For keeping a car clean properly, nothing comes close to the pressure washer. Pick up the best pressure washer for your needs, and you’ll immediately spot a huge difference in your car cleaning game. We’re huge fans of pressure washers here at Parkers and have made it our mission to find and test the best pressure washers for car care.
Even a budget pressure washer will be a huge upgrade to your cleaning game. Partner one with a foam lance, and you’ll be able to douse a car in a thick blanket of snow foam or apply a quick layer of sealant. The possibilities for better cleaning are endless. Blast away dirt and muck with a single pass of the jet, all while using less water than a traditional garden hose.
Beyond car care, pressure washers are becoming essential for anyone with a driveway or garden to maintain. Capable of blasting away ingrained grime and totally restoring surfaces to new, they’re versatile and capable devices, so long as you pick the right model.
There are loads to pick from. Pressure washers start at around £50 and can grow up to and including £800 for all-singing-all-dancing models. Within this spectrum, you’ll find compact options perfect for beginners, cordless examples you can take anywhere, and examples with enough attachments to fill a garage. We’ve tried and tested several and have the best listed below.
The best pressure washers tested 2024 at a glance:
- Best pressure washer for car care: Nilfisk Core 140 Bar High Pressure Washer – buy on Amazon
- Editor’s pick: Worx Nitro HydroShot – buy on Amazon
- Best entry-level pressure washer: Karcher K2 Power Control – buy on Amazon
How we test the best pressure washers
Each pressure washer we test will be used to clean both cars and some outdoor surfaces. We’ll test all of the features and modes included, as well as any included attachments to get an overall impression of the example on test.
When we test a pressure washer, car cleaning ability is first and foremost on our radar. This means we’re looking for how effortlessly it removes dirt from a selection of cars without causing damage. Garden cleaning ability looks beyond cars and instead focuses on patios, driveways, and other suitable outdoor surfaces. This tests the top-end performance of the pressure washers.
Ease of use is another integral part of testing. Here, we look at how easy assembly is and what it’s like to use. The best examples would have seamless power adjustability, ergonomic features to make use easier, and long cables and hoses. This is also where we assess portability, storage, and weight.  Â
Value for money centres around what you get against the competition. A good value-for-money pressure washer would have a durable motor, enough power to clean a car, and a solid selection of useful attachments.
Verdict
For all domestic cleaning duties, we cannot overlook the Nilfisk Core 140, which blends durability and power without costing too much. As a no-compromise option, the Nilfisk Excellent 170 would adorn our driveway with its clever induction motor and effortless power. For innovation however, the Worx Nitro Hydroshot really is clever and manages to be a cordless pressure washer that doesn’t feel half-baked.
The best car pressure washers for cars
Best pressure washer for car care
With an aluminium motor capable of 140 bar of pressure and 478 litres of water per hour, it’s perfect for cleaning a car thoroughly without worrying about wreaking the paintwork. Even better, the pressure can be easily adjusted with a knob on the front of the unit. I used one solidly for a charity car wash, and it never skipped a beat. Car after car, it seamlessly performed snow foaming, washing and rinsing duties.
The Meccano-like state it comes out of the box is annoying, as is the clunky hose connector that did lead to soaked jeans. But it proved excellent for cleaning cars, patios, and all things garden. With excellent manoeuvrability, ample power, and a dependable build, the Nilfisk Core 140 is our top pick.
Ryan Gilmore
Pros
- Expertly balances performance and portability
- Ideal for domestic cleaning duties
- Durable aluminium motor
Cons
- Requires assembly
- The hose connector could be improved
| Maximum pressure | 140 bar |
| Flow rate | 474 litres per hour |
| Dimensions | 88.2 x 37.1 x 30 cm |
| Weight | 8.7 kg |
| Hose length | Six metres |
| Cable length | Five metres |
- Included attachments: Foam lance, adjustable nozzle, nozzle cleaning needle
Editor's pick
What impresses me most about the Worx is that it doesn’t feel compromised because of its cordless design. There are still adjustable nozzles to choose from, an optional snow foam lance, and different pressure modes; it can do 90% of what a regular pressure washer can do. Then you add in the go-anywhere versatility, and the Worx really starts to look even more attractive.  Â
Battery anxiety was minuscule, too. Even set to work on a car that hadn’t been cleaned in years, it did pretty much everything on a single charge. It won’t do heavy-duty cleaning, but the Worx really takes some beating.
Ryan Gilmore
Pros
- Take it anywhere portability
- Excellent pressure for a battery-powered unit
- Lightweight and a joy to use
Cons
- Won’t have the same cleaning abilities as a corded unit
- Battery anxiety lurks in your mind
| Maximum pressure | 56 bar |
| Flow rate | 220 litres per hour |
| Dimensions | 6 x 10 x 20 cm |
| Weight | 1.5 kg |
| Hose length | Six metres |
| Cable length | N/A |
- Included attachments: Adjustable nozzle
Best entry-level pressure washer
The Vario Lance differentiates this model from the regular K2 and is worth the extra couple of quid. It’s simple to use and lets you toggle different pressure strengths for different duties, including cars, brickwork and wood.  Â
My favourite thing about the K2 Power Control is that it’s small and lightweight, making it infinitely portable. For the lightest of cleaning duties, it’s going to be easy to use and never burdensome. It may be outclassed when it comes to heavy cleaning, but for the price, it’s a solid choice. Â
Ryan Gilmore
Pros
- Usual Karcher quality at a bargain price
- Small and lightweight design
- Ideal for light cleaning
Cons
- Lacks the attachments for the best car care
- Embedded mud will defeat it
| Maximum pressure | 110 bar |
| Flow rate | 360 litres per hour |
| Dimensions | 11 x 9.7 x 23 cm |
| Weight | 4 kg |
| Hose length | Five metres |
| Cable length | Five metres |
- Included attachments: Vario Power spray, nozzle
Best pressure washer for car care
So, it’s powerful enough to deep clean pretty much anything you can think of. I found it a joy to use, the included foam lance with easy adjustability was a particular stand out. Then there’s the integrated hose reel and power cord, which kept everything neat and slick. Quite rightfully too, with its two-spoke wheels and multiple design awards, it looks great. All of these ergonomic features and internal reinforcement do come at a cost however, it weighs 23.1kg. That’s over five times the weight of the above Karcher.
Ryan Gilmore
Pros
- Exceptional motor for durable performance
- Packed with attachments for car cleaning
- Easily adjustable power
Cons
- Heavy to move about
- Telescopic handle rattles from time to time
| Maximum pressure | 170 bar |
| Flow rate | 498 litres per hour |
| Dimensions | 35 x 36.5 x 73 cm |
| Weight | 21.5 kg |
| Hose length | 10 metres |
| Cable length | Five metres |
- Included attachments: Foam lance, 3-in-1 multipurpose gun, nozzle cleaning needle
Best pressure washer for heavy-duty cleaning
The 180 bar of pressure and 550 litres per hour flow rate are unmatched; it really is the supercar of the pressure washer world. That being said, I found it to be better suited to heavier cleaning jobs and wasted cleaning a car unless it was totally plastered with mud.
It’s immensely capable and can be effortlessly tailored to what you’re cleaning, but it only feels value for money when used right at the upper end of its capabilites. It’s also exceptionally heavy and big, and the automatic cut-out from the motor is jarring. Â
Pros
- Really powerful motor
- Solid build quality
- Boost mode was excellent on tough dirt
Cons
- It’s incredibly heavy
- Overkill for small cleaning
| Maximum pressure | 180 bar |
| Flow rate | 600 litres per hour |
| Dimensions | 45.6 x 33 x 66.6 cm |
| Weight | 19.9 kg |
| Hose length | 10 metres |
| Cable length | Five metres |
- Included attachments: 3-in-1 Multi Jet spray lance
What you need to know about pressure washers and car care
What to look for in a pressure washer for cars
Price – It may be tempting to splash out on the most expensive model and have all the bells and whistles. But there’s no need to only focus on the upper end of the market, cheaper models will be more than acceptable. Kärcher pressure washers range in price and suit many needs so that brand will be a great place to start looking.
Attachments – A pressure washer that offers a snow foam lance should be a priority for car cleaning. Not quite as important, but still worth considering, are other pressure washer accessories like wheel brush attachments and chassis nozzles.
Power – For simple car cleaning, you won’t need more than 140 bar to be effective. Any higher and you run the risk of damaging your car’s paintwork. We’ve found the sweet spot for car cleaning is between 100-140 bar, powerful enough to dislodge dirt but not a threat to your paintwork.
Ergonomics – Even the world’s best pressure washer wouldn’t see much use if it lacked wheels, weighed a ton, and you needed the arms of a bodybuilder to put it together. Prioritise one that’s easy to use because you’ll spend a fair amount of time using it. Also, think about storage, not everyone has the luxury of a huge garage, so a smaller model may be required. And measure out how far away the nearest plug socket might be if you’re going for a corded option. If it’s far, you might want to think about waterproof extension leads.
Your garden – Pressure washers are excellent for cleaning outside spaces too. Driveways, patios, fence panels and even garden furniture can all be easily cleaned of years of gunk and grime using a pressure washer. You may even want to invest in some specialist attachments to make cleaning these surfaces easier.
What pressure is ideal for washing a car?
You want enough pressure to remove grime but not so much that your paintwork is at risk. We say anything between 100 bar and 145 bar (about 1100 to 2000 psi).
What pressure washer is best for car cleaning? The top brands:
Kärcher is probably the first name that comes to mind when considering pressure washers. That happens for a reason: Kärcher is as synonymous with pressure washers, much like Apple is with smartphones, because it’s very good at what it does. Bosch has many options available, as does Worx and our personal favourite Nilfisk. They come in a range of sizes, prices, styles, and abilities.
What is the best car cleaner to use in a pressure washer?
There are many different types of cleaner available, but snow foam is perfect for use with a pressure washer as it helps loosen and soften any muck present, clumps of mud, road film and even ex-insects before you get down to business with a good car shampoo.
All of these pressure washers have been hand-selected by our team of experts who have spent hours investigating and researching pressure washers to make it easier for you to find the very best, and we’d never recommend a product we don’t believe in.
Where possible, we also test and share the latest and best products you should know about.
Ryan Gilmore is the Deputy Autos and Tools Editor for Parkers, specialising in car cleaning and hand tools. A veteran car cleaner; if it details, waxes or washes he’ll be on hand to make sure it’s worth your money.
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