Best hot pressure washer in the UK

The best hot pressure washer makes cleaning faster and reduces the amount of detergent needed. This means that stubborn stains, such as oil, get lifted much faster than with a cold water machine. In addition, a heated surface dries faster, so you can be back to sunbathing on your decking in no time. It's time to say goodbye to your washing-up bowl of hot water and Fairy Liquid and level up your outdoor cleaning arsenal.

Is your patio looking a little green for the wrong reasons? Lichen-encrusted walls and the accumulation of moss can make even the loveliest of backyards feel neglected. Rather than spending a whole afternoon on your hands and knees, scrubbing away in your Marigolds, investing in a pressure washer gets the job done in minutes. This is a powerful machine that sprays a jet of water under pressure (measured in bars). There are various attachments to create a wide-angle spray or super-precise jet, depending on your needs. Tackle heavy-duty jobs and clean everything from swimming pools, exterior walls, cars, driveways, fences and garden furniture with a pressure washer.

Shop Black Friday pressure washer deals

We interrupt the regularly scheduled content to let you know that although Black Friday is over, there's still time to grab some last chance Black Friday deals on pressure washers. These are the retailers that still have deals available or keep scrolling to continue reading our buyer’s guide.

Shop the best Black Friday pressure washer deals: FFX | Amazon UK | B&Q | Very | Currys | Appliances Direct | Ryobi | Machine Mart

37% off: Bosch UniversalAquatak 135 WAS £219.41, NOW £137.68
Save £106.95: Makita DHW080ZK 18Vx2 Brushless Pressure Washer Bare Unit WAS £405.95, NOW £299
Save £105: Karcher K7 Premium Smart Control Home Pressure Washer WAS £650, NOW £545
Save £120: Clarke Harry 2 Hot Wash 145bar High Pressure Washer WAS £718, NOW £598

A hot pressure washer is going to be beneficial if you have a lot of automotive activity in your garage and your driveway is grease stains galore. This is because a hot pressure washer dissolves difficult stains and actually reduces the amount of pressure you need - so you won't damage delicate or crumbling surfaces. They are a worthwhile investment if you have a hot tub or outdoor swimming pool because pressurised cleaning with heated water (anything up to 150 degrees Celsius) hygienically kills and removes algae and bacteria. Hot pressure washers are powered by mains electricity, so you need to factor in proximity to a plug socket. Additionally, they have a fuel tank, which takes diesel or bio-fuel, to heat the water. If that doesn't quite suit your needs, you could opt for a cordless pressure washer.

More expensive than standard pressure washers, hot-water machines are widely used in retail, automotive and construction industries. Do note the product specification of the hot pressure washer you are considering because some models will be wildly beyond the needs of domestic users. In this guide, we're taking a look at options for use in the garden, including a hot Kärcher pressure washer and an equally powerful option from Hyundai.

Best hot pressure washer at a glance

• Best entry-level Kärcher hot pressure washer: Kärcher HDS 5/11 UX – View on Kärcher UK
• Best compact hot pressure washer: Clarke Harry 2 Hot Wash 145bar High-Pressure Washer – View on Machine Mart
• Best hot pressure washer for portability: V-TUF HD140Hot - Compact Professional Duty Pressure Washer – View on Machine Mart

Best hot pressure washer in the UK

We've selected hot pressure washers that are suitable for a domestic environment. There are professional hot pressure washers available too that are considerably more expensive and bulkier. You may want to consider the best cold pressure washers too, which rely on a high bar pressure to remove stubborn stains by force.

Best cold pressure washers

FAQs

What are the benefits of a hot pressure washer?

A pressure washer is fairly simple, as it's just a water pump powered by an electric motor. The difference between models is that they all vary in size, power, hose length, and the number of attachments available. With a hot water pressure washer, you have the addition of a heating element (commonly fuelled by diesel) to result in temperatures between 80 and 150 degrees Celsius.

According to Kärcher, using a hot water pressure washer "offers a time saving of up to 35 per cent with improved cleaning results." Additionally, a hot pressure washer doesn't need the force of higher pressure, as the hot water produces the same cleaning results, so you can soft wash delicate surfaces, such as roof tiles. It's better for the environment too, as heat accelerates chemical processes and reduces the amount of detergent that's needed. Finally, a hot pressure washer has the benefit of being hygienic, as the higher temperatures can sterilise surfaces.

What should I consider when buying a pressure washer?

There are lots of things to consider when buying a pressure washer for your garden and outdoor areas.

Weight and size: Firstly, you'll want to think about the type of pressure washer you'll want to invest in. Do you want something big and chunky that will have a high power and pressure rating for heavy-duty jobs? Or would you prefer a lightweight model that allows you to carry your pressure washer around the garden?

Power and pressure rates: With each pressure washer, there will be certain power wattage and pressures that it can go up to. If you'd rather blast all the dirt away as efficiently as possible, you'll want to go up higher, but this may also mean going up in price and size.

Components: Pressure washers can come with all sorts of accessories and additions. Think about what you might need depending on the materials you're hosing down. Do you need various nozzles, brushes and bottles, or do you want to keep it simple?

Hose and cable lengths: Most pressure washers will come with a cable if they're corded and electric, and all will come with a hose attached to the machine. If you have a huge garden with lots to wash down, you may need a longer hose length to reach through your garden.

Which pressure washer should I buy?

There are numerous options for pressure washers out there, and we have kept things simple for you by recommending a small handful of the best available. If you shop around further, remember the important factors: build quality, suitable accessories, and the power/pressure/flow ratios. The ultimate question when considering a pressure washer is: what is it for? Is it for just cleaning the patio, freeing the car of mud and grime, or cleaning garden furniture? Or are you needing to blast all the brickwork of your entire house before painting?

Electric pressure washers are the best for us regular home users. They have high power, are comfortable to use, and require little maintenance in comparison.

With an electric pressure washer, you'll need to consider these two factors in particular:

Power rating: Given in Watts (W), this will correlate with the pressure and flow rate of your pressure washer. The higher the power, the more energy it has to deliver more powerful cleans.

Power supply: Powered by electric, these types of pressure washers will need access to power to function. They'll either have a cable - for which you should double-check the cable length to your nearest power outlets - or be cordless. Cordless pressure washers give you unrestricted access but rely on battery power, making them only best suited for light cleaning jobs.

What to read next:

Best budget pressure washers for a beautifully clean garden

The best patio cleaners for effortless cleaning

Best garden vacuums for your outdoor space

Natalie Knowles is a Homes & Garden Product Writer for Modern Gardens, specialising in garden trends. When she's not flexing her mow-how, Natalie is a successful artist and illustrator.