subject: Cheap Pressure Washers - Is Electric or Gas Better for Your Needs? [print this page] Cheap Pressure Washers - Is Electric or Gas Better for Your Needs?
Cheap Pressure Washers - Is Electric or Gas Better for Your Needs?
My husband had hinted that buying a cheap pressure washer might come in handy around the house.
But what do I know about pressure washers? I needed to do a little research.
Cheap Pressure Washers Allow You to Make Quick Work of Household Chores
There are basically two types of pressure washers on the market, those powered by electricity and those powered by gas or diesel fuel.
A pressure washer takes water from your garden hose and boosts the pressure. Some models can increase the pressure of the water coming out of your faucet by as much as 60 times!
The advantage to using this type of pressurized water is that it can make quick work of household chores that might take hours of hard scrubbing if doing by hand.
Uses for a Cheap Pressure Washer
Pressure washers are typically used for cleaning driveways and household siding, stripping paint, removing mildew from buildings or decks, cleaning barnyard floors and parlors, pool areas and more.
Cleaning outside deck furniture, cars and bicycles, grills and other outdoor equipment is also a good application, although you'll want to make sure that you use lower pressure or a wider spray to prevent taking off paint or finishes.
Industrial applications, too, like maintenance of work areas and truck bays are perfect for a pressurized washer.
These type of chores could take hours of back-breaking effort by hand, but a good pressure washer can save you much of the time and hard labor.
Starting your spray about 2 feet away, aim your nozzle at the designated area and move in until the water is satisfactorily removing the dirt and grime.
Focusing the nozzle to spray water tightly (as in a pencil-sized spray) may help remove dirt more quickly, but you'll want to take into consideration that the focused spray can cause damage to more delicate surfaces like car paint and exposed wood.
After all, you don't want to remove the paint from your car!
Cheap Pressure Washers Are Generally Electric
The cheapest pressure washers are typically powered by electricity. This allows for quieter motors and operation as well as better fuel efficiency. However, electric pressure washers are much less powerful than their gas-powered counterparts.
Actually, electric models have about half - or less - of the cleaning power of gas-powered pressure washers.
Cheap pressure washers that run on electricity start at about $100 and go up to about $300. Cheap pressure washers that are powered by gas or diesel fuel start at about $300 and go up from there.
ConsumerSearch.com has endorsed the Ridgid RD 80701 gas pressure washer, stating that this model provides a water flow rate of 2.6 gallons per minute. ConsumerSearch.com stated that there is enough power at 3,000 psi to strip paint with this Ridgid pressure washer. However, at $550, this model may not be what most people consider a cheap pressure washer.
The cheapest models are by far the electric units since they have been designed with the homeowner in mind, and not for commercial or industrial applications that require hours of operation at a time.
60% of Homeowners Will Purchase an Electric Pressure Washer For Household Use
Most homeowners use their washers to clean decks, driveways, siding, outdoor furniture and the occasional automobile. The majority of homeowners will use their machines less than 20 hours a year and don't want a machine so powerful that it will strip the paint off their house or car.
You'll want to bear in mind, also, that the more powerful pressure washers have the ability to peel skin right off you, so care is needed when operating the unit.
Electric pressure washers fit most homeowners' needs perfectly. And since about 60% of pressure washers sold are electric models, it seems that homeowner agree!
If a cheap pressure washer is in your future, check out product reviews for what others have found to be the best value.
If you're needing something to help with simple household chores, then a cheap pressure washer may be just what you need.
