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Losing pressure is the most likely fault your corded pressure washer will suffer, accounting for 19% of faults overall, according to our latest survey.
Water leaking from inside the washer (16%) and the motor failing (12%) are next most common.
For petrol pressure washers, the most common faults are the choke failing and the motor failing (both 17%).
Knowing which brands develop the most faults, and how quickly, is vital when buying a pressure washer. That’s why each year, we ask Which? members to tell us whether they're happy or have experienced problems with their pressure washer, in our unique gardening product experience survey.
Our January 2022 survey data takes into account the reported fault rates and the speed with which they occurred. In our latest analysis, we've looked at the performance of some of the biggest manufacturers – including Nilfisk and Karcher – and have calculated a customer score for each, so you know which brands to choose and which to avoid.
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Sign up nowThe below table shows how satisfied owners are with their pressure washer factoring in whether they would happily recommend that brand.
Only logged-in members can view which brands members are most and least satisfied with. If you're not yet a member, join Which? to get instant access.
The below table shows which brands remain fault-free for the longest during the first seven years of ownership.
Only logged-in members can view what percentage of respondents said their brand of pressure washer remained fault-free during the first seven years of ownership. If you're not yet a member, join Which? to get instant access.
Brand | % Fault-Free |
---|---|
Brand 1 | 94% |
Brand 2 | 92% |
Brand 3 | 92% |
Brand 4 | 89% |
Brand 5 | 84% |
Brand 6 | 84% |
Brand 7 | 84% |
Table notes: Based on products purchased between 2015-2021.
To see the brands in the table log in now - if you're not yet a member, join Which? to get instant access.
Loss of pressure is the biggest issue for pressure washers. There could be various reasons causing this but before taking it to a repair shop or replacing it, consider the following:
On average, five and a half years passed before those who bought their corded pressure washer between 2015-2021 experienced the first fault out of a sample size of 3,203 people. Of those that reported a faulty product, 39% carried on using it as normal and 19% had it repaired by someone they know.
Nearly five years passed before owners of petrol pressure washers experienced their first fault out of a sample size of 80 people. 57% carried on using it as normal and 50% said their pressure washer was replaced by the manufacturer or retailer where they bought it.
Choose a brand from the list below to find out more about how good it is, including the number of Best Buys it has received and the average score of its pressure washers in our reviews.
Number tested | 3 |
Number of Best Buys | |
Average test score | |
Customer score (%) | |
Typical spend |
Number tested | 13 |
Number of Best Buys | |
Average test score | |
Brand reliability rating | |
Customer score (%) | |
Typical spend |
Average test scores based on results of models tested in the past three years (as of 1 April 2022). The customer score is based on a Which? member survey conducted in January 2022 of 2,251 Karcher pressure washer owners. The customer score is based on whether members would recommend the brand to a friend.
Number tested | 18 |
Number of Best Buys | |
Average test score | |
Brand reliability rating | |
Customer score (%) | |
Typical spend |
Average test score based on results of models tested in the past three years (as of 1 April 2022). The customer score is based on a Which? member survey conducted in January 2022 of 185 Nilfisk pressure washer owners. The customer score is based on whether members would recommend the brand to a friend.
Know which pressure washer brand you want? Use the links to go straight to our reviews and find your ideal model:
You can buy pressure washers directly from manufacturers like Karcher, Stihl, Powerbase, and Draper. However, if you're after a pressure washer from a manufacturer like Bosch, Vax, or Nilfisk – they don't sell direct.
Below are popular retailers that carry most pressure washer brands:
Which? has a wealth of information on the UK’s favourite garden product brands. Every two years, we ask Which? members to tell us about the garden products they own – from how satisfied they are with their product, to the faults they experience with them once they get them home. This year, 8,881 members told us about their products. We calculate a brand's customer score based on the results of our biennial survey.
Our Product Experience surveys, combined with our extensive lab tests, mean we can recommend the best pressure washer you should buy.
This data is crucial for our testing, too. If a brand falls far below the category average, we take away the manufacturer's Best Buy recommendations and won’t recommend any of its products unless a marked improvement in satisfaction is shown.
This article uses insights from the Which? Connect panel, collected from research activities with our members. Find out how to get involved