I’m lucky. My next door neighbour has a Karcher Professional pressure washer (not actually sure why) which he lets me borrow. Built like a brick outhouse and weighs about the same but does a great job especially at cleaning the paving and removing the pointing (whoops!).
I have never found consumer grade washers last very long however well treated (water flow pre switch on, proper winter protection, etc.); they always seem to find a way to go wrong.
I had 2 Karchers that just stopped working - now have a Nilfisk and that has been fine so far. Nilfisk seems much better made.
I can recommend the Nilfisk Alto range used one for several years.
If you are going to use it a lot for cleaning patio/drives etc check the length of the lance some are very short so you are stooped over not very comfortable for longer usage times.
I have a Karcher. No idea what model, but it is very good, and reliable - latter in the sense of working instantly without problem every time I turn it on, regardless of how long since last use, on one occasion must have been a couple of years but more usually several months. When used it is typically for maybe an hour or two near-continuous… Bought as end of stock sale item from B&Q about 12 years ago. Came with several lance extensions and a couple of attachments.
I use it for washing house windows normally 3 or 4 times a year, soffits, fascia boards and guttering about once a year, and cars very occasionally. No good for the driveway as I have block paving and it washes the sand out - I did try close range just striking the blocks not gaps, but with something of the order of 10,000 blocks in driveway and garden path it is far too tiring and time-consuming!
Nilfisk user here, too. This is the top of their domestic range. Not cheap, but much better than my previous Karcher and we have a large area to keep clean. It has a good long hose and you can buy an extension to it if necessary.
We also have the accompanying patio cleaner which is very useful for avoiding dirty water splashing everywhere.
OTOH, I wouldn’t use it for cleaning the car. Too much chance of damaging the paintwork, tyres or other parts, especially with a cack-handed user like me.
Roger
I omitted to say that my drive cleaning attempt had been using the patio cleaner attachment that came with my Karcher – cleans stone slabs with cement joints well, but really not suitable for block paving with sand between!
That the one I use excellent I did use it on my cars just be carful, superb for cleaning alloy wheels when used with alloy wheel cleaner.
A vote here for the very best you can afford!!
I have seen so many people in my street this week messing about with pathetic little pressure washers…and them not doing the job
Buy once…get the best
In my case a K7
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