You might be wondering what the need for petrol pressure washers is when there are some perfectly capable electric pressure washers on the market. The answer only really comes down to the quality of the spray itself and the increased flow they can generate.
A petrol-powered pressure washer has the ability to generate hot water, which is a lot more effective in getting every last bit of dirt and dust off your vehicle. Professional detailing services use them when performing a valet job to a car, and quite often, the process is quicker than when you use a corded or cordless electric pressure washer.
You might be interested in a petrol pressure washer if you run a detailing firm. Or if you fancy one for yourself, they’re highly capable things, especially over more compact machines, when doing a routine car wash.
The best petrol pressure washers at a glance:
Editor’s pick: JCB Petrol Pressure Washer – buy from Amazon
Best for warranty: Hyundai 3100psi Pressure Washer – buy from Amazon
Best on a budget: Champion 2600psi Pressure Washer – buy from Amazon
Nevertheless, these are fairly specialist pieces of equipment which require a bit of love to maintain properly. They’re a different league over budget pressure washers, and are used for more professional jobs. We’ve conducted a lot of research and rounded up the best petrol pressure washers to suit every budget and range of capabilities.
The best petrol pressure washers 2024
Editor's pick
Rrp: £749.99
Rrp: £749.99
The tyres even have foam filled in them to ensure they don't run flat. It also comes with a three-year warranty if you use it at home. The downside is that the warranty is reduced to one year if you aim to use it commercially/for work.
Pros
- Great quality construction
- Long 12-metre hose
- Very high pressure
Cons
- Warranty reduced for commercial use
Best entry-level petrol pressure washer
Rrp: £443.93
Rrp: £443.93
However, the Draper shines through by only costing (nearly) half as much. This is one of the best-value petrol pressure washers that you can buy. It also weighs nearly 10kg lighter (dry) than the JCB, which makes it easier to move about. It also churns out 474 litres per hour (flow rate), which while it's powerful, can easily be outclassed by an electrical pressure washer of premium stature.
Pros
- Great value for money
- Powerful enough for most people
- Light for it's type
Cons
- Not the most powerful option
- One-year warranty only
Best petrol pressure washer for warranty
Unfortunately, however, it's let down by a 7.5-metre hose, which falls short of the JCB unit at this price point. But at 600 litres per hour, the flow rate is mightily impressive and scores some points back.
Pros
- Three-year warranty included
- Powerful at 3,100psi and 600l/h
- Good build quality
Cons
- Shorter hose length lets it down
The best engine in a pressure washer
The hose may be described as heavy-duty, but it's only eight metres long which is fairly disappointing compared to others on this list. But it still produces seven horsepower which is healthy for a petrol-powered pressure washer at this price point.
Pros
- Powerful engine at 7hp
- Large handle to easily push/pull it around
- High flow rate
Cons
- Hose shorter than others
- Warranty could be better
Best budget petrol pressure washer
It has a six horsepower, 196cc single-cylinder engine along with a 7.6 metre hose, which while it's not the most impressive on this list, is worth it for the money in which the 2600 is retailing at.
Pros
- Good enough pressure and flow rate for the price
- Plenty of power from the engine
- Lighter than others at 30kg (dry)
Cons
- Hose length is shorter than others
Things to remember with petrol pressure washers
Above all, you must remember to put some petrol into them before proceeding with work. But regarding fuel, it’s worth noting that more powerful engines are likely to sip a little more fuel than less powerful ones. A lot more punch than battery-powered cordless pressure washers.
Secondly, it’s a question of mobility. You don’t need to worry about a plug sockets or extension cables with a petrol pressure washer. But with some weighing in at up to 40kg, they’re a lot heavier than electric variants. This is helped by larger wheels with chunky tyres and proper grab handles, but you should try and see how easy one is to move around before buying.
Lastly, it’s a question of running costs. The Champion unit has a 3.4 litre fuel tank, and at current average fuel prices (at the time of writing) at £1.52 a litre, it’ll cost just over £5.10 to fill up. In contrast to a powerful electric pressure washer, a Karcher K7 which uses 2,800W of power, equates to 2.8kW/h. On average, the cost of electricity at that power rating is £0.69 per hour. Using the same estimations, a less powerful Nilfisk Core 140 (1,800W – 1.8kW/h) will cost around £0.44 per hour.
Aaron Hussain is a commercial content writer at Bauer Media writing for Parkers and CAR. He is obsessed with classic cars and anything with a fascinating story to tell.
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