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More brands have been releasing cordless pressure washers that look to almost match the performance of popular electric models.
A reader asked a good question recently – are they any good? Or rather, the reader (thank you, AK!) mentioned struggling to see the point.
Pressure washers aren’t exactly grab-and-go type of tools or equipment, right? Most users will tether then to a water spigot via a hose. So if you’ve got to use a garden hose, is there really cordless convenience?
Many cordless pressure washers can be fed via portable water source, such as a filled bucket.
At least one brand’s cordless pressure washer features a built-in water reservoir, eliminating the need for separate buckets or containers.
There’s an entire class of power cleaners and washers, and to me those make more sense as cordless cleaning tools.
But cordless pressure washers can have their place.
For one, many older homes might not have many outside or outside-accessible electric outlets. Being able to use battery power in a cordless tool can eliminate a major frustration for many users.
It has been pointed out (thanks Big Richard!) that one of the newest cordless pressure washers – the dual battery-powered Craftsman, can only be operated at its maximum PSI mode for up to 8 minutes, after which it needs a cool down period.
Looking at one of Craftsman’s newer electric pressure washers, there’s no mention of any duty cycle or cool down period in the user manual.
With a self-priming pump, no garden hose is necessary. You can find ways to power electric pressure washers via portable water sources as well, as opposed to a garden hose, but it’s not as straightforward if their pumps require water to have some pressure already at the inlet.
It all comes down to cordless convenience.
Across the power tool industry, the concept of a “cordless jobsite” has been heavily promoted over the years
We’re nowhere near the point where cordless pressure washers can replace electric models for most users. For some, yes, there are going to be benefits.
It’s a bit surprising. There are cordless lawn mowers, air blowers, snow throwers, trimmers, chainsaws, and more, not to mention all of the handheld cordless power tools that outperform older corded models.
But we’re not at the point where cordless pressure washers are going to offer superior or matching performance. This is just talking about electric models – forget about gas engine pressure washers for now.
However, we’re only seeing first-generation products in a lot of cases. I wonder what the cordless pressure washer landscape will look like in 5 years.
I don’t expect for many readers to have an “oh, I can use that!” mindset. I’ll keep reporting on them, not because I think they’re great buys, but because it’s good to know what’s out there, and what they offer.
What’s your take on cordless pressure washers?
Here are the 2023 releases we talked about recently:
Makita announced an 18V X2 model in 2021, but so far has not launched this or other models in the USA.
Dewalt launched a cordless power cleaner in 2021, as did a couple of other brands. That – to me – is a better example where cordless power and high mobility can provide bigger user benefits.
Do you want us to test out any cordless pressure washer models? Which one(s)?
