• NAXJA is having its 18th annual March Membership Drive!!!
    Everyone who joins or renews during March will be entered into a drawing!
    More Information - Join/Renew
  • Welcome to the new NAXJA Forum! If your password does not work, please use "Forgot your password?" link on the log-in page. Please feel free to reach out to [email protected] if we can provide any assistance.

Pressure washers: gas or electric?

srimes

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Cabot, AR
Anyone have luck with electric pressure washer? Do they have any power? They look convienent for small jobs, plus you get to use water and electricity at the same time! :attom:
 
I don't think that electric ones are worth anything. I bought the cheapest gas one from sears about 5 years ago and it absolutly blows away every electric one that I have used

Unless you want to use it somewhere you cant run an engine. Its gas all the way.
 
Definitely gas. The electric are purely consumer oriented, they'll clean your siding if you let the jomex sit on it forever, but are useless for real tasks.

I used to be a painting contractor and had a mid-level pressure washer, 6.5hp as I remember, with different tips for the gun for soaking and wash patterns. You had to be careful when washing because it could literally gouge out wood if you held it too close, or give you some nasty welts if you hit your leg while spraying.

Pressure washers are rated by CP (cleaning power) which is basically psi X gallons per minute flow rate. Anything above 5hp or 5-6000 cp will do just about anything you need it to.

So if you just need to wash off random stuff, a good electric will do. If you want to get any real work done (paint prep, decks, etc.), go with gas.
 
The electric pressurewashers are good for small, and Imean small jobs. Get a gas pressurewasher, you wont regret it.
 
X2 on everything said so far. If you can afford a gas machine, they're much better in every way. I've had two electrics (the first lasted one job) and one gas unit. The last electric and the gas washer I got at Sears and both still work, but just get a gas powered washer--you won't kick yourself in the morning.:bawl:
 
Long ago I had a really good electric washer. Such things have existed at some point in history, but the ones you see now are generally pretty lousy. In addition, good or bad, the electric washer limits your mobility. A pressure washer uses so little water volume that you can run it from a hundred feet of hose without losing pressure, but long extension cords are a nuisance, and you risk voltage drop. Newer electrics have GFCI plugs, so they're pretty safe, but it's still a nuisance.

If you have limited space, and no outdoor storage for a gas machine, an electric washer will work way better than nothing at all, but if you can, get a gas one, preferably one of the ones with a Honda engine and replaceable nozzle tips. The adjustable-spray plastic wands are easy to break.
 
I have a good electric one but it was not cheap. paid about the same as a sears gas powered one and I really like the fact it can go any time and I dont need to worry about gas or maintenance on the motor/carb. I can run it on the inverter on my YJ so it is pretty economical to run vs $4.60+ a gallon gas too. it's only draw back is it does not use normal replaceable tips to the wand but I haven't had to replace it in about 4 years
 
I started out with an electric one. Huge waste of money. It didnt take me long to get a good gas washer.
If you are in a situation where you can use a gas one (ie: room to store it and gas can, can use it without the neighbors bitching) then definately get a gas one. If you cant get a gas one, I would just keep most of the money in my pocket and buy a really nice hose nozzle.
 
Gas, by a long shot....

I used to do landscaping professionaly, we put and electric nd a gas pressure wahser to the test, even though they were ated roughly equal, the gas won by a large margin....

More pressure, longer run time and no need for a cord....
 
Back
Top