Whether a sudden downpour covers your patio with mud or you have left it uncleaned for years, an unsightly patio is an eyesore in an otherwise pristine yard. While you can always get a broom and water hose, a much quicker (and often more effective) method is using a jet wash for patio cleaning.
Kärcher K4 Premium Power Control – Most Customizable Jet Wash for Patio
The Kärcher K4 Power Control is a tough sell, to be honest, in that it comes from a reputable company that seems to have downgraded its products in the pursuit of higher profits. This is not to suggest that this jet wash is horrible, but its somewhat high price tag does not reflect the quality or capability of this model when compared to the competition.
The Kärcher K4 Power Control at least comes with a complete kit that includes a car wash brush, a hubcap brush, and the larger T 5 Patio Cleaner brush. This jet wash is also one of the few that comes with cleaning detergent, so you can get started cleaning the moment that it arrives.
The Kärcher K4 Power Control is also fairly easy to maneuver thanks to its wheeled base and lightweight design that comes in at only 11.5 kg – the lightest we reviewed. This jet wash also tends to be easier to use than some of the larger, more powerful models, with LED indicators and a pressure-sensitive trigger.
Unfortunately, the Kärcher K4 Power Control has a weaker 1800 W motor that generates a substandard maximum pressure of 130 bars and sustained pressure of 110 bars. This jet wash also has a lower flow rate of only 420 L per hour which translates to a slower cleaning speed of just 30 m2 per hour.
PROS
- Comes with a complete kit
- Is easy to use
- Is easier to maneuver
CONS
- Is more expensive
- Not the most powerful
Nilfisk C 120.7-6 PCAD UK – Lightest Jet Wash for Patio
The Nilfisk C120 is a great jet wash for anyone who needs something that can tackle most of your light to moderate cleaning jobs around the house. This jet wash is not the most powerful model that we encountered with a maximum pressure of only 120 bars and sustained pressure of only 80 bars.
The use of an 1800 W motor is on the weaker side of our list and limits this jet wash to cleaning only around 30 m2 per hour. The Nilfisk C120 can also only accept hot water up to 40 C which, when combined with its limited washing power, makes this jet wash better suited for washing cars or rinsing pavers than removing decades-old grime from a patio
However, the Nilfisk C120 is easily the lightest jet wash that we found, tipping the scales at only 6 ⅕ kg with a wheeled base that makes moving it from place to place significantly easier than traditional models. Another great thing about this jet wash is the complete kit that includes 4 different attachments and 2 additional nozzles, allowing it to perform a wide range of different tasks.
Unfortunately, the combination of maneuverability and numerous add-ons is somewhat limited by a 6 m hose that ties for the shortest on our list. However, the Nilfisk C120 is easy to use thanks to a Click & Clean design and hose crank that makes putting everything away as easy as getting it set up.
PROS
- Comes with a complete kit
- Is easier to maneuver
- Is easy to use
- Is less expensive
CONS
- Not the most powerful
- Not the most durable
Wilks-USA RX550i Electric Pressure Washer – Best Professional Jet Wash for Patio
The Wilks-USA RX550i is a fairly impressive jet wash that tops our list in most of the relevant categories without any major flaw to speak of. This jet wash presents a strong showing right out of the gate with the most powerful motor we reviewed, able to push an impressive 3000 W – easily the closest to a professional motor.
This motor more than pays for itself in the end as the Wilks-USA RX550i also tops our list for pressure applied both in terms of the max at 262 bars and the sustained at 155 bars. While high pressure often relies on restricting the water flow, this jet wash does not suffer from this issue as it blasts 510 L per hour – the second-best reviewed.
When you combine the motor power with the pressure and the flow rate, the Wilks-USA RX550i once again leads the pack by cleaning an incredible 70 m2 per hour. This jet wash also makes it a point to clean larger spaces in other ways by including the longest hose that we reviewed at 26 m which is likely long enough for even larger properties.
However, you may need that hose’s extra length as the Wilks-USA RX550i is not the easiest jet wash to maneuver weighing in at a hefty 30 kg – though it comes with a wheeled base to make that a bit easier. It is also worth noting that while not the most expensive option we encountered, this jet wash is a bit more expensive than budget-friendly options.
PROS
- Has a flow rate of 510 L per hour
- Has a constant pressure of 155 bar
- Has a 3000W motor
- Has a 26 m hose
CONS
- Is more expensive
- Is a heavier jet wash
Norse SK135 – Best Budget Jet Wash for Patio
While not the least expensive jet wash that we came across, the Norse SK135 is easily one of the best all-around values that we found while also coming in at a fairly low price. For instance, this jet wash comes with a reasonably powerful motor that can push 2400 W which, while not “professional-grade” is more than enough for most tasks.
To increase that value even further, the Norse SK135 comes with a complete kit more robust than much of the competition. This jet wash comes with 3 separate brushes for different tasks as well as 3 separate nozzles to achieve different pressures, allowing you to easily switch from cleaning the patio to washing your car.
Like most other fairly powerful motors, the Norse SK135 puts that power to work with a consistent pressure rate of 135 bars and a solid maximum pressure rate of 205 bars – both of which are second best. While not gushing like some of the other models encountered, this jet wash still ejects a solid 500 L per hour.
When you factor in the motor combined with the high pressure and decent flow rate, you get a jet wash that cleans 42 m2 per hour – more than fast enough for household tasks. In terms of mobility, the Norse SK135 is one of the lighter models encountered at only 16 ⅔ kg, but its hose of 12 m is a bit on the shorter side.
PROS
- Has a flow rate of 500 L per hour
- Has a constant pressure of 135 bar
- Has a 2400 W motor
- Can clean 42 m2 per hour
CONS
- Not the longest hose
- Not the most durable
Kränzle K 1152 TS T – Most Water Flow Jet Wash for Patio
The Kränzle K 1152 TS T is an interesting jet wash in that it is not actually designed for cleaning patios but still comes with some solid specs that make it great for cleaning other things. One of the more impressive qualities of this jet wash is its powerful motor which pushes 2800 W and is the second-most powerful reviewed.
However, the powerful motor leads to some mixed results as, with the engineering, it only produces 150 max bars and a max sustained pressure of 130 bars. While neither of these is the lowest reviewed, they limit the Kränzle K 1152 TS T somewhat, but its water flow of 600 L per hour more than makes up for it.
This water flow allows the Kränzle K 1152 TS T to handle deep-set grime better than most, though this contributes to a pedestrian cleaning speed. Its mobility is also somewhat of a mixed bag as this jet wash comes with the second-longest hose on our list, stretching a solid 15 m, but is also one of the heavier units at 31 kg.
The Kränzle K 1152 TS T would still be a solid option, but it is a prohibitively expensive jet wash – especially for one that is not suited for professional cleaning. Thankfully, this jet wash packs up easily enough with a built-in hose crank and also comes with 2 wands and 4 separate nozzles for different cleaning tasks.
PROS
- Has a flow rate of 600 L per hour
- Has a 2800 W motor
- Comes with 2 wands and 4 nozzles
- Has a 15 m hose
CONS
- Is more expensive
- Is a heavier jet wash
Conclusion
Ultimately, the best jet wash for patio cleaning will depend as much on the size of the job you have as well as the state of your patio. If you need a heavy-duty unit to clean grime built-up over years of neglect, the Wilks-USA RX550i is a powerful model that combines a good flow rate with high pressure.
For anyone who simply needs something to rinse off the patio and maybe help wash their car, the Kränzle K 1152 TS T puts out buckets of water. Anyone who has mobility and strength issues may not want to worry about lugging around a large, professional-grade machine around which is where the Nilfisk C120 comes in handy.
Maybe you simply need something quick and cheap to handle a single task, then the Norse SK135 has plenty of power and flow for a few jobs. Finally, if you want a jet wash that can handle a wide range of cleaning tasks, the Kärcher K4 Power Control offers the most complete kit we found.
