0

Best Portable Pressure Washers 2021 – Top Picks & Reviews

Last Updated on December 17, 2021 by Mark Johnson

If you need heavy-duty cleaning power on the go, you need a portable pressure washer. However, it’s not easy to shop for these devices online.

It can be hard to tell what makes for a great portable pressure washer, and the problem only gets worse when you shop online, since advertisers are good at clouding any potential problems, and like to bombard you with a lot of information about irrelevant and useless features.

We believe that consumers can make great decisions if they’ve been given all the facts, which is why we’ve assembled this list of reviews of the best portable pressure washers on the market today. While not every model will be right for you, we hope that this extra information will help you find the one that is. We’ve also included a buyer’s guide that is designed to teach you everything you need to know about these tools before you buy.

Our Top 5 Picks of 2021

5 Best Portable Pressure Washers – Our Reviews

1. Sun Joe SPX4000 2030 – Top Pick

The Sun Joe SPX4000 2030 PSI pressure washer is our top model. It’s great for people who need to get washing jobs done quickly and for people who have serious pressure washing needs. It comes with both high-power and low-power modes, which means you can either wash at up to 2030 PSI or go down to 1450 PSI for more sensitive jobs. It also comes with easy-glide wheels, which are a huge benefit when you’re trying to move it around. The included five quick-connect nozzles allow you to change the pressure and spread so that you can do a good job on just about any project.

The Total Stop System automatically shuts off the pump when you’re not depressing the trigger, which greatly extends the pressure washer’s life. It doesn’t work any extra when you’re not actively washing, so the internal components take much less wear over time. The only problem with this model is that it uses non-standard fittings, which means you can’t use aftermarket nozzles or hoses without buying an additional adaptor. However, this is the best overall portable pressure washer and has the power to get even the toughest jobs done fast.

---

2. Karcher K1800 – The Runner-Up

The Karcher K1800 is an excellent portable pressure washer that would be a good buy for most people and might be first on our list if it were not for the Sun Joe SPX4000 2030. This model includes three nozzles. The turbo nozzle is great for treating tough stains or very dirty surfaces, while the 15-degree nozzle is good for general purpose applications, and the detergent nozzle is used for applying soap to a surface that needs the extra help. It provides up to 1800 PSI, which is more than enough for most kinds of domestic work, without being so strong that you worry about damaging anything.

It comes with an awesome foot pedal that serves as the on/off switch, which means you don’t have to bend over to turn it on or off, and you don’t have to use your hands at all, which means you can work with a steady grip on the nozzle. It also comes with easy setup, which should take most people 15 minutes or less. If it weren’t for severe packaging and shipping issues that lead to customers receiving broken models, we might have placed this model in first.

---

3. Sun Joe SPX1000 1450 PSI – Best for the Money

When it comes to portability, the Sun Joe SPX1000 1540 PSI has a clear edge over the competition. It has an incredibly small form factor, being a foot or less in length and width, and is less than two feet tall. That means you won’t ever have a problem when you need to store it, as is should fit comfortably in most garages or sheds. It also weighs less than 12 pounds, which means moving it around is a breeze. It comes with an adjustable spray wand which allows you to focus the spray for a higher-pressure clean, or spread it out to cover more area in the same time.

But, the biggest selling point is the price. You can get this model for about half of what you would pay for the first two models on this list, which means you’re getting an incredible deal. The only downside to this model is that it only delivers 1450 PSI of pressure. That’s enough to get any job done, but it may take a bit longer than you’d like. Overall, this is the best model for the money, but may not have the power everyone is looking for.

---

4. Power Products USA 1500 PSI B07BM6S9YR

The Power Products USA 1500 PSI B07BM659YR is on the cutting edge of pressure washer design. Most pressure washers use universal motors, which are on the way out in most other power tools because newer induction motors get better torque or pressure out of the same power and run more much quietly. This model uses an induction motor, and consequently, it’s small relative to most models, though not the smallest on our list. It’s shorter than most models, so you shouldn’t ever have a problem storing it.

However small it may be, it’s very dense, closing it at more than 25 pounds, which means it’s one of the heaviest models on our list. It has a great handle for carrying it around, but that’s more than most people are going to want to live, and it lacks wheel, so you can’t get around this problem. It also has underwhelming power, promising 1500 PSI, but many users report that they feel like they’re getting less than that amount. Overall, this model may be providing a glimpse of what the future of portable pressure washers looks like, but as things stand, it’s not quite there yet.

---

5. DEKOPRO 3000 B07D74G5NL

The DEKOPRO 3000 B07D74G5NL has some potential, but it ultimately has enough problems with quality control that we have to drop it to the bottom of our list. On the plus side, it comes with up to 3000 PSI of pressure, which is plenty to complete even the toughest of jobs. It comes with a great adjustable nozzle that can switch from a zero-degree turbo nozzle to wider configurations to work on more sensitive surfaces. It also comes with a total stop system, which turns the motor off when you’re not pulling the trigger. This greatly extends the life of the machine by decreasing the amount of wear that the parts take during a single cleaning session.

However, it has some serious quality control problems. While many units work great, others tend to break, and often not after much use. The engine itself is a point of concern. One user reported it catching on fire, which is not something that you want to have to deal with, even if that is an unlikely event. If you’re looking for good value, this model’s price is okay, but the quality control problems will be too significant for most people.

---

Buyer’s Guide

When it comes to portable pressure washers, the savvy consumer considers three things: portability, pressure, and value.

When it comes to portability, it’s important to make sure that you get a model that isn’t too tall or too wide, as that can make it hard to fit it into most vehicles. You’ll also want to get units that have carrying handles or wheels, or both, as that makes it easy to move them around, both between jobsites and to reposition as needed while you work. You’ll also want to watch the weight of different models, as some “portable” models weigh a lot and aren’t all that portable.

With pressure, you need to know that there are certain cut offs that make jobs easier and harder. The bare minimum you should look for when buying a pressure washer is 1400 PSI. If you dip below that level, you’re not going to feel like you’re getting all that much more pressure than you would from a garden hose on its own. Pressure washers above 1800 PSI are capable of doing most jobs around the yard, even tough ones, while those with 3000 PSI or more are considered “industrial-strength” and can do any job.

Value can be hard to assess at first. While the cheapest model may seem like the one with the best value, if it quickly falls apart or isn’t strong enough to get the job done, you don’t get good value out of it. Instead, make sure that you’re only looking at models that have all the features and the power that you need, and once you’ve made a short list of those, you’re safe to buy the model from that list that is the cheapest, as it will provide the best value.

Conclusion

The Sun Joe SPX4000 2030 PSI pressure washer is our favorite portable model due to its easy-glide wheels, quick-connect nozzles, and great pressure. The Karcher K1800 comes with three nozzles, 1800 PSI, and a great on/off foot pedal, but its shipping issues keep it out of first place. Sun Joe SPX1000 1540 PSI includes weighs less than 12 pounds and has a very small form factor, making it a very portable unit, though its lack of high-end power keeps it out of the top two. The Power Products USA 1500 PSI B07BM659YR features a cutting-edge induction motor, but it’s not that small, and it weighs a lot which reduces its value as a portable pressure washer. The DEKOPRO 3000 B07D74G5NL features the best water pressure on our list and a great adjustable nozzle, but its quality control issues drop it to the bottom of our list.

We hope that our reviews and buyer’s guide have helped you understand portable pressure washers. You should now be able to buy the model that’s right for you.