6 Best Pressure Washers of 2024

Thanks to the brand’s solid reputation, many people immediately turn to Karcher when looking for a new pressure washer. However, how do you choose between all of the different Karcher models available? And how does the Karcher K5 Power Control Car & Home Pressure Washer compare to the rest? That’s what I set out to find out…

While some Karcher pressure washers are pretty much ready to use straight out of the box, the K5 requires some assembly. This takes about 15 minutes, with the instructions making the task much easier. If you get stuck, download the Karcher app for more assembly guidance.

As you assemble the machine, you’ll start to notice a few of its innovative design features. From its pre-installed water filter to its Plug n Play detergent system (insert the shampoo bottle and the pressure washer will automatically mix this through with water before releasing it in its jet), this machine has been designed in a way that makes life so much more convenient for the user.

In terms of power, the Karcher K5 provides a pressure range of 20-140 bar. The maximum is sufficient for just about all domestic cleaning tasks, and the water-cooled motor means that you can run it continuously for long periods without dealing with overheating.

Of course, what matters most is performance, and this pressure washer gets the job done well. It effortlessly cleared my 4×4 of several weeks of deeply embedded farm dirt, with the three different pressure settings enabling me to properly customise the clean. The many attachments included with this pressure washer certainly boost its performance. Between the variety of lances and the rotating wash brush that was able to get into even the smallest of crevices, this pressure washer is able to deliver a professional-looking finish.

It looks and feels the part too – with a telescopic handle and dedicated areas to clip in the attachments, both moving and storing this machine is easy. At 12.9kg, it’s sturdy enough to stay upright while it’s in use, although the 10m hose saves you from having to move it around much. The only downside was that the hose easily kinks. It may be steel-reinforced, but you’ll still need to be careful with it to prevent it from splitting.

When it comes to versatility, the K5 really shines. The range of attachments, including the surface cleaner for patios, make this machine suitable for a variety of different tasks, while the pressure washer’s ability to suck water up from a container means that you can use it in areas that don’t have an outdoor water supply. It can be used with hot water too – up to 40°C.

For many, the main downside to this machine would be its price. If versatility isn’t a priority for you, then there are cheaper products out there that offer a similar amount of pressure. With that said, most of those are also lacking when it comes to design features and ease of use – if you’re someone who appreciates quality, innovation, and the ability to customise your clean, then the Karcher K5 Power Control Car and Home Pressure Washer is worth spending on, especially since it comes with so many added extras.

If you’re a fan of Kärcher pressure washers, but don’t want to spend a lot of money, the Kärcher K2 Power Control High-Pressure Washer is certainly worth considering. It’s a model we know very well, having extensively tested it over the last few years.

What I find most impressive is it’s versatility. If your patio or paving needs a deep clean, the 110 bar jet is powerful enough to lift dirt, algae and black spots. But if you also want give your car a quick hosing down, the softer 20 bar spray will do the trick without the worry of damaging your paintwork.

Design-wise it’s compact, easy to move around and not too noisy. Plus the iconic Kärcher branding makes you feel that you’re using a reliable piece of kit that will last many years.

When you combine its ability to clean with the attractive price-point, it’s easy to see why the K2 is such a popular budget model for UK households. For the majority of our readers, this model would make a great choice.

The Bosch EasyAquatak 120 is powerful yet compact, owning a niche in the market as a very lightweight pressure washer.

Weighing just 4 kg, it would be easy to not expect much from this little machine; however, Bosch have in fact created a small pressure washer that can still dish out 120 bars of pressure and clean for hours.

With many pressure washers it can be very time consuming and annoying to have to keep moving the heavy base unit around whilst in the middle of a task. Yet, with the Easy Aquatak 120 this isn’t such a problem;. I’d say it’s the best pressure washer in terms of portability due to its light weight. It’s even possible to be useful as a handheld pressure washer – you can even carry it with you as you go.

The only thing that slightly hinders this is the relatively short mains cable. Using an extension lead or buying a hose extension can provide a bit more flexibility.

The design of this unit is a bit different. It’s made with a low centre of gravity so it looks pretty quirky, but this design stops it toppling over. This pressure washer features a wide base that means you can tug it and it won’t fall down like the majority of washers. You can even set this Bosch pressure washer on a table, or store it on a shelf, and it won’t fall off easily.

In general, the Aquatak 120 pressure washer is pretty powerful, capable of clearing moss and algae from walls and cleaning cars. It might not have the super patio cleaning strength of some other models, but it will do a good job to tackle the majority of grime.

This pressure washer can draw water from either a garden hose or an unpressurised source (bucket, water bottle, etc.), but you do need to buy a separate ‘Bosch self-priming kit’ to use the latter function.

When it comes to accessories, the pressure washer comes with several useful nozzles. There is a fixed fan jet nozzle for basic cleaning, a rotary nozzle for dirt in hard-to-reach places, and a high-pressure detergent nozzle to blast away built-up grime. All the accessories store on the pressure washer itself. Having all the accessories easily to hand is a real time saver, and they simply click in and out of place when required.

Due to its weight, this is the best pressure washer if you want a light, easy-to-use model. It provides a decent amount of cleaning power for cleaning cars and patios, it just doesn’t quite have the strength to ‘write in the dirt’ like some models.

Karcher’s range of home pressure washers varies to quite an extent, going from basic and budget-friendly to top-of-the-line and high-tech, which is where the Karcher K7 Premium Smart Control Home Pressure Washer sits. 

Thanks to how most of the product is already assembled in the box, this pressure washer impresses from the get-go. You simply need to connect up the lance, gun, and hose before you’re ready to get started – most other models require you to attach handles, wheels, reels, and more.

The fact that this product has been professionally assembled perhaps adds to how sturdy and stable it feels. All of its parts are high-quality too, including the 10m hose, which is reinforced with steel for extra durability. I had no complaints about the design of this machine – from its Plug n Clean detergent system to its suction hose, it has clearly been designed with great thought and innovation.

There’s quite a bit about this pressure washer that sets it apart from its competition, but where it really excels is in water pressure. With a 20-180 bar pressure range, this pressure washer is far more powerful than any other home pressure washer I’ve used, and you can definitely feel this when you’re using it.

As you can imagine, this means that the pressure washer performs exceptionally well. With that amount of pressure, there’s nothing around the average home and garden that this machine wouldn’t be able to clean, especially with the addition of the boost function to give you an extra 15 bar of pressure. The Plug n Clean detergent system worked impressively well too – the convenience of being able to slot a shampoo bottle in rather than having to fill (and refill) a separate container helps to get the job done much more efficiently.

While some may find this pressure washer to be on the heavy side (it officially weighs 17.76kg, but feels heavier when there’s water running through it), this gives it great stability when it’s in use – there’s no chance of it falling over and scratching your car! That said, when you do need to move it, the telescopic handle and sturdy wheels make manoeuvring this machine feel almost effortless.

This isn’t the most versatile pressure washer that I’ve used, primarily because of its lack of attachments. It does come with a patio cleaning attachment, along with a bottle of patio cleaner, but that’s it. However, it’s compatible with Karcher’s range of pressure washer attachments, so you could always purchase these separately. Plus, the fact that this machine comes with a suction hose and can be used with water that’s 60°C helps to widen its range of potential uses.

As you can imagine, all of that power comes at a cost, making this one of Karcher’s most expensive home pressure washers. Its bluetooth connectivity features probably play a big part in its high price too, although this feels like more of a gimmick since it’s highly unlikely that you would ever need to control your pressure washer from your phone, especially since you’ll already be holding the trigger gun, along with its control buttons, in your other hand.

In my opinion, this pressure washer isn’t designed for the average home user. Its biggest appeal is how it shoots out 180 bar of pressure, which is a little more than the average home user would need. However, if your cleaning tasks are on the heavy-duty side, then the Karcher K7 Premium Smart Control Pressure Washer really shines. Its power and efficiency make it perfectly suited for intensive work – if you have a few jobs in mind that other home pressure washers are struggling to tackle, then the K7 is what you need!

For a powerful pressure washer at a reasonable price, the Wilks-USA RX550i Electric Pressure Washer is one of the best pressure washers to consider. It’s up there with the most powerful washers, yet doesn’t cost quite as much.

Offering 155 bars of continuous pressure, it isn’t quite as strong as the Kärcher K7 pressure washer (which works at 160 bars), but it comes pretty close. For this reason it’s well suited to domestic use.

This Wilks-USA pressure washer can also achieve a maximum pressure of 262 bar with its first burst of water, which is extremely powerful. However, it isn’t capable of producing this level of pressure continuously, so it’s more realistic to call it a 155-bar pressure washer.

There are also several accessories included – certainly more than come with most machines – which helps it achieve the accolade of best value pressure washer. The accessories include: brush-head attachments, various nozzles, and an additional extra-long 26 m hose. The extra hose is easy to attach to the pressure washer when the standard 8 m hose isn’t long enough, meaning tasks can be completed without even having to move the pressure washer unit.

A noticeable downside of the Wilks-USA RX550i pressure washer is its weight. Weighing 30 kg, it’s not very practical to move around. This weight makes the included extra-long hose seem more of a necessity than a bonus – to be used instead of moving the pressure washer itself. Fortunately, it does have wheels, so over a flat surface it can be rolled fairly easily.

By using the different nozzles, jets and lances, this pressure washer can clean gutters and cars, and even strip moss, algae and grime from paving slabs. In fact, the finest jet is so powerful that it can visibly ‘write’ on grubby driveways.

However, the included patio cleaner attachment is not particularly efficient. If you’ve got heavy stains to remove, you’ll be better off using some of the included nozzles instead.

There is also an on-board detergent tank for mixing in the solution whilst you’re spraying, and all of the accessories store neatly on the pressure washer too. This includes the hose, which can be wound onto the washer as well.

For a compact pressure washer that is budget friendly, yet still capable of lifting dirt from the patio, the VonHaus Home Pressure Washer is a great option to consider. It has a flow rate of 330 L/h and 90 bar pressure.

It works at 1600 W which helps get cleaning done quickly, despite having the lowest bar pressure featured here. The adjustable spray nozzle also assists cleaning, allowing you to easily change from a concentrated jet to wider spray, depending on the task at hand.

Including a 5 m hose and 5 m power cable, this pressure washer permits a reasonable reach, although it’s not as flexible as some. For a small patio, or standard driveway, this is one of the best pressure washers on the market.

If you do need to pick this pressure washer up, it only weighs 6.8 kg so is easy to move without difficulty. It also has a secure carry handle, so you can even carry the pressure washer around with you as you work, if you prefer.

Whilst not the most powerful machine, this budget pressure washer still works well to spruce up the patio, clean decking, and hose down garden furniture. It will also do a good job cleaning the car, but you may wish to apply detergent directly to the surface first. Although this VonHaus pressure washer has a detergent tank, it’s quite a thirsty machine; it uses up the detergent mix quickly when the soap is connected to the lance.

Given that this is a budget option, there aren’t as many ‘thoughtful touches’ on this machine as with more premium pressure washers. For example, it isn’t possible to store the accessories on board, and the mains cable doesn’t always store perfectly neatly over the plastic hook.

Yet, even so, the VonHaus pressure washer offers good value, keeping things simple whilst providing enough power to be a decent pressure washer. In my opinion, it’s the best pressure washer for small patios and gardens, and a great budget pressure washer too.