As soon as you have any outdoor space, a pressure washer is almost an essential tool. More versatile than you might think, these tools make any kind of cleaning job easier.
All pressure washers work in a similar way: they take water (typically from a hose, although cordless ones can often work with a water bucket) and use a motor to increase pressure, which is then used for cleaning.
There’s a wide variety of tools on offer, and the one that’s right for you will depend on the job. A budget model, for example, may have tools that operate at one high-pressure level, which is no good for cleaning decking, as you risk damage; a more expensive model may have a nozzle with adjustable power (or adjustable power on the body), so you can deal with delicate jobs, and a more powerful output on maximum power that can also deliver higher-pressure water that’s better for cleaning a patio.
Pressure washers typically come with a trigger handle to which you attach a lance and then a choice of nozzles. The most common nozzles are a rotary one and a fan jet. Rotary nozzles create a wide, rotating spray for removing tough stains; fan jet nozzles push out a flat spray of water that’s good for tackling a large area, and can normally be twisted to adjust the pressure and shape – everything from a powerful, focused beam of water to a gentle, wide, flat fan of water that’s perfect for cleaning cars and bikes.
Most mid-level and high-end pressure washers also come with a patio cleaner tool. These look like a vacuum cleaner head. They’re usually round but some have a pointy bit for edges and corners. There are bristles around the outside and then a pair of spinning water jets inside to blast the ground at close range. They’re usually adjustable, so be sure to turn the pressure down for wooden decking.
It’s also worth looking for a pressure washer that can take detergent. Specialised detergents are available for different jobs (patios, decking and so on), with pre-treatment making the final cleaning job easier.
Our list of the best pressure washers covers everything, so you can find the right product for your needs.
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How we test pressure washers
All pressure washers are tested in the same way. We start by looking and build quality, and we tell you if there are any installation steps, and how easy each pressure washer is to set up and use: the best can get going in minutes, while the worst are fiddly to use.
We also look at the range of accessories provided, and what else can be bought, plus where the accessories can be stored: the best pressure washers will have compartments for nozzles or storage bags.
For cleaning, we tackle multiple jobs and compare results. Cleaning jobs include patios, decking, outdoor furniture and cars.
Finally, we test battery life for any cordless pressure washer.
- Tested on multiple surfaces
- Cleaning performance compared between models
Pros
- Powerful pump
- Excellent cleaning
- Convenient hose
Pros
- Great value
- Decent cleaning power
- Small and light
Cons
- Quite basic
- Horrible screech
Pros
- Very good cleaning
- Three power levels
- Tidy, high quality design
Pros
- Excellent cleaning
- Quality feel to lance and nozzles
Cons
- Annoying hose reel
- Not many accessories
Pros
- Excellent array of accessories
- Lightweight
- Can be used with tap or bucket
Cons
- Struggles with tougher jobs
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Powerful pump -
Excellent cleaning -
Convenient hose
If you’re looking for a pressure washer with plenty of power, the Stihl RE 100 Plus Control should be top of your list. This pressure washer has a maximum output of 150bar, which means it can deal with the toughest jobs easily.
Of course, that level of pressure is no good for lighter jobs, so it’s good to see that it also has a three-level variable power control (available on the handle), so you can dial the pressure back to tackle other jobs.
This pressure washer comes with a multi-nozzle that offers a choice of fan, rotating spray and detergent spraying. That makes switching between modes easy, but no mode is adjustable by spray width or pattern.
There’s also not much in the way of available accessories, bar the patio washer.
What the Stihl RE 100 Plus Control is good at is cleaning. In our tests, it produced the best results on our patio, cleaning every bit of muck off. Its adjustable power also meant that we could easily clean decking, outdoor furniture and our car.
There are some slightly more versatile cleaners, but none with quite as much power as this one that we’ve tested. And, its excellent design makes this pressure washer easy to set up and pack down.
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Great value -
Decent cleaning power -
Small and light
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Quite basic -
Horrible screech
Considering it costs way under £100, the Vonhaus 1600W Pressure Washer is much better than you’d think. In fact, it’s not only better than you think, it’s actually very good.
It’s a little cheaply made: the lance holder drops out a little too easily and has to be clipped back in place, and the wheels feel a bit wobbly. However, the main unit feels good enough.
A single nozzle is provided in the box, which rotates to give a choice of everything from a narrow, high-pressure jet to a wider, low-pressure spray. The pressure washer’s output power can’t be adjusted, however.
Water is output at 130 bar, which is about the maximum limit we suggest for a car; fortunately, the wide jet can be set to a wide pattern that reduces pressure.
On our tough patio test, the Vonhaus 1600W Pressure Washer did almost as well as many more expensive pressure washers, showing that it’s a powerful choice. And, there’s a detergent bottle that adds flexibility.
There are neater, more powerful and more flexible choices, but if you mostly tackle patios and stonework and want something cheap but powerful, the Vonhaus 1600W Pressure Washer is a great choice.
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Very good cleaning -
Three power levels -
Tidy, high quality design
Beautifully made, the Nilfisk Core 140-6 Power Control High Pressure Washer might be large, but it’s also very easy to store. It needs a fair bit of assembly, but this rugged pressure washer has some neat features.
Top of the list is the hose wheel that’s on the front, so the integrated hose can be wound up and down. When packed up for storage, there’s no sign of the hose, and the lance clips into a holder, and accessories on to the back.
Nilfisk provides a foam gun for detergent, rotating jet nozzle and a spray head. Nozzles are not adjustable, but the pressure washer has four power modes selectable via the big switch on the front.
There’s a wide range of accessories available, including a patio tool, car brush and pipe-cleaning kit. They’re individually expensive and can’t be bought in a money-saving bundle.
Cleaning quality is generally excellent, although on close examination of a patio tile, not quite as good as the best that we’ve tested.
For ease of storage and range of accessories available, the Nilfisk Core 140-6 Power Control High Pressure Washer is a brilliant choice.
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Excellent cleaning -
Quality feel to lance and nozzles
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Annoying hose reel -
Not many accessories
Precision-engineered, like the company’s other garden tools, the Husqvarna PW 235R is a rugged and well built pressure washer that doesn’t take up much room.
This model has a hose reel on top, which looks good; however, the hose doesn’t remain connected to the machine, so the high-pressure hose has to be unclipped and unwound before use, which is time-consuming and a little annoying.
Husqvarna provides a spray bottle for foaming detergent and two nozzles: a rotary jet and a flat jet. Neither are pattern or power adjustable, but the Husqvarna PW 235R does have a remove control built into the handle that let us adjust power to tackle any kind of job.
On maximum power with the rotary jet, the Husqvarna PW 235R cleaned our patio as well as the best. And, the adjustable power meant that we could tackle lighter jobs, such as cleaning decking and our car.
The hose storage is a little annoying, but this is otherwise a powerful and compact pressure washer suitable for all jobs.
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Excellent array of accessories -
Lightweight -
Can be used with tap or bucket
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Struggles with tougher jobs
The Stihl RCA 20 Cordless Pressure Washer is a brilliant tool for at home and away. Powered by the AS battery system (which has a growing number of tools available for it), this cordless washer is light and reasonably powerful.
Built to Sithl’s exacting standards, the RCA 20 comes with everything you need: a travel case, hose, wand and 4-in-1 nozzle. You can buy it barebones, if you have batteries, or in a set with a charger and two batteries.
Two batteries make sense, as you’ll get around 30 minutes of cleaning power from the set, which should be enough for most jobs.
This pressure washer can be used with mains water, or you can use the filter on the end of the hose and use it with rain water, standing water or with the 20-litre water bag that comes in the box. This combination makes the RCA 20 easy to use anywhere, whether it’s cleaning down garden furniture at home, or washing down a dirty bike before you load it into the car.
Easy to use, the RCA 20 doesn’t quite have the maximum power levels as a plug-in model, and can’t shift tough stains on patios. However, it’s power level is perfect for loose dirt, garden furniture, decking, cars and bikes; think of slightly lighter jobs and this is the perfect tool.
For the ultimate in versatility, the Stihl RCA 20 Cordless Pressure Washer is hard to beat.
Pressure washers have their output rated in bar: the higher the figure, the higher the pressure of the water. For lighter jobs, such as cleaning garden furniture, decking, cars and bikes, up to 100 bar is good; for cleaning general patios, 110 to 130 bar is good; for deep cleaning very dirty patios and stonework, look for 130 bar plus.
In short, no. For example, 100 bar is good for cleaning most cars, so if you have a high-power pressure washer, you should dial the pressure down using an adjustable nozzle to do this, or use a car cleaning kit. Likewise, delicate surfaces, such as decking, can be destroyed by high-power sprays, so adjust the power based on what you’re cleaning.
There are some standard nozzles. A rotary nozzle creates a spinning jet of water that quickly removes tough stains; a fan jet nozzle creates a wide spray, useful for cleaning down surfaces quickly. Also look for a straight nozzle that gives you a pinpoint spray for detail work.
A patio cleaner is a useful tool for cleaning up patios, keeping the spray focussed down and scrubbing as it goes. Look out for other tools for other cleaning jobs, such as soft brushes for cleaning cars, bikes and furniture.
Test Data
| Stihl RE 100 Plus Control | Vonhaus 1600W Pressure Washer | Nilfisk Core 140-6 Power Control High Pressure Washer | Husqvarna PW 235R | Stihl RCA 20 Cordless Pressure Washer |
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Full Specs
| Stihl RE 100 Plus Control Review | Vonhaus 1600W Pressure Washer Review | Nilfisk Core 140-6 Power Control High Pressure Washer Review | Husqvarna PW 235R Review | Stihl RCA 20 Cordless Pressure Washer Review | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK RRP | £243 | £90 | £186 | £200 | – |
| USA RRP | Unavailable | Unavailable | $492 | Unavailable | – |
| EU RRP | Unavailable | Unavailable | €233 | Unavailable | – |
| CA RRP | Unavailable | Unavailable | CA$684 | Unavailable | – |
| AUD RRP | Unavailable | Unavailable | Unavailable | Unavailable | – |
| Manufacturer | Stihl | VonHaus | Nilfisk | Husqvarna | Stihl |
| Quiet Mark Accredited | No | No | No | No | – |
| Size (Dimensions) | 310 x 300 x 890 MM | 28 x 28 x 49 MM | 371 x 300 x 882 MM | 270 x 300 x 850 MM | 400 x 400 x 250 MM |
| Weight | 9.2 KG | 5.6 KG | 8.7 KG | 12.7 KG | 7.5 KG |
| ASIN | – | B09YJ386XW | B08KYHZLRK | B0DNN692XC | – |
| Release Date | 2021 | 2022 | 2020 | 2024 | 2025 |
| First Reviewed Date | 11/05/2025 | 31/05/2025 | 31/05/2025 | 10/05/2025 | 11/06/2025 |
| Model Number | – | – | 128471254 | 970 45 74‑02 | RCA 20 |
| Cable Length | 5 Meter | 5 Meter | 5 Meter | 5 Meter | – |
| Accessories | Single, three position jet nozzle | Adjustable nozzle, foam gun | Foam gun, jet nozzle, spray nozzle | Foam gun, jet nozzle, spray nozzle | Wand, 4-in-1 nozzle, hose, filter, water bag, carry case |
| Stated Power | 1900 W | 1600 W | 1800 W | 1839 W | – |
| Run time | hrs min | hrs min | hrs min | hrs min | 15 mins min |
| Type of washer | Plugin | Plugin | Plugin | Plugin | Plugin, Cordless |
| Pressure range | 150 bar max | 90-130 bar | Max 140 bar | 105-135 bar | 22-24-bar |
| Water flow rate | 350-450 litres per hour | 5-6.5 litres per minute | 465 litres per hour | 350-520 litres per hour | 140 – 230 litres per hour |
| Hose length | 5 meters | 5 meters | 5 meters | 8 meters | 5 meters |
| Detergent compartment | Yes | – | – | – | Yes |
