Best Pressure Washers Under $500

There’s no question about it – a pressure washer makes certain tasks easier and faster. Can you get by without one? Sure… but having one around the house or the shop will lend itself to getting things done that you may have been putting off. Washing vehicles, campers, fences, buildings, surfaces… if your list has a few of those on there (or even one big one), then a pressure washer would be a solid investment.

In this episode of The Fix, Tucker and Travis review the features and performance for five Black Diamond pressure washers – three electric powered and two gas. They vary from small and portable to heavy duty, and this episode will demonstrate what the differences truly translate into.

PSI vs. GPM

When you’re looking at purchasing or upgrading a pressure washer, there are two key measurements that matter, in addition to other features: PSI and GPM. Here’s an easy way to think about it: PSI (pounds per sq. inch) is how hard the water is going to spray out of the nozzle. GPM (gallons per minute) is how much water is going to come out. So, if you have something really tough to remove and clean, like a driveway with a lot of stains, then you want higher pressure. If you have a large area to clean, then you want to think about the GPM you’ll need to rinse that area off.

A few caution flags

If you’re cleaning something that could be damaged, like wood or thin plastic, ratchet that PSI back or you’ll create spray patterns that won’t come off or you’ll outright damage the surface.

On the other hand, if you’re cleaning something on or close to soil and use something with too much GPM, you’re going to create a mud pit and maybe damage the lawn.

Our suggestions

In the video we demonstrate each model, from 1700 PSI up to 3700 PSI, on an old dirty pallet. What would we recommend? It all depends on your use cases. If you don’t own your property and just like a clean car and want a better way to get in shinning, go with the small portable unit. If you’re a rancher or farmer with a lot of muddy farm equipment or shop floors that you’re trying to keep clean, go for the biggest one you can handle and afford. If you fall somewhere in between, the 3000 PSI electric model will probably be great for most jobs.

When making a choice, also think about where you’re going to want to use it. If you live in town and are using it around the house, electric is probably fine. It’s lighter, less hassle, and quieter. If you want to use it at a shop or barn without electricity, then gas is the way to go.

One other small thing to consider is what accessories the model you’re looking at comes with. The less expensive ones only come with one or two nozzles while the higher end ones come with four or five. Does it come with a detergent tank? You can also pick those things up in the aftermarket arena like on Amazon if you’re set on a particular model but it doesn’t have the accessories that you want. Speaking of accessories…

Accessories

One thing that we didn’t cover in the video is the variety of accessories that you can get to pair with your pressure washer today. In addition to various extensions that can save your arms and back, here are just a few that might be helpful.

Surface cleaner

-Great for driveways and patios that are just dirty. Not great for heavy stains as it disperses the pressure to multiple nozzles instead of just one.

Gutter cleaner

-Hello! Stay on the ground and clean out the leaves and asphalt debris. One thing to remember – now it’s going to get blown out of your gutter and come down. Wear a hat and your painting clothes.

Vehicle brush

-It’s like having a car wash at home! Just keep in mind, if you get a model with an on-board detergent tank and you only use a quarter of the soap, make sure you know how to switch off the soap or you’ll be washing indefinitely.

Conclusion

There you have it. Watch the video and see which one is the best fit for your situation. You are now equipped to make a decision on which pressure washer is right for you.