If you’re still relying on buckets and a hose to get the job done, you won’t be able to get the best possible results – you need a pressure washer for cars. The answer to your car washing woes lies in getting your hands on the best one possible. These powered water blasters are available in either corded or cordless pressure washer form, and some can even be paired with an app via Bluetooth.
Pressure washers are increasingly becoming an essential part of any car cleaning task, but it’s worth exploring why they’re so good for car care. For a start, a good pressure washer will be powerful enough to help remove hardened mud without leaving scratches simply by blasting it away with water. Some pressure washers are also compact enough to meet some peoples’ space-related needs.
They can also be fitted with options like foam cannons for snow foam, a cleaning product that softens embedded grime so it washes off easier. There are even paint sealants that can be quickly applied using such a thing for hassle-free paint protection. If you fancy changing up your car cleaning game, a decent budget pressure washer is a great place to start.
Note, too, that this is all before you even consider how useful these will be for cleaning your garden, bike or shed with the correct pressure washer accessories. That’s why the experts at Parkers have put our heads together to find you the best pressure washers for sale.
The best pressure washers at a glance:
Best pressure washer for cars (Editor’s pick): Nilfisk Core 130 Bar High-Pressure Washer – View now on Amazon UK
Best budget pressure washer: Nilfisk C110 – View now on Amazon UK
Best durable pressure washer: AVA Easy P57 XL – View now on Amazon UK
The best car pressure washers for cars
Best pressure washer for cars (Editor's pick)
Rrp: £155.98
Rrp: £155.98
The performance combined with this weight makes the Core 130 the ideal all-round pressure washer to deal with both car cleaning and larger domestic jobs (including patios and sheds). It requires a little assembly, attaching the wheels and handle and so on, but once put together, the Core 130 is solid, both inside and out. It even ships with a foam cannon and two nozzles.
It may lack the smart hose reel of more expensive Nilfisk units, but it does represent the value sweet spot in the range, offering exceptional quality and power. The only real issue we could find with the Nilfisk Core 130 Bar High Pressure Washer is that any of Nilfisk's car cleaning attachments (a chassis cleaner is one example) cost a lot of cash.
Pros
- Excellent performance
- Build quality is superb
- Easy to carry around
Cons
- Optional extras can be expensive
| Max power: | 1500W |
| Max pressure: | 130 bar |
| Max flow rate: | 462 litres per hour |
| Hose length: | 6m |
| Weight: | 6.6kg |
Best for power
The K4 is the biggest model here, almost twice the weight of the Nilfisk, and therefore won't fit on a small garage shelf. But it is the most versatile. The flow rate is not as much as the Nilfisk, you'll notice, but you get more pressure (the water pressure is variable on an LED display on the lance).
The powerful 1800W motor doesn't have to work hard either, which is great for longevity and prolonged use. We also must stress what a difference having an eight-metre hose makes compared to a five for car cleaning because it allows you to go all the way around without moving the pressure washer unless you're cleaning a bus.
Then, of course, you get the important accessories you need, plus cleaning fluid. The Karcher car cleaning fluid is a little pricey, but it is good, and you can always replace it with another snow foam if and when you need to.
Pros
- Powerful motor delivering premium pressure
- Eight-metre hose is good for most
Cons
- Cumbersome and lacking portability
- Quite heavy
| Max power: | 1800W |
| Max pressure: | 130 bar |
| Max flow rate: | 420 litres per hour |
| Hose length: | 8m |
| Weight: | 12kg |
Best cordless pressure washer
The main selling point of the Hydroshot is the fact you don't need to get tangled in a power cable, it's the perfect portable pressure washer. You don't even need a connection to a garden tap. Instead, you can have the hose submerged in a big bucket of water and move it with you. It's great in a pinch but does rather lack the pressure to work as a primary pressure washer.
Pros
- Plenty of power for a cordless option
- Freedom to go where you please
- Can deal with dirt very easily
Cons
- Not a replacement for a proper pressure washer
- Battery life can be hampered, depending on the task
| Max power: | 18W |
| Max pressure: | 24 bar |
| Max flow rate: | 200 litres per hour |
| Hose length: | 6m |
| Weight: | 2.4kg |
Best versatile pressure washer
The hose length is only seven metres long, which cuts it short of some competitors' ten-metre hoses. However, it's a mightily powerful tool for the money and should cater to most needs imaginable.
Pros
- Great build quality
- Excellent flow rate for the money
- Powerful machine
Cons
- Hose length isn't the longest at seven metres
- You don't get much else included
Best smart pressure washer
Rrp: £599.99
Rrp: £599.99
Of course, it's not a radio-controlled pressure washer, but you can adjust the pressure settings and wash style via the App. It also has a ten-metre hose, a 550 litre per hour flow rate, and a multi-jet spray lance - effectively ridding the need for separate hose lances.
Pros
- 550l/h flow rate
- Clever app control via Bluetooth
- Long hose length
Cons
- Some may not need a smart pressure washer
- Quite heavy at 17.8kg
Best pressure washer for cars on a budget
At 440 litres per hour, the flow rate is impressive for a pressure washer of this size and coupled with the 110 bar pressure, car cleaning is a doddle. To give your car a deeper clean, use the included foam bottle and different nozzles.
Pros
- Great value
- Wheels for portability
- Good enough pressure for most
Cons
- A little ungainly compared to rivals
| Max power: | 1400W |
| Max pressure: | 110 bar |
| Max flow rate: | 440 litres per hour |
| Hose length: | 5m |
| Weight: | 6.5kg |
Best durable pressure washer
The P57 is one of the entry-level pressure washers from AVA. It's part of AVA's Easy range, yet it comes with a 12-metre hose, a flow rate of 500 litres per hour with 140 Bar of pressure, and only weighs 10.6kg. You also get a selection of nozzles and a patio cleaner included. For the money, this is a seriously good consideration.
Pros
- Durable build quality
- Long 12-metre hose
- Lighter than some others
Cons
- You have to buy a lot of AVA accessories separately
What you need to know about pressure washers and car care
What to look for in a pressure washer for cars
Price – It may be tempting to splash out on the most expensive model and have all the bells and whistles. But there’s no need to only focus on the upper end of the market, cheaper models will be more than acceptable. Kärcher pressure washers range in price and suit many needs, so that brand will be a great place to start looking.
Attachments – A pressure washer that offers a snow foam lance should be a priority for car cleaning. Not quite as important, but still worth considering, are other pressure washer accessories like wheel brush attachments and chassis nozzles.
Power – For simple car cleaning, you won’t need more than 140 bar to be effective. Any higher and you run the risk of damaging your car’s paintwork. We’ve found the sweet spot for car cleaning is between 100-140 bar, powerful enough to dislodge dirt but not a threat to your paintwork.
Ergonomics – Even the world’s best pressure washer wouldn’t see much use if it lacked wheels, weighed a ton, and you needed the arms of a bodybuilder to put it together. Prioritise one that’s easy to use because you’ll spend a fair amount of time using it. Also, think about storage, not everyone has the luxury of a huge garage, so a smaller model may be required. And measure out how far away the nearest plug socket might be if you’re going for a corded option. If it’s far, you might want to think about waterproof extension leads.
Your garden – Pressure washers are excellent for cleaning outside spaces too. Driveways, patios, fence panels and even garden furniture can all be easily cleaned of years of gunk and grime using a pressure washer. You may even want to invest in some specialist attachments to make cleaning these surfaces easier.
What pressure is ideal for washing a car?
You want enough pressure to remove grime but not so much that your paintwork is at risk. We say anything between 100 bar and 145 bar (about 1100 to 2000 psi). You may be wondering about the cordless Worx and its low pressure of 24 bar. Ultimately, the Worx Hydroshot is not as effective as the corded options. However, the lower pressure means you can concentrate the jet on one point for longer, if you need to, without the fear of inflicting damage.
What pressure washer is best for car cleaning? The top brands:
Kärcher is probably the first name that comes to mind when considering pressure washers. That happens for a reason: Kärcher is as synonymous with pressure washers, much like Apple is with smartphones, because it’s very good at what it does. Bosch has many options available, as does Worx and our personal favourite Nilfisk. They come in a range of sizes, prices, styles, and abilities.
What is the best car cleaner to use in a pressure washer?
There are many different types of cleaner available, but snow foam is perfect for use with a pressure washer as it helps loosen and soften any muck present, clumps of mud, road film and even ex-insects before you get down to business with a good car shampoo.
All of these pressure washers have been hand-selected by our team of experts who have spent hours investigating and researching pressure washers to make it easier for you to find the very best, and we’d never recommend a product we don’t believe in.
Where possible, we also test and share the latest and best products you should know about.
Ryan Gilmore is the Deputy Autos and Tools Editor for Parkers, specialising in car cleaning and hand tools. A veteran car cleaner; if it details, waxes or washes he’ll be on hand to make sure it’s worth your money.
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