Best pressure washers for cleaning your car
A pressure washer saves time and is better for your car than a bucket and sponge, but which is best?
For a serious car enthusiast, a pressure washer is an essential bit of kit. It gives you the ability to blast away stubborn dirt and use chemicals such as snow foam, which mean you will be scrubbing less. This not only results in less work for you, but you’ll also be saving the surface of your paint from the abrasive effect of rubbing dirt around with a sponge, too.
As well as being good for your car, a pressure washer can be used around the house, and is especially handy for keeping driveways and patios clean. Even the cheapest machine will make a real difference, but keener cleaners will want to invest in a washer with a few more features, more power and quality that will last.
We gathered together seven washers across a wide spread of prices, to see which offers the ultimate performance and value, and which perform most effectively under pressure – but which is the best option to keep in your garage?
How we tested them
We were looking for a pressure washer that made the task of cleaning a car easier. This meant we wanted it to be simple to set up and pack away, with detergent feeds or snow foam bottles. A longer hose and power cable meant less need to move the machine around, improving the score – as did an easy way to store the washer away neatly, taking up as little garage space as possible when finished. We then judged the quality of the connectors and adjustability of spray nozzles, finally taking value for money into account, including any extra accessories included in the package.
Verdict
At the top, it’s closer than ever between the Hawksmoor and Titan, and we wouldn’t blame you for choosing the cheaper 1800PRW. But, we think the better snow foam bottle and extra power of the Hawksmoor are worth the additional £10, so it takes a narrow win. If you are prepared to spend more, the AVA’s design and quality mean it feels built to last.
Hawksmoor High Pressure Washer 140bar
- Price: £89.98
- Flow: 8.0 litres/min
- Accessories: Foam bottle, 2 x nozzles, 6m hose, patio cleaner
- Rating: 5 stars
- Contact: toolstation.com
Used - available now
2023 Vauxhall
Corsa
15,749 milesManualPetrol1.2L
Cash £12,549
2023 Nissan
Juke
14,111 milesAutomaticPetrol1.0L
Cash £16,199
2021 Ford
Focus
33,638 milesManualPetrol1.0L
Cash £11,799
2022 Vauxhall
Corsa
28,890 milesManualPetrol1.2L
Cash £11,749It’s another win for the Hawksmoor, but the Titan’s price cut meant it was tighter on points this time around. Our winner may look a bit plain, but the investment has gone into this washer’s features rather than its style. It has more than enough power for car cleaning tasks, outgunning all but the Draper in this test. There’s a small snow foam bottle with an adjustable mixture, a variable fan nozzle and brass connectors. We also liked the metal handle, which folds down for storage.
The six-metre hose is just long enough and nicely pliable, which makes a real difference when tidying away. A patio cleaner is also included in the package.
Titan 1800PRW
- Price: £79.99
- Flow: 7.3 litres/min
- Accessories: 2 x nozzles, foam bottle, 6m hose, patio cleaner
- Rating: 4.5 stars
- Contact: screwfix.com
In our last test, the Titan lost out to the Hawksmoor partly because it was £10 more expensive. Screwfix must have been listening, because the 1800PRW has had a £20 price cut since we last tried it, meaning it got close to toppling its rival this time.
It also has a nozzle which adjusts accurately between a fan and a blast, as well as a pin jet for removing paint and underseal from components. There’s also a patio cleaner included.
Ultimately, though, we decided that the Hawksmoor is still worth the extra outlay because of its stronger flow rate and better foam bottle.
AVA P40 Easy 1,700 watt
- Price: £259.90
- Flow: 6.5 litres/min
- Accessories: 2 x nozzles, foam bottle, 12m hose, patio cleaner
- Rating: 4.5 stars
- Contact: avaofnorway.com
If you are willing to invest a little more in your pressure washer, the AVA’s design makes it worth the money. The P40 feels built to last and has features that make life easier. The P40 here is the least powerful in the Easy range, but it still has enough grunt for serious car cleaning. If you want more, there are 1,800 and 2,100 watt versions.
All have a massive 12-metre hose with a reel to make it easy to pack away. It also has the best foam bottle, and a ‘shortie’ trigger gun, which can be used with or without the lance. Only the steep price holds it back.
Von Haus 2,200 watt Pressure Washer
- Price: £124.99
- Flow: 6.8 litres/min
- Accessories: adjustable nozzle, foam bottle, 8m hose, brush
- Rating: 4 stars
- Contact: vonhaus.com
We were expecting the Von Haus to feel a bit weedy because the stated flow rate is a middling 6.8 litres per minute. But the 2,200-watt motor is among the most powerful here and gives a real kick when it comes to cleaning off dirt and grime. There’s a built-in foam tank, which can be used either with a dedicated nozzle or with a brush.
It also has a lengthy eight-metre hose with a smooth-running reel to make it easier to tidy, and the brass fittings are much easier to handle than those on most of the rivals here. The lance is unnecessarily long, though, and the tool storage feels like an afterthought.
Sealey Pressure Washer 100bar
- Price: £107.94
- Flow: 6.5 litres/min
- Accessories: 5 x nozzles, foam bottle, 5m hose
- Rating: 3.5 stars
- Contact: sealey.co.uk
There’s a strange mix of professional-quality parts and almost toy-like features on the tiny Sealey. On the plus side, the snow foam bottle is big enough to clean a large car and has an adjustable mixture. It also comes supplied with four pro-detailer-style interchangeable nozzles that are held on their own storage sleeve, which fixes to the lance.
However, this makes it heavy and cumbersome to use – at odds with the tiny size. It’s likeable, but rival pressure washers do it better for less.
Kärcher K4 Power Control Flex Car & Home Plus
- Price: £269.99
- Flow: 7.0 litres/min
- Accessories: 2 x nozzles, foam bottle, 8m hose, power brush, patio cleaner
- Rating: 3.5 stars
- Contact: kaercher.com
Although it offers some great features and an excellent cleaning performance, the K4 is let down by its hose. On the positive side, there’s a Power Control nozzle, which cleverly selects settings. There’s also a tiny – and very basic – snow foam bottle, or you can use Kärcher’s (expensive) “Plug and Clean” detergents in a special feed slot. A rotating brush is included as part of the package, too.
However, the eight-metre hose is stiff and inflexible. There’s no way of storing it either, so it is constantly in a tangle.
Draper Pressure Washer 2,200 watt
- Price: £99.95
- Flow: 8.2 litres/min
- Accessories: 2 x nozzles, foam bottle, 6m hose, brush
- Rating: 3 stars
- Contact: drapertools.com
It’s all about the power with the Draper, and it certainly packs a punch. It’s controllable too, thanks to an adjustable nozzle. There’s a detergent bottle rather than a snow foam attachment, and this works well when paired with the brush, which is included as part of the package.
But it’s not all good news. While a reel for the hose is usually welcome, this one is awkward to use and makes the Draper top-heavy and unstable. The lance and nozzle fittings are infuriatingly stiff too.
Now achieve the best possible shine by reading our car washing guide...
