After about ten different cars and dozens of cleaning products in, we can comfortably say the Worx Nitro Hydroshot cordless pressure washer was a worthy steed. It’s as trusty as Indiana Jones’ whip and as reliable as his dad’s Holy Grail diary.
It may produce less pressure (56 Bar) than even most compact pressure washers, but the Worx Hydroshot proved no less worthy on even the grimiest of cars we had. It had exceedingly impressive battery life for the tasks we threw at it, and even with our improvised sources of water (the life of car product hacks), it was exceedingly efficient in its delivery.
Designed to be compact, durable, easy to assemble, and portable for on-the-go car cleaning jobs, the Worx Hydroshot is one of the best cleaning companions you can buy and a great budget-conscious pressure washer. It’s an evolution of the previous WG620E, but the main difference with the WG633E is twice the water pressure, and an openable-case for the battery. It can take all the current Worx batteries from 2.0Ah to 5.0Ah, we used the 4.0Ah and found it to be a healthy power source, albeit with some charge anxiety after extensive use.
This product was tested by Aaron Hussain, whose experience with car cleaning products is profound, and has a tendency to thoroughly test products to get a full evaluation.
An amazingly dependable piece of kit
Pros
- Great build quality
- Amazing spray power and pressure
- Battery lasts a healthy amount of time
Cons
- Charge anxiety is still there
Worx Nitro Hydroshot: the good
We can’t go on without mentioning the Nitro Hydroshot’s ability to lift dirt off near-enough anything. I began using it to rinse off wheel cleaner residue and dirt off brand new press cars. The Parkers team always bring them in for us to test stuff on, and to a normal eye, they don’t usually need a deep clean.
However, the Nitro Hydroshot helped bring things back to showroom standard. Whether it was alloy wheels on a Jaguar XF, or the carbon fibre panels on a BMW M3 CS, it was the ideal companion for them all. It may be battery powered, but all that 56 Bar of pressure was fighting vigorously to be as on-par as a corded pressure washer for cleaning power.
That’s the important thing to note, if you’ve come away from using a powerful 140 Bar pressure washer or some other competitor, you will notice a steadfast level of pressure. But believe me, it’s hard to really notice. But even more impressive is how well-engineered it is; a Kärcher K2 vibrates in your hands and at times, can feel quite uncomfortable. The Nitro Hydroshot however, felt smoother. It didn’t strain my hands, nor did it vibrate harshly, and feel like it was compromised in quality. It’s a well-built machine and feels like it.
Worx Nitro Hydroshot: the okay
The Nitro Hydroshot’s biggest challenge was removing years of dirt and grime off an early 1980s’s Audi 80 CD. It was stored for a while before being brought in time for me to perform a series of tests on pre-wash and shampoos.
Granted, nobody’s serviceable car could ever get this filthy, but the Nitro Hydroshot was an excellent companion. It removed years of green detritus and grime away from the car, and by the time I had finished after about 2 hours and 30 odd minutes, it was looking like a completely different car. With the test running from 09:15 it ran out of battery by around 11 on the dot.
But that was after many whole blasts of water around all corners of the car. It was so filthy, that the same panels had to be washed and rinsed three times, requiring further use of the Nitro Hydroshot. Of course, you wouldn’t have this issue with a corded unit, but the work car park had no such thing in sight.
There are enough adjustable settings, too. You can have more precise nozzle modes and wider range ones; the latter of which, I used to more-or-less refurbish the paint of that Audi. They’re very easy to find and adjust thanks to the simple knob on the tip of the hose, and each one has a great effect at their use. The precise setting was great for cleaning the Audi’s roof gutters of chunky moss.
Worx Nitro Hydroshot: the bad
The only real downside is the anxiety of the battery running out. Then again, if you’re going into a car washing task, you will likely be prepared for it anyway. And for a routine shampoo and wheel wash, it will easily last long stints of rinsing and washing.
What was slightly annoying however, was that it kept stalling when the power became low while cleaning the Audi. The battery indicated one of four green lights, and yet it didn’t seem to last anywhere past five seconds after that. You don’t get a precise battery life indicator, and it could do with one at that respect. Because how do you know if the one light means it’s got 25% or 3% left?
It’s a shame it’s hindered by this, because secretly, out of the many products we’ve tested, the Worx is an item I wouldn’t mind keeping.
Worx Nitro Hydroshot: Price and competition
At a full price of at least £200 with the battery and charger considered, that puts the Nitro Hydroshot right into the firing line of some serious pressure washing competition. The Nilfisk 140 Power Control isn’t far off in terms of price, nor are some mid-range Kärcher pressure washers like the K4.
Those are corded units, too, which effectively eliminate the battery and charger issues. However, when you consider that you might be very far away from a plug socket, the Nitro Hydroshot is almost in a class of its own. There is the Bosch Fontus cordless pressure washer, but that’s a far bulkier thing to carry around, and could never be used in the same way that we have with the Worx thanks to the comparative dribble of water pressure.
The Verdict
Okay, so the battery indicator itself isn’t that clear, and you do occasionally get a bit of charge anxiety. But those are quite small drawbacks on what is a hugely impressive and arguably incomparable pressure washer.
The build quality, soothing operation, easy assembly and adjustability, and effortless portability make the Worx Nitro Hydroshot one of the best things you can buy to clean your car. It’s so easy to use and as we’ve proven, extremely capable at getting even the worst of dirt off your car. It’s not quite as powerful as a corded AVA or Karcher K7, but there’s no way that you’d expect it to be. If you’re a beginner into the pressure washer market, this is a great place to begin.
Because like a Swiss watch or Biro pen perhaps, you know that when you need it for a job, it just… worx (sorry).
Verdict score: 5/5
An amazingly dependable piece of kit
Pros
- Great build quality
- Amazing spray power and pressure
- Battery lasts a healthy amount of time
Cons
- Charge anxiety is still there
More items to consider
Best cordless pressure washer for home jobs
It holds a water capacity of 15 litres and runs on 20 Bar of pressure. It's a great tool if you struggle to reach water and electricity supply.
Pros
- No need for mains electricity
- Ideal for car washing and some gardening jobs
- Isn't as heavy as you may think
Cons
- Hose length is quite short at 4m
- Is harder to move around than the Worx
The best mid-range corded pressure washer
This is reassuring to know and is a great indicator of product quality. It also comes with a number of attachments which are useful for your car cleaning needs, such as a foam sprayer and four other lances.
Pros
- Useful attachments included
- Up to five-year warranty
- Great quality
Cons
- Six metre hose isn't ideal for everyone
- Corded units aren't for every situation
Best value pressure washer
It has a flow rate of 420 litres per hour at 130 Bar of pressure. It weighs just 4.6kg and is headed by a six metre hose, just like the Nilfisk. You get two hose attachments included as well as a five-year guarantee. And cutting well-under under the £200, it's a pretty good value machine as well.
Pros
- Great value for what it is
- Powerful spray
- Lightweight item
Cons
- Quality will be a tad compromised compared with others
Who tested the Worx Nitro Hydroshot?
The Worx Nitro Hydroshot was tested by Aaron Hussain. As a classic car owner and enthusiast, he is adamant that keeping a car clean prolongs the life of the paintwork, the metal it’s attached to, and the underside. As someone who frivolously fights to rid any last remaining bit of salt after a winter drive, he was the ideal person to test the capabilities of the cordless pressure washer and any attachments that come his way.
How the product was tested
The methodology of the Worx Nitro Hydroshot was more-so long term than a bespoke, stand-alone test. There were a number of different product tests that took place on various cars over the course of a month and a half, and the Worx just happened to be the best tool for the job as we didn’t always have access to mains water supply and more importantly, electricity. Not even a waterproof extension cable could reach where we were working.
In terms of water supply, we almost always has to feed the pipe into a bucket of water. This has worked for other pressure washer tests including a Kärcher unit. The Nitro Hydroshot was relatively efficient at consuming that water, so if you’re ever away from a tap, there’s a solution.
Aaron Hussain is a commercial content writer at Bauer Media writing for Parkers and CAR. He is obsessed with classic cars and anything with a fascinating story to tell.
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