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Nilfisk pressure washer for patio

Updated: 21.10.2026

You are about to jet wash patio slabs, block paving or decking, and the risk is a clean surface with the joint sand gone or the timber feathered. A Nilfisk pressure washer for patio work can do that job with one of the four machines in the [Nilfisk pressure washer comparison](/hub/compressors/nilfisk-pressure-washer), and none of those cartons includes the round patio head. You buy the head separately, or you work with the lance and accept a slower, riskier pass. The notes below come from the Nilfisk shop, the maker’s decking article and published UK paving advice on 19 October 2026. We did not time a patio.

You are about to jet wash patio slabs, block paving or decking, and the risk is a clean surface with the joint sand gone or the timber feathered.

Our top picks

Nilfisk Nilfisk Core 125

Best overall

Nilfisk Nilfisk Core 125
9.0/10about £115.99
View offer
Nilfisk Nilfisk E 145.4

Alternative

Nilfisk Nilfisk E 145.4
7.2/10about £299
View offer
Nilfisk Nilfisk Core 150

Best value

Nilfisk Nilfisk Core 150
8.0/10about £202.79
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.Which Nilfisk in this set for the size of patio
  2. 2.The patio cleaner is not in the box
  3. 3.Slabs, joints and decking
  4. 4.When to stop and repoint, or not to jet

Which Nilfisk in this set for the size of patio

Match the machine to the area, then buy the head if you want one. The Core 125 lists 35 m²/h, a 5 m hose and about 6–7 kg, at £115.99, for a small patio you can reach by moving the unit. The Core 150 is about 40 m²/h on the shop bullet, with a conflicting 45 m²/h in the spec table, a 10 m reel and £202.79. The Excellent 160 shop page says 50 m²/h and a 10 m reel, at about 21 kg and £310.00. The E 145.4 listing says up to 55 m²/h and a 9 m hose, at £299.00 and about 20 kg. Those figures are manufacturer indexes, not a stopwatch on your flags. Who should skip each listing is on the best Nilfisk pressure washer page.

The patio cleaner is not in the box

None of the four kept listings includes a patio cleaner. Nilfisk’s mid patio cleaner is £49.99, 250 mm, on Click&Clean, listed for Excellent, Classic, Core, Dynamic and Compact. Nilfisk’s six-times-faster claim has no method attached, so do not treat it as measured, and the accessory warranty on that page is six months. The power patio cleaner is £99.99, 320 mm, on a bayonet, with the same compatibility list. An older leaflet that omits Core is not the current line. Premium bayonet lances are not for this set. Do not put a hand under the spinning deck. If you skip the head, use the gentle fan. First start and the RCD are on the how to use a Nilfisk pressure washer page.
Nilfisk Nilfisk Core 125

Testsieger

Nilfisk Nilfisk Core 125
9.0/10about £115.99
View offer

Slabs, joints and decking

On stone, published paving advice is about 50 cm away, the lance at about 45 degrees, the pass diagonal to the joints, and several light passes rather than one hard pass. A rotary or rough nozzle aimed down a mortar line blows the sand out and can stain the slab. Test a hidden corner first. If the supplier says jet washing voids the claim, that ban outranks a bar figure. Timber stays as two guides. Nilfisk says a gentle nozzle, about 50–70 bar and 30–50 cm, along the grain. Which? says at least 60 cm and roughly 34–83 bar. If the machine will not hold a low setting, step back. How PowerControl and the Excellent watt clash work is on the Nilfisk pressure washer buying guide.

When to stop and repoint, or not to jet

Stop when the joint sand is lifting, when the surface is etching, or when a second pass only makes a lighter stripe beside a darker one. Repoint loose joints before you chase a cleaner colour. A surface cleaner can still scar a soft board if you park it. Do not jet a wall from a ladder. Sweep loose grit first and wash on a slight fall away from the house. In England and Wales a hose in a dirty bucket can be a high fluid category, and the water company decides.

Common questions

Can I patio-clean with the Core 125 lance only?
Yes, on a small area, if you use the gentle nozzle, keep the rough nozzle off the joints, and move the machine because the hose is 5 m. It will be slower than a 250 mm head, and the Core 125 does not include that head.
Which Nilfisk patio head fits Core and Excellent?
The mid patio cleaner at £49.99 uses Click&Clean, and the current shop page lists Core and Excellent. The power patio cleaner at £99.99 uses a bayonet and a 320 mm deck, and lists the same ranges. There is no Premium washer in this comparison.
Will a rotary nozzle wreck pointing?
It can. A tight rotating jet or the rough pencil nozzle, held on the joint, blows the sand out and can etch soft stone or tarmac. Use a fan at about 50 cm and about 45 degrees, diagonal to the joints, and keep a rotary head flat on the slabs.
How far back should I stand on decking?
Nilfisk’s decking guide says 30–50 cm with a gentle nozzle and about 50–70 bar, along the grain, after a test on a hidden board. Which? says at least 60 cm for timber, at roughly 34–83 bar. If you cannot set 50–70 bar, stand further back and keep the fan nozzle.
Is the E 145.4’s 55 m²/h a measured patio?
No. It is the clean-rate index on the listing, in the same family as 35, 40 and 50 m²/h for the Core 125, Core 150 and Excellent 160. It is not a timed test of your slabs, and you still have to move about 20 kg.
Can I jet Indian sandstone the same way as concrete?
Treat sandstone as the softer surface. Some suppliers void a claim if you jet sandstone. Use about 50 cm and about 45 degrees on a hidden patch first, and keep the washer off a ladder.

Related pages

Nilfisk pressure washer vs Kärcher

Nilfisk pressure washer

Best Nilfisk pressure washer for a patio or long drive

Nilfisk pressure washer buying guide: bar and hose

How to use a Nilfisk pressure washer, then store it

Sources

Public UK sources from the research digest. amazon.co.uk listings and Nilfisk shop prices checked on 19 October 2026.

  1. Nilfisk collection: high-pressure washers (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  2. Nilfisk Core 125-5 UK (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  3. Nilfisk Core 150-10 PowerControl (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  4. Nilfisk Excellent 160 (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  5. Electrical Safety First: pressure washers (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  6. HSE: electrical equipment and RCDs (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  7. GOV.UK: Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016 (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  8. legislation.gov.uk: Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999 (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  9. BSI: BS EN 60335-2-79:2012 high-pressure cleaners (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  10. amazon.co.uk: Nilfisk listings in this set (retrieved 19 October 2026)