The greatest stress washers of 2024 for vehicles, decking and patios | EUROtoday

• Pressure may be very excessive (180 bar)
• Portability is low (18kg)
• Hose is lengthy (10m)
• Bonuses embrace a 3-in-1 multi jet lance, detergent and smartphone app

Reviewed by Simon Lewis

Made in Germany for over 70 years, Kärcher stress washers are ten occasions extra searched-for than the subsequent hottest model. They vary from the transportable K2 Compact (reviewed under) to this large, heavy and really highly effective K7, which should be considered the massive daddy of home stress washers – though it’s not essentially the proper alternative for everybody.

The heavy weight comes from the motor and parts wanted to ship the immense 180 bars of stress. I discovered it very tough to manoeuvre on its two wheels however as soon as in place, it could possibly largely sit in a single spot – the stress from the tip of the 10m hose is excessive sufficient to wash massive areas of decking or patio extraordinarily shortly. I attacked a decades-old, grime-encrusted backyard desk for simply 20 seconds and it got here up trying model new.

The wand – though it’s possible you’ll want to think about it as a rifle – has three nozzles which you twist to pick out: a low stress spray for making use of detergent, a excessive stress, spinning ‘dirt blaster’ jet (you’ll use this with the patio cleaner attachment, purchased individually) and a ‘vario’ jet which helps you to select between six settings for various jobs like decking, paving or automobile cleansing. There’s additionally a Boost perform which provides an additional 15 bar for 30 seconds. It’s like getting a power-up on Mario Kart.

The K7 together with different fashions on the prime of the Kärcher vary comes with Smart Control, linking it to a cellphone app. Being outdated, I’m usually towards that form of factor however this app is useful. Tell it what you’re cleansing – automobile, bike, wooden, glass, stone and so forth – and it’ll inform you what attachment and what settings to make use of and easy methods to get the perfect outcomes step-by-step.

A foot-wide patio cleaner attachment is bought individually for £121.99, together with a bottle of patio detergent which slots neatly right into a feeder dock on the principle unit. Together they’re a formidable drive. Every sweep of the round cleaner head reveals a foot of glowing recent decking or paving, like waving a large magic wand – simply ensure there’s someplace for the soiled water to run off onto.

When you’re performed the hose winds up, the ability wire matches in a mesh bag and the lance slots right into a clasp. It’s all very neat: solely the massive patio cleaner head doesn’t have a slot. So though it’s a giant unit, the K7 doesn’t take up an excessive amount of house within the storage.

In all honesty, a much less highly effective washer just like the 145 bar Kärcher K5 or the 130 bar Kärcher K4 is sufficient for many family jobs and a few come bundled with mushy car-cleaning attachments, which this doesn’t. But I needed to make it the general winner as a result of, for anybody asking “what is the best pressure washer?” that is it.

Also, in all honesty, as a result of I’m hooked on the ability. They say that to a person with a hammer, each drawback seems to be like a nail. The identical with the K7. Give it per week and there received’t be a single factor in your backyard you haven’t blasted and also you’ll be knocking in your neighbour’s doorways asking to do theirs.