Let's Talk...... Pressure Washers

[S.W.A.T.]

I've had several gas and several electric pressure washers... still have one of each, but only have the small 1300psi electric at home. At our shop, we use a "water whacker" and it is a heavy duty electric unit. I would strongly suggest that for any acreage, as it is extremely reliable. We actually took it apart and mounted it up our tire rack system and bought a 50ft hd hose for it. Designed for extended use, hot or cold water. We have had ours for 20 years now, and still use it daily for washing floors etc.

I've never seen a pump designed for hot water. The heat should be on the discharge end or it would cook it.

 

[Dooitorbust]

I’ve had a vertical shaft pressure washer from Canadian Tire for nearly 10 years and just replaced the pump for $150 from Amazon. Does the job for me but my top choice would be a Hotsy. You just can’t beat a hot water wash. My second choice would be something with a GX Honda and a Triplex pump. KMS has some nice washers from BE.

 

[Cyle]

A $5000+ washer is great, but it doesn't make any sense to wash the driveway, clean the house once a year and a few odds and ends, a $500-1000 unit will do just fine, but a big difference if you need hot water, big pressure, etc and will use it a lot. I have a 7 year old at least $300 cheapo from canadian tire that works just fine, it washes equipment at my yard ok with water supplied from sump pump. Can't justify a big fancy unit when I use the thing a handful of times a year. Unless you have a indoor wash bay, it's useless to pay a huge premium for vehicle washing imo because you can only do it for a small part of the year.

 

[brutematt750]

Holy chit did the price of pressure washers go up ! I haven’t looked at them for years since I bought mine. But they look like they’ve doubled in price.

 

[struglin]

Hotsy is the only way to go. Get a wall mount and a hundred foot hose with a wall mounted hose real extremely clean effective tool.

 

[S.W.A.T.]

So my Canadian tire brigs pooped the bed last fall, pick up a easy clean, gas motor with diesel burner for $1900. 4000psi, soap option. After a good winter uses plus spring the hose crapped out, switched over to a 100ft hose so I didn't have to move it so much.

Pro: works well, has electric start. Throws good heat from normal temp to steam clean. Decent pump. Lots of pressure.

Cons: its heavy and hard to move even on wheels but I don't have the greatest work are either. Chinese motor but will be replaced with a Honda once it dies. Thermostat didn't work but was a quick fix once the part arrived.

Price was right though.

 

[Pink-Inc]

So my Canadian tire brigs pooped the bed last fall, pick up a easy clean, gas motor with diesel burner for $1900. 4000psi, soap option. After a good winter uses plus spring the hose crapped out, switched over to a 100ft hose so I didn't have to move it so much.

Pro: works well, has electric start. Throws good heat from normal temp to steam clean. Decent pump. Lots of pressure.

Cons: its heavy and hard to move even on wheels but I don't have the greatest work are either. Chinese motor but will be replaced with a Honda once it dies. Thermostat didn't work but was a quick fix once the part arrived.

Price was right though.

Where did you pick this up at?

 

[rknight111]

My parents hotsy is 1 1/2 years old, gas engine, diesel heater. The heater started leaking diesel this morning, so that's pooched already, worked great when it worked.

 

[thump]

I have a Hotsy 795SS electric motor, diesel fired, 100ft hose. 16 years old now. Been running it at about 1300-1400psi at 4 gal/min, seems to work well at that. Only thing I have had to replace was the pump that feeds diesel to the burner. That was my fault because I let it run to long after it ran out of diesel. I remember when I purchased it the salesman told me that you cannot let it run for more than a few minutes without fuel or you will ruin the pump. Well if I would have just turned the burner switch off when it ran out of fuel I would have saved the pump.

 

[lilduke]

I have a custom unit from pumps and pressure in red deer. Was about 10g. Have 5 2000$ washers, And a few electric cheap units from crappy tire. 200$ or 300$
Not sure this will help you at all, but I want to brag about my pressure washer collection lmao.


Cyle is right though, unless its making you $$$$ or you are made of $$$ go get a cheap one, it will get the job done.

 

[neilsleder]

If you want electric look at the Sthil ones. I got one it has good pressure and good volume for electric. And has a rubber hose not the cheap plastic junk. But a diesel burner to get the water hot would be awesome

 

[gotboost]

Hotsy is the only way to go. Get a wall mount and a hundred foot hose with a wall mounted hose real extremely clean effective tool.

Hotsy is garbage had a million BTU hotsy in one of my trucks gave us nothing but problem's wouldn't own one again. I use Canuck Industrial in Edmonton for all my pressure washer boiler needs. They do sell garage style little units too

 

[tmo1620]

Save your money and don't cheap out. Invest in something good. I've had 2 of the cheap Simonize and Karcher (both of them presents on various occasions) and they are junk. Besides not having enough pressure, you have a hard time getting parts if you can get parts at all.

Last year I bought a Diamond from CT. It is a 3200 psi gas job with a Honda motor. Other than the cheap hose (I replaced it the other day with a rubber, more flexible hose) it is a great unit. Soap pickup and various nozzles. Best thing since sliced bread.

The one thing I like about a gas job; it will still work if you have a grass/wild fire and they have had to shot off your power.

I also have the same unit, have had it for about 10 years and has never skipped a beat, your right about the hose, it sucks but I’ve replaced it, never even changed the oil in it, I gas and pull rope and away I go, works excellent for washing the quads, sxs, I do the deck every couple years, parts of the house, driveway etc etc, really like it, recently purchased a foam cannon attachment for the end that also works pretty good to get a nice layer of pre soak foam on the sxs before I start to wash

 

[tmo1620]

If you want electric look at the Sthil ones. I got one it has good pressure and good volume for electric. And has a rubber hose not the cheap plastic junk. But a diesel burner to get the water hot would be awesome

My buddy just bought one of those Stihl ones a couple months ago and he said he loves it, never uses his gas one anymore

 

[doorfx]

 

[struglin]

Hotsy is garbage had a million BTU hotsy in one of my trucks gave us nothing but problem's would own one again. I use Canuck Industrial in Edmonton for all my pressure washer boiler needs. They do sell garage style little units too

Mines dedicated to my shop hence the wall mount, it’s an electric unit, 4 years/ approximately 450 trouble free hours

 

[S.W.A.T.]

Where did you pick this up at?

Got it from Kijiji, the owner bought 2 from the auction and I don't think he knew what he had. I could tell the burner had never been used as it still had the packing foam in it. PA sells them and all the parts as well but for new is going to be around 3-3500 I think

 

[Zrock]

i have had a Simonize for about 5-8 years now and been a great little machine, its the higher pressure gas model. The only complanate i have about any dept store pressure is the hoses they come with are garbage and short. So if yo u don't mind kinking it all the time they are a good machine.. If i were going to do it again i would go with a Sthil unit as by the time you figure out purchasing a machine then spending another $100 on a better hose you really are not far off in price.. Those are the only 2 options i have where i live

 

[TylerG]

thanks for all the feedback guys, I"m definitely trying not to break the bank, and want a portable unit....... Not wanting hot water, just want a simple one to use.

I'm leaning more towards electric than gas powered.

 

[neilsleder]

thanks for all the feedback guys, I"m definitely trying not to break the bank, and want a portable unit....... Not wanting hot water, just want a simple one to use.

I'm leaning more towards electric than gas powered.

Do yourself a favour and check out sthil