Don’t worry, I am not planning to use it on my car. I just thought many of you guys might be obsessed about cleaning things other than your cars and that you could give me advice about buying a pressure washer.

I think my wife will kill me if I try to buy something for over $500.00, but I have her convinced that we need to spend enough money to get a REAL pressure washer and not just something slightly better than my garden hose. My wife took a look at the Home Depot and found the "Excell" brand. I have not seen it myself. Based on my brief education about pressure washers, it looks like it is all about the pump. The motors are very often Honda or Briggs and Stratton, just like lawn mowers. I think I am partial to the Honda motors, but I think it is really all about the pump.

How much do I have to spend to get a REAL pressure washer? I have a huge deck and my house has algae growing on the siding. My house has an exposed basement and a steep roof that makes it 4-stories tall at the peak. I will need some pressure to apply algaecide to the top panels of siding. I know not to use high pressure to just blast off the algae. I saw a house turn completely green after they made that mistake. I also know not to blast water up under the siding so that I am sure I won’t get water and algae up under the siding.

I assembled a partial list of pressure washers below. As I said, I am very sure my wife will resist spending more than $500.00, but I included a couple of machines with better pumps that do cost more. I am just starting the education and shopping process, so I would love some advice. How much do I have to spend to get something that will really do the job? Note that I like good equipment, for example I have a 48" deck professional walk behind mower that I use to cut my 1 acre yard. I like overkill.

Model 165328
2600 PSI Pressure Washer
5 HP Honda GC (OHC) engine.
Pump Make DAPC (DeVilbiss Air Power Company – Brand Excell)
Maintenance free pump.
2 Year Engine and 1 Year Pump Warranty.
Area cleaned in 5 minutes: 40-45 sq. ft.
Price: $417.00

Model # ZR2800
2800 PSI Premium Pressure Washer
6.5 Hp Honda GX (OHV) engine
Premium CAT crankshaft pump
2 Year Engine & Pump Warranty
Area cleanned in 5 minutes: 60 to 65 sq. ft.
Price: $699.00

Briggs & Stratton Power Products
Model 1808
3400 PSI Pressure Washer
4 GPM
10 HP Briggs & Stratton OHV engine
Annovi Reverberi Triplex Plunger Pump
Adjustable pressure regulation
Price: $799.99

__________________
I just couldn't give up on my 1995 E320.

I think it might be like always going back to that same bad relationship with an ex girlfriend.
You feel you love them too much, or you are just too stupid to know any better.



Flickr slideshow of my 1995 E320
http://www.flickr.com/photos/24145497@N06/sets/72157616572140057/