When given the choice between hours of scrubbing or minutes of pressure washing, it’s never been much of a question for me. I always pull my pressure washer out of storage each spring to blast away winter grime and get ready for summer, and it’s useful for so many other cleanup tasks throughout the year.
Over the past few years, we’ve tested 34 pressure washers, both gas and electric models, to clean driveways, decks, siding, cars, and more.
Before you dive into our list, know that while a powerful gas pressure washer can make short work of a seriously soiled driveway, lightweight electric pressure washers are a lot easier to handle for light- and medium-duty cleanup jobs.
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How We Test Pressure Washers
We’ve tested 34 pressure washers over the last several years, including plug-in, battery-powered, and gas pressure washers. We test each one at home, to clean a variety of surfaces and record how well they handle each job.
We evaluate the pressure washers for ease of setup and use, performance, design, noise level, and value, then long-term test for at least six months.
Ease of Setup and Use: We start by setting up the pressure washers, noting any difficulties we have during that process. If the instructions are unclear, additional tools or parts are required, or we run into any other issues, we take that into account.
We also connect the hoses, wands, nozzles, and other accessories, evaluating features like quick-connectors.
Once the pressure washers are set up, we connect them to water and start them up. For gas-powered pressure washers, we note how easy it is to use the pull cord. For battery-operated models, we record how long it takes to charge the battery.
Effectiveness: We evaluate effectiveness based on how well the pressure washer cleans various surfaces and materials, including how clean it leaves the surface and how quickly it gets through the job. We note what types of surfaces and objects we attempt to clean, what type of debris we remove, the nozzles we use, how long it takes, and whether we notice any damage.
Design: To evaluate design, we consider how easy it is to move or carry the pressure washer around, whether it remains stable during use, and if the hose was long enough. For models with wheels, we consider how easy it is to move across different surfaces (like dirt and grass), and for plug-in models we note whether the cord is long enough or if we need an extension cord.
Other design factors we take into account include how easy it is to store the pressure washers, if the nozzles and accessories have storage solutions, and whether it’s possible to neatly wind up the hose (and power cord for electric models).
Long Term Testing: After the initial testing period, we continue using the pressure washers for at least six months. We use the pressure washers on a variety of different surfaces throughout different times of the year. If we notice any changes or have any new insights, we update our recommendations accordingly.
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PSI and Water Flow
Pressure is measured in pounds per square inch (psi) and tells you how much power the pressure washer has to knock off tough grime.
Volume is measured in gallons per minute (gpm) and tells you how quickly and efficiently the pressure washer can wash away dislodged dirt.
I’ve found that insufficient pressure won’t get tough surfaces clean, but pressure that’s too high can damage delicate surfaces. That’s why I prefer a lower pressure model for tasks like washing my truck, and a higher pressure option for big jobs like a dirty multi-car driveway—or one one pressure washer with multiple nozzles and variable pressure.
When shopping for a pressure washer, consider how you’ll use the pressure washer and choose one with the appropriate pressure and volume.
Some typical ranges for pressure include:
- 1,000 to 1,900 psi: Pressure washers in this range are good for most light- to medium-duty jobs, like washing your car, outdoor furniture, patios, and decks. Our overall best recommendation is a 1,900 psi model.
- 2,000 to 2,800 psi: In this range, pressure washers can clean siding, fences, sidewalks, driveways, and more. Our most robust features pick sits in this range.
- 2,900 psi and up: More powerful pressure washers can remove heavy stains from concrete, clean up graffiti, strip paint, and perform other heavy-duty jobs. Our best gas pick puts out a powerful 3,100 psi stream.
Some typical ranges for volume include:
- 1.0 to 2.0 gpm: This amount of water flow is good for light-duty cleaning, like passenger cars, steps, and patios. It’s efficient with water use, but it can take a while to clean larger areas.
- 2.0 to 2.5 gpm: At this volume, you can easily wash away dirt and grime from your pickup truck or van, fences, decks, sidewalks, driveways, and other large areas.
- 2.5 gpm and up: If you have a driveway that’s big enough for four or more cars, heavily soiled surfaces, or other really big jobs, you’ll need a higher volume.
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Gas vs. Electric
Gas pressure washers tend to be more powerful than electric, but electric pressure washers are easier to use, aren’t quite as noisy, and don’t require as much maintenance.
Plug-in electric pressure washers have the additional limitation of being tethered to a power outlet (and requiring an extension cord), while battery-powered electric pressure washers are more portable but can’t run as long.
Plug-in electric pressure washers
I recommend plug-in electric pressure washers for most homeowners that aren’t trying to strip paint, remove graffiti, or any other major cleanup projects, because electric models are easy to use and provide enough cleaning power.
My first pressure washer was an 1,800 psi electric model that I used for light cleanup around the house, but I had to invest in a much more powerful gas pressure washer for my automotive repair shop.
Our overall best recommendation is a 1,900 psi plug-in electric model that works well to clean light grime from most surfaces. For more cleaning power, our most robust features pick is another plug-in electric model that runs at 3,700 psi, so it’s great for large driveways and other big jobs.
Battery-powered electric pressure washers
I like battery-powered pressure washers because they’re so convenient, but they’re limited by battery life. Our best battery pick is also the weakest model we tested in terms of pressure, but it’s still significantly stronger than a garden hose, and you don’t even need to connect it to a faucet—it can draw water from a bucket.
Gas-powered pressure washers
The most powerful pressure washers run on gas, so I recommend you choose a gas model if you have really big jobs to tackle or surfaces like concrete with serious stains (or graffiti). Our best gas pick has a strong maximum pressure of 3,100 psi and a high flow rate of 2.5 gpm, so it can handle heavy-duty cleanup.
What We Like
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Fast and intuitive setup
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Quick connectors are easy to use
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Performs well on multiple surfaces
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Stable and easy to maneuver
The Craftsman CMEPW1900VA stands out as the overall best pressure washer we’ve tested, with an impressive balance of performance, ease of use, and value.
It’s similar in capabilities to my first pressure washer that I still use for small tasks (like refreshing my patio furniture and blasting grass from the deck of my riding mower), and it cleans a wide variety of surfaces thoroughly and safely without damaging more delicate objects.
It’s easy enough to set up and use, making it perfect for beginners and new homeowners who haven’t used a pressure washer before.
While this isn’t the most powerful pressure washer we’ve tested, we’ve learned most jobs we’re doing at home don’t actually need that extra power. With a maximum pressure of 1,900 psi, three nozzles, and a surface cleaner accessory, this pressure washer handles stubborn leaf remains on our sidewalks and more sensitive surfaces like vehicle paint alike.
What Our Tester Said
“It is overall very user-friendly and makes you want to use it. Our old one made me dread using it, because it was a pain to get it up and running.”
We sprayed algae off shed siding, cleaned barnacles from a kayak, and washed off a grimy stand-up paddle board. We even cleaned 25-year-old window screens without damaging them.
The pressure isn’t adjustable, and some of our picks have more nozzle variety (our best value pick has five vs. the three this one has, but I like that this one includes a surface cleaner for decks and patios. It would be nice if you could store that attachment on the pressure washer (it has space to store the three nozzles), but it’s a good bonus.
This pressure washer lacks the high pressure needed for some tougher jobs like cleaning moldy or stained brick or concrete, that a more powerful model like our best gas pick can tackle with ease, but not everyone needs that power (and this one costs almost $200 less than our best gas pick).
Power Source: Electric | Max. Pressure: 1,900 PSI | Max. GPM: 1.2 | Included Nozzles/Brushes: Three nozzles, surface cleaner | Weight: 29.4 pounds | Hose Length: 25 feet
This Hart pressure washer stands out as our favorite gas model with its sheer power, versatility, and exceptional cleaning performance. Gas pressure washers are often more difficult to set up and use than electric ones, but this one provides professional-grade results with an intuitive setup and impressive pressure control that’s easy enough for even a beginner to handle.
Cleaning baked-on grime from concrete is one of the tougher jobs for a pressure washer to handle, so we were seriously impressed when this one washed decades of dirt from our long driveway. It also sprayed our garage doors clean, and the gentle blue nozzle (with soap) was perfect for quickly washing a truck.
What Our Tester Said
“I’ve used a professional service to clean the mildew from the siding of my home. It was expensive, costing more than $300 just for that service alone. This pressure washer can easily do that and never have to pay for a service again.”
I’d like it if this pressure washer had lockable wheels (the extra vibration from a gas motor may cause a walking or creeping effect on some surfaces) but it felt very sturdy during use even without that feature. The large wheels make it easy to move over various surfaces, even over a curb and through our yard.
Power Source: Gas | Max. Pressure: 3,100 psi | Max. GPM: 2.5 | Included Nozzles/Brushes: Four | Weight: 53.5 pounds | Hose Length: 25 feet
What We Like
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Exceptionally fast setup
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Compact and lightweight
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Integrated soap tank
The Westinghouse EPX3500 provides solid performance across a variety of surfaces and materials, surprising versatility, and a price point under $200, providing the most value out of any pressure washer we tested.
It’s a bit more expensive than our overall best recommendation, but it’s also slightly more powerful and has a few more nozzles to choose from.
One thing I love about this pressure washer is that you can vary the pressure (which is a great feature to have at this price). That really comes in handy when cleaning surfaces that each call for a different level of pressure—vinyl fencing, an aluminum outdoor table, a large stone patio, and more.
The only issue we ran into was that our aluminum table had some oxidation that required manual scrubbing to clean (the pressure washer blasted away built-up dirt and grime though). Everything else came out spotless, including the stone patio (which had a heavy layer of muck that cleaned up within minutes).
In addition to four standard nozzles, this pressure washer also comes with a soap nozzle that works with the built-in soap tank. It also has some other nice extras, like a wide base that resists tipping over when you reach the end of the 25 foot hose and tug it a bit. When you’re done using it, everything stores neatly on the unit itself.
Power Source: Electric | Max. Pressure: 2,500 psi | Max. GPM: 1.76 | Included Nozzles/Brushes: Five | Weight: 21 pounds | Hose Length: 25 feet
What We Like
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Turbo nozzle is effective and satisfying
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Comfortable handle with locking tricker
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Wheels roll well on various surfaces
The Ryobi RY142500 is our recommendation for tackling large, flat surfaces like decks and fences. It doesn’t have the same nozzle selection as other models (our most robust features pick has five nozzles plus a foam blaster), but it does have a built-in soap tank and comes with a surface cleaner that’s perfect for decks, sidewalks, and driveways.
We deployed this pressure washer on a tiled porch and concrete patio with impressive results. Both surfaces were caked with dirt and ash from LA’s fire season, and we had tried cleaning with a hose previously, but the surface cleaner left them spotless (with waves of black dirt and debris washed away in the process).
This pressure washer took longer to assemble than most, but we were still done in about 30 minutes (compared to about five minutes for our best value pick).
Storage is a little complicated too—only two of the nozzles have storage slots, and it can’t be tipped up on one side during storage like our most robust features pick either, so it takes up a decent amount of space.
It’s very easy to wheel in and out of storage though, and the same design that makes it take up a lot of space also makes it very sturdy during use.
Power Source: Electric | Max. Pressure: 2,500 psi | Max. GPM: 1.2 | Included Nozzles/Brushes: Three nozzles, surface cleaner | Weight: 43.36 pounds | Hose Length: 25
Every pressure washer we’ve tested is portable, but the DeWalt DWPW3000 has a unique design that makes it much easier to move around (and store) than the rest. It’s like if you mashed up a rolling carry-on suitcase with a pressure washer into a surprisingly compact and effective package.
We’ve also tested the weaker DeWalt DWPW2100 and loved the portability, and this one has the same thoughtful design with a much higher pressure output. The pressure washer is surrounded by a cage with built-in wheels and a pull-out handle, so it stores easily and is just as easy to move around. It even has room to hold the wand and hose internally during storage.
What Our Tester Said
“After testing this pressure washer, I’ve been a little addicted to finding different spots to clean. I doubt I would feel the same way if this pressure washer were bulkier or more difficult to set up.”
This pressure washer doesn’t ask you to sacrifice performance for portability either. The maximum pressure is only a bit lower than our best gas pick (the most powerful option on this list), and it’s versatile too, with four nozzles and a foam cannon included in the package.
We put this pressure washer to work on a patio, garage doors, and cleaned up a grimy, tightly-spaced trash bin storage area, all with excellent results. Different nozzles worked better for different jobs (the turbo nozzle turned in particularly impressive results when washing a dirty concrete pad that’s used for garbage can storage), and it saved us a lot of time compared to cleaning without a pressure washer.
We had some trouble disconnecting the hose (it came off a lot easier once the pressure was relieved) and found that the cord could get in the way, but it’s a very beginner-friendly pressure washer. Setup is quite straightforward, with clear visual guides, so beginners should feel confident starting out with this pressure washer despite its impressive power.
Power Source: Electric | Max. Pressure: 3,000 psi | Max. GPM: 1.1 | Included Nozzles/Brushes: Four nozzles, foam cannon | Weight: 41.87 pounds | Hose Length: 25 feet
What We Like
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No complicated assembly
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Simple onboard storage
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Built-in soap tank
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Easy operation
What We Don’t Like
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Lacks pressure controls
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Hose is kind of short
Pressure washers can be intimidating for beginners—they’re big, noisy, complicated, and the high-pressure water stream can be dangerous. The Sun Joe XP3500 pushes back against those preconceptions, with a beginner-friendly design that is easy to set up, even easier to operate, and powerful enough for most light- to medium-sized jobs.
This electric pressure washer has controls that are very straightforward. It has a clear on/off button, a dial that lets you add soap to the mix, and that’s it.
One of the drawbacks of this pressure washer is that it doesn’t have any pressure controls—like our overall best recommendation—but beginners may see that as a benefit. It simplifies operation a lot, since you just choose a nozzle, turn it on, point it at some grime, and pull the trigger.
This isn’t the strongest pressure washer we’ve tested, but it does have enough power to tackle jobs like washing away winter grunge from a brick patio, clean algae from siding, and spray away mud from a dirty deck.
When not in use, the spray wand and all the accessories store conveniently on the pressure washer. It’s fairly compact and lightweight too, so storage is easy. We were initially concerned about durability since a lot of the components are lightweight plastic, but it held up very well through six-plus months of use.
Power Source: Electric | Max. Pressure: 2,000 psi | Max. GPM: 1.09 | Included Nozzles/Brushes: Five | Weight: 43 pounds | Hose Length: 20 feet
What We Like
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Can draw water from a bucket
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Lightweight and easy to handle
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Relatively quiet operation
The Worx Power Share Hydroshot is a lightweight alternative that’s perfect for light cleanup jobs, like plastic gates, walkways, brick flowerbeds, patio stairs, and even delicate plants (to remove pests) that could be destroyed by a more powerful pressure washer.
While it’s weaker than others we’ve tested, it’s significantly more powerful than a hose, extremely portable, very lightweight, and priced under $200, so it’s a great tool to have around for quick cleanup.
This pressure washer is even more portable than most battery-powered models. It’s capable of drawing water from a bucket, so you can use it totally untethered and in areas where hose access isn’t available, like at a remote cabin or up on your second or third floor deck.
With the adjustable nozzle set to the narrowest stream, we were able to clear algae, moss, and grime from concrete and bricks. Moderately dirty areas are the easiest to clean, especially if you get close and make multiple passes, but it struggled with heavily-embedded dirt (you’ll need a more powerful pressure washer for that, like our best for patios and decks pick).
If you stick to smaller jobs (anything you’d use a hose for will do just fine), then you’ll love how this pressure washer speeds up your cleaning tasks.
Power Source: Electric (battery) | Max. Pressure: 450 psi | Max. GPM: 0.9 | Included Nozzles/Brushes: Four way nozzle | Weight: 7.3 pounds | Hose Length: N/A
What We Like
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Fast and satisfying performance
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Minimal tools required for assembly
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Good mobility over uneven terrain
This Greenworks pressure washer is very well rounded, with an excellent feature set, powerful performance, smart design, and an intuitive user experience. It has the power to clean all sorts of surfaces (including patios and other concrete surfaces with caked-on grime), accuracy to shoot down wasp nests, and even cleans cars quickly.
We turned this pressure washer loose on a large outdoor rug that had seen better days, and watching the grime flow away was extremely satisfying. It’s quick (our entire patio took only about 10 minutes to clean), and it made short work of our cars, only leaving some bugs stuck to the front grill that required manual scrubbing (pretty normal since bug guts are acidic and corrosive).
The pressure is consistent and effective, and it’s especially easy to use due to the way it automatically adjusts the pressure to the nozzle you choose. The nozzle selection is good, and they switch out easily with a quick connect system.
It comes with a foam blaster too, which is great for dispensing soap. I wish there was a place to store the foam cannon, but it’s a nice feature.
The pressure washer itself is on the big side too, and it takes up a lot of space in storage if you don’t tip it up on one side, but it’s easy to maneuver (with big never-flat wheels that handle all sorts of terrain with ease).
Power Source: Electric | Max. Pressure: 2,700 psi | Max. GPM: 2.3 | Included Nozzles/Brushes: Five nozzles, foam cannon | Weight: 46.96 pounds | Hose Length: 25 feet
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