Best Cordless Pressure Washers
Heavily soiled terraces, mossy pavements or cars covered in pollen: for many people, this is a horror scenario. Because cleaning proves to be laborious and time-consuming if no suitable tool is at hand. If you own a high-pressure cleaner, you can remove such stubborn dirt quickly and effortlessly. The battery operation makes the devices versatile and facilitates handling.
To give our readers an initial overview of the range, i have compared 5 best cordless pressure washers and compiled their most important features. I tested one cordless pressure washer ourselves. The guide then explains how the practical cleaning aids work and what distinguishes the different types of cordless pressure washers. As a basis for an informed purchase decision, we explain the most important factors to consider when buying such a device and deal with some frequently asked questions.
5 Best Cordless Pressure Washers
WORX 20V Cordless Hydroshot Pressure Washer WG630E.5
WORX WG620E.6 18V(20V MAX) Cordless 22 Bar Hydroshot Portable Pressure Washer
Bosch Cordless Outdoor Pressure Washer Fontus 18V
Yard Force 22Bar 20V Aquajet Cordless Pressure Cleaner
Greenworks Cordless High-Pressure Cleaner GDC60
What is a cordless pressure washer?
Cordless pressure washers are more compact, mobile and somewhat less powerful versions of ordinary high-pressure cleaners. They are used to remove dirt from surfaces with a strong water jet.
Many cordless pressure washers work with a water pressure of 5 to 20 bar, which would be more accurate to call them “low-pressure cleaners”. By comparison, normal pressure washers often reach a water pressure of up to 100 bar.
How does a cordless pressure washer work?
All cordless pressure washers work in the same way. The battery is responsible for supplying power to a pump. The pump sucks in the water and transports it via two suction valves to one piston each. The pistons are mounted on a movable disc – the so-called swash plate. This is set into a forward-backward motion by the water pressure. This presses the water at high speed through pressure valves towards the nozzle – the water flows outwards at high pressure.
In the process, the pistons are alternately pushed by the swash plate and then returned to their original position by a return spring. Depending on the engine speed, this process is repeated about 1,400 to 2,800 times per minute. The motor speed determines the pressure at which the battery-powered high-pressure cleaner delivers the water.
What types of cordless pressure washers are there?
Cordless pressure washers can be divided into models with an integrated water tank and those with a hose connection. This results in individual advantages and disadvantages, which we would like to discuss in the following section.
Cordless pressure washers with water tank
There are cordless pressure washers that draw water from their own water tank. A permanent connection to a water hose is not necessary, which results in flexible application possibilities. The biggest disadvantage is that a full water tank makes the cleaners several kilograms heavier. It should also be mentioned that the usage time is not only limited by the charge level of the battery, but also by the fill level of the water tank.
Cordless pressure washer with hose connection
Battery-powered pressure washers with hose connection draw their water from an external source. This makes them lightweight and easy to transport. The water supply is permanently ensured via a hose, which is why the usage time of these devices is limited solely by the battery. The only disadvantage is that the radius of movement is limited by the water hose.
What are cordless pressure washers suitable for?
Battery-powered pressure washers are versatile cleaning devices that are suitable for much more than cleaning facades or garden fences. In the following, we have compiled some possible applications:
- Cleaning cars and bicycles
- Cleaning tools
- Cleaning balconies and patios
- Cleaning heavily soiled windows with low pressure
- Removal of lime residues in swimming pools
- Removal of moss and algae from pavements
- Removal of snow and salt residues on pavements
- Cleaning garden furniture
- Removal of graffiti with a special solvent
- Cleaning of animal fur with low pressure
- Removal of spider webs
How much does a cordless pressure washer cost?
The range of pressure washers is broad and prices vary widely. While models with a hose connection and low power can be had for low three-figure sums, consumers should plan on a mid-three-figure investment when purchasing a powerful cordless pressure washer with a large water tank. When purchasing a cordless pressure washer, buyers should expect the following costs:
- Cordless pressure washers in the lower price range: £90 to £150
- Cordless pressure washers in the medium price range: £150 to £250
- Cordless pressure washers in the upper price range: from £250 upwards
Internet versus specialist shops: Where is it worth buying a cordless pressure washer?
If you want to buy your new cordless pressure washer outside the Internet, the best place to start is your local DIY store. There, consumers can benefit from personal advice. How helpful this is depends to a large extent on how well the advising employee knows about cordless pressure washers and their features. Apart from the advice, buying in a local store is usually cumbersome. Often the selection of available models is as limited as the possibilities to compare the individual devices with each other. In the worst case, it is necessary to visit several shops to find a suitable battery-powered high-pressure cleaner.
The internet offers better conditions. Not only are almost all currently available models available here, but there are also many opportunities to obtain comprehensive information and precisely compare the individual devices with each other. As soon as the right battery-powered high-pressure cleaner has been found, it can be ordered conveniently and quickly from home. The bottom line is that the advantages of the internet outweigh the disadvantages. This does not mean that a good cordless pressure washer cannot be found in local shops with more effort.
Cordless Pressure Washer Buying Guide: What do you need to consider when buying a cordless pressure washer?
If you want to find a pressure washer that fully meets your requirements, you should consider a few factors. To help our readers make an informed buying decision, we have compiled the most important criteria in the following section. These include:
- Intended use
- Water pressure
- Pump material
- Detergent tank
- Spray nozzles
- Water tank
- Water hose
- Battery capacity
- Weight
- The intended use
First of all, the buyer should determine what he wants to use the new battery-powered high-pressure cleaner for. Decisive factors are the place of use and the severity of the soiling. If the device is to be used exclusively for cleaning a specific area – for example, the patio or the car – consumers can use a cordless pressure washer with a hose connection without hesitation.
If different areas are to be cleaned and no specific place of use can be determined, a model with a water tank is recommended. This allows flexible use at different locations. If you already know that you will have to deal with stubborn dirt – for example, mossy pavements or limescale residues in the swimming pool – you should make sure that the water pressure is as high as possible. If you only want to make it easier to remove pollen from your car in spring, you can opt for a model with low water pressure.
Water pressure
The higher the water pressure of a cordless pressure washer, the more effectively and quickly it can remove stubborn dirt. While inexpensive models are usually found in a range between 5 and 20 bar, battery-powered pressure washers from the middle and upper price ranges come close to the performance of normal pressure washers. They operate at 20 to 90 bar. Consumers should note that high water pressure is always accompanied by higher water consumption. This disadvantage can be compensated by the fact that cleaning tasks are completed more quickly.
Pump material
The heart of a battery-powered high-pressure cleaner is its pump. It should be as stable, powerful and light as possible. The decisive factor is the material. High-pressure cleaner pumps are made of brass, aluminium or plastic. Brass pumps are heavy, but are considered the most durable. They are found almost exclusively in models from the upper price range. Pumps made of aluminium are also robust. The advantage is that they are lighter and less expensive than brass pumps. They can be found in both mid-range and high-end models.
Battery-powered pressure washers in the lower price range usually have plastic pumps. These are inexpensive to manufacture, but less robust and powerful. One disadvantage is that they are sensitive to freezing water. In the worst case, the water can expand so much that the pump bursts. This risk does not exist with brass or aluminium.
Tank for cleaning agent
There are cordless pressure washers that have an integrated tank or an external container for adding cleaning agents. Consumers should determine whether such a tank is necessary before buying. Although cleaning agent facilitates the removal of stubborn dirt, it is usually not necessary for ordinary tasks such as cleaning pavements, patios or vehicles. A tank for cleaning agent is important when oily contamination needs to be removed. Accordingly, such models are mainly interesting for use in factories or workshops.
The spray nozzles
When buying a cordless pressure washer, it is important to pay attention to which nozzles the device is equipped with. While inexpensive models usually only have a spot spray nozzle, pressure washers from the middle and upper price ranges are often equipped with 3-in-1 or 5-in-1 nozzles, which combine several types of nozzles. The most commonly used nozzles are:
- Spot-jet nozzle – considered the basic type and concentrates the water on a small area. The angle of the orifice is 0 degrees, which means that all the working pressure is concentrated on the area to be cleaned and no power is lost. This makes a spot-jet nozzle very suitable for cleaning joints or grooves.
- Flat jet nozzle – this nozzle has a gentler, flatter jet with an angle of around 60 degrees. The user can often adjust the angle. In favour of a larger area output, flat-jet nozzles lose some of the working pressure. They are suitable for cleaning large surfaces – for example, floor tiles, tiles or window panes.
- Rotor nozzle – this nozzle is a further development of the spot-jet nozzle. As the nozzle rotates during cleaning, it combines the jet power of the spot-jet nozzle with the area power of the flat-jet nozzle. This makes it possible to clean over a wide area and almost at the same time as the spot-jet nozzle. This makes rotor nozzles suitable for joints and grooves as well as for surface cleaning. Users should bear in mind that the combination of high pressure and good area performance can cause damage to sensitive or porous surfaces.
- Combination nozzle – as an alternative to the previously mentioned nozzle types, cordless high-pressure cleaners can be equipped with a combination nozzle. This has an individually adjustable nozzle and can be used both as a spot-jet and flat-jet nozzle. With most models, the desired mode can be set by turning the nozzle head.
- Shower nozzle – some cordless high-pressure cleaners come with a shower attachment. This works with a low water pressure and fine water jets. This makes it suitable not only for gentle cleaning, but also for watering garden plants.
The water tank
If you decide to buy a cordless pressure washer with a water tank, you should pay attention to the capacity of the tank. On average, this amounts to 10 to 30 litres and should be considered in relation to how much water the pressure washer uses per minute – usually between 3 and 5 litres. Optimally, the cleaner has a large water tank and a low water consumption per minute. This offers the advantage that the tank does not have to be refilled so frequently during longer cleaning tasks.
It should be taken into account that the size of the water tank has a direct impact on the weight of the cordless pressure washer. If you want to use your new cleaning device flexibly at different locations, you should cut back on usage time and opt for a model with a small water tank or a pressure washer with a hose connection.
The water hose
Battery-powered pressure washers with a water tank have a hose that connects the tank to the lance or high-pressure gun. On models without a water tank, the hose is used for the water supply. With both types of equipment, a hose that is as long as possible is advantageous, as this ensures freedom of movement when cleaning. On models with a water tank, the connecting hose is usually between 3 and 6 metres long. Pressure washers without a water tank have inlet hoses up to 15 metres long.
In addition to the length of the hose, it is important to pay attention to the hose connection. With inexpensive models, the hose can only draw water from containers. With many high-quality models, it is possible to connect the hose to a water tap to ensure an uninterrupted water supply.
The battery capacity
The battery capacity is given in ampere hours and indicates how much power a battery can store. For cordless pressure washers, this value is usually 2 to 5 ampere hours. Depending on the power, the devices can achieve runtimes of between 15 and 60 minutes. The manufacturers do not always give precise information about the battery life. In case of doubt, this can be guessed from the power and battery capacity. If a pressure washer has a high battery capacity of 40 volts and a low battery capacity of 2 ampere hours, the battery life is likely to be short.
The weight
Battery-powered pressure washers are designed for mobile use. They should be as light as possible so that they can be transported to the place of use without much effort. On average, the weight of such cleaners is between 7 and 15 kilograms.
Which well-known cordless pressure washer manufacturers are there?
In the following section, we would like to introduce three companies that are known for manufacturing their high-quality cordless pressure washers.
Bosch
Bosch is a traditional Stuttgart-based company that has been around for over 100 years. The company is considered one of the largest German companies and a leading manufacturer in the field of electric tools. The Bosch portfolio includes almost all types of tools – for example, drills, angle grinders or high-pressure cleaners. Whether these are for industrial use or for do-it-yourselfers can be identified by the colour – blue for industry and green for do-it-yourselfers.
Gardena
The Gardena company was founded in 1961 by Werner and Eberhard Kress. In 1968, the company patented its own water hose plug-in system. This innovative plug-in coupling became the basis for an entire system of gardening tools and formed the basis for Gardena’s success. Since 2007, the Ulm-based company has been part of the Swedish Husqvarna Group. Today’s product range mainly includes garden tools such as irrigation systems, lawn mowers, pruning shears, shovels, spades, rakes and high-pressure cleaners.
Gloria
Gloria is a German company that was founded in Gütersloh in 1947. Today, the company is based in Witten, Germany. Gloria’s first product was a sprayer for plant protection and care. The company quickly developed into one of the leading brand manufacturers of sprayers. To this day, the company’s main focus is on the manufacture of high-quality sprayers.
FAQ
Finally, we would like to address some questions that are frequently asked in connection with cordless pressure washers. We hope that we can make it easier for our readers to buy and later use their new cleaning device.
Which cordless pressure washer is the best?
There is no such thing as the best cordless pressure washer. Depending on the purpose for which such a device is to be used, users have different requirements. For this reason, there are only cleaning devices that are best suited for the individual’s purposes. If you take all the tips in our guide into account, you have a good chance of finding the best cordless pressure washer for your personal requirements.
Which battery-powered high-pressure cleaner is suitable for patio cleaning?
All battery-powered high-pressure cleaners that are equipped with a fan jet nozzle for cleaning large areas are suitable for patio cleaning. For stubborn dirt, it is recommended to use a rotor nozzle, which combines the jet power of a spot-jet nozzle and the surface power of a fan nozzle.
How much water does a battery-powered pressure washer use?
Battery-powered pressure washers use less water than ordinary garden hoses. While up to 3,500 litres flow through a hose every hour, the average water consumption of a cordless pressure washer with a water pressure of 100 bar is 300 litres per hour.
What is a Kärcher?
Kärcher is a traditional German company based in Winnenden, Baden-Württemberg, which is known for its high-quality cleaning equipment. The term “Kärcher” is often used as a synonym for high-pressure cleaners. Normally, this designation refers less to cordless high-pressure cleaners and more to devices with a stationary power connection.
What is a Parkside pressure washer?
Parkside is the house brand of the discount chain Lidl, under which the company launches a pressure washer at the beginning of each gardening season.
Can high-pressure cleaners be rented?
Yes, high-pressure cleaners can be hired or rented for one-off use. If you want to use the device regularly, it is better from a financial point of view to buy a battery-powered pressure washer. It is not uncommon for the rental fee for one day to be in the mid-double-digit range.
Glossary
The spot-jet nozzle works with a 0-degree orifice and concentrates the entire water pressure on a small area. This makes this type of nozzle suitable for precise removal of stubborn dirt. Cleaning large areas can be time-consuming with a spot-jet nozzle.
The fan jet nozzle works with a 60 degree orifice and distributes the water pressure like a fan over a large area. The jet has a lower water pressure and a larger area coverage. This makes the fan jet nozzle suitable for gentle cleaning of large areas. It is less suitable for stubborn dirt.
The electrical voltage of a battery is expressed in volts. This value indicates how much current the battery can generate to power the electric motor of a pressure washer. The more volts the battery has, the more powerful the device.
Bar is the international physical unit for pressure. For example, the air pressure at sea level is 1 bar. The water pressure of a tap is around 5 to 6 bar.
The lance of a cordless pressure washer is the component between the nozzle and the pressure gun. This component directs the water to the nozzle. In simple terms, the lance is the extension of a cordless pressure washer.
Alfred Harper
Alfred Harper is a former consultant and product expert at a company producing cleaning equipment. He was working at this position for more than 10 years and has gained incredible experience and knowledge as he has tested almost all pressure washers brands and models and became an expert in this field. Now, he is writing reviews and how-to articles about pressure washers and makes a great contribution to the Pressure Washers company to help people to choose the best cleaning equipment for home use.
