When it comes to getting the back patio clean or that awful grime off the drive way, there’s no better tool than a pressure washer.

These nifty little home washers are the ideal product for those who want to set aside the hose, the detergent and the elbow grease and really get things nice and tidy. However, if you’ve taken a look in your local hardware store, or online you’ll know that there are more pressure washers that you can name — and that’s where we come in.

Our team of expert reviewers have taken a look at a majority of the leading pressure washers out there in Australia today and compiled a list of all the best pressure washers for 2021 so you don’t have to!

Whether you’re looking for something powerful, something affordable or an option with a few nifty features, we’re sure there’s something on our list below for you.

That said, let’s get into it! Take a look at the best pressure washers below.

How We Picked

Off the top, we want to let you know what went into our great list below.

For starters, we dove into things such as cost, features, reliability and of course the brands behind all of these pressure washers to make sure we were advocating for the best of the best out there. As you’d agree, who wants an unreliable and low-PSI pressure washer? Chances are, not you.

Going on from brand names and features, we also took a deep dive into a tonne of reviews online from customers who actually invested in these pressure washers. This gave us a well-rounded look into what the best pressure washers were and whether there were any shortcomings in some of the better, or more popular models.

From here, we then took a look at the unique features offered by each pressure washer and determined which of these our readers would find most useful and make use of on a routine basis.

To end, we finally took a look at the price and which was the best value for money out there today. Excluding sales and discounts or even retailers deals, we wanted to highlight the pressure washers that were simply affordable and not going to break the bank.

All that said, let’s take a look at the products that topped the list!

Our Overall Winner — the 3200PSI RX525 Electric Pressure Washer by Jet-USA

Taking the number one spot on our list is the model from Jet-USA and for a good reason — it’s one of the highest quality and more reliable models out there, it has a great price and users online seem to love it!

You’re getting a full-featured model here along with some added features like an excellent detergent tank for those times you need more than just a tonne of pressure. Add to this the pressure washer’s 5-metre long hose and you’re able to get from one side of your yard, the car or the patio without any issues at all.

Reviews did reward this pressure washer with an ideal 4.7 out of 5 which means you’re certainly going to be on the right track to having a good experience here.

Another thing to keep in mind here is that this pressure washer is light weight and easy to move around too. You won’t be having any issues lugging this product from the car, the garage or anywhere else.

On top of this, coming in at just $182 it’s one of the more affordable on the market today, making it a winner for your bank too.

To end, we’d like to note that the hose has been touted as being quite firm and the system is relatively simple to use, so you’ll be getting some good use out of the hose and also be able to make use of the product without trouble.

Our Favourite Features

• A Company Design
• Easy Storage
• A Firm Hose
• Only $182

The Higher End — The RE 129 Plus by Stihl

For our readers who aren’t too worried when it comes to price and simply want the best of the best, then we have a great suggestion here for you.

Coming from the experts at Stihl, the company’s RE 129 Plus is one of the best pressure washers that doesn’t require a battery or a petrol-powered motor. You’re getting one of the most powerful washers here and that means you’re able to rely on it to wash away all grime, grease and other impurities from your pavement or car.

Some users have touted that the pressure washer was even powerful enough to blast away stains and oil marks from their patio — something that not very many pressure washers can do — even with the help of detergent.

In line with this, there are a tonne of added features and adapters here too. You can find two nozzles coming in the box that allow you to use a fan jet or a rotary, which means you can either deep-clean things like your concrete patios and decks, or vehicle tyres, for example. Or there is the option of adjusting pressure and working on a simple wash off of things around the home.

You’re also going to find an awesome telescopic handle here too, so getting that extra reach is no trouble at all here. This may also be a plus for those looking to clean guttering and the exterior walls of their homes.

To end, there’s a detergent sprayer, a high pressure hose and a transport handle to make moving this pressure washer to and from storage a lot easier.

Our Favourite Features

• Maintains A High Pressure Over Long Periods
• Easy to Use System
• Easy Storage
• Carrying Handle
• A High-pressure Hose
• Comes in at $565

The Petrol Model — the G 2800 FH by Karcher

When it comes to using a pressure washer when away from a power outlet, you’ll need to rely on fuel-powered models. However, a lot of these are hit or miss these days with most companies focusing their research and development on electric models.

However, the Karcher team have developed one of the most seamless and easy to use pressure washers that run on petrol — and that makes it ideal for those times you’re away from home or out at site needing to clean things off.

This model is one of the highest rated online by customers and the Product Review website has also given the model praise.

For a lot of users, the thought of the complexity that comes with petrol models may be a little daunting, though we’re happy to say that the ease of use and one-pull start up is easier than ever.

You may notice that this washer can be a little noisy though, which means you’ll have to rely on some earmuffs if that’s an issue for you.

The engine that’s being used in this pressure washer is coming from Honda and that means you can certainly rely on this washer to last for years to come. There’s also a two-year warranty coming into play here too, so you’re not going to need to worry about replacing or repairing this pressure washer any time soon.

One of the only downsides here is that you will need to keep petrol with you, which is a given, and also the price of the pressure washer may be an issue for some of our readers. It comes in at over $800 which might be a little too much for those who only need the pressure washer for personal jobs.

However, businesses who need to rely on a washer to clean sites after a project will be well covered here.

Our Favourite Features

• Maintains High Pressure
• Easy to Start Petrol Engine
• Easily Stored
• Large Wheels Makes Movement Easy
• Comes in at $885

The Lower End — RPW140-G by Ryobi

We picked this model for our readers who would prefer to stick to a budget but still want something reliable.

Offered up from Ryobi means the RPW140-G is going be by your side for a long while. The brand has a great track record when it comes to quality and you’re going to find some brilliant added features here too.

There’s a high-pressure system you can rely on for some heavy duty cleaning here, though in some cases it might not pack enough punch to fully get the job done. That in mind, you’re still getting plenty of pressure for some at-home cleaning tasks.

We would suggest that the Ryobi be used for things such as the simple cleaning of cars and trucks, pathways and patios or decks around the home, though not too much else. For example, onsite cleaning might not be the best task for the Ryobi.

Those points aside though, this pressure washer did get some pretty great reviews from customers online and that’s what landed this model on our list.

To end, there is a great soap or detergent dispenser in here too, which helps out when it comes time to give the Ryobi a little help at getting some more heavy duty cleaning on.

Our Favourite Features

• Easy to Use
• Adjustable Nozzle for Pressure Choice
• Easily Stored
• Comes with a Handle
• Affordable at Just $139

Our Premium Model — the 3500 PSI Washer by JET-USA

When it comes to premium quality without the high price tag, our top choice for our readers is the 3500PSI model coming from JET USA.

With the higher pressure on offer here, you’re better able to keep on top of you’re cleaning tasks and really get the results you’re looking for. Whether you intend to strip grease and grime from a driveway or you’re after the more seamless and effective way to clean around a pool, a deck or a patio, then this is the model for you.

You can even use this pressure washer to rather effectively clean steel and tiled roofs if need be.

That in mind, there is a longer than normal hose which will allow you to get into those hard to reach spaces and also not have to worry about rolling around the pressure washer all too much during your time cleaning.

One of our favourite parts here is the high-end and commercial-friendly hose that comes with this model. You won’t need to worry about longevity at all here given that the pressure washer is designed to last a long while and also to take a beating.

For our eco-conscious readers, this pressure washer also offers up water usage that’s 50 per cent less than a typical hose! That means for those who want to reduce their water usage, or use the pressure washer in a location with poor water pressure, this is the model we’d suggest for you.

It’s affordable for what you get coming in at $240 and that means it’s well within the budget of most of our readers.

A downside we’d like to point out is that this pressure washer is a little on the heavier side, so lifting it up and down or moving it in and out of storage can be a little bit of a struggle.

Our Favourite Features

• Easy to Manoeuvre and Pull Around
• Adjustable Nozzle for Pressure Choice
• Easily Stored
• Comes with a Handle
• Affordable at Just $240

For the Car Wash — the RE 119 by Stihl

Our second model making the list from Stihl is the company’s car-friendly model.

If you’re in the know about pressure washers, you’ll be aware that sometimes with a little too much pressure you can damage your car’s paint or other materials, though the RE 119 by Stihl is out there to ensure this doesn’t happen.

With a pressure landing at around 1,820psi you’re getting just about enough pressure to clean around the home, wash the car and do whatever else you’re thinking of doing.

To make this a little more clear, typical at-home cleaning duties should only require a pressure washer that offers up about 1,300psi and with 1,800 on offer you’re well-covered when it comes to getting work done.

Online reviews have touted that this is the perfect size and pressure model for those who want to wash cars and trucks and that’s great for making the chore a lot easier. You can blast off just about everything you need to and not need to worry about the pressure washer causing any damage.

We’d also like to add that you’ll find a nifty handle coming into play here as well as an ideally designed foldable cover which means you can keep the pressure washer clean and protected when it’s not in use.

To end, there’s an adjust nozzle here like some of the other washers on our list and this means you’re getting more control of the pressure and water direction depending on what you’re doing. For example, cleaning the car is going to be a little different from washing off the back patio.

Our Favourite Features

• Excellent Value for Money
• Designed to Last a Long While
• Easily Stored
• Affordable at Just $399

Choosing Your Own Pressure Washer

With all of our top choice pressure washers out of the way, we’re hoping that you’ve found a winner for you and your home. However, if you’re intending on going out to look for a model on your own, we have some pointers for you.

We understand that choosing a pressure washer is a little complicated given that there are a few technical terms often thrown around like PSI and gallons or litres per minute, so that’s what we’re going to help cover for you below.

Understanding PSI and Pressure

We’re not going to delve into the scene behind pressure and PSI here, but rather give you some tips about what to look for.

A lot of our readers and the general public are under the impression that a bigger and more powerful pressure washer is always going to be the better choice. Though, this couldn’t be further from the truth.

If you are only on the look out for a pressure washer to clean your car, for example, you’re not going want to choose a PSI of somewhere around 3,000 as this is going to cause damage — and you won’t be able to turn the PSI down after your purchase either.

That in mind, work to understand the workflows you’re going to be using your pressure washer for and go from there. To make this a little simpler for you, we’ve outlined some of the typical pressure washer uses for you below:

Washing a Car, Truck or Bikes — You’ll need around a 1,000PSI to 1,300PSI pressure washer.

Cleaning a Deck, Patio or Roof — You’ll need around 2,400PSI as a minimum, ideally a little more for the more heavy-duty jobs.

Stripping Paint — You’ll need beyond 2,500PSI and ideally toward 3,000PSI to 3,500PSI for this task. Keep in mind these are more costly and sometimes only come on petrol variants.

Those points out of the way it’s clear to see that you don’t always need the biggest and the best pressure washer out there, but rather a model that’s best suited to your own workflows at home, at work or on a job site.

Detergent and Cleaning Features

Another big consideration you need to think about is the added cleaning features that are supported by the pressure washer.

In some cases, a lower PSI pressure washer can be made a lot more effective with the addition of detergent and other cleaning features. This is down to the fact that you’re able to more freely clean with less pressure needed when you have a cleaning agent coming into play.

On top of this, things such as adjustable nozzles or even a set of interchangeable nozzles can make a big difference to how effective your experience cleaning is with a pressure washer.

This is where we’ll ask you to take a look at added cleaning features to make a better choice when it comes to investing in a pressure washer.

Accessories

Our final pointer we’d like to go over is taking a good look at the supported accessories for your chosen pressure washer.

This will generally depend on the brand, though there are some accessory makers out there who develop standalone and multi-supported fittings and pressure washer heads that clip on to just about every pressure washer.

That in mind, if you see yourself needing add-ons such as a pressure washer broom for example, be sure to take a look at a retail store’s website for more information on this.

You might be able to better decide on the best pressure washers when you know what types of features and add-ons are supported.

Conclusion

All of the above in mind, we are sure you’re just as surprised as we were when it came to seeing just how many different types of pressure washers there were. This is good news for those who want a rather curated cleaning experience at home, but it can be a little daunting and confusing when it comes to knowing which models to choose and which to overlook.

A lot of the time, we can typically go by our budgets, though this will only take us so far — you have to be sure to factor in a tonne of other things such as the power of the pressure washer, the added accessories, your own use case as well as the type of power it uses.

Another big thing to keep in mind is the type of power you’ll be using and whether you need a petrol model or not. For those who typically work at unpowered worksites, a petrol model might be the better option for you unless you’re investing in a generator.

All of that said, we’re confident one of the above pressure washers is going to suit your needs this year, however, if you do go it alone in your search for one of these machines, be sure to consider your personal use case, the PSI required and whether you’re going to need something designed for a worksite, or just simple use around your home.