A high pressure washer is required for practically any individual home or cottage with a private yard. Don't have one yet? It is only a matter of time when it will be needed. Here are some tips for choosing a high-pressure cleaner that's right for you.
Start with your own washing needs assessment. Don't be lazy to sit down with a piece of paper and write down what your home should wash with a high-pressure washer: a car, a garage door, the lower part of the facade, or maybe the entire facade (especially if it comes from plastic tables)? Do you have outdoor furniture? You also need to wash the fence sometimes. In the yard there are stone paths, paved areas, or simple concrete? Do you have a off-road SUV and do you like to ride a forest? And you really not back in a shiny car ... Are you living away, where you need to ride on the highway? Do you have garbage containers assigned to your home? If you are a farmer, you probably have not only a car but also the agricultural machinery you need to prepare for the winter? Evaluate everything and then see what high-pressure washer you need.
In summary, they can be divided into 4 groups:
1. Mobile;
2. Low power;
3. Semi-professional;
4. Professional.
Mobile high pressure washers are more like a vacuum cleaner than a standard washer. They are designed to wash outdoor furniture, cars, flower pots, etc. Such washing machines are not very powerful because they are used rarely. Of course, they are not expensive because they do not have many features.
Low-power washers are standard electric washers for home use. They can be used to wash cars, the bottom of the facade, furniture, blocks. These are economy-class devices that are affordable for all homeowners. If you only need a washing machine a few times a year, it will surely work.
Semi-professional washers can be electric or gasoline. They are powerful enough to work 2-3 hours a day. This means that you can freely wash large asphalt, pad surfaces, wash agricultural machinery, trucks or even tugs. With special accessories you can also wash at several meters, so the entire facade will be clean. Some models of such washers can already be fitted with special accessories to spray not only water, but also sand, which is very useful in preparing various surfaces for painting.
Professional washers are used in business. They can be washed 5 hours a day. They are very powerful and work very efficiently. At home, you will rarely find these at home, as it is a professional tool for industry, agriculture, washing companies, construction, etc.
Work efficiency is very important. It is always possible to buy a less powerful device, but after a while you will see that its energy and resource costs are high, which is not always worth it. High pressure washers have three power indicators:
1. Engine power in kW.
2. Pressure Power Bar (some models are marked with PSI).
3. Water consumption l / h. (American models - gallons / hour)
The more powerful your engine is, the more effective the spray pressure you want. The higher the pressure, the stronger the stream. The less water is wasted, the more efficient the job. In essence, you should only focus on the pressure and the use of water and their relationship.
For example, a semi-professional washer BoschGHP 5-75 X has 140 bar working pressure and consumes 570 liters of water per hour.
The Karcher K 2 CAR standard wash achieves a pressure of 110 bar and consumes 360 liters per hour. It is several times cheaper than the Bosch model mentioned, but its power is lower.
And the LavorIndependent 2800 sink with internal combustion engine is a semi-professional washer. It reaches 200 bar pressure and consumes 630 liters of water per hour. It is more expensive than a semi-professional electric washer, but also more powerful, so it can be washed longer and more efficiently.
Choose a model with the right accessories.
Some sellers are very clever - selling a "naked" device with just 2-3 attachments and not always explaining what additional accessories can be combined and how much they cost. Who has bought a professional camera will understand. Sometimes all the accessories cost more than the device itself. That's why you need to find out what accessories you need.
Standard accessory - pistol with three positions. One position sprays a straight concentrated stream, also called a pencil. The other is a flat current and the third is a simple, streamlined shower. This accessory will always be included. Like a hose.
We should talk about the hose separately. It may not be foolproof and not afraid to put you on it. Also, the device may have a mechanism where the hose is self-aligning as the cord of the vacuum cleaner. The length of the hose is also important. Normally it is 5 meters, but there are models with hoses up to 10 meters. If you wash the facade, choose a longer hose.
Two additional accessories - brush and soap tank - are used for car washing. Find out how the extra soap capacity is connected, as it can be connected to a pistol in some models, and in others to the car body. Better to the body - more stable, with little risk of spilling household chemistry during washing. Usually these accessories are sold separately, but not with all models.
Floor washer nozzle, which sprays water with a rotating motion. They are different. Most popular - with protection, because then less water is spilled into the sides.
There are more add-ons, so you need to find out if you need something specific.
What would you choose - POHIR or Bosch high-pressure washer? The first is cheaper, though powerful, and the second is not expensive, but the Bosch brand is well known to you. By the way, the Chinese who buy POHIR also know Bosch and are well aware of which one is a guarantee of quality. Karcher is probably the most popular brand in Lithuania. Also well-known and Italian Lavor or German Bosch. The strange but famous Stihl brand in Lithuania has so far not been associated with high-pressure washers, although it is produced and sold worldwide.
Other well-known brands - Grizzly, Ryobi, Hecht, Defort.
Why overpay for a well-known brand? For several reasons. First of all, it's a guarantee of quality. By buying the production of a well-known manufacturer you will be sure that your product will be taken care of. Another reason is the official service. If your device fails, it is always possible to take it for repair during the warranty or post-warranty period. Buying a washer abroad you will probably not get this service in the store.
So choose quality goods and a high-pressure washer will last for a long time. It is an investment in the cleanliness and order of your home, and it always pays off with money.
Choose the most suitable high pressure washer for you.
In buyers guide you can also get to know our other useful and practical tips to help you choose the technique you are interested in.
