What should you know about portable car washes and which one is better to choose in order to wash the car yourself in the country, near the house or garage?
Unlike the mid-eighties of the last century, when the first portable mini-washers appeared, working on the principle invented by Alfred Karcher back in 1950, in our time this technique is very common and available to many car owners. With the onset of autumn slush and on the eve of winter mud on the roads, buying this device is more relevant than ever. But before heading to the hardware store, you should find out which pressure washer to choose for the car.
What are pressure washers?
Pressure washers or mini-washers are divided into two types: domestic and professional. In the design of both there is a motor, a pump, a hose with a nozzle and a power cord. There is also protection against voltage surges. And in professional ones, which, unlike an electric motor, are usually equipped with a small gasoline or diesel internal combustion engine, there can also be air or water cooling to protect the engine from overheating.
Household sinks include small devices of low power and productivity. They create a pressure of 20-120 atm or 120-150 atm. The former consume 300-400 l / h, work without stopping for an average of 30-40 minutes, and their power is enough to clean something not very dirty: bike paths, carpet. The latter spend water at 500-600 l / h and are able to work for more than an hour without a break. And this is the best choice for the role of a country or home mini-sink.
Apparatuses with a water flow rate of more than 600 l/h and a pressure of more than 150 bar belong to the professional category. They are larger, heavier, and can be equipped with a water heater or chemical tank. Such high pressure washers are most often found in professional car washes, and buying them for “home” use is not practical given the higher price.
How to choose a pressure washer?
Not only its durability, but also endurance depends on the material of the mini-wash pump. That is, how long can the device work continuously. Washers with plastic pumps last an average of half an hour, after which you need to take a break. Buying a mini-sink with such a pump is justified only because of its compactness. Devices with a metal or ceramic pump last longer and can work up to a couple of hours.
When choosing a pressure washer for your machine, consider the length of the hose. The larger it is, the easier and more convenient it will be to work with the device. Mini sinks with a hose shorter than 5 m are not the best choice for this purpose. Well, if the design of the device provides a filter. It will extend the life of the sink by protecting its mechanisms from debris and small particles from outside. And when choosing a portable car wash, you should pay attention to models with the possibility of using additional nozzles that can be purchased later.
The best choice for washing a car, as well as the facade of a summer house or paths on a personal plot, together with garden tools, will be a household high-pressure washer at 120-140 atm. And remember that its effectiveness depends not so much on the pressure created, but on its correct combination with the flow of water. Simply put, an increase in the latter will have a greater effect on the quality of surface cleaning than an increase in pressure.
High pressure wash rating
Every year, the list of the best high pressure washers is updated with the release of new, more powerful, modern and convenient models from different manufacturers, with which this niche is rich. The most famous brands in the mini-sink market include: Karcher, Bosch, Huter, Elitech, Portotecnica, Makita, Nilfisk, Stihl and Patriot.
In the top lines of the ratings of the best pressure washers for a car in 2021, in terms of price to quality ratio, the following models of devices most often appear:
- Karcher K 5 Compact (1.630-750.0)
- Huter W195-PRO
- BOSCH EasyAquatak 120
- Bort BHR-1900-PRO
- Daewoo Power Products DAW-500
