Pressure Washers

[Minxy]

Help, I'm looking at buying a Pressure Washer for my Dad for Fathers Day, but don't know what to get. It would be for general around the house stuff, cleaning windows, bbq, etc... I would really appreciate some help on what would be best.

Thanks:)

[Dean]

Here's a start:
http://www.net-reviews.com/reviews/ryobipressurewashers.htm

[Minxy]

Thanks will start looking there...

[outback]

I have not longed purchased one. I ended up with a Karcher. Mine is a bit bigger than a normal household one, but not in the commercial range. I'm really happy with it.

[Daddles]

When I first read this, I thought you meant something like a spring washer (you know, small donut shaped thing you put under nuts to stop them unwinding :rolleyes: )

Richard
must be friday. Time for another coffee

[Minxy]

Giggle:):)

Looks like I'll be going for a Karcher, one from Supercheap...

Thanks for all the help

[Grahame Collins]

My wife works at a business where they are repair agents for Karcher and many other washers. Based on what theworkshop guys tell me ,the cheapy models-the yellow brand included, turn up for repair far too frequently.

Two main reasons as cause for repairs here:

1.The cheapies are made from inferior materials,ie pump and piston materials.
They are the sort often found in the discount DIY shops and Bunnies and Big W ,Supercheap etc.
2.Improper use.Read the bloody instructions and follow them to the letter.Hook up the hose and lance first,then turn the water tap on,and only then turn on the power.
Don't run them more than twenty mins or so,as they will overheat.

Lastly use the often as the seals tend to dry out.

That info came straight from the mouth of the tradesman who repairs them.
I have witnessed some real temper displays from Joe public at the shop where people who did not follow the instructions expect warranty work on the cheapies and they won't get fixed as the big K ( rightly so) wipes warranty.The dealer won't get paid for repairing a tool that some fool damaged by not following procedure.

Thought you all should know

Grahame

[Minxy]

Thank you for that info, it has given me a lot to think about... bit of food for thought. I will have to look into it futher. And my dad would read to instructions first, coz I would tell him too... giggle...

Thank you again.... I'll be doing some more research.:o

[Minxy]

After looking at price and the things that I wanted with it I have decided to leave it for a while. Got him a tumbleweed compost thingy. The things that I wanted in the pressure washer were going to be to $$$$ so maybe next year... depends on the water restrictions... Thank you all for your help.

[Metal Head]

I bought a Karcher today and was impressed by it - easily pleased. However, the gun hose line (4 metres) is still all curled up after use, so I tried stretching it bit by bit which helped a bit but I was wondering if there is an easier way of straightening it out?.

Cheers
David

[womble]

we find with our karcher if you twist or wind the hose one way or another that it straightens out properly after use so that you can roll it up okay, just seems to have a certain way of needing to be done due to the way the hose is made I guess.

[savage]

I bought a cheapie $99, made by (or for) Southern Cross Tools, in China I think. Anyway, I have had it for about 4 years now and never had any trouble with it, maybe I just got a good one!.... But it is great for round the home, plenty of pressure for what I need as I think too much would be destructive to the home (lifting paint etc) where not needed, then having to repaint/repair the damage.

I mainly use it to clean the filters on my fish pond pump/filter (ex-swimming pool set-up) works a treat, and also for the boat and dog mats.

[joe greiner]

PW hose insists on coiling because it's been stored that way for so long. A regular garden hose is less prone to kinking when stored in a figure-8 pattern, but still a little dodgy. The PW hose seems too robust to tolerate that, so I just uncoil it before attaching to the pump (so you don't have the wand whirling around), and disconnect before re-coiling.

Joe

[Bleedin Thumb]

I bought the smallest Bosch a last month and and am very impressed. I picked the Bosch over the Karcher as its pump was made of steel not plastic. My only critisism is that I should have gone the next model up. That model can be fed from a bucket so it complies with water restrictions.

[Terry1]

I have had a GMC washer for about a year or so.(don't know the model but it cost $175 from memory)I have used it alot and so far with no worries.As well as using it at home for general purpose cleaning I also quite often take it to work as well.We found it great for cleaning the long nap rollers that we used to apply a acrylic coating recently.I also used it to clean concrete blocks and bricks on two houses as well.That was a fairly slow process but I preferred to do it that way as the brickcleaners around here really rip into the acid and that isn't good for coloured concrete bricks and blocks.Because we layed the bricks as well I could get onto them a few days after laying rather than a few weeks or months(depending on workload) as is the usually procedure for the brickcleaners(one of the last jobs)I won't be doing much of this though and only did it because one of the houses was a spec home for us and the other a display home for my brother and as I said they were both masonary brick.But all in all the little machine is pretty impressive and if it only lasts for a couple of years I don't care all the much.Regards Terry

[Black Ned]

It is most important to have a filter installed between the tap and pressure washer. Most common reason for the machines to break down is from sand and grit getting in and scoring the pump, I have had a Karcher for well over 13 years and is still in perfect working order. I do not lend it without first insisting that the filter is installed

[wash]

A friend of mine has a GMC 2100w WK3 pressure washer which he swears by. I was just about to order one in when I noticed this thread & the earlier bad comment re "cheapies". Has anyone got any feedback on this particular GMC washer. (The price is very attractive!)

Regards, Mick.