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Best Hot Pressure Washers 2021 – Reviews & Top Picks

Last Updated on December 17, 2021 by Mark Johnson

Hot pressure washers can make big cleaning tasks far easier and faster. If you’re looking for a new one, you may have noticed that it can be hard to shop for these models online. For some reason, manufacturers don’t always feel the need to couple high-quality, useful information with their online listings, which makes shopping for these tools a very difficult task.

If you’re looking to make that task easy and find the model that’s right for you, you’ve come to the right place. We want to help you get informed about the best hot pressure washers of 2020, which is why we’ve assembled this list of reviews. We’ve also created a buyer’s guide that should help you understand what features you should be looking for, and which ones sound nice, but ultimately aren’t that useful.

Our Top 4 Picks of 2021

4 Best Hot Pressure Washers – Our Reviews

1. Shark SGP-353037 – Top Pick

The Shark SGP-353037 is our top hot pressure washer. If you’re looking for a machine that can do it all, and make the job easy, too, look no further than this model. The Honda engine that powers this hot pressure washer starts on the first pull nearly every time, which means you can be up and running almost immediately. It also provides instant hot water, every time, with no water tank required, since it directly heats the water without having to store it first. That means you don’t have to worry about leaving water in it overnight and coming back to damaged components.

It comes with a stainless-steel coil wrap that keeps the heating elements safe from the elements, while also looking great, to boot. The four-wheel cart makes it easy to move this hot pressure washer around, and its well-designed upper railing makes it a breeze to move the cart, no matter which side you’re standing on. The one downside to this model is that it’s extremely expensive relative to the other models on this list, but that’s probably because it’s the best, hands down, and if you want the best experience, this is the model for you.

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2. NorthStar 157309 – The Runner-Up

The NorthStar 157309 is a great choice for anyone who likes the features on the top model on our list but likes the idea of getting similar value for half the price far more. That’s right; you can get this model for about half of what you’d spend if you sprang for the top model on our list. Of course, the price alone does not a good hot pressure washer make. This model comes with a cast-iron cylinder sleeve around the heating elements, which may not be as pretty as the one on the Shark but could potentially last longer since it’s made from a stronger material.

This model comes with a horizontal-shaft engine, which the manufacturer estimates could last up to five times as long as an engine with a vertical shaft. It also includes 50 feet hose of hose, which gives you an excellent range without moving the cart, and the hose uses 22mm quick connections, which allows you to add attachments in a fast and easy manner. The one flaw in this cart is that it likes to roll on slanted surfaces, and if it had brakes, it’d be perfect. As is, it’s still a great buy.

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3. AR Blue Clean AR630-HOT 1900 – Best for the Money

If you already have a ready source of hot water and want to get good pressure without investing in a very expensive hot pressure washer, the AR Blue Clean AR630-HOT 1900. Keep in mind that this model won’t make hot water, but it’s capable of handling hot water up to 180 degrees, which is more than hot enough for most applications. It comes with an automatic detergent suction hose, which makes it easy to add soap for tough jobs.

It also comes with an internal thermal shut-off switch, which keeps the internal components, and you, protected if the heat level were to rise above the safe level. It also comes with an adjustable pressure gauge, which allows you to set a pressure up to 1900 PSI, so you can get the cleaning power that you need for each situation. This model can’t rise into the top two because it doesn’t heat the water on its own, which means that you’ll have to invest in a separate water heater, but it does come at about half the price of the second model on our list, and a quarter of our top model, so it’s worth checking out on that factor alone.

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4. SIMPSON Cleaning MB1223 1200

The SIMPSON Cleaning MB1223 1200 is an interesting middle-of-the-road hot pressure washer. It comes mounted on a two-wheel cart, which means it has a slimmer form factor than the other washers on our list, which means that if storage space is at a premium, this model might be the one that you’re looking for. It also includes a 15 degree, 25 degree, 40 degree, and soap nozzle. Those four nozzles are far more than you get from other models, where you get one at most. This model features an automatic total stop system, which turns of the motor and the heating elements when the trigger on the handle isn’t depressed, which reduces wear significantly and leads to a longer life.

You also get a great inline chemical injection system with this model, which means that you can add soap or other solvents to your spray with minimum hassle. This model would rank higher on his list if it had a higher maximum pressure, but it tops out at 1700 PSI, which may not be high enough for the toughest jobs. It’s also relatively expensive when compared to similar models on our list, which drops it to last place.

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Buyer’s Guide

Hopefully, our reviews already have you thinking about the features you’d most like to see in your next hot pressure washer. If you still feel like you don’t understand these products that well, make sure you check out this buyer’s guide. We’ve packed it full of useful information for both the novice who has never owned a hot pressure washer before and for the expert who hasn’t bought one in a while and wants to see what’s new in this product category.

Portability

It’s weird to think about portability as one of the most important features to have when you’re working with a hot pressure washer, but more portable units tend to lead to better experiences than less portable ones. For example, getting a wheeled hot pressure washer leads to an easier time than if you settle for one that is stationary. In the latter situation, you’re limited by the length of your hose, which can be a real pain, while with a wheeled unit, you can bring the entire apparatus to where you’re working, which is safer and makes the job easier.

Four-wheeled models are easier to move around than two-wheeled models since you don’t have to deal with any of their weight directly yourself. You may also want to invest in a model with a larger fuel tank if you value portability. While larger fuel tanks add weight, you don’t have to stop working and refuel as often, which can save you a lot of time that you would have spent getting more gas. If you can work longer without stopping, you’ll get done sooner, and while the difference might be small each time, you’ll save a lot of time in the long run.

Thermal features

When it comes to hot pressure washers and their thermal features, you should have two attributes in mind.

The first is efficiency. You should be looking for models that start up quickly, not requiring a lot of pulls on their pull cables or extra priming, and you should also be aware that different models require different amounts of time to heat water. The best models get it done almost immediately, meaning you have little downtime between starting up and being ready to go. With efficiency in mind, you should probably invest in a model that has the heating coils sealed beneath a metal exterior. That’s a good safety feature, but it also leads to less heat loss to the environment and protects the coils from damage, which lessens efficiency.

The second is safety. You’re going to be working with very hot water in these situations, and pressure washers alone can be very dangerous. Consequently, it’s important to invest in models that have robust safety feature that keep you and your equipment safe. One of the most important of these is an overpressure safety release valve, which keeps the system from overloading and exploding, which could be extremely dangerous.

You’ll also be best served by systems that have a high-temperature shut-off switch, which automatically shuts the system off if the temperature is climbing above your set range, or above the maximum safe range.

Hose and nozzles

The hose and nozzles that come with a hot pressure washer typically don’t make or break the deal, but they can add or subtract value in a meaningful way. For instance, many models come with a 25-foot hose, but some come with a 50-foot hose, which gives you way more flexibility when cleaning. You don’t have to reposition the hot pressure washer base as often if you have twice as much hose to work with. You also get more value if you get a model that features a hose that comes with standard, quick-attach fittings on the end, which makes it easy to switch out nozzles if the need arises.

You’ll also need to get the right nozzles for the job. Since you’re using a hot pressure water washer, it’s unlikely that you’re working with a surface that you need to be gentle with, but different nozzles have different efficiencies with the same water pressure.

For instance, 45-degree nozzles have a much wider spread than zero-degree nozzles, meaning they can clean an area more quickly, though they have less pressure overall. The zero-degree nozzle is much better at removing tough grime, but it has the smallest spread, so it can take a while to clean large surfaces.

Which hot pressure washer is right for you?

You probably want to get the best value out of your purchase. And that doesn’t just mean price. After all, more expensive products often work better and last longer. This isn’t always true, but at least with the products on our list, we’ve alerted you to any potential problems that they may have in the durability department.

When it comes to getting the best value out of your hot pressure washer, you’ll need to find a model that meets all of your needs for the minimum possible price. So, instead of starting with a budget, it’s useful to figure out what your specific cleaning needs are. Once you know those, you can make a list of hot pressure washers that meet those needs.

You can eliminate any that add too many extra features and have a much higher price as a result. While it might be nice to have some of those features, if you won’t use them enough, they won’t add a lot of value to your purchase, but might add significantly more cost.

You can pick any of the remaining models and get good value, but if you want the best value, you should pick the cheapest model that meets all of your needs.

Conclusion

The Shark SGP-353037 is our top hot pressure washer due to its instant hot water, stainless-steel coil wrap, and the fact that it starts on the first pull nearly every time. The NorthStar 157309 comes with a great cast-iron cylinder sleeve, a horizontal-shaft engine that should extend its life, and 50 feet of hose, making it a great deal, though it’s lack of wheel brakes keeps it out of first place. You can get the AR Blue Clean AR630-HOT 1900 at a very low price, and since it comes with automatic detergent suction and an adjustable pressure gauge, it’s a great deal all around. The SIMPSON Cleaning MB1223 1200 has some upside, as it includes four nozzles, an inline chemical injection system, and an automatic total stop system, but it’s low pressure and high price tag drop it to the bottom of our list.

We hope that our reviews and buyer’s guide have helped you better understand hot pressure washers. Armed with that information, you should be able to find a model that you love using and fits your budget.