Best pressure washer: 8 choices for easy cleaning outdoors

When it comes to cleaning jobs outside your home, nothing makes lighter work of them than the best pressure washer. When hosing down, or sweeping just won't do, grab your trusty power washer and eliminate ingrained patio dirt, algae from garden chairs and moss from decking with a bit of water power.

While they might seem to use a lot of water, pressure washers actually use less than your average garden hose – just at a higher bar to blast away dirt. They are also really good for toxin-free cleaning. While many can be fitted with detergent to beat the grime, in most cases they are just using good old H₂O. So if you are cleaning a space used by kids and pets, they are a safe option.

Why else would you want to buy a pressure washer? As well as quickly cleaning large driveways and sprucing up garden furniture, they can be used for cleaning your car, windows and so much more. Anyone with a medium to large outdoor space and one or two vehicles will soon be glad they made the investment.

Whether you are looking for something on a budget, or need a cordless pressure washer for maximum flexibility, you’ll find the right machine on our list. Need to get your lawn looking just as good as your patios and pathways too? Head over to our best lawn mower guide to find your perfect buy.  

Our top 8 picks for the best pressure washer

If you need regular use from your pressure washer, have large patios and driveways to clean, and the budget to spend, you really can't beat the Karcher K7 Premium Smart Control Pressure Washer. As the name suggests, when paired with an app, it not only guides you through the stages needed for your clean, but also automatically adjusts the pressure for each part. This optimises your clean and makes sure you don't damage anything in the process.

What's more, it comes with a T7 T-Racer Surface Cleaner. To me and you, that is a big head that you attach to clean large surfaces with a sweeping motion – a bit like a floor buffer with a water jet. Those with lots of brick or blockwork will find that a must-have for easy deep cleans. It also has a 3-in-1 Multi-Jet for cleaning everything from furniture, to decking, windows and cars.

Sure, it is a bit pricier than many may be looking to spend on a pressure washer – but if you plan to clean lots of things on the regular, the cost per use will look pretty appealing.

This Ryobi model offers 120-bar cleaning pressure to suit any task. Its compact and upright design makes it particularly easy to store – you can store the attachments on the main body, too – and, with the integrated handle, it is easy to manoeuvre. It comes with a five-metre steel-armed, kink-resistant hose and an on-demand detergent function.

The kit includes a trigger gun, Vario lance, turbo lance, and a 5m steel-armed hose.

One of the best pressure washers if you're looking for something lightweight and compact, this Bosch model features 110-bar cleaning pressure making light work of your cleaning tasks. The main body has a low centre of gravity, which means it remains particularly stable when in use. It’s easily stored and comes with multiple attachments to suit a variety of different tasks.

It comes with a high-pressure gun, a three-metre high-pressure hose, a variable fan jet nozzle, a rotary nozzle, and a high-pressure detergent nozzle.

This model from Kärcher has been around for a while, but still remains a pressure washer fan favourite thanks to its range of use, in a affordably priced package. The K2 model is quick and easy to assemble and comes with multiple attachments, including a Vario lance, a dirt blaster lance (to quickly remove build-up from hard surfaces such as brick or stone), and a T150 patio cleaner, which claims to clean patios five times faster than a normal lance (result!) 

The Vario lance allows you to choose between four cleaning settings to suit a range of applications from soft and delicate surfaces such as decking or cars, to hard surfaces such as patios. 

So how does it differ from the K7 Premium Smart Control above? First of all, it is not app controlled so you don't get the convenience of a program changing the pressure for you as you move from task to task. If that sounds like a gimmick, the other difference might be more of an issue – it packs about half the power of the K7. This is not to say it can't do a really good job – it does – but that bit more power in the K7 and pressure does save time and effort. Still, this is a great cleaner from a reliable brand.

This is the best pressure washer for heavy-duty tasks. With a powerful maximum cleaning pressure of 262 bar, this pressure washer will help you to zip through your cleaning tasks in no time. It comes with a range of accessories as standard, including a patio cleaner and fixed brush attachment. It also has an extra-long hose (26 meters) and a five-metre power cable giving you impressive reach.

And while this is the most powerful pressure washer on this list, it's still compact enough to allow for easy storage.

If you’re after a handheld pressure washer, then this battery-powered Karcher model is great. Best for smaller tasks, the KHB works well on delicate surfaces such as wooden furniture, bikes, or tools thanks to its medium cleaning pressure. 

Lightweight and convenient to use, the KHB comes with a multi-jet and dirt blaster lance, as well as featuring a real-time, integrated, LCD battery display.

For easy cleaning on the go, this compact and lightweight cordless model offers up to 10x the pressure of a normal hose. The battery offers 30 minutes' run time which is plenty if you want to clean something relatively small.

If you have other WORX tools that are a part of the brand’s power share battery platform, this Hydroshot model could be a sensible choice as you can use a WORX 20V battery you already own.

Pressure and power are noticeably lower than lots of models on our list, meaning while it will handle medium soiling to bikes, cars, patios and furniture, you will be wishing for a bit more for bigger jobs. Our verdict – this is a must for on the go (cleaning bikes and cars when you are away) and for anyone who can't reach a power/water source with ease at home. If this isn't you, get a more powerful corded option.

This is one of the best pressure washers in terms of cleaning pressure – at 125 bar – which makes it powerful enough to tackle any task. As well as a high-pressure lance and a choice of nozzles, this model also comes with a patio cleaner attachment and a fixed brush. A great all-rounder for any surface.

How to buy the best pressure washer

Choosing the best pressure washer for you comes down to more than just price. Consider what surfaces you want to use it on, how maneuverable you need it to be, and how easy it is to use for tasks such as how to clean decking. 

Check the pressure
Take a look at the pressure to see if it will tackle the tasks you need it to. About 100-bar pressure should be fine for cleaning mud off bikes or bits of moss and dirt off furniture and decking. For patios, drives, and guttering, or anything with ground-in dirt, go for about the 120-bar pressure mark.

Cable size
Check how long the lead is, as well as the length of the attachments to check you'll be able to use it where you want to. Will it reach the end of the drive or up to your guttering? Cordless options are available but they don't tend to have as much pressure so are really only suited to those on the go, or people trying to clean where they can't reach a plug and tap. Want something to jet off your muddy mountain bike before putting it in the car? They are for you. 

Attachments
All pressure washers come with an adjustable nozzle but see what else is included. A dedicated patio cleaning head will make speedy work of patios (especially when combined with the best patio cleaners) while brushes can be great for gutters and furniture. 

What can I clean with a pressure washer?

Dirty patios and cars are what the vast majority of people use their pressure washers on, most of the time. However, they can also be used for decking and certain garden furniture, though we advise using a lower pressure setting for rattan and wooden garden furniture. You can also use them for windows and uPVC doors. 

What is the best pressure washer?

If money is no object you have to try the Kärcher K7 Premium Smart Control Pressure Washer. It makes every job super easy and it has more pressure and power than most of the washers on our list. The handy surface cleaner head also means it has the most versatility.