A useful guide to learn about the main classifications of Pressure Washers
by the real Experts of Indoor Cleaning and Maintenance

    1. Introduction

The care and cleaning of outdoor areas and equipment requires the use of suitable tools in order to achieve satisfactory results. Therefore, when it comes to thoroughly cleaning large external surfaces (such as floors or facades of a house), garden equipment and furniture, cars/motorcycles, etc. the most suitable tool is undoubtedly the pressure washer.

We are talking about a versatile machine that uses the high water pressure – generated by an internal pump powered by the electric motor or the engine – to carry out an effective cleaning operation, especially in situations of particularly stubborn dirt.

Whereas in the past the pressure washer was used almost exclusively for washing and cleaning cars, today this tool is used in a wide variety of outdoor cleaning situations.

There are many different types of pressure washers on the market, so the aim of this short guide is to help the user identify which type is the most suitable for their needs and circumstances of use.

The first distinguishing factor is the type of power supply, hence there are:

• electric pressure washers
• petrol pressure washers

A second distinction concerns the type of water (or water temperature) that is used for cleaning, therefore there are:

• cold water pressure washers
• hot water pressure washers

NB. When we generally speak of “pressure washer”, without any specification on the type of power supply, we conventionally mean the electric cold water type.

Specifically, we can classify pressure washers into the following categories:

    2. Electric cold water pressure washers

Electric cold water pressure washers do not change the temperature of the inlet water, which maintains the same temperature as the one provided by the domestic water supply, and represent the most widespread type on the market as well as the best-selling. They exploit water from the normal domestic water supply which, when used at high pressure, provides a high cleaning capacity. These are the classic pressure washer models (therefore, equipped with single-phase power supply) indicated for hobby users who normally make a standard use of these machines at home: they stand out to be the smallest, most practical and, generally, also the less expensive ones.

They have a wide range of applications thanks to the many accessories available and can be used for cleaning:

• walls and driveways
• cars, motorcycles and bicycles
• agricultural equipment
• garden furniture
• and, in general, in all those situations where dirt is difficult to remove.

In addition to the machines intended for domestic/hobby use, there also are highly professional cold water pressure washers (with three-phase power supply), used in a wide variety of work sectors such as construction, industry, etc.

    3. Hot water pressure washers

Compared to cold pressure washers, electric hot water pressure washers are additionally equipped with a boiler (diesel-powered) that brings the outlet water to a high temperature, thus increasing the effectiveness and cleaning power of the machine. This is due to the degreasing power of heat, which avoids the need for higher pressure or the use of aggressive detergents. The presence of the boiler, however, increases its weight and dimensions, reducing its ease of handling.

These machines are highly sought after by professionals and demanding users who frequently have to clean machinery or particularly dirty or greasy areas in mechanical workshops, construction and agricultural work, etc.

In this category of high pressure washers, however, we can also find lower-end models suitable for hobby or semi-professional use.

    4. Petrol cold water pressure washers

Petrol pressure washers are intended for use in areas where there is no electrical power source (or it is not easily accessible) and can therefore be considered autonomous or independent machines. They are well regarded for the great power delivered by the engines (usually petrol-powered) which, in the top-of-the-range models, exceed 10 HP, making it possible to achieve pressures and flow rates that are difficult to compare with single-phase electric machines.

While the petrol engine offers high reliability, it also has a higher purchasing and running cost than other models equipped with electric motors, as well as being noisier and less easy to handle due to its weight.

The market also offers petrol and/or diesel fueled hot water pressure washers, however, these types are not very popular and have such a high cost that, in our opinion, it does not justify its purchase.

    5. Overview of the main distinctions

Within each of the categories listed above, as already indicated, there are products of a more or less professional level, depending on the power expressed in terms of operating pressure (bar) and water flow rate (L/min or L/h), the functions and accessories available, the quality and reliability of the materials, etc.
Therefore, there are products intended mainly for domestic (or hobby) use, mid-range products of a semi-professional level and superior products for highly professional use.

In order to make this division clearer, a brief outline is given below:

If you have identified the type of pressure washer best suited to your needs (cold or hot water, electric or petrol), then this short guide has served its purpose.

As you can guess, the world of pressure washers is characterised by the presence of numerous models that vary in features and price and it is not at all easy to choose the right one, especially if you do not have a in-depth knowledge of this particular type of machine.

So, in order to move forward with the choice of the specific pressure washer model best suited to your requirements, we recommend that you take a look at the specific purchasing guide that is sure to give you all the information you need.