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If you're responsible for the upkeep of any outdoor space around your home, a pressure washer can quickly become your best friend at chore time. The machine can deliver the kind of high-quality and thorough cleaning that makes household siding, patios, fences, driveways, and other hard surfaces look like new again. And it can do it all much quicker and more efficiently than you could ever do it by hand. To find a pressure washer that's reliable and efficient, view our favorites by scrolling down.

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When shopping for a pressure washer to fit your needs, you'll likely want to consider the PSI and GSM. The "pounds per square inch" and "gallons per minute" determine the amount of force that the washer puts out and how much water can flow out of it each minute, respectively. Pressure washers with higher PSI and GSM ratings give a better clean in a shorter amount of time, but they are also more expensive. Also, keep in mind that you might not actually want the most powerful pressure washer, depending on how you intend to use it. Wooden decks or windows, for example, are better served by lower-pressure settings to avoid causing damage.

You’ll also need to decide between gas-powered and electric pressure washers. Electric pressure washers are typically cheaper, quieter, and more lightweight, while gas pressure washers are often more powerful. However, gas-powered pressure washers tend to require more maintenance, like changing the oil, air filter, and spark plug.

With that in mind, we looked at the most popular pressure washers to see which ones offer enough PSI to get the job done, as well as their key pros and cons so you can make the best choice for your needs.

At half the size of other pressure washers, this one is a good choice for occasional use and small projects at home or for boats, RVs and vehicles.

With a long-life motor and a tough welded-steel frame, this pressure washer will withstand years of hard work. The 25-inch high-pressure hose provides performance and maneuverability.

This cleaner generates 3000 PSI and features a high-pressure foamer cannon that produces rich bubbles to remove deeply-lodged dirt and grime.

For the really heavy-duty jobs, opt for a gas-powered behemoth like this Westinghouse WPX3400. It delivers 3400 PSI of pressure to help you clean cars, driveways, walls, fences and floors in no time. The base of the machine includes a built-in soap tank, making it that much more convenient to wash off dirty and grime.

What is the primary purpose of a pressure washer?

The primary purpose of a pressure washer is to provide a means of quickly and efficiently cleaning especially grimy outdoor surfaces that would otherwise be nearly impossible to get clean by means of a powerful spray of pressurized water. There are a variety of ways of delivering that spray of pressurized water, but the overall intent of using it to clean is the same.

What are some features to look for when choosing a pressure washer?

Some features to look for when choosing a pressure washer include, but are not limited to: maximum pounds per square inch of water pressure output, how far the washer can spray that pressure out to, the means by which the pressure washer is moved around, how far the nozzle can extend from the pressure washer apparatus itself, how long the hose is to connect the pressure washer to the source of water, how many different nozzles the pressure washer comes with, how much power it takes to run the pressure washer, how long the power cable is to power the pressure washer if it runs on electricity, and how long a tank of gas lasts if it is gas powered.

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