I’m considering a pressure washer. I intend to use it to deep clean various items like the boat trailer, truck, etc. Might at some point use it to clean the deck before a new stain or clean siding and windows. I’m leaning electric simply because I don’t want to maintain another small engine. Will an electric pressure washer be sufficient? Thanks for the suggestions.

I had 2 electric washers. I found them to be lacking in pressure.  

I got the Ryobi 1,600 PSI 1.2 GPM Electric Pressure Washer for $100 - does the fence, siding, boat, truck, decks... it's relatively cheap, small, light weight and does well. 

 

I've never seen a need for one of those. 

Mine is 4 gal per minute at 3,600 psi with a 13hp gas engine.  It takes a high volume of water as much, if not more than it takes pressure.  Before this one, I had one for a couple of months that was 2.3 gal per minute at 3,000 psi, before I sold that one and got one big enough to do something.  I can only say it was better than a high pressure nozzle on a garden hose.

One word of caution on use  one to clean the carpet in your boat, it will mat it down a make it look bad if you get the nozzle to close to it.  At least one with good pressure and water volume will.  

 

 

I have a Stanley gas powered, and haven’t been happier! I’ve been through to electric and they were the worst. Sorry to burst your bubble but they were good for a couple years and that was it. 

to be of any great all around use dont buy anything under 2700 psi.

Like @Way2slow said, regardless of what you choose, pay close attention to the GPM in comparison to what you want to do.  The pressure is useless if it doesn't flow enough water.  If you are just washing cars, boats and windows (first floor) then a good electric will work for you.  Once you get into decks, siding, concrete, and anything with a second story then you want something that moves AT LEAST 2.5 GPM at 3200PSI.  Remember, you can put a regulator on a huge pressure washer and turn it down to decrease the power (or just change the tips), but you can't do anything to increase the power of a little electric one.  

 

For heavy duty applications you must go gas.

Electric is convenient and I leave one hooked up year around for washing vehicles but when it comes to restoring decks and patios, I'm pulling a rope. 

If you only use it once or twice per year, I don’t think that qualifies as “pressure” 

I have a Ryobi electric that does fine for vehicles, boat, and small jobs. It will clean concrete and siding but just takes longer. I regret not just buying a gas

For small or infrequent use an electric one is fine. I have maybe a 10 year old Craftsman with a Briggs & Stratton 7.5 hp motor that I bought because the electric one I owned prior crapped out after a couple years.

I think I am going to try an electric one based on the responses. If it craps out on me, I’ll eventually have to upgrade to a gas one. Not real excited about maintaining another small engine but if that’s what I have to do, so be it.

 

Thanks for the responses.

IMO you are better off just saving your money unless the electrics have come a really long way.  

I have an old "beater" one with a Honda on it that stays outside all year, and after all these years it still starts right up and works great. Only maintenance is making sure the fuel doesn't go bad. The extra power and long term reliability is worth it over electric IMO.

You will quickly regret purchasing an electric pressure washer. Sure, at first you may have a few light duty tasks and think. "Wow - this is great!" But then you will find yourself frustrated when you really need things done and wonder why you didn't spend the extra $100-$200 on a decent gas powered model.

 

I bought a Pulsar from Home Depot for use around my hotel and it works great for our needs including sidewalks, parking lot areas, boat docks, and the building and windows.

 

If you don't mind it taking most of the day to do your driveway or a few days to do your house you might be OK with an electric. But if you're easily frustrated and want to get things done quickly, buy a gas pressure washer.

Sounds like you have already decided on an electric, but I will add to what has already been said. If I want to knock the dust off my boat or truck then my electric works okay. If I want to clean the deck, porch or siding then I borrow my parent's gas powered one. 

On 4/16/2021 at 9:24 PM, haggard said:

I got the Ryobi 1,600 PSI 1.2 GPM Electric Pressure Washer for $100 - does the fence, siding, boat, truck, decks... it's relatively cheap, small, light weight and does well. 

 

My buddy has that one and he likes it. We've washed the boat/trailer no prob

I have a gas powered power washer with a Honda motor, never have had a issue with it.

Greenworks Pro 2700 electric covers my needs. 

That's why car companies make the same body style with 200hp and 700hp engines, different strokes for different folks.

I had mine out a couple of days ago, pressure washing the patio, three vehicles and the carpet in the pontoon boat, and was thinking about this posting while doing it.  Thinking about how glad I was while doing that, I was not trying to do all that with one of those little water pistol's.   When you pull the trigger on mine, it's going to knock you back if you are not braced for it and it's going to rip through what ever you are wanting to clean in a hurry.

I had to laugh at the expression on the wife's face doing a job she wanted.  A friend gave her two metal chairs and a metal bench that were painted white, but were green with algae from sitting out under a tree, and she brought them over for me to pressure wash them.  The two chairs were nice and white when done, the bench was black with a few little white specs on it.  The pressure washer ripped almost every bit of the white paint off the bench.   

Electric's aren't really much better than a hose.  I have one of these that I bought 18mo ago for $280 and it isn't even really strong enough at 3300psi and 2.5gpm.  More flow would help.  It cleans the wheeler okay, but true power washing tasks it could use more sauce.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007QDYQEK/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

I’m glad this came up, I’m looking to pressure wash house siding and decks, is an electric washer no good? Maybe I should just rent?

You can't say they are no good.  They serve a purpose and that purpose satisfies a lot of people, that's why they make them.  They will do light duty cleaning better than a pressure nozzle on a garden hose, and they clean OK on some heavier applications if you don't mind spending the time.   For instance, if you wanted to clean a dirty, stained 12'x35' concrete concrete slab to look new again, it might do it, in several hours.  Mine did it in about 15 minutes.  I could make a 6" to 8" pass and only have to make one.  A small electric might make a 2-3" pass in have to do it a couple of times. 

 

Now, if you a cleaning a wood deck, you have to be careful with one like mine, if you get too close, it's going to rip the wood up and the last thing you want is a lot of large wood splinters sticking up.  So, as long as you use a 25-35 degree nozzle and don't get too close, it's great, and will clean it in no time.  

My wife's sister has a large deck and vinyl side on her whole hose.  She has one of those small electrics and spends a week cleaning it.  I will take mine over and clean it in half a day. 

I may have to try an electric one then. The siding and decks won't/shouldn't take long

If you have vinyl siding you can clean it without a power washer in a fraction of the time with a 50/50 solution of bleach and water.  Just spray it on, give it a few minutes to work, then rinse it off, done.  I can do in 30 minutes what used to take half of a day.