My aldi / Lidl Powercraft pressure washer is starting to give up the ghost. Its a big heavy beast and I put an extra long hose on the lance which means I can do two cars without moving it, though it does affect the overall pressure coming out the end which is still ok for cars.
Neighbour borrowed it to do his annual slab clean but noted this time it didnt have the pressure required for the slabs due to the long hose. He the borrowed another neighbour's K'Archer K2 and this had great pressure and cleaned his cslabs brilliantly.
However, the K2 is really, really light and I am wondering whether it will be durable or is it just that mine is abnormally heavy?
Anyone got K'Archers - are they durable at the sub £100 range?
|
Tell your neighbour he's a mean git and he ought to go out and buy his own pressure washer.
My own Aldi Powercraft one doesn't get much use, maybe 3 or 4 times a year, but it must be well nigh on 10 years old and is still going strong.
|
>>Tell your neighbour he's a mean git and he ought to go out and buy his own pressure washer.
We actually have a good set up here - four neighbours who all swap and share the power tools whether it be pressure washers, chainsaws, chop saws, high power drills etc
Saves us all having one of each.
|
|
I’ve got a K2. Had it for a couple of years. Use it for washing the car and cleaning the patio. Seems sturdy enough for occasional use. Previously had a more expensive Bosch which was a lot heavier and seemed very well built but that only lasted just over a year.
|
My own personal experience with Karcher pressure washers:
The first one I bought was a mid-range model, around the 200 quid mark IIRC. Worked well but failed on it's first outing the following Spring just out of warranty. Water P'ing out of the casing about five minutes after I switched it on. Diagnosed as a cracked manifold caused by water being left in the machine and freezing over the winter despite me emptying it as much as I could and it being stored in a frost protected garage. Estimate to repair was about £150.
Replacement manifold was about £80 online but Karcher use odd sized slotted flat-blade fasteners located down long recesses to secure the outer covers so you need special tools or make your own to get to the insides.
I bought another and made absolutely sure that it was empty before storing it for the winter. Exactly the same problem the following Spring.
www.car4play.com/forum/post/index.htm?v=e&t=22228&m=491519
My Nilfisk was used a couple of weeks ago to blast the patio and is still going strong.
|
I had an Aldi one and it was quite bulky and heavy. Worked fine for a few years. Went to use it when we moved into this house (had not used it maybe for 12 months but had lent it out in that time).... didn't work.
I then got a Karcher.... quite a bit smaller and lighter. Plenty powerful enough and used it today to clean the decking. Works fine. Not sure of the model but it was probably close to £100 when I got it almost 8 years ago. It's a K2 model I am guessing. Certainly a low end model.
|
I bought mine quite a few years ago.
It was well under £100 and is still performing well, too well some times as the top surface of some slabs has been blasted away.
Used for blasting front path, car standing area garden path and patio.
All is artificial riven stone . Needs a lot of blasting as patio is north facing and turns green and slippery over winter.
It lives outside all the year round and I make no attempt to drain it.
|
I use K2s for my car valeting and they are getting pretty durable these days, the last one went two years of hard use before giving up, whereas in earlier years they would only go 6 months.
They key is making sure all the air is out of them before firing them up, esp when new and don't run them if the water pressure from the tap is rubbish as it will ruin the motor very quickly.
|
>>
>> It lives outside all the year round and I make no attempt to drain it.
>>
I'm surprised it can stand being frozen solid?
|
>>I'm surprised it can stand being frozen solid?<<
Karchers are ok if you get a little ice in them so long as you defrost them thoroughly before using, although they only ice up in my car boot overnight, so whether sustained -5 or more would be the same, I'm not sure, I need mine to work so don't push it.
Eventually they either lose pressure or they develop a water leak, the latter usually in winter so may be frost related.
|
K'Archer pressure washers - Dulwich Estate II
