Power washers make cleaning the exterior of your home and your vehicles a lot easier. If you have your own pressure washer at home, you don’t need to take your car to the wash. You don’t have to hire anyone to clean your house’s siding. You can remove oil stains from your driveway, get the deck ready for summer, and give the garage a makeover. Let’s take a look at two top-selling power washers from Karcher to see which one is best for you.
Karcher K3 Electric Power Pressure Washer
The Karcher K3 is a light-duty pressure washer designed for occasional use at home. It has a maximum pressure of 1800 PSI and consumes 1.5 gallons of water per minute. This amount of power is perfect for cleaning wooden decks, vehicles, and vinyl siding.
If you’re planning to tackle tough greasy spots and blast away old paint, you might prefer the more powerful Karcher K5 described below.
The K3 comes with a Vario Power Spray wand that lets you adjust the pressure by turning the dial on the nozzle. The flexible hose that connects the wand to the washer is 25 feet long. This is great because it lets you work without dragging the machine right behind you.
The power cord is also quite long at 35 feet. This is very convenient when you don’t have a GFCI power outlet outside your home. This Karcher GFCI power cord is designed to cut electricity to the machine if there’s a problem so you won’t be electrocuted.
If you have difficult spots to clean, the K3 comes with a second wand called the DirtBlaster. It intensifies the water spray to maximum power. The onboard detergent tank is also handy when you need more than plain water to clean an area.
Karcher sells a wide range of accessories for specialized tasks. For both the K3 and the K5 washers, you can use the Foam Nozzle, a Right Angle Wand, a Power Scrubber, and a Hard Surface Cleaner. You can also add an extension to the wand and the high pressure hose.
More features of the Karcher K3 Electric Power Washer:
- Covered by a 2-year warranty as well as the Rapid Exchange Program
- Rapid Exchange means you’ll get a replacement should the washer need to be sent in for repairs
- Weighs 20 pounds
Karcher K5 Premium Electric Pressure Power Washer, 2000 PSI, 1.4 GPM
You probably notice right away the differences between the Karcher K5 and the K3. Besides their outward appearances, the K5 has more bells and whistles than the K3.
For one, the K5 is designed for frequent use around the house. It puts out a higher maximum water pressure of 2000 PSI but consumes only 1.4 gallons per minute, less than the K3. A lot of this is due to the induction motor inside the K5.
While the K3 has a universal motor, the induction motor inside the K5 is water-cooled and much more durable. It’s also quieter than the K3, and much quieter than a gas-powered pressure washer.
Like the K3, the K5 comes with a 25-foot long hose and two wands. The DirtBlaster helps you clean up ground-in grime while the Vario Power Spray lets you tone down the pressure to protect the paint on your car.
Also like the K3, the K5 has an onboard detergent tank. But this one has a neat feature—adjustable detergent flow. Use as much or as little soap as you need.
And the K5 has another convenient addition. The hose reel makes it so much easier to manage the 25-foot long pressure hose. The reel is mounted underneath the top handle and has a hand crank to help you wind.
More features of the Karcher K5 Premium Electric Power Washer:
- Covered by a 2-year warranty as well as the Rapid Exchange Program
- Rapid Exchange means you’ll get a replacement should the washer need to be sent in for repairs
- Motor is CSA-certified for safety
- Weighs 32 pounds
Recommendation
If you only have an occasional reason to pull out the pressure washer for cleanup, the Karcher K3 may be all you need.
If you plan to use a power washer more often and clean tough spots like greasy grills and oil stains, the Karcher K5 is better suited to that kind of use.
Click here to purchase Karcher K3 on Amazon.com!
Click here to purchase Karcher K5 on Amazon.com!