which (budget) pressure washer?

[whofelt]

Originally Posted by Dochere2

I'd take the Active 2 over most on that list, though the Ryobi's I've had experience with were decent units for the $. I recently went with a Giraffe Tools wall mounted unit and love it. I have it setup specifically for washing cars and I couldn't be happier. It's only a few months old so no long term testimony available from me just yet but if it lasts a year I'd buy another one. I have no idea what it's putting out but it's more powerful than the AR Blue it replaced. I use a gas unit for the heavy duty jobs around the house but that's overkill for washing cars. The convenience of ready to use, retractable hose, plumbed and wired just can't be beat. I find myself washing our cars for no reason, lol.

https://giraffetools.com/products/gr...ure-washer-pro

i want

[Mosaud1998]

https://www.costco.com/husqvarna-230...000239950.html

I think I paid $200~ a year ago. It was on sale at the time.

[Dochere2]

Originally Posted by whofelt

https://giraffetools.com/products/gr...ure-washer-pro

i want

LOL, I almost went the pro route but it was a bit too spendy for me. I'm cheap. I bough the G20, and I bought it off Ali, it was cheaper than Amazon. Was at the door via FedEx in 3 days.

https://a.aliexpress.com/_mKM3Sw2

I'll add that I do not use the gun or the connection hose. I opted for a longer, better quality inlet hose with quick connects. I purchased an absolutely fantastic gun off Ali as well, a reverse trigger design, that I use instead of what came with the pressure washer (link below). I also fitted quick connects on the pressure hose / gun. A side note, the foam cannon that came with it puts out some excellent foam... I was surprised to say the least because it doesn't look like much but it gets the job done.

https://a.aliexpress.com/_mKCczrY

[VegasG42]

Two specific questions :

A soap holder / dispenser that most pressure washers come with is NOT the same thing as a foam cannon, correct ?

And

Are most aftermarket accessories such as a foam cannon, a better hose etc. , all interchangeable ?

In other words, do certain brands of pressure washers force you to use only their branded accessories ?

[mushy_musashi]

Just a weekend warrior here, i dont do any detailing business. I just wash my car every 2-3 weeks. Maybe sooner depending on dirt level. My wifes car maybe once a month. Lol.

For my enthusiast mind and eyes, the ryobi for $99 (1800psi/1.2gpm) has been doing great for me. I didnt buy the expensive foam cannon either, i got the bear force from amazon ($25?) and it comes with 1.1 and 1.25 orifice. I use the 1.1 and i get very very thick suds when using diy detail incredible suds. I also got some inexpensive short wand from amazon ($20?). Im not washing dozens of cars to probably miss the performance gains of more expensive product. One thing that is a must-have, get all quick disconnects. Makes the setup and breakdown so easy that you wont mind putting it together for a quick wash.

[Dochere2]

Originally Posted by VegasG42

A soap holder / dispenser that most pressure washers come with is NOT the same thing as a foam cannon, correct ?

Correct. Most that advertise a "soap dispenser" have some rendition of a pick-up tube that's used to siphon a product (soap) into the water stream. Some have a jug or dispenser built in that does the same thing.

A foam cannon will attach to the end of your gun to produce foam.

Originally Posted by VegasG42

Are most aftermarket accessories such as a foam cannon, a better hose etc. , all interchangeable ?

In other words, do certain brands of pressure washers force you to use only their branded accessories ?

In general, yes, most items are universal. That said, you'll find M22 14mm (pretty well industry standard) and M22 15mm fittings (companies like AR Blue) and you'll find 1/4 and 3/8 nozzles, fittings, adapters, etc (and others, though these are what you'll find at this level unit); Usually it will be 1/4" on electric for both nozzles and quick connects. The good news is you can find a fitting or adapter to use pretty much anything with what you have, though I'd stay in the M22 14mm world for simplicity.

[shimmy23]

If you're looking for a cheap entry level pressure washer, anything off the shelf at home depot or a Karcher will suffice. Spend a little more on the attachments, hoses, fittings, etc. Any of the HD options will make foam with good attachments. I understand that not everyone wants to drop $500-$1500 on their first PW setup for car washing. If you do a lot of googling and YT watching, you'll see common recommendations.

In the end, I opted for the Active 2.0 and pieced together my fittings from Amazon and other car detailing sites. You can easily get an "OG" setup without paying the OG price tag on their site. The attachments, hoses, fittings, etc are what really make a noticeable difference to a beginner.

[dickmidnight]

Originally Posted by Dochere2

I'd take the Active 2 over most on that list, though the Ryobi's I've had experience with were decent units for the $. I recently went with a Giraffe Tools wall mounted unit and love it. I have it setup specifically for washing cars and I couldn't be happier. It's only a few months old so no long term testimony available from me just yet but if it lasts a year I'd buy another one. I have no idea what it's putting out but it's more powerful than the AR Blue it replaced. I use a gas unit for the heavy duty jobs around the house but that's overkill for washing cars. The convenience of ready to use, retractable hose, plumbed and wired just can't be beat. I find myself washing our cars for no reason, lol.

oh that’s super slick and a definite idea for an upgrade down the line.

[M4Tejas]

Originally Posted by Mosaud1998

https://www.costco.com/husqvarna-230...000239950.html

I think I paid $200~ a year ago. It was on sale at the time.

Husqvarna --

Back in the late 60’s when I was at VAFB near Lompoc, Husqvarna & Maico 501’s were the racers bikes. We had DT1, DT2 Yamaha Enduros on the base. Always wanted one or two. $$$$$ "Dirt Bike” was the magazine in the supermarkets and Carlsbad was just bad ass. Opened, 1964.

[Hagasan41]

Some good advice on here for sure. I had 2 Karchers in 2 years and multiple headaches, leaks, failed pumps, etc. I stepped up to a Kranzle 1122TST in 2013 and it’s been great. Zero issues using it weekly and bi-weekly on multiple cars in the household. Combined with my CR Spotless wall mount it’s fantastic.

Active seems like a good unit for the price.

What are your plans for the garage?

[Roadcrew]

I bought a Sunjoe SPX3000 from amazon on a close out sale. Only reason I could think of was because it was blue not the usual greenish color. Paid $79 , was a steal and worth every cent.
This thing has more that enough pressure without having to worry about it being too powerful. I'm a bit concerned that with the m440s' multitude of cameras and sensors the pressure washers' power might damage something. No worries with this model.

I picked up a foam cannon and short gun , 50 foot flexible hose and quick connects.
It a cheaper foam cannon and puts a thick layer of foam on the car.

Keep in mind if you go with the Sunjow that adapters connections are m22 14mm. NOT 15mm.

this unit has 2 dispenser bottles but I don't use them. Just leave the setting dial pointing up and the bottle are ignored.

I went through a lot of reviews on YT for Sunjoe and others brands.

Should have bought one a long time ago.

regards

[syfotoz]

I got a sunjoe and it just works for me. Had it for years now and haven't had issues. I bought a stubby gun to replace the long one. Good enough for weekend warriors.

[dickmidnight]

Originally Posted by Hagasan41

What are your plans for the garage?

my plans for my current garage are to sell it and the house that’s attached to it as quickly as possible

i’m building a new house from the ground up just a few miles away. it will have an oversized 2-car garage.

about 2/3 of that gets used as a garage gym. my motorcycle and tool boxes take up half of the remaining space and the rest is designated for the kids’ outdoor toys.

for the new space i’d like to add a cabinet for detailing products, a slop sink, and dedicated, organized spaces for a detailing cart, wash bucket setup, creeper chair, etc. that will all probably share space with my bike and “workshop” area.

nothing crazy, but it’ll be nice to get organized and for everything to have its own place.

[MADBMWX5MC]

Originally Posted by spazzz

I bought a 1600psi Ryobi, 1.2 gpm 6 years ago and it is still kicking.
I added a 25' Flexzilla hose and a MTM pistol to make it perfect for what I want.
It does a foam cannon justice when the urge hits.

If it ever dies, I will buy another equivalent Ryobi.
I use the green nozzle for initial rinse and white for final rinse.

This is what I have and I have abused the hell out of it...still going strong after 5 yrs.

[Dan B]

A bit late but I have the Harbor Freight pressure washer. I only have a 15 amp breaker in my garage so I had to keep that in mind.

https://www.harborfreight.com/collec...her-63254.html

I have had it for a year and it works great so far.

[VinoG80]

Originally Posted by Dochere2

I'd take the Active 2 over most on that list, though the Ryobi's I've had experience with were decent units for the $. I recently went with a Giraffe Tools wall mounted unit and love it. I have it setup specifically for washing cars and I couldn't be happier. It's only a few months old so no long term testimony available from me just yet but if it lasts a year I'd buy another one. I have no idea what it's putting out but it's more powerful than the AR Blue it replaced. I use a gas unit for the heavy duty jobs around the house but that's overkill for washing cars. The convenience of ready to use, retractable hose, plumbed and wired just can't be beat. I find myself washing our cars for no reason, lol.

How’s your giraffe? My g20 lasted about 10 months, it started smoking and got a replacement. I’m wondering if I ditch it or do I use it again ?

[Zig613]

I have a Sun Joe SPX3000. Well priced and it has a good combination of pressure and high water output. It has served me well for the past 3+ years.

[c1pher]

I have a sunjoe and it’s been very good for me.

[c1pher]

I also got this to make it easier to do quick rinses, just to see how it would perform since it was cheap. I’m actually kind of surprised for quick jobs how helpful it is.
https://www.costco.com/fanttik-k100-...000340232.html

[starlights]

If you are looking specifically for washing car/s and this is not your primary household pressure washer then you could consider battery powered handheld units. I picked up this one recently and use is with bucket of DI water - washing and drying is all done in under 20 mins without the need to do elaborate setup.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D54RGL7G

[stbm5]

i have the active pw. i wouldn't get it unless you are going to mount it to a wall and get the 100ft hose. its not stable on its own, really needs to be mounted to something. also, the active quick connects suck, especially the one between the garden hose and the washer, very hard to undo.

[cobrar97]

I'm totally late to the party, and not wanting to be the a** here, but why are a bunch of BMW owners talking about "budget" and "lower cost" pressure washers. In a "car garage", one of the most important pieces of equipment is, indeed, the pressure washer. It's the one device that keeps you big-$$$ cars looking good.

So...I was just surprised that the discussion wasn't which model Kranzle to buy.

Anyhow, the Active 2.3 would be the unit to get for most folks that want as close to the best (and a really, really good unit) without the +$1000 price tag of the top-tier stuff.

And then the DI system can be added down-the-road with no problem, to have a fully system. And remember, flow is more important that psi by far. Getting as much FLOW at that 900-1100psi mark is what you're after. More psi is unnecessary and even counter-productive. But more flow and build-quality is what we're chasing as the price goes up on these units.
Some of these sub $500 units are also loud enough to wake up the neighbors...another consideration.

Anyhow...just my 0.02. But then again, I'm a clean-car nut (borderline OCD), so take it for what it's worth.