Looking for general home use, in the $200/$300 range. So many brands, so many models. Was looking at Karcher but now not sure because of plastic/proprietary fittings. Any help appreciated.

I have a SunJoe I got on Amazon. I think it was probably half your budget. Works great for my uses. I don't have any experience with any other electric units, only headaches with gas units.

2nd SunJoe. I bought one a few months ago and have used it quite a bit. It had no problem erasing 10-15 years of built up gunk on all of my flatwork.

If you're going to pay $300, why not just get gas?

Your family will fight to power wash your driveways and decks. Then you'll store it for a couple years...

But the Sunjoe is a good deal fir around the house...

That's the story of my life.
My house is white limestone and I want to remove the greenies that occur here in CS. Washing cars will be secondary.

The Karcher K1700-K2000 series use the standard connectors and metal pieces. It's only the K2-K5 series that used proprietary connectors and plastic pieces.

I have the K1700 Cube and absolutely love it. Electric, while weaker than gas, is just so much more convenient than gas. If you're looking to clean a driveway, you'll want gas or it will take you forever. For small cleaning projects or cars, electric is great.

Note that, no matter which electric pressure washer you get, they pretty much all top out around 2000 PSI and 1.2ish GPM, because there is only so much power that can come from the wall. Any electric pressure washer plugging into a standard outlet that advertises more than that is lying about it.

How often are you going to use it? Might be better to just rent one every once in a while. Electric is fine for some things but nowhere near the power of gas. Renting saves you from having to store it and then dealing with maintaining a gas engine that's not used often.

My recommendation....dont get electric. I had one a few years ago that broke and either way i still preferred my neighbors gas. Im about to buy a new one and wont even look at the electric versions.

Buy gas

Preferable with a Honda engine

Always run ethanol free gas mixed with Startron fuel treatment

The gas/electric decision would be based on what you PRIMARILY do with it. It isn't strictly a power issue, though it can be. If you want it to wash cars, you don't want a gas. You'll have to turn the motor on and off too much because the unit is not designed to run for more than a minute or so without the pump engaged. Basically, a gas unit is designed to work while running UNLESS you're changing hoses or attachments.

With that said, if you're looking for a 5 gpm electric model, to the extent they exist, they're going to be VERY expensive. Also, if you must have mobility and either can't or don't want to mess with cords, then the gas wins out. However, the gas requires much more maintenance and, everything else being equal, probably won't last as long. My cheapo electric just keeps going and going. My gas works fine too but I've had to mess with the carb a few times.

At the consumer end of electrics, I recommend AR Blues. Most of the brand names you've heard of -- Sun Joe, Greenworks, heck, even Ryobi -- are good machines. I think the ARB is the most consistent. These are all going to be about 1.5 GPM units or less -- most 1.2 or less. If you want a more powerful electric, check out the DeWalt 1500. It is a 2 GPM. It is more, like about 550-600 at Home Depot (and elsewhere, I'm sure) but it already has a good hose and is quick-connect ready. The consumer electrics all come with M22 fittings that I recommend you change to quick connect at some point. You'll need to buy a new hose and gun but it will greatly improve your experience. I've written extensively about this on other threads.

If you feel a gas is needed, I strongly recommend you get at least a 3.5 GPM model -- a 3.2 at the very least. 4.0 is considered minimum pro level. The 2.x models are OK and while they're much better pump wise than they used to be, if you decide to do some higher end work like renting a pro surface cleaner, then the bigger machine will do it much better.

As said earlier, I really want one to blast off the green algae/mold off of brick and windows. Washing cars would be secondary. I've found an Active VE52 that moves 1.8 to 1.9 gpm but at only about 900 to 1000psi. It's a fairly new entry in electric machines. Looking into that one. About $200.

Third for the SunJoe. For general around the house stuff, it's been great. Went with an electric over a gas due to not wanting another gas engine to deal with on something I'll use 4-5 times a year.

Here is a nice one that is on sale for today, only.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/DEWALT-2400-PSI-1-1-GPM-Cold-Water-Electric-Pressure-Washer-DWPW2400/313916664

Marvin_Zindler said:

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Here is a nice one that is on sale for today, only.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/DEWALT-2400-PSI-1-1-GPM-Cold-Water-Electric-Pressure-Washer-DWPW2400/313916664

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Hard pass on that DeWalt. I mean, I'm sure it will hold up and be a decent quality machine, and I don't know what the price you were hawking it at was. But this AR Blue has 50 percent more output -- GPM is where it counts -- and is half the regular price:

AR Blue Clean, New Electric Pressure Washer, BC383HSS, 2150 PSI, 1.6 GPM

You could also use this AR Blue if you have a hot water connection -- similar to a washer hot/cold.

Well I changed my mind and went gas. Simpson (3200psi, 2.5gpm) with a Honda engine. Only hurt a minute. Feel a lot better since I've seen the quality.

You won't regret your decision.

SunJoe here. Pops is on his 3rd or 4th Honda powered Simpson (they seem to last 3-4 years even using ethanol free and never storing with fuel).

Both are good for what they are. I actually find myself wanting to use the electric more than the gas due to not turning on and off as much - I go through a relief valve almost every time I use his, and it also is a little stronger than I like for cleaning the boat (carpet, upholstery, etc.).

Most of the people I talked to had the exact opposite response. Electrics didn't last. Gas did.