Independent comparisons. We may earn from shop links. More info

Pressure washer buying guide

Updated: 21.10.2026

You are looking at 110 bar, 135 bar and a title that says 345 bar, and the largest figure feels like the careful choice. A pressure washer buying guide for a UK house starts with the job, the litres per hour and the hose, not that number. You are buying a corded cold-water pump, a trigger gun and a lance. This page uses the eleven amazon.co.uk listings in our [pressure washer comparison](/hub/compressors/pressure-washer). Shelf prices and review counts are the ones stored there, with UK reviews through 4 October 2026. We did not run a lab test. A qualifying purchase through our links can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

You are looking at 110 bar, 135 bar and a title that says 345 bar, and the largest figure feels like the careful choice.

Our top picks

Kärcher Kärcher K 2 Horizontal

Best overall

Kärcher Kärcher K 2 Horizontal
7.6/10about £69.12
View offer
Bosch Bosch EasyAquatak 120

Alternative

Bosch Bosch EasyAquatak 120
7.4/10about £130.86
View offer
Bosch Bosch UniversalAquatak 135

Rank 3

Bosch Bosch UniversalAquatak 135
8.1/10about £108
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.What you are actually buying
  2. 2.Match the numbers to the job
  3. 3.Hose, nozzles and the kit in the box
  4. 4.When the listing disagrees with itself
  5. 5.What to check before you pay

What you are actually buying

On a domestic listing the machine is almost always mains-powered and cold. Petrol, hot water and a true cordless unit are different purchases. The Yospinber S100 title reads like a corded 1,800 W washer, and the power-source field says battery, so do not treat £49.99 as a cordless bargain. Pressure is how hard the water hits. Flow, in litres an hour, carries the dirt away. Hose length is how far you stand from the pump. Bosch states watts on its three models here. VYTRONIX states 1,800 W and ETOOLAB 2,000 W. The Kärcher rows do not, so do not paste a figure from another shop onto a K 2 or a K 4.

Match the numbers to the job

Screwfix's retailer sketch, a shop guide rather than a British Standard, puts about 100 bar on light work, about 110 to 130 bar on medium work, and above 130 bar on heavier concrete. About 420 to 450 litres an hour is the rinse for a larger patch. Under £80: the K 2 Horizontal at £69.12, the K 2 Classic at £73.98 and the VYTRONIX JETW1800 at £74.99. Both K 2s state 110 bar and 360 litres an hour, with a short hose. The VYTRONIX states 135 bar, 480 litres an hour and 6 m, and its tank field copies the flow. The K 3 Horizontal is £99, at 120 bar, 380 litres an hour and 4 m. The UniversalAquatak 135 is £108, with 135 bar, 450 litres an hour and 7 m, the highest score because that reach sits on 3,060 reviews. The EasyAquatak 120 is £130.86 and brings a patio head. The K 4 at £188 states 130 bar, 420 litres an hour and 8 m. The AdvancedAquatak 140 at £208.99 states 140 bar and 17.6 kg. Car paint and joints are on the car and patio pages.
Kärcher Kärcher K 2 Horizontal

Testsieger

Kärcher Kärcher K 2 Horizontal
7.6/10about £69.12
View offer

Hose, nozzles and the kit in the box

This set runs from 3 m on both K 2 models to 8 m on the K 4. The AdvancedAquatak bullet says 8 m and its highlight says 5 m, so quote both. Short-hose reviews say you shuffle the machine. A 3 m hose can suit bikes against a wall. It is a poor buy for one standing position around a hatchback. The K 2 Horizontal's Vario lance is the daily fan. The K 2 Classic's dirt blaster and the UniversalAquatak's point jet stay off a door. Only the EasyAquatak 120, with a 250 patio cleaner, and the K 3 eco!Booster Car & Home at £139, with a T 1 plus brush, foam and shampoo, include a hood. A hood holds the jets at a set height. If the drive is block paving, open those two rows before the 345 bar title.

When the listing disagrees with itself

Quote both figures when an amazon.co.uk field contradicts the title. Do not average them into a third number we did not measure. The K 4 title says 11.5 kg and the weight field says 6.3 kg. The K 3 eco!Booster title says 120 bar and the field says 1,500 psi, about 103 bar. The EasyAquatak field says 120 bar and a bullet says 100 bar. Tank fields of 350, 410 and 480 litres copy the flow. ETOOLAB's 345 bar and 5,000 psi agree and are still unmeasured. BS EN 60335-2-79 covers cleaners up to 350 bar, and the hose length is missing.

What to check before you pay

UK mains are 230 V and the plug should be a BS 1363 three-pin. Electrical Safety First's advice is an RCD outdoors, no ladders, and the jet off sockets and the cable. A CE mark does not replace the Consumer Rights Act 2015 if the machine is faulty. Write down bar, litres an hour, hose metres, and whether a patio head is in the box. A K 2 suits bikes. A car wants reach and a fan you can soften. A drive that is losing sand wants a hood.

Common questions

How many bar do I need for a car and a patio?
About 110 to 130 bar and 380 to 450 litres an hour. In this set that is the K 3, the UniversalAquatak and the K 4. Bar is a ceiling, not the setting for paint.
Is a 3 m hose enough?
Enough beside a bike or a short run of slabs. Not enough to walk a car. The UniversalAquatak states 7 m and the K 4 states 8 m.
Do I need a patio cleaner in the box?
You need one for block paving or a wide slab run if you do not already own a hood. A lance aimed into the joint blows the sand out. Only the EasyAquatak 120 and the K 3 eco!Booster include a head. Budget for one later if you buy the K 4 for the drive.
Why does one listing show two pressures?
Titles, bullets and specification fields are filled separately. The K 3 eco!Booster title says 120 bar and the field says 1,500 psi. The EasyAquatak field says 120 bar and a bullet says 100 bar. Keep both numbers.
What plug should a UK washer have?
A UK three-pin plug on a 230 V supply, with an RCD on the outdoor socket. Keep the cable out of the water and off the jet.

Related pages

Best pressure washer

Pressure washer

Pressure washer for cars without marking the paint

How to use a pressure washer before the first frost

Pressure washer for patio slabs, joints and decking

Sources

Public UK sources, Bosch DIY UK and the Kärcher FAQ below. amazon.co.uk listings checked on 19 October 2026.

  1. legislation.gov.uk: Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999, Schedule 2 (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  2. legislation.gov.uk: temporary use bans (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  3. Ofwat: hosepipe bans and non-essential use bans (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  4. Electrical Safety First: pressure washers (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  5. BSI: BS EN 60335-2-79 high-pressure cleaners (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  6. Bosch DIY UK: pressure washers (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  7. Kärcher: FAQ on suction from a water butt (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  8. WaterSafe: backflow from hosepipes (retrieved 19 October 2026)