose is short, perhaps you’ll need an extension wand. Maybe you need an angled wand to clean gutters. If you want to tackle specific cleaning tasks, such as patios or cars, then you’ll get the best results with brushes and nozzles that are purpose-built for the task at hand. If you want to clean your car using snow foam, you’ll need a snow foam bottle that attaches to the lance.

A few models may even come with special multi-purpose nozzles, designed to deliver different spray patterns for different jobs, which save you from having to carry the whole kit around. While you can usually buy a specific accessory later, getting the right bundle at the start will save you some money in the long-term.

It’s worth noting whether spare parts or accessories are available for your pressure washer of choice. You might find it hard to track down a new hose, for example, from a relatively unknown brand, while something from a household name might only be a click away.

Other things to consider include the length of both the mains cable and hose. A shorter hose can make it more difficult to get the jet where it’s needed, or reaching around the back of the car to get it clean. Of course, the longer the hose, the more likely it is to get in the way or become tangled, so it’s worth having a spool or reel to keep it under control when it isn’t fully extended. Also consider the flexibility of the hose; something that’s overly rigid can be unwieldy to use. Metal fittings on the hose are better than (cheaper) plastic ones, too.

If your pressure washer’s cable is too short, you can use an extension lead, but it’s essential to opt for one that offers a suitable amperage (13 amps minimum) and is designed for outdoor use. Water and electricity aren’t the best of bedfellows.

How dangerous are pressure washers?

Pressure washers can be extremely dangerous, so always wear protective goggles, proper footwear – a jet of water against bare toes is going to result in a hospital visit – and never spray them at yourself or someone nearby. The high-pressure water jets are capable of causing severe injuries to skin and soft tissue; these are anything but big boys’ toys.

What do we look for when testing pressure washers?

We focus on a wide range of factors, including the following:

Design: We look to see how well-designed each pressure washer is. We assemble and disassemble each model, noting both how easy and sturdy everything feels, and get a feel for how easy the washer is to move around and operate during each cleaning task. Ease of use is paramount, and clearly labelled controls and attachments which don’t require you to constantly refer to the manual are preferred.

Cleaning performance: We put every pressure washer to the test across a range of tough, everyday cleaning tasks:

• Cars: Here we focus on the washer’s ability to remove dirt and debris from the body surfaces and wheels, while still controlling the pressure to avoid causing any damage.
• Surfaces around the home and garden: We clean a range of tarmac, concrete, plastic and timber surfaces to see how it handles walls, driveways, paths, patios and decking. During this process, we pay close attention to how easy it is to control the pressure and the jet, and any additional features designed to make pressure-washing easier.

Attachments and accessories: The quality and range of supplied accessories can greatly enhance the usefulness of a pressure washer. We test any and all accessories which come with a pressure washer, including foam spray bottles, additional nozzles, driveway brushes and car kits. These extras are often more nice-to-haves than essentials – you can easily clean most surfaces with a plain pressure washer lance – but dedicated tools can often save effort, get a deeper clean or avoid causing damage to softer surfaces or items such as wood, plastics or car bodywork and paint.

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