Need advice/recommendation for pressure washer

[Widow Jams]

Hi,

I need a pressure washer and I am mechanically clueless. I would rather purchase a little more than I need than a little less.

I want to use it for cleaning decks, porches, and the concrete floors in the chicken house and the dog shelter. ( They can go in and out at will, but so can the ducks and chickens who I cannot seem to outsmart). Also want to wash the tractor and other farm equipment and the livestock trailer.

I have no idea what size would be most convenient or what engine would be the most dependable over time.

Would appreciate suggestions!

Thanks,

Judy

[wyld thang]

Hi! We've had two, first we bought a little one, maybe even electric, that pooped out really quick and was wimpy. We have a bigger gas one now that works well, no quality issues. It even got used to boost hose pressure to put out a fire in a tree.

So I would say spend your money on a beefier one, NOT a walmart wussy one.

[Up North]

For the tasks you have described, I would purchase a model with a Honda Gas engine for reliability. I would purchase a model that engine, washer, and hose assembly are contained on a two wheel cart for your convenience moving between jobs and rolling it to storage.
Perhaps one like this:
http://www.dealsurprise.com/kg25vh25psig.html
Or one like this:
http://lawnmowerdepot.stores.yahoo.n...siprclwih.html

You could, of course, spend more! But I would venture one in this league of washers would suffice your needs.

[Ross]

Honda engine for sure but not their GC cheapie motor. 1500 PSI should be plenty; you want to be careful even with that you don't strip paint off your machines or blow of wires.

[Highground]

I have had two electric ones....both were junk in a year.
I bought a Craftsman gas model from Sears about 5 years ago and it's great.

[Cabin Fever]

Ours is from Northern Tool. It looks like the one pictured below. It has a 6hp Honda (Honda GC, sorry Ross...still better than a B&S, IMHO), 3000psi and 2.5 gpm. It cost us just over $350 on sale. The next model up cost about $200 more, so I settled on this one. It has worked great for me and I'd recommend it.



For more info, see: http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/w...7874_200347874

[THETOOLMAN]

I bought on at sams club It is a honda & does a great job

[rambler]

I was told when I was looking, if it doesn't have 2000 lb pressure, don't bother just use the garden hose.

I got a 2400lb with a (cheapie I'm sure) Honda engine, and it has worked well for what I want to do - which is the same things on your list.

Don't ever let it freeze, and don't run hot water through it - most of them are not rated for more than 80 or 90 degree water, so you can't hook up to the water heater & blast - will take out the seals. If you need hot water, those are far more expensive & have their own heating unit.

--->Paul

[Quint]

As Ross mentioned be careful with it. I've seen huge strip of paint lifted right off cars with them. It is also really good at driving water and dirt into grease seals and such. If I've really gotten after the undercarriage with the pressure washer I make sure I regrease everything. Same with siding and other surfaces. You can rip the stuff apart or blow holes in it if you're not careful. I was washing off a driveway and wasn't paying attention and I ended up blowing a lot of the surface off. It was a bit deteriorated anyway and by hitting it with the pressure washer it probably lost several more years of useful life.

Oh and also be careful about hands and stuff. When they say they're and injection hazard and can tear up fingers and such they're not joking. I had a cousin who was messing with his pressure washer last year while cleaning the siding and managed to do a total job on is finger and hand. He said it was exquisitely painful and it was pretty gruesome to look at.

[Cabin Fever]

One other feature that I really like about my pressure washer is that you can adjust the pressure....not all washers have this feature.