The best pressure washer makes cleaning your car, patio, driveway, bike & garden furniture quick & easy. Sometimes called a power washer or jet washer, the best models are effective, easy to use and deliver great results – fast.
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We’ve compared 42 models to shortlist & detail the UK’s Top 6 pressure washers for 2023. We’ve dismissed the duds & avoided the mediocre to focus on power, value & longevity.
Best Pressure Washer
We use six key factors to identify the best UK pressure washers…
- Power (pressure & flow rate). High power can make a difference on a driveway but is less critical for cars
- Usability – Hose & cable length, lance controls, connectors, weight and overall design add up to make the good models both easy to use & effective.
- Build Quality – How long will your new pressure washer last? Is it worth paying more for an all-metal (rather than plastic) pump?
- Storage – The unit needs to be easy to move and compact to store, with cables & hoses, kept tidy.
- Accessories – A patio spinner can be useful but is bulky to store
- Price – The models detailed below all represent good value for money. Spend more for large areas, greater power & faster cleaning.
To help you buy the right model, we’ve blasted patios, cleaned cars, scrutinised specifications and vetted real-world insight to identify the 2023 best pressure washers, you can buy, right now
Here’s the Verum 2023 UK Top 6 …
Compact & Effective – Bosch 120
£80 – £110 | See Best Price on Amazon
The Bosch EasyAquatak 120 is compact, lightweight and effective. Good for most cleaning tasks, this model from Bosch is reasonably powerful, well-built & perfect if you’re short on storage space.
- Compact
- Metal pump
- Powerful (sub £100)
- Spend more if cleaning large areas
Compared to other models under £100 – the Bosch EasyAquatak is a great option. With decent pressure, a compact design and a 5m hose length, it’s perfect for most jobs.
Plus, the small size and clever design make it easy to use and store. The hose is secured on the base while the cord loops on the side – keeping everything neat and tidy.
Avoid Tangled Hose Pipes
On paper, a long hose gives greater reach, but it can get tangled with the supply pipe & cable. On this compact model, it’s easy to move the lightweight base unit around the car or patio rather than wrestle with pipes & cables!
This Bosch pressure washer is well-built. The self-priming metal motor is designed to last and backing this up, you get a 3-year warranty (register your new purchase with Bosch)
SPECIFICATION: PRESSURE 120 bar | MAX FLOW RATE 350l/hr | POWER 1500w | MAX TEMP 40°C | WEIGHT 4kg | DIMENSIONS H40 x D20 x W38 cm | NOISE 95/98dB | HOSE LENGTH 5m | CABLE LENGTH 5m | Warranty 3 Years
The Bosch EasyAquatak 120 is effective, easy to store and excellent value for money
Decent Budget Choice – Kärcher K3
£139 – £190 | See Best Price on Amazon
The Kärcher K3 is good for most small to medium-sized jobs. It’s more powerful than the Kärcher K2 and delivers similar power to the Bosch 120 (detailed above)
- More powerful than K2
- Lightweight
- Plastic pump
The Vario lance allows you to adjust the jet with a simple twist action. This is great for switching between surfaces. Full power is good for patios and cars but may strip timber & masonry paintwork. A top tip is to try a small area at low pressure first.
The latest Kärcher models work with an App on your phone. This gives you additional instructions, but it’s hard to see how it will be useful beyond the first use.
Heavier and bigger than the Bosch 120, the Karcher K3 will need floor storage space. However, the decent-sized wheels do make it easy to manoeuvre.
The Kärcher K3 (compared to the K2) benefits from additional pressure and a longer hose.
SPECIFICATION: PRESSURE 120 bar | MAX FLOW RATE 380l/hr | POWER 1600w | MAX TEMP 40°C | WEIGHT 6.5kg | DIMENSIONS H80 x D28 x W28 cm | NOISE 74/90 dB | HOSE LENGTH 6m | CABLE LENGTH 5m | Warranty 2 Years
At full price, it can only be described as expensive. However, it’s occasionally discounted to around £140
Best Buy under £100 – Makita Pressure Washer
£70 to £120 | See Best Price on Amazon
Makita’s build quality makes this pressure washer stand out. Plus, when discounted it’s super affordable.
- Robust build quality
- Metal pump
- Good value
- Spend more if you have a large patio/driveway
The aluminium pump with steel a piston delivers plenty of oomph to clean the toughest surfaces.
Don’t be put off by its size, this model is perfect for most homes.
At first glance, the size suggests this model may be underpowered. But in reality, the decent flow rate makes this model more than a match for the Bosch 120 and arguably comparable to K3.
It’s heavier than the Bosch 120 and better stored on the ground rather than on a shelf. And it lacks the neat storage of the Bosch but the hooks are ok and keep everything pretty neat.
Makita is predominantly a trade brand. They make great power tools that are used by professionals with an expectation that they should last.
SPECIFICATION: PRESSURE 100 bar | MAX FLOW RATE 360l/hr | POWER 1300w | MAX TEMP 50°C | WEIGHT 6.5kg | HOSE LENGTH 5m
The Makita is compact, effective and a top choice for cars & small to medium size driveways/patios
Best Pressure Washer under £200 – Bosch 135
£140 – £200 | Buy Now from Amazon
Powerful and affordable, the Bosch Aquatak 135 is the top choice under £200
- Powerful
- Metal pump
- Affordable
- No hose reel
Great for patios, cars, and pretty much every outdoor cleaning job. Plus, it’s easy to use & well-built.
The available pressure (135 bar) makes light work of cleaning the car or blasting the patio. And giving you full control, the 3-in-one nozzle is easy to adjust, making this model truly versatile. The fan, rotary & pencil jet settings are designed to meet the job’s specific challenge in hand.
For fast and effective car cleaning, a detergent nozzle attachment is also included.
All Metal Pump
Open up the average pressure washer and you’ll find a plastic pump. However, the Bosch 135 is powered by a robust, all-metal, 3-cylinder power unit. This 1900w pump is designed & built to last. Plus, it comes with a 3-year warranty.
The easiest way to use this pressure washer is with an outdoor tap. Alternatively, a self-priming kit & filter mean you can also submerge the hose in a tank to draw the water out.
Compared to other models at a similar price (& some costing much more), the Bosch Universal Aquatak 135 stands out. It’s powerful, reasonably quiet & robust.
SPECIFICATION: PRESSURE 135 bar | MAX FLOW RATE 410l/hr | POWER 1900w | MAX TEMP 40°C | WEIGHT 7.9kg | DIMENSIONS H87 x D37 x W36 cm | NOISE 74/87 dB | HOSE LENGTH 7m | CABLE LENGTH 5m | Warranty 3 Years
We’ve seen this model in the shops for around £200 – which feels high. However, it’s occasionally available for around £140
Great for Large Areas – Bosch Aquatak 140
£250 – £300 | See Best Price on Amazon
The Bosch Advanced Aquatak 140 costs a few quid more than the model above but is it worth the extra cash?
- Powerful
- Metal pump
- Hose reel
- Expensive
The extra power helps get the tough jobs done. Plus, several clever features improve ease of use & convenience.
The high-pressure pump will certainly help you make light work of clearing your car, driveway, patio etc. The powerful, all-metal, 2100w, 3-cylinder pump is at the core of this pressure washer and perhaps the main reason to choose this model.
Adding to the robust build quality a retractable steel handle makes it compact to store and easy to move. This pressure washer is built like a tank, weighing 18kg – it doesn’t topple over.
The 8m hose gives you easy reach around a car or across a patio. And nothing gets tangled as the hose is kept tidy on a large reel.
SPECIFICATION: PRESSURE 140 bar | MAX FLOW RATE 410l/hr | POWER 2100w | MAX TEMP 40°C | WEIGHT 18kg | DIMENSIONS H87 x D37 x W36 cm | NOISE 79/91 dB | HOSE LENGTH 8m | CABLE LENGTH 5m | Warranty 3 Years
The Bosch 140 is powerful, versatile and perfect for getting those outdoor cleaning jobs done (without fuss)
Ultimate Pressure Washer – AVA Master P60
£360 | See Best Price on Amazon
The AVA Master P60 isn’t cheap. However, it’s in a league of its own. With standout features, superior design & robust build quality this model justifies the price tag – here’s why…
- Super powerful
- 4-cylinder metal pump
- Build quality + 20-year warranty
- Stand-out design features (see below)
- None
Nobody wants to buy a new pressure washer every few years. It’s bad for your credit card & bad for the environment. What’s important, is that the AVA Master P60 is designed for performance AND longevity. A 20-Year warranty backs this up.
The 4-cylinder metal pump, at the core of this model, makes it special. Adding to this, numerous design details mean it’s very effective & super easy to use.
The 8m steel reinforced hose doesn’t get tangled or kink. Plus, it’s kept tidy on a pivoted reel.
Weighing 22kg and designed with a low centre of gravity, it doesn’t topple in any scenario. Plus, the large wheels make it easy to move.
And with the easy-grip trigger and extendable lance, it’s easy to find a comfortable working position. No sore hands or bad back here.
SPECIFICATION: PRESSURE 145 bar | MAX FLOW RATE 500l/hr | POWER 2100w | MAX TEMP 40°C | WEIGHT 22kg | DIMENSIONS H83 x D45 x W49 cm | NOISE 78/91 dB | HOSE LENGTH 8m | CABLE LENGTH 5m | Warranty 20-Years
For both performance & value for money (over time) the AVA Master P60 is nothing short of outstanding. And the winner of the Verum Ultimate Award.
What Else Do I Need to Know?
Turn Down the Power
Cranked up to full power, a pressure washer can remove paint, damage furniture and trash bicycle bearings. It’s always better to start with light pressure and dial up the power if and when required.
Drain Your Pressure Washer
Draining the device after each use is super important. This is an absolute must if it’s being stored over winter. Each manufacturer offers quick & easy guidance on how to do this. It means your power washer will last much longer than the first frost – it only takes a moment.
Quick Win
Using a decent pressure washer can be very satisfying. You get an instant result and the finished job looks awesome!
SOLD OUT ?
Good deals on Best Buys don’t last long
BEST DEALS
UK VERDICT 2023
First up, is the compact Bosch 120 – portable, easy to store and perfect for most cleaning jobs. However, the super robust Makita is our top choice for under £100.
For a few quid more, the Bosch Universal Aquatak 135 – is powerful, built to last & affordable. Perfect for larger patios, cars and all outdoor cleaning jobs.
The AVA Master P60 truly stands out. For power, longevity and genuinely useful features it’s unbeatable. Plus, the build quality (backed up with a 20-year warranty) means, over time, it’s great value too.
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