Best Pressure Washer for Patio
Published By - 9th November 2019
Patios, driveways, stonework after a tough winter… the moss will grow, dirt and grime will appear, and it will quickly look worn and dirty. However, your brand new patio and driveway are still under this grime; it just needs to be removed. Pressure washers are fantastic at bringing your tired patio and driveway back to their former glory and getting it looking like new again.
- Our Choice: Kärcher K7 Smart Premium Control Home
- Runner-Up: Kärcher K5 Premium Full Control Home
- Alternative Pick: Nilfisk E140 3-9 Xtra
Below we have reviewed each pressure washer; all are great for use on your patio or driveway and decking. The choice comes down to your budget, the area you need to clean, the larger the area, the more power and water flow you want, and finally, other uses and how you intend to use it.
Our Choice
If you are looking for a pressure washer to clean your patio, decking, slabs, drive and pathways, then our choice is the Karcher K7. This model has all the power you need, it is not the cheapest, but it is well built, comes with everything you need, and has enough power to bring your slabs and driveway to like new.
Kärcher K7 Smart Premium Control Home
If you are looking for a pressure washer to clean your patio, decking, slabs, drive and pathways, then our choice is the Karcher K7. This model has all the power you need, it is not the cheapest, but it is well built, comes with everything you need, and has enough power to bring your slabs and driveway to like new.
Additionally, this pressure washer can be used on masonry, blockwork, slabs, concrete and decking, so whatever you drive or patio is made from, a pressure washer can bring it up like new and remove years of built-up dirt.
With a maximum pressure of 180 bars and a maximum flow rate of 600 litres per hour, this beast is capable of any work you can throw at it at home. Voltage is 220-240V, and it weighs a slightly-hefty 20.5kg. However, that does not make this pressure washer hard to move. With two highly robust wheels and a 10-meter long high-pressure hose, you can tow this pressure washer anywhere.
The K7 also includes a T 7 Plus patio cleaner and detergent, making it perfect for patio cleaning usage. Included are the Vario and Dirt blaster lances that provide 50% more cleaning power than standard lances. This unit by Karcher is a powerful pressure washer that is a diverse powerhouse, from gentle car washing to tough, high-pressured patio cleaning. As with the K5, the K7 comes with a suction hose so that you can use the washer from either a harvested water source or a static source. As an electric pressure washer, no petrol is needed, making this unit convenient and easy to use.
Karcher K5 Full Control
The Karcher K5 Full Control Pressure Washer is a high-powered pressure washer with an upright construction and a water-cooled motor to ensure long life. What is great about this unit is not only is it efficient in washing your outdoor surfaces such as patios but it can also be used for your car and lighter tasks such as cleaning bikes, garden furniture or how children dirty wellies.
The K5 is optimal for cleaning smaller patios, stonework, decking, garden furniture, and even cars and motorbikes using the correct lances and water pressure. With a quick connect hose system, it is easy to use, and with a suction hose, you can harvest water from various sources for easy recycling of water use through this pressure washer. Weighing in at 14.3kg, this pressure washer is up for tough tasks that require power and although weighing quite a bit, the wheels and handle make it easy to move around.
With 2000W of power and a maximum bar pressure of 145, this highly-rated unit also includes a flow rate of 500 litres per hour and a hose length longer than most units, at 8 meters. It also includes an Auto-Stop feature, onboard storage, and a removable detergent tank, making it portable while remaining ecologically efficient and powerful.
Nilfisk E140.3-9 X-Tra Pressure Washer
Nilfisk is another brand that offers great pressure washers for cleaning patios and other outdoor surfaces. They are compact and come in residential models that are excellent for home use. Read our full review of the Nilfisk E140 here.
The Nilfisk C125.3 is a great model for residential uses that require higher pressure capabilities than the smaller units provide. The C125.3 is mobile and flexible and perfect for high-performance washing of patios, stonework, and other outdoor surfaces with ease.
This model includes interchangeable nozzles, pressure regulation, a reliable aluminium pump, built-in wheels for mobility, and a hook for storage of the hose and cable. This model provides a 1800W motor, a 125 bar variant, a water flow of 520 litres per hour, an 8-meter hose, and a 5-meter electrical cable, making it more than capable of meeting your tough outdoor patio needs.
“PAD” models for the C 125.3 include Patio Plus, which includes a washing brush and a 15-meter drain and tube cleaner. This PAD model would be the best optional bundle for bringing this pressure washer home and being able to put it to use immediately on your patio and other outdoor surfaces.
Buying a Patio Pressure Washer
When buying a pressure washer with cleaning your patio or driveway in mind, there are several things you need to consider:
Pressure – This is the power and pressure in the bar that the water will blast out at; the higher the pressure, the easier it is to remove stubborn stains and dirt. Pressure can range from 110 up to 180 bar for patios and driveways.
We would not recommend going for anything less than 130 bar; entry-level pressure washers will be 110 bar; this is perfect for cleaning your car but isn’t strong enough to tackle a driveway. At 130+ bar, you will certainly and quickly see a difference. Dirt that has been there for years will be forced up and out.
Waterflow – The higher, the better, the higher, the quicker. When cleaning your patio, you will be forcing water into a small area, moving around cleaning the whole area, and blasting through more water will allow you to move more dirt quicker. Water flow can start at 360 litres an hour and up to 600 l/h, nearly double!
Comfort – The longer you clean, the more important comfort is. Working in a bent-over position for a long period of time is no fun. Small entry-level appliances clean surprisingly well, but the handling is much less user-friendly (short pressure hose, no wheels, etc).
Patio Cleaner Attachments – When looking at pressure washers, you will see that some models come with a patio cleaner attachment as standard. This is perfect and will help your patio look new in no time.
You can see the difference a pressure washer can make, removing dirt, grime, and moss build-up on decking, the pressure and water lift and washes away this dirt, bringing the decking up like new.
These devices are designed specifically for surfaces on the ground or vertically. You will find them great for also cleaning your garage! Most have handles designed to allow you to hold them and move them around like an electric sander on your door.
Within this unit, there is a rotating brush, forcing the water into a small enclosed area, allowing the pressure to focus on a restricted area before moving it around. Moving it around like a hoover, it will focus and clean that area.
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Ian Schietekat
I Need to spray windows about 12 meters high. Will the 180 bar pressure washer spray that high?
Ian
Mike
How does the patio attachment work on the Karcher pressure washers? How does it clean a patio?
Pressure Washer Reviewer
The patio attachment connects to your lance, under the plastic patio housing is a spinning devices that rotates when in use, there are small jets that force up the dirt as well as very small ‘brushes’ on either end. With the pressure of the water and the water flow it forces up the dirt and washes it away. Works very well.
Roger Holtom
Have they stopped making petrol pressure washers?
Paul Andrews
The Kärcher K7 is great! It’s not cheap, but it gets the job done!
Cheers!
Paul – What Cleaning! Ltd.
Richard
hi
Im looking at K7 full control as the pressure is good at 180 bar but whats the continuous pressure ?
as i’m trying to compare with WILKS USA RX550 which is a great price and better pressure at 262bar but the continuous pressure is 155 bar
so working out best one