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Im thinking of getting one for lawn furniture, the grandkids playplace thing, and maybe cleaning the "old" off the sheds. Not wanting to spend $300+ on a gas one, but the Harbor Freight $70 electric one fits the budget.
Anyone own one? Pros and cons for what I intend to use it for?
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Yes, I have owned more than one and for the price they can't be beat! HF has been trying to shed their "junk" tools image and have been offering much better quality for some time now on a lot of popular items, sure they still have some real junk (and I mean JUNK!) but they also have their much better line of items and have pretty much relegated the junk items to what I refer to as knick-knacks. For instance they have three different price ranges in their pneumatic/electric tools (of which the Pressure washer falls) with prices ranging from somewhat lower than most retailers for mid quality stuff to about the same price as others for about the same quality, then they now have their new top-of-the line premium priced stuff that really is high quality that takes a back seat to none. The pressure washers I have seem to fall into the mid quality range in that the work quite well and seem to hold up as good as the nearly identical units from Lowes, Home Depot, etc.
The bottom line is that for the price the HF washer is a good one, HF does still have some low quality stuff that they seem to be phasing out but they have some real deals too. I shop there often and have quite a stash of HF machines (including a 14x40 shop lathe) and I have been quite happy with it!
Can you get parts if something breaks? I was given a electric pressure washer and when something broke in the wand I never could get a replacement. Had to toss the whole thing.
Is it worth it assuming it only lasts one season, or one job?
What about WalMart*? I have seen things returned there that were just worn out. I think if you painted a bar code on a dead horse WalMart* would take it as a return.
Harbor Freight offers an extended warranty for small $. Pay it and buy the cheap model, wear it out and take it... and your warranty... back to them. You come away with a new in the box washer with the remainder of the original extended warranty. I have one in the box right now as well as a cheap wood shredder.
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Not harbor freight but I've had a few electric pressure washers over the years, the most recent has been going more than a decade. The biggest thing I've found is they are a non-standard fitting, but there are converters available. M22 is the standard size, but there is a 14mm bore and a 15mm bore. I can't remember which is "Standard" on real units, but the cheap ones tend to have the non standard. One adapter off Amazon or ebay and you can run standard wands, hoses, etc for ease of replacement.
You can also find adapters for those bayonet fittings on the end of the wands to convert to standard threads, again allowing you to keep the same pump unit and switch out the plastic gun end. With a touch of research I was able to get Briggs accessories fitted onto my cheap electric unit to wash siding, clean gutters, etc.
Had one for a year or so and it works fine. I wouldn't buy as a business tool but for occasionally washing siding, car etc it's fine
Just be sure it doesn't freeze,the tank will break[smilie=b:
Of you look you might notice that the cheap electric pressure washers almost everyone sells is the same thing . just a different color .
They might have a different handle or accessories. But they are all the same inside .
I've had one for a few years , use it just like you want to and it has been adequately useful and problem free .
A hint to make any cheaper pressure washer last longer .. Tape the trigger down so if its on its spraying .
The shock of stopping the water flow is what ruins the pumps .
First.. always start the water flowing first before starting the engine ....
2nd get you some pressure washer pump saver. Its a pressurized oil that pushs the leftover water out of the pump and replaces it with conditioning oil. Use it after using the pressure washer. It will save your pump
Stay away from the hf one iyvdose not jave standerd hose fittings.
I cut the hose on one and could not buy a repalcment. Wound up cobbling tohther somthing then a few months later the motor burned out.
Id check pawnshops and local want ads.
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I am a bit late in this have had one about 8 years it works fine yet for me .
Got one. Doesn't do that great on vehicles but works on the siding.
I used to go through a cheap $70 or $80 electric pressure washer every year. My dad bought a HF gas pressure washer and it lasted a couple of years.
I bought a higher pressure Sun Joe electric pressure sprayer off of Amazon in April of 2016 and it is still working perfectly. It cost me around $120 back then, and now is $160, but it's lasted 5 years, so it's saved me money.
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