Best Pressure Washer (2026): 6 Picks, Gas, Electric and Battery

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The best pressure washer overall is the Westinghouse WPX3400, a 3,400 PSI, 2.6 GPM gas machine that Popular Mechanics named best overall after putting it through its tests, a drop onto concrete included. If you would rather skip gasoline and engine oil, the best electric pressure washer is the Greenworks GPW3001, Bob Vila's best overall electric and the model Car and Driver called its most powerful electric after its gauge read 2,600 PSI.

The other four picks each cover a type: a battery-powered EGO for jobs with no outlet nearby, a 19 lb Westinghouse for small storage spaces and light jobs, a Honda-powered Simpson for big properties and long days, and the Craftsman that Car and Driver chose for washing cars. Gas or electric, these machines are strong enough to hurt you: Popular Mechanics warns that at close range the spray can slice open skin, and Consumer Reports advises throwing away the 0 degree nozzle. If you have already settled on electric, our best electric pressure washer guide sorts electric models by the job.

Jump to: PSI, GPM and cleaning units | Gas, electric or battery | Surfaces | Safety | Winter storage

Start here: which pressure washer for you

• Big jobs on driveways, sidewalks and fences, and gas is fine with you: the Westinghouse WPX3400 (pick 1).
• Plug-in power with no engine to look after: the Greenworks GPW3001 (pick 2).
• No outlet near the job, or water from a bucket: the EGO Power+ HPW3200 (pick 3), run on two EGO 56V batteries.
• Little storage space and light jobs like patio furniture: the Westinghouse ePX3500 (pick 4).
• A large property, rough ground and long days: the Simpson PowerShot PS3228 (pick 5).
• Mostly washing cars: the Craftsman CMEPW2100 (pick 6).

The best pressure washers, by type

1. Westinghouse WPX3400 Gas Pressure Washer: best pressure washer overall

The WPX3400 is Westinghouse's 3,400 PSI, 2.6 GPM gas pressure washer. A 212cc four-stroke OHV engine with a recoil starter drives an axial cam pump that Westinghouse calls maintenance-free; Bob Vila calls that pump type suitable for most DIY washing. Westinghouse lists a 1 gal. fuel tank, a 0.5 gal. soap tank, a 25 ft hose, five quick-connect tips (0, 15, 25 and 40 degrees plus soap), a steel frame on 12 in. never-flat wheels, a dry weight of 63 lbs and a 3-year limited warranty.

Why it is the pick: Popular Mechanics named it best overall and reports it was the top performer in its test on both pressure and flow. Its tester found it started easily, cleared caked-on mud quickly, and came through a drop from one foot onto concrete with the soft rubber front foot absorbing the impact. Its smaller sibling, the 3,200 PSI WPX3200, is the best overall pick at TechGearLab, which measured 2,600 PSI and 2.3 GPM from it, the most cleaning power of the 10 machines in its test, and Car and Driver's best gas pick after its gauge read 3,000 PSI. Bob Vila ran the WPX3200 on a driveway, brick borders and siding and named it best medium-duty.

Good to know: it is a gas engine, and Westinghouse's manual says to run it outdoors only, away from windows, doors and vents, and never inside a building, garages and sheds included. Westinghouse's spec table answers No to both low-oil shutdown and CARB compliance, and the manual calls for gasoline with no more than 10 percent ethanol. Popular Mechanics measured 89 decibels at idle and found its 12 in. wheels easy over obstacles and stairs on hard ground, while in mud puddles it slid more than it rolled.

2. Greenworks GPW3001 Electric Pressure Washer: best electric pressure washer

The GPW3001 is a corded electric with a 14 amp brushless motor (Greenworks' TruBrushless). Greenworks rates it at 3,000 PSI with 1.1 GPM of water flow (2.0 GPM is its flow at 100 PSI), carries PWMA certification (the Pressure Washer Manufacturers' Association), and the Amazon listing puts it at 3,300 cleaning units. It comes with a 35 ft power cord with an inline GFCI, a 25 ft steel-braided hose, 15, 25 and 40 degree tips plus soap and turbo nozzles, a 1-gallon soap tank and 10 in. never-flat wheels on a wheelbarrow-style steel frame that stands on end for storage. Greenworks describes the motor as continuous-run and covers the tool for 3 years and the motor for 10.

Why it is the pick: Bob Vila named it its best overall electric pressure washer. In its driveway test it cleaned concrete in close to half the time of the runner-up, and its tester liked getting gas-like power without the noise or fumes. Car and Driver measured 2,600 PSI at 1.1 GPM through the 15 degree tip, against 3,000 PSI on the box, and named it the most powerful electric it tested. TechGearLab ran a 3,000 PSI sibling, the GPW3002, and called it the most powerful electric in its test, with 2,700 PSI on its gauge and the best hose and cord storage of the group.

Good to know: Car and Driver weighed it at 47 lb with its hoses and attachments, and Bob Vila found it easy to pull and harder to push and steer at the same time. Car and Driver does not recommend it for washing cars because its pressure is too high for paint, and suggests having long extension cords on hand for yard work; Greenworks' manual allows only cords marked for outdoor use.

3. EGO Power+ HPW3200 Cordless Pressure Washer: best battery-powered pressure washer

The HPW3200 is EGO's cordless pressure washer, and this listing is the bare tool: its accessory list includes no battery or charger. It draws on a pair of EGO 56V batteries working together for as much as 3,200 PSI (at 1.2 GPM; its flow tops out at 2.0 GPM). EGO sells the same machine as the HPW3204-2 kit with two 6.0Ah batteries and a 320W charger, and quotes as much as 60 minutes of cleaning per charge of that pair. You choose ECO, High or Turbo mode on a display built into the wand that also shows battery charge, and the included siphon hose lets it draw water from a bucket instead of a spigot. The box holds 15, 25 and 40 degree, turbo and rinse nozzles, a foam cannon and a telescopic handle, and EGO covers the tool for 5 years and its batteries for 3.

Why it is the pick: three of the testers we read chose this machine for battery power. Popular Mechanics named the HPW3204-2 kit its best cordless pressure washer and expects roughly 60 minutes in ECO, 45 in High and 20 in Turbo. Bob Vila ran the same kit twice: in its electric test it was the upgrade pick, praised for quick-connect hose and wand fittings and the display on the handle, and in its pressure washer test it ran just over an hour on one charge while it cleaned a driveway, an old wood deck and a big bird bath. Pro Tool Reviews calls the HPW3200 its favorite cordless model, and notes that the batteries also run EGO's 56V lawn tools.

Good to know: Bob Vila lists two charged batteries as a requirement, and Pro Tool Reviews says Turbo mode needs both and found a standard four-car driveway hard to finish on a charge even with 12Ah batteries. Popular Mechanics notes the kit's charger has one slot. EGO's manual gives the tool's weight as 36.2 lbs without batteries; Bob Vila lists the HPW3204-2 kit it ran, which comes with two batteries, at 65.59 pounds. EGO's figures carry no CETA or PWMA certification, as Pro Tool Reviews points out.

4. Westinghouse ePX3500 Electric Pressure Washer: best compact pressure washer

The ePX3500 is Westinghouse's small corded electric, 16.5 in. tall and 19 lbs, on four quick-lock wheels that steer through 360 degrees. Westinghouse rates it at 2,000 PSI and 1.2 GPM, and lists 2,500 PSI and 1.76 GPM as its maximums (the maximum flow comes at the lowest pressure). It has a 13 amp motor, a 35 ft cord, a 25 ft nylon braided hose, a 17.5 in. steel wand, a 20 oz. soap tank, 0, 15 and 25 degree tips plus turbo and soap, and a Total Stop System that stops the pump whenever the trigger is released. Westinghouse backs it with a 3-year limited warranty.

Why it is the pick: TechGearLab measured 1,800 PSI and 1.06 GPM from it and 18.7 lbs on its scale, and found it easy to lift and compact enough to tuck away almost anywhere, a closet included. With the soap nozzle on, TechGearLab's testers found it still had the muscle to clear dirt and bugs from a car. Car and Driver gave it an honorable mention, measured 1,500 PSI at 1.2 GPM through the 15 degree tip, and liked its wide, stable stance and a place on the machine for every part.

Good to know: TechGearLab sizes it for household jobs. Westinghouse rates it at 2,000 PSI; the 2,500 PSI in its name is its maximum, and Car and Driver's gauge read 1,500 PSI through the 15 degree tip, 75% of the rating. It rolls on five-inch wheels, by TechGearLab's description, and Car and Driver found it took some assembly and felt solid once put together.

5. Simpson PowerShot PS3228 Gas Pressure Washer: best heavy-duty pressure washer

The PS3228 is a gas machine in Simpson's PowerShot line, built around a Honda GX200 engine with low-oil shutdown and an AAA triplex plunger pump. Simpson lists 3,300 PSI at 2.5 GPM, with a 25 ft MorFlex hose, five quick-connect tips (0, 15, 25 and 40 degrees and soap), a welded steel frame on 10 in. pneumatic tires and a unit weight of 77 lbs. Simpson's commercial warranty covers the engine for 3 years, the pump for 5 and the frame for 10.

Why it is the pick: Popular Mechanics recommends it for larger properties, for work such as washing a fence line around a big piece of land, where power, mobility and long runtimes count. Pro Tool Reviews names it its best 3000 PSI pressure washer for its Honda engine and AAA triplex pump, lists its performance as CETA certified, and says its 2.5 GPM keeps work moving faster than homeowner models do. Bob Vila explains why the pump matters: used for the same hours, a triplex pump typically lasts longer than an axial one.

Good to know: Simpson does not sell it in California. Popular Mechanics notes that it has no built-in detergent tank and that at 77 pounds it takes some effort to load into a vehicle. It is a gas engine, and NIOSH warns against running gasoline-powered tools inside buildings.

6. Craftsman CMEPW2100 Electric Pressure Washer: best pressure washer for washing cars

The CMEPW2100 is a 13 amp corded electric that is CETA certified (Cleaning Equipment Trade Association) at 2,100 PSI and 1.2 GPM, both measured with the 15 degree nozzle. It has a 35 ft power cord, a 25 ft kink-resistant hose, 10 in. wheels, a removable soap tank, onboard storage for the nozzles, hose, cord and wand, and 15, 25 and 40 degree, soap and turbo nozzles. Craftsman backs it with a 3-year limited warranty.

Why it is the pick: Car and Driver, which tests car-care gear, named it the best pressure washer it tested for washing vehicles. Its gauge read 1,800 PSI at 1.2 GPM through the 15 degree tip and 1,600 PSI through the 25 degree tip, and its testers found it one of the quietest machines in the test. Bob Vila named it best for beginners for its easy setup, tip-resistant frame and storage for every accessory, and says 2,100 PSI at 1.2 GPM suits cars, decking and fencing without damage.

Good to know: Consumer Reports takes the opposite view on cars: it advises against pressure-washing a car at all, because the spray can nick the paint and lead to rust, and suggests a car wash or a hose and a soapy sponge. If you do use one on a car, Car and Driver recommends a wide 25 to 40 degree tip held 12 to 24 inches from the paint. Bob Vila found its hose kinked during the first few uses and expects especially stubborn concrete stains to need a stronger machine.

How we chose these

We compared 94 pressure washer listings on Amazon, using Amazon's product data for each listing's model number, seller and stock, and read the makers' product pages and spec tables for all six picks and the operator's manuals for five of them (Westinghouse's WPX gas manual, the ePX3500, Greenworks GPW3001, EGO HPW3200 and Craftsman CMEPW2100 manuals). We then read the hands-on results of five independent testers: TechGearLab, which measured pressure, flow, noise and weight on 10 machines; Car and Driver, which measured pressure and flow through each tip; Popular Mechanics; Bob Vila (and its electric pressure washer test); and Pro Tool Reviews. Consumer Reports does not name its picks in its free article text, so we used only its published test method and its advice on surfaces, nozzles and gear. Where a tester ran a sibling of a pick, we say so.

Every numbered pick was in stock on Amazon on October 19, 2026, sold by Amazon.com, carries the maker's model number on its listing, and has a long record of owner ratings. Where a tester's favorite was in limited stock, sold by a third-party seller, out of stock, or had a short or weak owner-rating record that day, it is in Also considered with the reason. Safety guidance on this page comes from the makers' manuals, Consumer Reports, NIOSH and the Consumer Product Safety Commission, and each is credited where it appears.

Also considered: models that missed the list and why

Westinghouse WPX3200. The 3,200 PSI, 2.5 GPM sibling of pick 1, recommended by three of the testers we read: TechGearLab's best overall, Car and Driver's best gas pick and Bob Vila's best medium-duty. On October 19, 2026 Amazon showed it in limited stock, so pick 1 takes the slot.

Westinghouse WPX2700. Bob Vila's best overall pressure washer in its main test, with 2,700 PSI at 2.3 GPM and a 1-gallon gas tank, in stock from Amazon.com with a long owner-rating record. Pick 1 comes from the same Westinghouse family with more flow (2.6 GPM against 2.3, by Westinghouse's manual), and it is Popular Mechanics' best overall in its guide updated October 13, 2026.

Simpson ALH3425 and PS4240. Pro Tool Reviews' best gas pressure washer (the 3,600 PSI ALH3425) and its best 4000 PSI model (the PS4240, at 4,200 PSI and 4.0 GPM on a Honda GX390, 136 pounds dry by its figure). On October 19, 2026 the ALH3425 was in limited stock, and the PS4240's owner-rating record on Amazon was below our bar.

Simpson CM61083. TechGearLab measured 2,300 PSI and 2.16 GPM from this 3,400 PSI gas machine, the second most cleaning power in its test, and found it awkward to move and loud, at 93 decibels at the machine. Pick 5 covers heavy-duty gas.

DeWalt DXPW3300. A 3,300 PSI, 2.4 GPM gas washer in stock from Amazon.com with a long owner-rating record, but none of the testers we read ran it; picks 1 and 5 cover gas with tester or reviewer support.

Greenworks GPW3002A. TechGearLab's most powerful electric (as the GPW3002) and the best electric in Popular Mechanics' main guide. Pick 2 is its 3,000 PSI sibling, the model Bob Vila and Car and Driver both ran.

EGO HPW3204-2 kit. The kit form of pick 3 that Popular Mechanics and Bob Vila ran, with two 6.0Ah batteries and a charger. On October 19, 2026 the kit listing we found was in limited stock from a third-party seller, so we link the bare tool from Amazon.com.

Sun Joe SPX3000. The electric we saw tested most often: TechGearLab, Bob Vila (its best for cars), Popular Mechanics' electric guide and Car and Driver (an honorable mention) all ran it. It is a numbered pick in our electric pressure washer guide; here, picks 4 and 6 cover the light-duty jobs.

Karcher K1700 Cube and Craftsman CMEPW1900. Bob Vila liked how much cleaning the 1,700 PSI Karcher Cube does for its compact size, and Popular Mechanics recommends the 1,900 PSI Craftsman, 29.4 lb by its spec table. Both were in stock from Amazon.com with long owner-rating records; picks 4 and 6 cover the same jobs with two testers each.

Karcher K 3000 E, DeWalt DWPW3000 and DeWalt DWPW2100. Popular Mechanics' heavy-duty electric (the Karcher) and best DeWalt (the DWPW3000), and Bob Vila's best portable (the DWPW2100). On October 14, 2026 the Karcher listing showed one left with a short owner-rating record, the DWPW3000 listing was sold by a third-party seller with a weak owner-rating record, and the DWPW2100 was out of stock.

WORX Hydroshot 40V. Car and Driver's best cordless, a 5.8 lb washer that runs on two 20V batteries; Car and Driver's gauge read 450 PSI against the 800 PSI on its side. Its current WG647 listing's owner-rating record was below our bar on October 19, 2026, and pick 3 covers battery power.

PSI, GPM and cleaning units: what the numbers on the box mean

PSI (pounds per square inch) is how hard the water hits; GPM (gallons per minute) is how much water comes out. TechGearLab and Bob Vila both multiply the two to get cleaning units, a single number for comparing machines. Flow matters more than the box suggests: Bob Vila observed in its tests that adding 1 GPM at the same PSI made an enormous difference, while adding 500 PSI at the same GPM changed little.

Read which pressure figure you are looking at. Popular Mechanics points out that some makers print a "Max" PSI or GPM, the peak the machine reaches, and suggests looking for a rated figure or a third-party mark from CETA, the PWMA or CSA Group instead. The PWMA standard measures pressure at the pump's high-pressure manifold, tests the machine with the hose, gun, wand and nozzle it is sold with, and expects production units to deliver at least 90% of the rated PSI and GPM. CETA's standard takes six readings five minutes apart. Pro Tool Reviews adds that the PSI Max figure DeWalt and Craftsman print is measured at the nozzle with the 15 degree tip, unlike the PSI Max marketing it warns against.

The table puts the makers' figures beside what two testers' gauges read. The maker cleaning units, the measured cleaning units and the percentages are our arithmetic from the published figures. The testers used their own gauges, and Car and Driver read each tip separately, so treat the percentage as a rough check rather than a verdict.

Two things stand out. The gas picks list 8,250 and 8,840 cleaning units against 2,400 to 3,840 for the four electric and battery picks, a gap the testers' gauges confirm: TechGearLab's two gas machines measured 4,968 and 5,980 cleaning units, and every electric in its test but one stayed below 2,000. And a gauge rarely matches the box: across the 15 machines above with a gauge reading, the readings ran from 49% to 94% of the maker's pressure. The makers' figures for the rows without a pick number are as TechGearLab or Car and Driver list them, and the ePX3500's 2,500 PSI on the box is its maximum, not its 2,000 PSI rating.

Gas, electric or battery: which pressure washer should you buy?

Gas is for big, dirty jobs. Consumer Reports says gas washers as a group outmuscle electric and battery models and suit heavy jobs such as a long-neglected deck or patio, and that its strongest gas models often clean as much as twice as fast as electric ones. The trade-offs are upkeep and noise: Popular Mechanics lists engine upkeep such as oil, air filter and spark plug changes, and TechGearLab's testers found its gas winner loud. Gas washers also run outdoors only (see Safety).

Corded electric suits regular cleanup. Consumer Reports says corded models start instantly, need no gas, oil or engine maintenance, are often much quieter, and are best for lighter jobs, and that its member surveys show electric models are usually more reliable than gas. The trade is reach: Pro Tool Reviews notes that a corded machine leaves you "tethered to a cord and two hoses."

Battery power buys freedom from the outlet. Consumer Reports says battery models are hard to beat for convenience but may not hold full power through a big job, so you may recharge or swap batteries partway through. EGO's siphon hose also frees pick 3 from the spigot, which Popular Mechanics notes is useful at boat docks and vacant properties.

Set on electric? Our best electric pressure washer guide goes deeper on corded and battery models, with a pick for each job and a table that matches each electric to the pressure a deck, siding, a driveway or a car calls for.

Which surfaces can you pressure wash?

More pressure is not always better. Consumer Reports suggests 800 to 1,000 PSI for a deck, 1,200 to 1,500 PSI for siding and 1,500 to 3,000 PSI for a concrete driveway, and says the driveway work goes much faster at 2,500 to 3,000 PSI. Every pick on this page lists more pressure than the deck and siding ranges call for, so the tip and your distance from the surface do the work: Consumer Reports suggests starting with a low-pressure nozzle on an inconspicuous spot and working along the length of each board. Our electric guide's by-job table sets each electric pick against these bands.

• Composite decks: Trex allows a pressure washer of no greater than 3100 psi with a fan tip held no closer than 8 in. on its Transcend, Enhance and Select boards, and does not recommend one on its early-generation decking, where pressure washing voids the warranty.
• Siding: the Vinyl Siding Institute says to hold the wand straight at eye level and never aim upward, which can force water behind the panels, and to check the siding maker's limits. Consumer Reports adds that aluminum siding can dent, shingle siding should not be pressure-washed, and paint on a house built before 1978 should be tested for lead first.
• Cars: Consumer Reports says no; Car and Driver says yes with a lighter-duty machine and a wide tip held back from the paint (pick 6).
• Roofs: Consumer Reports says no, and never from a ladder.

How do you use a pressure washer safely?

These rules come from the makers' manuals, Consumer Reports, NIOSH and the CPSC.

• Throw away the 0 degree nozzle. Consumer Reports recommends against using it, because water concentrated to that fine a point can pierce protective boots, and says a 15 degree nozzle will do for detail work. Picks 1, 4 and 5 come with a 0 degree tip.
• Never point the wand at a person, a pet or anything electrical. Westinghouse's manual warns of injection injury and says to keep the stream off people, animals and electrical devices; Greenworks' manual says never to put any body part in the stream. Every time the engine stops, Westinghouse says to squeeze the trigger to relieve the pressure.
• Wear the gear. Consumer Reports says to "Always wear hearing protection, safety goggles, protective footwear, and gloves while you work." Westinghouse's manual asks for goggles, which it says "cover the sides, top and bottom of the eyes," and notes that safety glasses are not goggles.
• Run gas engines outdoors only. Westinghouse's manual warns that using its gas washer indoors "CAN KILL YOU IN MINUTES" and rules out any building, garages, basements, crawlspaces and sheds included. A NIOSH alert on gasoline-powered tools describes a farm owner who died of carbon monoxide poisoning after using a gasoline pressure washer to clean his barn, and the CPSC calls carbon monoxide colorless and odorless.
• Treat the cord like part of the tool. The three corded picks carry GFCI protection on the cord, and Westinghouse's ePX3500 manual says to test it monthly; Westinghouse's gas manual also says never to spray toward a power source or outlet. Our electric guide covers extension cords in detail.
• Keep both feet on the ground. Consumer Reports never recommends using a pressure washer on a ladder, since blowback can throw you off balance, and Westinghouse's manual says to hold the gun with two hands and stay off elevated surfaces.

How do you store a pressure washer for winter?

Freezing water damages the pump, and stale fuel gums up a gas engine. Westinghouse's manual for pick 1 warns that gasoline can deteriorate in as little as 30 days and recommends a fuel stabilizer all the time: nothing extra for storage under a month, fresh gasoline with stabilizer and a drained carburetor float bowl for 2 to 6 months, and a drained fuel tank and float bowl for 6 months or longer. For winter it says to empty the hose and add RV antifreeze or a pump protector made for pressure washers, and never to store the machine with fuel in the tank indoors near a pilot light or other ignition source. Our fuel stabilizer guide covers what keeps gasoline fresh.

Electrics need less. Greenworks' manual for pick 2 recommends adding pump protector each time you finish and again before a long layoff, and Bob Vila notes that many electric pressure washers kept indoors do not need full winterizing; where one could freeze, it says to take the hoses off, release the pressure, empty the water and run a pump saver through it.

Related guides

For electric models by job, see our best electric pressure washer guide. Keep a gas washer's fuel fresh between jobs with our best fuel stabilizer picks, keep the supply hose tidy with one of our best hose reels, and once the mud is off your shovels and rakes, our guide to cleaning, sharpening and storing garden tools covers the rest.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best pressure washer for home use?

For big outdoor jobs, the Westinghouse WPX3400, a 3,400 PSI, 2.6 GPM gas machine that Popular Mechanics named best overall. To skip gas, the Greenworks GPW3001, a PWMA-certified 3,000 PSI corded electric that Bob Vila named its best overall electric pressure washer.

Is a gas or electric pressure washer better?

Gas for heavy, neglected surfaces and large areas, electric for regular cleanup. Consumer Reports says its strongest gas models often clean as much as twice as fast as electric ones, while corded electrics start instantly, need no engine maintenance, are often much quieter and, by its member surveys, are usually more reliable.

How much PSI do I need?

Less than you might think for most jobs. Consumer Reports suggests 800 to 1,000 PSI for a deck, 1,200 to 1,500 PSI for siding and 1,500 to 3,000 PSI for a concrete driveway, and Popular Mechanics calls 1,800 PSI or less light duty, 1,900 to 2,700 PSI medium duty and 2,800 PSI and up heavy duty.

What are cleaning units on a pressure washer?

Cleaning units are PSI multiplied by GPM, the method TechGearLab and Bob Vila use to compare machines. By the makers' figures, the Westinghouse WPX3400 comes to 8,840 cleaning units and the Greenworks GPW3001 to 3,300, and Bob Vila found that extra flow raised cleaning speed more than extra pressure did.

Can you pressure wash a car?

Testers disagree. Consumer Reports advises against it because the spray can nick paint and lead to rust, while Car and Driver recommends a lighter-duty machine, a wide 25 to 40 degree tip and 12 to 24 inches of distance, and chose the Craftsman CMEPW2100 as its best for vehicles.

Can you run a gas pressure washer in a garage?

No. Westinghouse's manual says not to operate its gas washer inside any building, garages included, because of carbon monoxide, and a NIOSH alert warns against using gasoline-powered tools indoors unless the engine itself is placed outdoors, away from air intakes.

Should I use the 0 degree nozzle?

Consumer Reports says no: it recommends throwing the 0 degree nozzle away because the stream can pierce protective boots, and its test engineer says "you can get the same results with a little patience and a 15-degree tip."

How do you winterize a pressure washer?

Drain the water and protect the pump. Westinghouse's manual says to empty the hose and add RV antifreeze or a pressure washer pump protector, and to stabilize or drain the fuel in a gas model depending on how long it will sit, while Greenworks recommends pump protector after every use for its electric.

The bottom line

Buy the Westinghouse WPX3400 for big outdoor jobs if you are happy to run gas, the Greenworks GPW3001 if you want plug-in power, and the EGO Power+ HPW3200 if the job is far from an outlet. Pick the Westinghouse ePX3500 for small storage spaces, the Simpson PowerShot PS3228 for a large property, or the Craftsman CMEPW2100 for car washing, and follow Consumer Reports on the gear: ear protection, goggles, sturdy footwear and gloves.

Disclosure: Our commissions do not change what we recommend or what you pay. Availability was checked on Amazon on October 19, 2026 and can change.