12 best pressure washers for cleaning cars, gutters and patios with ease

Score: 93/100

A truly impressive piece of kit, this powerful pressure washer came into its own during the patio and window cleaning tests, scoring highly for both. It was also easy to assemble, comes with various interchangeable nozzles and has an impressive 130 bars of pressure.

Note that it can be a little noisy while in use, but what it lacks in low decibels it makes up for in affordability.

Score: 91/100

Ryobi’s cordless power washer is easy to set up, intuitive to use, and has excellent cleaning power. It's better for medium-duty jobs as it only has 41 bars of pressure and it performed best when tackling dirty windows, making light work of solid dirt on the glass and residue in the corners of the frame, even when used without detergent.

Cleaning the car and patio was straightforward too, but we needed to go over tougher stains a few times to see similar results. Its lightweight, cordless design means this shouldn’t be too much of an issue though and we could easily switch between the rinse and turbo settings on the spray nozzle when tackling troublesome areas.

Score: 89/100

The Husqvarna PW235R is a great pressure washer with a streamlined design that makes it easy to move around, as well as sturdy wheels that can glide from garage to garden with ease.

Thanks to its 135 bars of pressure and eight metre hose, it scored highly on our patio performance test, with stubborn dirt dealt with quickly. Testers were also pleased with the on-board storage for accessories and the easy clear-up after use.

Score: 88/100

The Worx HydroShot’s 5-in-1 nozzle and unique cordless design achieved an impressive perfect score in our ease-of-use tests. It runs on batteries, and you can drop its hose into any water source – from buckets to pools – and you’re ready to start cleaning straight away.

It blitzed most of the dirt from our patio, leaving it streak-free. We were pleased with how much grime it removed from the car and windows, too, although they did require a little more elbow grease – we either had to use a different setting or pay a bit more attention to troublesome dirt traps.

We would have liked our car to be left a little drier too. However, these are relatively minor niggles. Overall, it’s a lightweight, effective and compact pressure washer. A worthwhile buy for speeding through smaller jobs around the garden.

Score: 84/100

Dirty patios were no match for this powerful cleaner on test. It shifted dirt quickly, even without detergent, making it a great pick for blitzing grime. It was also reliable when cleaning windows and cars, and reached tricky areas effectively. Surfaces weren’t too damp afterwards either.

Instead of an integrated detergent bottle, this comes with a suction hose, which is a bit more of a faff than some blasters. But all the other attachments are easy to fit, and it’s generally easy to use. Plus, it is a lighter, more affordable and more portable option than Karcher’s K7 Premium Smart Control washer below, making it a powerful yet practical pick.

Score: 84/100

Cleaning dirty windows is a cinch with the K7 Premium Smart Control pressure washer from Karcher. It removed any dirt on the glass with ease, leaving only minor oil stains after we’d washed with both water and detergent.

What makes this model different from other Karcher washers is you can control it from your phone using the brand’s Home & Garden app. Depending on the task at hand, you can get advice on the best setting to use, easily switching between them so you can tackle a whole range of surfaces. Plus, with up to 180 bars of pressure, the washer’s powerful blast can handle any hard-to-reach areas such as the wheels of a car.

Just bear in mind that it’s fairly large, so it can be quite tricky to move around – look to one of our other picks if you’re after something more portable. Plus, it's only sold with a detergent for stone and facade surfaces, so if you want to get started on your windows first, you’ll need to purchase the all-purpose detergent first. Despite that, it’s an effective and powerful cleaner that certainly lives up to the Karcher name.

Score: 83/100

Standing out for its quick, easy set-up, this is an ideal buy if you’re new to pressure washers or want a model that’s faff-free. It also comes with three different nozzles and a clear instruction manual. The nozzles aren’t all suitable for use on cars, but otherwise, the range offers good flexibility.

It made light work of our cleaning tests – sprucing up patios and windows in a jiffy. At times, testers found it pushed the dirt around rather than banishing it entirely. But using detergent (not supplied) helped with this. The hose had great reach, meaning it offers excellent access to awkward spots such as car wheels and grooves, and our experts were impressed with how little leakage they spotted.

Score: 83/100

The Bosch Universal Aquatak 125 is a pressure washer triple threat: easy to use, portable and lightweight. It also comes with a handy detergent bottle and a multi-use nozzle that offers three spray patterns, so you can adapt your lance style for each job.

Be aware that it left some light smears when cleaning windows but it removed overgrown algae and grime with ease. It's ideal if you want a reliable and effective pressure washer that's reasonably priced and easy to carry.

Score: 80/100

As well as saving you from hours of scrubbing, this pressure washer has a standout 10 metre hose so you can cover large areas without having to manoeuvre the (somewhat heavy) unit around. That extra-long hose also makes it a winner for reaching high windows.

Another great addition is the included vario spray power lance, which our testers found particularly useful for car cleaning, leaving the entire frame sparkling fresh – even under the wheel arches. It’s a great value buy for larger gardens and homes.

Score: 79/100

With a 45-minute battery life and unencumbered by a cable, this cordless pressure washer should make patio cleaning easy. Plus, there's a six-in-one multi nozzle, which means you can customise the pressures according to the cleaning tasks you’re tackling.

On test, the Jet Hawk performed well against moss, mud and algae but testers noted that the pressure was lower than other models we’ve tested, at only 15 bars. There was also a slight sense that the washer pushed dirt along rather than fully removing it. However, we were pleased with the way it left our car and windows refreshed and reasonably dry.

Score: 78/100

With up to 150 bars of pressure, this Black & Decker tool put in an impressive performance when tackling dirt in our patio test, getting rid of moss and algae without much trouble.

Across the board, it dealt with hard-to-reach areas well, helped by its compact design and ergonomic carry handle, which made moving it around and directing the nozzle hassle-free. Testers also praised the easy-to-use trigger, which meant they weren’t left with cramp after operating for long periods.

Be careful when changing the jet intensity – our testers found it quite easy to unscrew the blaster when trying to switch settings. The washer also left surfaces a little damper than other models we tested. All in all, though, it’s a lightweight yet powerful cleaner that does a reliable job.

Score: 77/100

The VonHaus pressure washer was particularly adept at getting dirt off patio surfaces. It effectively blasted dirt away and left zero streaks, thanks to its 130 bars of pressure and variable settings.

Our testers said it struggled a little to clean oil from windows but impressed overall when it came to dirt removal – even from those awkward spaces. There was no damage to the paintwork when we used it to clean the car, either.

Overall, it did take a little more effort to get each surface spotless than some of the highest-scoring pressure washers in our test; however, its lightweight design and easy to use features balanced out this minor flaw.

Plus, at the price, it's a great option if you don’t mind spending more time on particularly grimy spots.